One of the keys to building a strong personal brand is specialization. Ideally, your specialty should be based in large part on an area of real estate you know well, personal experiences you have had, and/or experience in working with a particular target market.

Realistically, however, if your area of expertise is in waterfront property and you do business in land-locked rural America, then branding yourself as the 'expert in waterfront properties" probably isn't going to net the desired result.

Like everything else in life that is worth doing, branding is worth doing well. For a real estate agent this means taking the time to really survey your marketplace as well as your own areas of interest. Is there a need for an 'expert' in the area you are interested in? Has your competition already cornered that area of the market? Most importantly, is the target or specialty one that will survive the test of time?

If the area in which you wish to brand yourself is a fleeting fad or dying market, don't waste your time!

Conducting such a market survey should take you very little time. As a real estate agent who better knows your marketplace and trends than you? While it shouldn't take time, picking your specialty does require a conscious, educated decision. Trends are just that - trends. Chances are your competition has already thought of them or they are a passing fad…think being the "expert in Olympic rental properties." Great for about two or three years and then after the Olympics…nothing.

Often the best targets are the most obvious, but least taken advantage of. Here are some examples of great targets and specialties that stand the test of time:

First-time home buyers. No matter the year, no matter the market, there are always first time home buyers.

• Seniors. Barring any unforeseen advances in medical technology there will always be a steady stream of seniors and retirees that have specific housing needs. As a listing agent the opportunity exists to specialize in listing properties of seniors who are downsizing. As a buyer's agent opportunities exist to help seniors downsize, find retirement and vacation homes, condos, etc.

• Working families. Who doesn't consider themselves part of a working family? Whether a single parent home, dual parent home, we all consider ourselves to be part of a working family. They are constantly moving up to meet the demands of growing families, moving closer to work to cut commute time down, or even downsizing to save for college.

• Regional considerations. Live in New York? Specialize in condos. Live in Detroit? Specialize in working with automotive executives and managers. Washington D.C.? Politicians, staffers, and lobbyists always need homes. Pick a specialization that is region specific but will stand the test of time.

When picking a target or specialization, however, you must be willing to meet the needs of your target or your brand will fail. For example, if you want to target working families you must be willing and able to work around their schedule, even if that means working after 5 p.m. on weeknights.

It all begins with you and your commitment. Branding is all about service. Whether your target is first time home buyers or waterfront homes, branding relies on the strength of your service, i.e. what you do to meet the needs of your target or fulfill your proclaimed specialty.

Choose wisely, the best brands stand the test of time. Ideally your brand should remain the same. Think about package brands you know. Coca Cola, Ford Motor Company, McDonalds-their brands, their logos have remained the same. These are brands that are recognizable whether written in English, Chinese, or Hebrew. You are trying to achieve the same level of recognition but not for your products or logo, but for your service or personal brand. This type of brand recognition takes time and careful planning. Plan your work, work your plan. It just makes good brand sense.

Allison Fishwick is founder of the Allison Fishwick Group, a national real estate training and coaching company. For more information please visit her website at www.allisonfishwick.com.

Published: January 18, 2005

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Allison Fishwick, the "Leader in Real Estate Branding" is a professional real estate agent, author, speaker and coach. As a professional speaker and coach, Allison is a branding specialist-focusing on coaching real estate agents to properly brand themselves in their own markets. Drawing on her personal experiences as a real estate agent, Allison practices what she preaches, combining the best attributes of a professional speaker and coach with the authenticity of an agent who has been "in the trenches." Allison also has a Bachelors of Science in Business Administration, and has over 20 years experience as a corporate trainer. Allison now travels the country sharing her branding expertise with other agents through her revolutionary branding programs and tools through her company the Allison Fishwick Group (www.allisonfishwick.com).