Behind the Yard Sign: Developing a Real Estate Brand That Makes You Stick Out

A good brand starts with good values.

It’s a common human affliction to want to be liked and—deny it all you want—businesses are prone to it too.  In business, sometimes, people want to be everything to everyone.  They want to please everyone and try to be everyone’s best resource or the only company out there, but that’s nearly impossible to do.  Young businesses especially tend to be people pleasers and end up weakening their brand in an effort to get 100% of the jobs 100% of the time.  As Katy Perry sings: I stood for nothing, so I fell for everything.

We talked with Windermere’s William Gilliland about his own core values. We brainstormed right there live in the interview the qualities that keep his clients coming back. Listen to the episode here.

When developing a brand that makes you stick out, think about who you are. What do you stand for?  What are your core values? How do you live your life? What are your morals? What do you live? When you find out what you are, that's your brand right there.  Take some time to delve into those deeper questions so that when asked, “What sets you apart from the umpteen million other options out there?” you have a concise, genuine and unique answer. 

At Spade and Archer we work to maintain a visual brand both online and in our home staging design work that our listing partners in Seattle, Los Angeles and Portland can identify right away.

Typewriters and other vintage touches are a design staple in the Spade and Archer brand. You always know you are in a Spade and Archer home staging design in Portland, Seattle or Los Angeles when you spot a period typewriter on the office desk or a nostalgic radio in the kitchen!

Another aspect of a brand that stands out is it answers an essential need for your clients. Can your customer say when they see your collateral, messaging, and online presence that, “this person/company was put here to solve a problem for me?” Are you addressing a specific pain point of your demographic?  Do you have a certain way of getting to the root of what your customer really needs?  If not, then why would they seek you out?

Knowing how you operate allows you to know your best customer.  The bigger you think your audience is, the more diluted your brand is going to be. Targeting the needs, wants and demographics of the people you want to work with will help you work the best. To know thyself is to know thy customer.  Are you super detail-oriented, involved in constant communication and heavily invested in the process?  Then a customer who is not focused on the minutiae, who is hard to get a hold of and only wants to know the end product is probably not the best person for you.  Instead of spending time chasing every customer who may not fit your work style, hone in on the ones who vibe with you.  The reason you share yourself in your business is to attract like people. The work will flow easier and they will be repeat customers because you are both on the same wavelength.

 If you know who you are then you know how you can help. Self-awareness in business—as in life—is the only way to get ahead.  A brand that stands out is one that knows what it is, what it can offer and what makes it special.  You have the ability to help people with your special skill set.  You are in business because you think have something to offer the world. In developing a brand that stands out, go to the foundation of it: YOU.  You will attract customers who work like you because they know you. You will have a business that is sought out because they trust how you work.  Develop your voice and your business will too.

Spade and Archer is ten years into their home staging brand (something that never stops evolving!) and while our look or offerings may always be leveling-up the core values have not changed. “Beautiful homes, thoughtfully conceived and gracefully executed” has been our guide post from the beginning. Trouble with a client concern? Return to our values. Stumped on a design issue? Return to the value. Hard conversation with an employee? Return to the values.

We can say 100% that the theme of “grace” has been endlessly valuable during the COVID-19 sheltering-in-place and slow of the real estate economy. When in doubt, we respond with grace. Grace with clients, our coworkers and ourselves.

What are the values that create your brand?

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This article is from Episode 4 of the Behind the Yard Sign podcast where Justin and Kelly interview Windermere Realty Trust’s William Gilliland on his long standing ability to create and nurture relationships in his business. Is networking a gift or a skill? William gave a peak into his lifelong story on how he learned how to connect with people, listen and serve better, and grow a business. His values around connection are a priceless lesson on influence and creating trust and Kelly and Justin loved his journey — and tale’s of his grandmother!⠀

