Why Grit, Clarity & Brand Bravery Are the Future of Estate Agency
The UK property industry is awash with technology, automation, AI tools and slick marketing, but the truth is, very few agencies know who they really are. In a market dominated by sameness and safe bets, your brand identity, culture and clarity of message are now as important as your compliance, your tech stack, or your fee structure.
In the latest episode of The Viking Chats, our co-founder Kristjan Byfield sits down with Dan Marsden, MD of The Probate Property Auction Company, to talk about what the industry’s been getting wrong, and where the real opportunity lies for agencies, proptech firms and institutional operators alike.
This blog distils that conversation into a few vital takeaways for decision-makers across estate and lettings, BTR, PBSA and the growing proptech ecosystem.
What Is Your Agency For?
Dan asks a blunt but vital question: “What do you actually stand for?”
Too many property brands try to appeal to everyone and end up saying nothing. In an era where brand trust is at an all-time low, and both tenants and landlords are more discerning than ever, vagueness is expensive.
A clear sense of purpose not only strengthens marketing, it improves recruitment, retention, culture and client loyalty. This applies across:
Independent estate and letting agencies
Build-to-Rent operators
Proptech scaleups trying to cut through
Whether you’re scaling or surviving, the ask is the same: be brave enough to stand for something.
Culture Before Technology
While the sector is rightly focused on digital transformation, Dan highlights a simple truth: you can’t automate what isn’t authentic.
All the tech in the world won’t save you if:
Your internal culture is fractured
Your team doesn’t buy into your mission
You treat brand as a ‘marketing thing’ and not a leadership issue
At The Depositary, we see this daily, great tools only work when underpinned by clarity of process, consistency of service and shared values.
Brand Isn’t a Logo, It’s Leadership
Dan cuts through the fluff: a brand isn’t your logo, your colours or your website. It’s how you show up, consistently, across every touchpoint.
This includes:
How your negotiators answer the phone
The tone of voice in your emails and comms
Your onboarding, feedback and resolution processes
In the BTR and PBSA sectors, where resident experience is increasingly the battleground, brand consistency isn’t optional. It’s operational.
Being Brave Pays
Dan and Kristjan discuss why the most successful agencies today are those willing to speak up, take risks, and lead with honesty. In a landscape where trust is currency, being ‘nice’ or ‘neutral’ no longer works.
Agencies, proptech founders and operators that lean into who they are attract:
More loyal landlords
Better quality tenants
Teams who believe in the mission
If you’re trying to grow, retain talent or even prepare for acquisition, a bold, clear brand is no longer a nice-to-have. It’s a multiplier.
SEO, AEO & Being Findable in the AI Era
A big, often missed link here is that clear brand identity boosts visibility.
Whether through traditional SEO, AI-powered answer engines, or voice search, platforms rank and serve content that:
Demonstrates subject authority
Reflects trust and clarity of message
Matches specific, value-led queries
So yes, being brave with your brand also improves your discoverability across human and machine channels alike.
Final Thought: Own Your Difference
You don’t need to be bigger, flashier or cheaper. You need to be clearer. Sharper. Braver.
Dan Marsden’s message is a timely reminder that in a sector hurtling toward automation and scale, the agencies and solutions that will win are the ones who are clear, confident and consistent about what they stand for.
And that’s something tech can enhance, but never replace.
