Builders are understandably focused on the tangible components of their business. From the sales and building process, to materials purchasing and land development, there’s so much you need to focus on to create exceptional final products that homeowners will be happy to live in. But in addition to the homes you build, it’s imperative that builders establish and consistently work on developing a recognizable brand. 

A brand is the identity you give your business—from your company’s name and logo down to your voice and mission, branding helps customers, partners and others in the industry understand what you’re all about. It helps establish your services, your style, your differentiators and more.  

Why branding is important 

Developing a brand is vital to companies of all sizes and in every industry—but it’s especially important for homebuilders. The homebuilding industry is extremely competitive, and a solid branding strategy helps leave a lasting impression on potential buyers. When customers are in what we call the consideration stage, they’re still doing general research and browsing to decide which builder to work with on their next home. Overwhelmed with options, these buyers are looking for any type of differentiator that will set one builder apart from the rest—and that’s when branding helps influence their decision. 

Your brand should touch every part of your business, including website, social media, sales collateral and other marketing efforts. It should also be woven into the work of your employees, especially customer-facing ones like new home specialists or online sales consultants. When a company’s branding is executed well, potential customers will take note of the consistency, the transparency and overall have a lasting impression of your products and process. 

Not only does good branding have an impact on potential customers, it will also create a stronger relationship with buyers. After experiencing the home building and buying process, then living in one of your finished homes—your existing homeowners will know your brand through and through. Happy customers will often become repeat customers, as your brand has helped establish trust. Satisfied homeowners are also more likely to refer their friends and acquaintances to your business, strengthening your brand even further. 

What makes up your brand 

Now that you have a better understanding of why branding is so important in the always-evolving homebuilding industry, you’re probably wondering about what goes into brand development. Let’s break it down into three different concepts. 

Internal branding includes your company values, mission statement and company culture—it gives your employees a common goal and purpose, which works to establish your brand from the inside out. These features shouldn’t just be mentioned in the onboarding process or annual training, they have to be present in the everyday activities and practices of your employees. 

When you think about branding, external branding is probably what comes to your mind first. It includes the logo, color scheme, marketing collateral and campaigns, taglines or slogans, website and other visual aspects of your business. Although not exclusively visual, brand voice and messaging is another aspect of this type of branding. An important step in shaping your brand standards and using them consistently is by getting all of your specifications, both internal and external, in writing. This document, called a brand guide, will serve as the foundation for discussions regarding the look and feel of your business—and can help your employees and outside partners portray your brand in the desired way when creating content. 

Although not always categorized as a part of branding in other industries, customer experience is the final concept builders should focus on. The customer experience is unique, because it really pulls from the first two concepts of branding. Your internal branding puts company goals and purpose into words, and the external helps establish how you hope to be perceived by your ideal customer base. When these two ideas are combined and actually interacted with by a potential buyer that creates the customer experience. And while a few things in the homebuilding process are out of your direct control, like weather delays or materials shortages, the customer experience is always in your control. That’s why customer-facing employees, and even those who don’t interact with them on a daily basis, should know how to communicate effectively, answer questions and mitigate issues that may arise. Providing exceptional customer service will resonate with customers and establish your brand as one they can trust. 

When to work with Builder Designs 

Whether your company’s brand is already established and needs a refresh or you’re starting from scratch—branding can be a little overwhelming. Just as homebuyers trust the experts to build the home of their dreams, you can trust the experts to develop the brand of your dreams. Builder Designs offers a wide range of services: audits of existing components to identify gaps and offer suggestions that will elevate your brand, logo conception and design, brand standard and guide development, internal branding refinement and more.  

No matter where you’re at in the process of defining and developing your brand, Builder Designs has something to offer. To learn more about our marketing services and how we can help you sell more homes, contact Amber at (913) 393-3367.