Listen to the full podcast at www.spade-archer.com/behind-the-yard-sign.
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Justin and Kelly talk about brand loyalty and brand differentiation inside and out of the real estate ecosystem. As a service provider who IS a vendor and also HAS vendors — Spade and Archer as a home staging company has a unique perspective on how to choose business relationships that reflect your own values and goals.⠀
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Behind the Yard Sign is a podcast about the lives, struggles and successes of seasoned real estate agents. Veteran brokers share their highest highs and lowest lows and the lessons they’ve learned along the way. You’ll find lots of tips, tricks and how-to advice on how to sell homes for more money and in less time with Spade and Archer founder, Justin M. Riordan and his marketing side kick, Kelly Hanahan.⠀

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Spade and Archer Design Agency is a professional home stager in Portland, Seattle and Los Angeles. We start every single project with our Instant Price so let’s start the process of selling your home with an easy, free and instant quote. Spade and Archer is your no-risk, pay-at-closing, touchless installation, instant pricing home stager and we can’t wait to work with you.

Design Principle: Aspirational and Obtainable - Bridging the Gap

If you’re looking to purchase a home, you're probably daydreaming about the possibilities of what it'll look like. You imagine, perhaps if you're in Seattle, an incredible view of the Puget Sound through a large picture window at the end of a handsome living room outfitted with a masterful fireplace, or maybe in Los Angeles you're imagining something with a huge outdoor deck off of your well-appointed kitchen with sleek dining and living spaces. Perhaps, though,  you're downsizing in Portland, and you can't wait to only have that one grand master bedroom as the hero of your soon-to-be condo. Beautiful to envision, right? We all love thoughtful features that enhance our lives and show off the environment around us, but what about the items that we use to fill our houses? How will those things help to make it a home? 

You know that mid-century house you sulk over every time you drive by it? (Just go with me here.) It's probably not filled with all the mid-century specific furniture you think would go along with it. It's an extremely unobtainable achievement to do such a thing. If that were the case, it'd probably be a superhost listing on Airbnb's luxury experience list of places to stay in Palm Springs. That is 100% an aspirational achievement in decor. Would we love that and feel like a celebrity featured on a movie or magazine set? Definitely. Would we would go crazy with zillions of selfie posts on our profile page? Very likely. (No judgement here.) Again, it reflects a look that is completely and solely aspirational.

When you think about the homes of the average person, though, we all live with an often eclectic assortment of furnishings that have some sort of meaning or history to them. Most commonly, such furnishings are inherited or purchased second-hand. No one's home is furnished purely with all new things. Whether it's your grandmother's dining table that you were lucky enough to inherit, the desk that you used in grad school that now acts as a gaming station in your son's bedroom, or the vintage bench you scored at that random garage sale and couldn't dream of leaving behind. Real houses have furnishings with real stories and real purpose.

So why are we here writing about this for a home staging blog? Because it's a super important detail to recognize, and it goes a long way when it comes to setting a stage for home buyers. By using a mixture of furnishing styles, you create an obtainable look that is relatable. It's a sure-fire way to make a buyer feel more comfortable in a staged home. With this strategy, there is at least one piece in every room that the viewer can identify with, and it may even draw up a conversation because they like it so much! (And yes, we can sell it to you if you so desire.)

Our Creative Principle, Chad Hinke, took this rule of "Aspirational and Obtainable" that was set as a Spade and Archer standard and found a great way to expand upon it for today's generation of buyers. If you have something old, give it a fresh spin by mixing it with something new. The contrast will give it a bit more character in a good way. One common thing you'll find in our home stagings at Spade and Archer is an older dining table with a new set of dining chairs, or visa versa. This way you avoid presenting what looks like grandma's dining room and create an interesting contrast worth gabbing over. Don't get us wrong, new furnishings are spectacular and can be a great investment, but when selling a home, you never know who exactly is going to be considering making the big purchase. You want to appeal to the masses, and the mixed use of furniture styles or ages can help to attract in a bigger audience and have them lingering a bit longer. 

With home buying being such an emotional process, it's best to avoid triggers or turn offs that could turn a potential buyer away. There are all sorts of do's and don't's to accomplish that. This notion of finding a happy medium between aspirational and obtainable is not one that most may recognize. Just remember, you want to tell a story with each listing that will inspire and not overwhelm or intimidate. Hopefully, your home stager knows just how to accomplish that.

