3 Brokers, 3 Strategies, 1 Goal: Building Your Personal Brand

Personal branding gets deals done in 2025. I know this firsthand.

It's the reason I found Mike Salmon in 2022 and a big part of why we have added 54 brokers as clients in the last 7 months. I know it works for brokers, too.

So, I slid in the DMs and asked three brokers a question:

Their answers reveal three different but complementary approaches to standing out in a crowded market.

But first, a word from our sponsor!

Today's newsletter is brought to you by For CRE Brokers.

Mike Salmon and Jake Crandall provide CFO services to high-performing CRE Brokers across the country.

What started with our own tenant reps seeking financial guidance has evolved into a comprehensive service specifically designed for CRE brokers.

As both financial advisors and CPAs, we bring the perfect combination of expertise to assist brokers in optimizing their independent contractor status and 1099 income.

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⚓ ANCHOR TENANT

Strategy #1: Cast a Wide Net

Aviva Sonenreich of Warehouse Hotline believes in going everywhere your potential clients might be scrolling:

"Want to build a brand in commercial real estate? Well, social media is your best friend. Now the next question becomes, what platform should I use? And the answer is simple. All of them. I want to see you on Twitter, LinkedIn, Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, YouTube."

All of them? Here's Aviva's secret: repurpose and repackage the same content across multiple channels. One market update becomes six posts.

We've built our practice to 150 brokers across the country, with most of the growth because of LinkedIn. But we're starting to see the wisdom in Aviva's multi-platform approach—we're slowly branching out now with this newsletter, short-form video content, and I'm meeting with another CPA next week who has grown like crazy on Twitter (I mean, X, the everything app).

"Being a broker 10 years in the business, having started posting content five years ago, almost a hundred percent of my leads are from social media. It's all about casting a wide net, providing value, and watch the value come back to you tenfold."

Sheesh, that’s amazing!

Strategy #2: Know Your Audience, Then Engage

Alvaro Cortes of Cushman & Wakefield breaks personal branding into two essential parts:

"Know who you're talking to. Social media isn't your personal journal. It's a conversation and not everyone needs what you do. So before you post, ask yourself: Who do I want to serve? The narrower the audience, the sharper your message. Clarity beats popularity every time."

This cuts through all the noise about "building your audience." I'd rather have 10 commercial real estate brokers follow me than 1,000 randos.

"Then post. Seriously. Just post. Knowing isn't doing. I've met brilliant people with amazing ideas who never hit 'publish.' Meanwhile, others with limited experience but bold consistency are building real momentum. Action > perfection."

But here's where most people stop. They post and then go back to their email.

"Don't just honk. Posting alone is like a cab driver honking at someone and expecting a connection. Add comments. Start DMs. Engage in real conversations. Meet with people IRL. Have calls. Digital serendipity…That's where the magic happens."

Strategy #3: Show Up Consistently

Kaylan Knitowski of Franklin Street keeps it simple with the most important element:

"When it comes to building a personal brand, especially in CRE, the first quick action I recommend is simple: show up online like you do in real life. Post consistently on LinkedIn, even if it's just one takeaway a week from a deal, a conversation, or something you're learning. Don't overthink perfection just be genuine, visible, and helpful."

One takeaway per week. That's it. Not daily content, not viral posts, not perfectly crafted thought leadership pieces. Just consistent, genuine sharing.

"That one habit compounds over time. It's what helped me go from just another broker to someone people actually reach out to—having their acquisitions people reach out to me themselves—because they feel like they know me before we even speak."

I agree 100%. When we get on the phone with someone, they’ve likely seen hundreds of our posts and are much more likely to share about their finances.

"I've always said personal branding is kind of your VIP pass into rooms where you lack experience. And especially for me being a younger female in a male-dominated industry, my social media helps me go to bat with some of the biggest names."

The Takeaway: Social Media = Revenue Generation

When I was graduating college, a friend’s dad told me to be a revenue generator. No one fires a revenue generator.

And in 2025, personal branding through social media is a great way to create revenue through inbound leads and increased trust with your ideal clients.

All three started before they felt ready and built momentum through consistency, not perfection.

Thanks for reading until the end!

Mike and Jake