If you spend any time on social media, you’ll see endless posts about branding — logos, colors, fonts, headshots, aesthetic grids. And while all of that plays a role, none of it matters if the person behind the brand feels disconnected from the message.
People don’t hire graphics. People hire people.
So when someone recently asked me,
“Ashley, how do you go beyond showing up online and actually build a real personal brand?”
I had to laugh, because the truth is… my brand was never a strategy. It was a story, my story — told honestly, consistently, and unapologetically.
And that’s the part most agents overlook.
Why Personal Branding Starts Long Before Social Media
Let me back up for a second: I do have an unfair advantage. My degree is in marketing, and I geek out over branding, psychology, messaging, and strategy. I love it more than I probably should. But even with that background, I learned something quickly in real estate:
Your brand only works if it reflects who you really are.
When I entered the industry, I chose the tagline:
“Bringing HART to Your Home.”
It was clever, memorable, sentimental and it fit. But the deeper truth is that my brand wasn’t built on a tagline. It was built on something much more real:
I’m a mom of four. I work hard. My life is busy, loud, beautiful, and full of kids and chaos and commitment. And I show up anyway.
I wanted clients to understand that from the very beginning because that’s part of the experience of working with me. I don’t hide it. I don’t sugarcoat it. I don’t pretend to be someone I’m not. And that honesty became the foundation of my brand.
Branding Isn’t About Selling Yourself — It’s About Showing Yourself
A lot of agents think, “I need to push my brand,” or worse, “I need to create a character people will want to hire.” But people don’t connect to characters. They connect to humans.
On social media, I don’t push a brand message. I push my message – my actual life, my values, my work ethic, my motherhood, my wins, my failures, my client experiences, my home-building journey, my love for teaching agents, and my commitment to doing business the right way.
When people call me, I want them to already know:
I’m not the pencil-skirt-and-stiletto type.
I’m not going to show up pretending the background noise of four children doesn’t exist.
I’m not going to hide the reality that I juggle motherhood and real estate at the same time.
I will always take your call. I will never drop the ball. But sometimes you may hear a baby giggling in the background because that is my world, and I am deeply proud of it.
And guess what? The right people don’t run from that. They connect to it.
Why Authenticity Makes Your Brand Magnetic
There’s this fear in real estate that you will lose clients by being too real, too honest, too transparent. Here is the truth:
You don’t lose the right clients by being yourself. You lose the wrong ones, and that is a blessing.
When I show my life as it is, not filtered, not curated, not staged to look perfect, I attract clients who value real conversations, real connection, real guidance and real integrity.
Those are the people I want to work with. Those are the families I want to represent. Those are the referrals I want to earn for life.
Branding doesn’t create that, honesty does.
How Personal Branding Actually Shows Up in Daily Business
Here’s where most agents get confused. They think personal branding means:
- Perfect feeds
- Matching outfits
- On-brand backdrops
- Curated language
But real personal branding shows up in the way you:
- Answer the phone
- Write your emails
- Handle conflict
- Prepare your listings
- Educate your clients
- Follow through
- Follow up
- Show support
- Show gratitude
- Keep your promises
Your brand is built in the moments people feel something positive about working with you. For me, that means clients already know: Who I am. How I communicate. What I value. What I won’t compromise o.
That’s branding. Not graphics, just trust.
The Advantage of Letting People “Know You Before They Need You”
If you scroll my social media, you will not see a perfect influencer account.
You’ll see kids, chaos, contracts, teaching moments, mistakes, insights, home tours, behind-the-scenes content, leadership, and heart.
“Even if people don’t watch every video, my face pops up and they think,
‘She’s still working. She’s still growing. She’s still showing up.’”
And when someone needs a REALTOR®?
My name is already top of mind not because I pushed my brand, but because I shared my life.
Client Testimonial
“Can’t express how happy we were having Ashley as our realtor. Knowledgeable, friendly, great communication, funny, and will go to bat for you when you need her. We were first time home-buyers and she made the process as easy and low stress as I think it could have been.”
— Luke Moraglia
FAQs — Personal Branding in Real Estate
1. Does personal branding really matter for real estate agents?
Yes. Real estate is a relationship business. Clients hire agents they trust, and branding builds familiarity long before someone ever reaches out.
2. Do I need a fancy logo or perfect Instagram feed to have a strong brand?
Not at all. Your brand is your reputation, how you communicate, follow through, and show people who you really are. Visual branding is just an accessory.
3. Is it risky to show your personal life online as an agent?
It depends on how you do it. Sharing your values, personality, experiences, and real-world perspective creates connection. Oversharing sensitive information does not. The key is authenticity with boundaries.
4. Can personal branding help attract the “right” clients?
Absolutely. When people already know your style, communication, and approach, you naturally attract clients who are aligned with your strengths and repel the ones who aren’t.
5. How do you stay consistent with your personal brand?
Consistency comes from telling the truth. When your brand is just you, you never need to manufacture content or pretend. You simply share your business, your lessons, and your story as it unfolds.
Work With a REALTOR® Who Leads With Heart and Honesty
At the HART Realty Team, you’ll never get a scripted version of me. You’ll get the real person who shows up with transparency, strategy, and compassion every step of the way.
If you want an agent who values communication, authenticity, and lifelong relationships, I’d love to connect. Learn more at HART Realty Team or reach out at @AshleyHartRealtor.