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Spade and Archer Design Agency is a professional home stager in Portland, Seattle and Los Angeles. We start every single project with our Instant Price so let’s start the process of selling your home with an easy, free and instant quote. Spade and Archer is your no-risk, pay-at-closing, touchless installation, instant pricing home stager and we can’t wait to work with you.

BEHIND THE YARD SIGN: THE POWER OF BUILDING RELATIONSHIPS WITH WINDERMERE'S WILLIAM GILLILAND

We recently caught up with our good friend and longtime Portland home staging client William Gilliland of Windermere Realty Trust to learn about his process through listing in COVID-times. It's always great conversation with William. We knew he would offer some reassuring insight of translating people's needs during the pandemic, but we found ourselves discussing the deeper truth of building strong relationships and how they serve a time-tested bigger picture.

LISTEN TO EPISODE 4 WITH WILLIAM HERE

William grew up around real estate as his father was a commercial agent, but before following his father's footsteps, he actually began working in luxury car sales. That experience was great training for being a real estate agent. "A good car guy sells around 15 cars a month," he told us, and he was successfully doing that and then some! William recognized later on when making the career switch, that car sales entailed essentially fast transactions but that, for him, it related so much to real estate. That's because, with every account, he treated clients like he'd see them again and built a connection which catered well to referrals and creating loyal relationships.

In episode 4 of Behind the Yard Sign Justin M. Riordan and Kelly Hanahan of Spade and Archer interview Windermere’s William Gilliland about the power of relationships in real estate.

There were other things, too, relevant to car sales and real estate. In car sales, you often think of mainly working with buyers, when in fact, as William explained, it's much more varied than that. Similar to real estate where sellers are needing to sell their current home to buy a new one, a car sale often involves a trade-in where there are still concerns of updates, maintenance, and getting the best value. You have to take something that's used and make it shiny and new again for the next buyer. The two fields translate almost seamlessly. 

When asked about his talent in networking and relationships William said, "I think it's a skillset and a gift. A lot of the time you have to figure out -- how do I talk to this person? You have to figure out who they are, how they are, and what they like. I've always been able to do that." How might you ask? He thanks his grandmother. "She taught me a whole bunch of things that I still use everyday. She always found something that she could talk to you about, even if she had no idea what it was, and I think a lot of times you have to just do that."

As we recognize all the challenges that we've had to face with Covid-19 and the level of alterations we've made in the way we operate and sell in real estate, William reflected briefly, pointing out that he was actually really busy through it all, and he has his relationships to thank for that. "I'm really lucky ...I think it's just because I've been really consistent in talking to my 368 person sphere and 1448 agent network that I regularly reach out to, and I've done that from the beginning." 

William also truly understands the investment that his clients are making with these large property transactions. "It's their real money. If they're crazy enough to hire you, then you need to be respectful of the fact that... That is their real money, that's their budget... They deserve the same treatment, consideration and diligence that anybody does." For every ounce of care an agent might have over a property detail, you can bet that the client cares ten times over. We as professionals in this field, cannot overlook the concerns of the client, because the price is huge, and even more important -- it's emotional.”

William has no problem staying realistic when it comes to people liking you or not as an agent. "This is a really easy business to get your feelings hurt in ...you're not going to be everyone's cup of tea. It's why there are so many agents out there!" He noted that with all the little nuances and needs for each buyer or seller, every agent will help accomplish those goals differently, and he realizes that he's not always going to be that person. William noted that he doesn't trust anyone without the courage of their convictions which is so motivating in this world of many. 

"We've had many downs and big ups in the last ten years, but it looks so easy right? It's really not, and you do have to have some skills in this business to do it well," William reiterated. He's not suggesting that you start off in car sales, of course. There are plenty of ways to learn and understand the power of relationships, so it's just a matter of how you look and listen beyond yourself to grow that skill and make it your own. 

William and Spade and Archer’s most recent home staging partnership in Portland.

