Branding a Boutique Brokerage Firm for Success
As a business owner, you can achieve remarkable things by demonstrating your professionalism through the look, feel, and voice of your brand.
Customers are discerning in the choices they make; they expect a professional approach and presentation. Authenticity counts and essential business elements must be consistent. Intuitively, both the customer and the business must understand the brand.
For Mach Media, success is both listening to our client and defining the perfect solution. We love to convert clients into brand ambassadors by making sure they have the right tools to impress their customers. That was the experience and outcome for Sotera Living.
Challenge
Sotera Living is a Florida-based, residential real estate brokerage firm. Principal Broker and Owner, Lianna D’Angelo, set out to bring a fresh approach to real estate with a lifestyle brand that focuses on cultivating and nurturing meaningful relationships. Her “why”? To serve clients by helping them find and create the home of their dreams.
When the time came for Sotera Living to convey that message clearly, they needed help — even the best entrepreneurs can’t do everything alone. After an initial attempt to design the new company’s look, Lianna reached out to Mach Media to bring the firm’s branding and identity to the next level.
The deliverables for this particular client exemplify success in brand development, design of visual elements, and marketing and sales collateral.
Strategy/Solution
To build on Lianna’s vision, Mach Media conducted an in-depth interview to further develop the brand personality and a first-year marketing strategy, which included the brand’s key messages and unique selling points.
With a solid brand framework in place, the art direction process was swift and efficient. Our designer presented three distinct concepts, which we worked into one final brand book with both the core brand elements (logo, typography and color palette), as well as practical implementation guidelines and governance. We also provided useful brand assets and templates, such as business cards, post cards and letterhead.
Mach Media helped bring the new image of Sotera Living to life through a launch event, a grand opening with a nostalgic vibe — a nod to the glamour of the Roaring Twenties. We helped plan the theme, create on-brand invitations and handouts, and write the speeches. Practical tasks were not out of reach, as we acted as the onsite event host by supporting logistics and working with vendors.
Sotera Living’s slender budget in the early days precluded developing an elaborate web presence. So, Mach Media implemented an industry-specific search platform in this market (MLS search), which features hot-on-the-market, high-end properties across the Central Florida area.
When the work was done, Lianna was thrilled, because the branding reflected her personality and vision, and the functionality of her website improved. Now she can reach new customers with confidence.
Results
- Market Positioning
Mach Media helped Sotera Living define more precisely how to position its brand and its services. In 2019, Sotera Living was named one of the top 5% realtors in the Orlando market by Orlando Real Producers. Pretty impressive considering they’re competing with some heavyweight household brands in the market. - Change Management
The process and methodology Mach Media used to help Sotera Living define its brand and refine its positioning in the market inspired Lianna to change her own approach to how she and her team work with clients. Sotera Living now stands out as a brand that projects both personality and professionalism, and that goes the extra mile to create the best experience for both buyers and sellers. - Reach the Right Audience in a Highly Competitive Market
Where personality sells and large transactions can be decided based on feeling, branding is essential to marketing success. Whether it’s the look and feel of Sotera Living’s Instagram feed, the professional style of its agents, the For Sale signage, or the silky business cards with gold foil — this is a brand that can confidently sell million-dollar homes. The result has been a success by any measure.
Mach Media truly pushed me to the next level. As a business owner, I am always running around wearing 10 different hats, but I would not be where I am now without the expertise and marketing support of Mach Media. It’s an investment that absolutely paid off. Every time I give someone my business card, my brand gives me a level of confidence that is priceless.
Lianne D’Angelo
Owner of Sotera Living
