Building a Powerful Brand in Real Estate: Insights from a Marketing Expert
Branding in real estate isn’t just about a slick logo or catchy slogan: it’s about creating a story and reputation people can trust. Jamie Burke of Burke by Burke has spent years helping professionals refine their voice and presence, and in a recent conversation she explored what it really takes to build a powerful brand in real estate today.
The foundation: professional vs. Personal Branding
One of the first things Burke highlights is the difference between professional (corporate) branding and personal branding.
- Corporate brand: your business identity, organizational values, and how you present to the market.
- Personal brand: how you, as an individual realtor, advisor, or entrepreneur, show up professionally.
Blending both creates a strong, cohesive identity.
“Your personal brand still needs to be aligned with your business brand,” Burke explains. “Everything comes back to one question: How will the public perceive me and my business?”
This is especially important in real estate, where people don’t just buy homes, they buy trust. Realtors and developers who align their personal image with their company’s reputation build stronger, longer-lasting relationships with clients.
The five-step framework for real estate branding
Burke shared her tried-and-true five-step framework that she uses with clients across Canada:
1. Define your values and voice
Every strong brand starts with clarity. Who are you? What do you stand for? What’s your personality as a business?
Burke compares this to music: Taylor Swift is feminine and exuberant, Beyoncé is fierce and powerful, and Chappell Roan is quirky and bold. Each has a distinct voice that makes them unforgettable.
For real estate professionals, your personal story is part of your brand. Burke and her husband Eddie, for example, run a boutique, husband-and-wife business—something that resonates deeply with their clients.
2. Establish clear, realistic goals
Set measurable targets—sales numbers, brand awareness, or engagement metrics—and keep them realistic.
As Burke puts it: “You can’t go for 100% market share. As much as I’d like to market for every realtor in Canada, it’s just not possible.”
3. Identify your audience
Not everyone is your client. That’s a mistake many professionals make.
Burke uses the analogy of a fishing boat: “regardless of the size of a company, each one is a boat…No matter the size, there’s only so many fish that boat can catch. So you want to make sure that your net, your messaging, is capturing the right kind of fish.”
That means focusing on the demographics, needs, and preferences of your ideal clients and tailoring your brand accordingly.
4. Build your platform
Once your foundation is clear, develop the outward-facing pieces: your website, LinkedIn profile, social channels, and marketing assets.
5. Show up consistently
Finally, put yourself out there. Posting sporadically won’t cut it.
“Don’t skip the first steps,” Burke warns. “Jumping straight into posting or selling without doing the foundational work will leave you spinning your wheels.”
The LinkedIn advantage in real estate marketing
LinkedIn holds a unique value for real estate professionals. According to Burke, 97% of B2B social media leads come from LinkedIn, which now has over 1 billion members worldwide.
Unlike other platforms, LinkedIn’s algorithm rewards meaningful engagement and professional connection.
Key LinkedIn strategies
- Optimize your feed by following relevant companies and professionals.
- Engage authentically with comments—quality matters more than quantity.
- Create content that educates, engages, or entertains.
- Build relationships rather than chasing quick sales.
Burke notes that valuable content generally falls into three categories: Education, Engagement, and Entertainment. You don’t need to hit all three every time, but your content should consistently provide value.
Case study: Hillside Consulting
Burke shared the story of Hillside Consulting, a Nova Scotia appraisal company.
Their tagline, “Worth More Than Numbers”, reflected not just clever wordplay but genuine brand values: environmental stewardship, professional integrity, and community focus.
Through brand archetype work, a strong visual identity, and a cohesive website, Hillside built a reputation that went far beyond spreadsheets and property values.
This case proves that authentic branding resonates, whether you’re a realtor in Vancouver, a developer in Toronto, or an appraiser in Halifax.
The technology integration: OctoAI’s brand story
Proptech brands like OctoAI demonstrate the power of strong positioning.
Their platform, Eli Report, helps realtors and buyers analyze strata documents, cutting through hundreds of confusing pages and surfacing the insights that matter most.
As Beattie recalls: “back in 2018, I thought how strange it was that when you bought a used car you got a Carfax report of it’s history, but when you spent a million dollars on a condo, you got hundreds of pages of noise.”
Since then, Eli Report has produced over 25,000 reports for more than 7,000 users across North America. The brand story — transparency, empowerment, and integrity — resonates with both professionals and homeowners.
Even in tech, your brand values matter as much as your product.
Practical content creation tips
Burke offered actionable advice for creating content that connects:
- Text posts: Tag people and companies to increase reach.
- Video content: Keep it professional and relevant for LinkedIn.
- Carousels: Upload PDFs (not multiple images) for smoother functionality.
- Graphics: Use LinkedIn-native sizing and prioritize clarity.
Before posting, Burke recommends running content through this three-question filter:
- How will people feel when they see this?
- What value am I providing (Education, Engagement, Entertainment)?
- Is it aligned with my professional brand?
Marketing vs. sales: a crucial distinction
One of Burke’s most important reminders: marketing is not sales.
“Marketing is the essence and the tools that help drive your sales,” she explains. Sales close deals, but marketing builds recognition, credibility, and trust.
Real estate professionals who confuse the two often expect immediate results. The reality? Branding is a long game.
Building credibility takes time
Burke stresses that patience and consistency are critical:
“Building credibility takes time and consistency… For myself, and I went really hard and really robust, it took almost a year before I started gaining a lot to traction with my brand with Burke by Burke. And now We’re entering year three, and it’s really starting to pay off”.
This realistic timeline sets proper expectations for professionals just starting their branding journey.
The bottom line
Building a powerful brand in real estate is about trust, authenticity, and consistency. Start with strategy, focus on providing value, and remember: credibility is earned over time.