Want a chance to learn a bit about our skills in home staging and how we can cater to your needs? Start with your free Instant Pricing for home staging in Portland, Seattle or Los Angeles and let's get started!

Design Principle: Why We Stage Outdoor Living

Ah, summer! It’s coming and it’s a time when all of us think of getting away.  If you’ve been sheltering in place this spring you are probably itching to get out of the house.  While it may not be possible yet to go on vacations, we can take advantage of the outdoor spaces we have in our homes.  

Patios, balconies, even front porches are additional usable square footage to our homes and we can take advantage of every inch. In home staging, we want to show off the promise of every space.  We want the potential buyer to envision themselves in that space, take in the scenery, heck, even sit down and contemplate life for a moment.  That’s why staging an outdoor space is just as important as staging an indoor one.  

People, in general, can figure out what size a sofa is and mentally imprint it on a space.  It’s a lot trickier with outdoor spaces, though.  Outdoor furniture comes in all different sizes, styles and uses. It’s difficult to envision what a bench or bistro set might look like on a challenging outdoor space. In home staging, we want to give the home buyer an idea of how that space can be used. Seeing a lovely lounge scene on a master bedroom patio gives the buyer a real clue as to what that space can be.  Maybe they never thought of having morning coffee off of their bedroom.  Maybe their current patio is used for bike storage.  Maybe they are so busy thinking of kitchens and bathrooms they neglect to think about themselves. But setting a scene for them to imagine their future there may just be what seals the deal on this particular home.

We want the buyer to consider the entirety of the house and so the outside must be a continuation of the incredible work done inside. When staging inside, we have walls on which to hang art or furniture that can hold lamps and accessories. Outdoor spaces have less to work with and therefore need careful consideration.  We don’t hang art on exterior walls (don’t even ask) so we have to use the view as our visual accessory.  Setting an elaborate tablescape outdoors is often impractical and unnecessary, so thoughtful accessorizing needs to be used to give the idea of future uses. Our job as home stagers is to give the buyer just enough of a lead to begin their fantasy and let them fill in the blanks with the particulars. 

In this new era of virtual tours and online home shopping, it’s paramount to take advantage of every asset you have.  Someone looking through real estate photos on their tiny apartment kitchen may see a tasteful outdoor dining table for six on a rooftop deck and dream of the dinner parties with friends they can have there. A little bench at the front entryway stirs up ideas of putting on your sneakers before a long run with the dog.  A cozy lounge tucked away inspires thoughts of long conversations over wine with your partner.  Setting that outdoor space with furniture and a few accessories is the home stagers’ way of inciting that fantasy in a new home buyer’s mind. 

We all need a getaway - someplace to refresh and unwind.  Our current situation may not make that a possibility, but if we are creative and inventive, we can find those little retreats in our very homes.  As home stagers, we can use our craft to inspire people; give them options they may not see for themselves. Making full use of all spaces in and around a house sets it apart, makes it a winner and makes it a place you want to come home to.

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Spade and Archer Design Agency is a professional home stager in Portland, Seattle and Los Angeles. We start every single project with our Instant Price so let’s start the process of selling your home with an easy, free and instant quote. Spade and Archer is your no-risk, pay-at-closing, touchless installation, instant pricing home stager and we can’t wait to work with you.

Reopening Safely with Touchless Home Staging

Everyone is looking forward to “reopening” and getting on with life as before.  Realistically speaking, that doesn’t seem logical to anticipate.  Nothing will be exactly the same — maybe ever again. Everyone going into this uncertain future will have to change, adapt, evolve, pivot, zig-zag and maybe even wing it while the world figures out what it wants to look like.  Humans are adaptable and with education and humility, we will all survive and even thrive. Business is no different.  The changes in the past few months have shaken up the last 100 years of complacency about “how we do business.” And maybe it’s about time.

If you are a small business right now you’re probably freaking out wondering how to continue.  Some of the greatest techniques are coming from people who are genuinely just doing whatever they know how to do naturally.  For example, the local dry cleaner merely called the company to ask how we were doing.  He didn’t ask us to bring anything in or beg for business.  He reached out to show real concern for our family and our safety.  It was much appreciated.  In that call, too, he let us know that he was still open, still doing his same phenomenal job and still there if we should need him. 

