In real estate everything we do has our picture attached to it. After all, isn’t it a REALTORS job to have customers recognize us by looking at a picture? Isn’t that part of our branding when we advertise? We look at websites and blogs and house listings and agent flyers and business cards with REALTOR pictures all day long. We want people to grow accustomed to seeing our familiar faces.
But, how many times have you finally met a REALTOR after talking on the phone with them, or seeing their print advertising for months, and you wondered who the person walking up to shake your hand was? The first thought is, this person looks nothing like their picture. HMMMM. Well, I always assumed that the REALTOR had a picture taken, put it on their cards, and just kept having the cards reprinted.
I have met REALTORS at social functions, marketing meetings and seminars after years of seeing their print advertising and some look nothing at all like their pictures.
Well, guess what, the same thing happened to me recently. I met with a friend of mine that I had previously done business several years ago. As always, I reached out and handed him two of my business cards, one to keep and one to give to a friend. We exchanged hellos and he glanced down at my card. “How old were you when this picture was taken?, ” he asked. I was a bit taken aback. “What do you mean, how old was I?” Well, he went on to tell me that the picture looked like it was taken when I was 16 years old. I didn’t know if I should take that as a compliment or an insult. “Do I really look that different?” I asked. “Well, it’s not really your face that is different, but your hair is a different color now.” Oh, I thought….that’s true. I had to think… I realized that the picture was taken 6 years ago.
I have since changed my picture on all of my advertising, however I still have a handful of business cards with the old picture on them, and I have ordered new cards with the updated picture.
I wonder how many years will pass before I have to change my picture on all of my advertising again.