Business operations must inevitably change, but if you are still able to provide a recognizable service, people will feel comfortable and this will make them feel “normal.” That normalizing of people’s lives will encourage them to spend money.  If they feel like the world is ending, they are less likely to spend cash.  But as a business, if you can provide stability and reassurance, they will feel comfortable spending as they used to.

If your business is still open, your greatest asset is communication.  Let people know you are still around and still alive.  Shout it to everyone who will listen.  Let people know you are safe and operating with their best interests at heart.   Phone calls are a great personal touch, but social media is the loudest megaphone you can have right now.  Facebook, Google, Instagram, Twitter - if you’re not on them, do it now!  Show people you are open.  Show them the safety protocols you have in place. Remind them of the great service you once provided and let them know you are there for them now.  Reassurance is valuable asset in a time of uncertainty. 

Make yourself accessible. Make it really easy for people to Google you. Tell your followers how you are operating. If it’s a drop-off/pick-up situation, let them know how to easily do it.  If you have “curbside” or “touchless” let people know.  Whatever your service is, find a way to get your customers informed and flowing smoothly with your new operating standards.

No one is leaving their house right now. No one is driving around looking for your sign. No one cares to deep-dive into the ether looking for you. You have to come to them. If you have access to an email list or if you're on Facebook or if you can pay for Google ads, this is a really good way to promote your business. Everyone is home now and tuned into even the tiniest screen - and if business owners can communicate through those screens, that is how you are going to talk to your public.

Smart people know what they don’t know. Surround yourself with knowledgeable folks whose advice you respect. Listen to webinars, podcasts, and consultants every day - you have the time - and take their words to heart. You may hear something and completely reject it as it doesn’t speak to you.  Yet, you may also find that something stands out, makes total sense and is something you can implement immediately in your business. The more information you get, the more you can decipher what works.  Listen to entrepreneurs in your industry and outside of it.  Good ideas come from all sources.

In this time of upheaval, disinformation can run rampant.  People aren’t trying to purposely mislead you (at least you hope not) but maybe they jump to conclusions that don’t make the most sense.  Information is one of those commodities where it never hurts to diversify.  Gather as much information as you can from as many sources as you can.  Then you can sift through it and find what works best for you.  You were savvy enough to start your own business in the first place, you are smart enough to listen to the right people as well. 

Information is awesome and it’s the solid foundation you need to grow your business.  But knowledge without action can be masturbatory.  Take these great ideas you’ve spent hours cultivating and put them into use.  They may work, they may fail, but the only way to know for sure is to do it. And, in the interest of transparency, tell your customers what you’re doing.  Let them know it’s for their benefit and include them in the review of the procedure.  Their feedback will help you, keep them interested and possibly streamline your operations.

“New normal” is more “old school” than some would believe.  It’s about customer interaction.  It’s about feedback.  It’s about using all the tools available.  We all have to improve our customer service through constant, open communication.  We have to adapt operations to meet the new safety standards (which should have been improved eons ago). We have to think innovatively and act smartly to stay relevant. Reach out to your customers, not to just solicit business, but to make a genuine connection.  Ask them how they are doing.  Tell them how you are doing. In isolation, a phone call from the dry cleaner, a text update from your favorite restaurant, or a clever email newsletter from your home stager, serves as a point of connection.  Using new tech to make old-fashioned connections is a great way to keep your business in the forefront of people’s minds and, more importantly, their hearts.

As we accommodate all the needs of our real estate partners, know that as you reopen we’ll be keeping all of our COVID safety practices in place — starting with our Instant Pricing tool to get you a quote for your next listing.

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Spade and Archer Design Agency is a professional home stager in Portland, Seattle and Los Angeles. We start every single project with our Instant Price so let’s start the process of selling your home with an easy, free and instant quote. Spade and Archer is your no-risk, pay-at-closing, touchless installation, instant pricing home stager and we can’t wait to work with you.