An interesting branding challenge

[webmaster]

As many of you know, I have been the long time web developer for www.edkirkland.com and continue to do so.

Now Ed actually moved away for his retirement (Semi retirement) to Laveta CO - and his Daughter Karrie has taken over working the site leads and remained in Destin (So I am now her web developer)

We are going to completely upgrade, redesign, and revamp the website www.edkirkland.com as it is several years old, so that it can take advantage of the newest technologies, a 1024 design etc.

So here is my challenge - I cannot (Nor do I want to) change the domain, as we have held the #1 spot for many years in Google for Destin real estate - so in this redesign, I want to represent the now completed "changing of the guard" if you will.

It is still a Kirkland, it is just now his Daughter. Now many of Ed's existing clients have already known and been working with Karrie for years as she worked along side her dad as a buyers agent learning the business, so no problems there - but what about new visitors to the site - how do I present this new site in a way that de-emphasizes the "ED" in Edkirkland.com

I would love your feedback on this one guys - I certainly have some ideas, but would love some insight from those of you who are intimate with the behaviors of real estate consumers.

Thank for your time, contributions and putting up with my long winded post

[Micheal Pannell Realtor]

I dont know that i would worry about it. Not everyone would have met him anyways.

[Susan Zanzonico]

true...she can also just get some nice domains for advertising and re-direct...if anyone asks about he "ed", the true story of a long time business/domain passed down to the daughter is a good one.

[Calgary Agent]

here's a suggestion ....... you could re-brand the domain name "edkirkland" (don't change it, just refer to it) as >>

ed = ED's DAUGHTER

[EFS Webmaster]

it seems pretty simple to me since the branding already reads "... & Associates" which could mean anything. Think how many companies (including most fortune 50 companies) are named after people that have subsequently died or are no longer affiliated with the company.

Don't throw the baby out with the bathwater and just position "Ed Kirkland & Associates" as the company and Keri as the person running the company. If they don't have a DBA for "Ed Kirlkland & Associates" yet, they should get one so that the organizaitonal structure is a little more formal.

Also, I would go back thru the website and update the content so that it is less Ed-centric and more company centric.

Good luck!

[Smuck]

That is an interesting branding challenge. Along the lines of Michael and Susan, I would suggest a gradual change of guard. Ed Kirkland's site is 1 of about 12ish sites I consider hallmarks in the real estate website genre. Messing with these kinds of sites is treading on hallowed ground!

I sold my construction business several years ago and the business still operates under my name. That is because when I sold the business, I had very little to do with business. I had a good guy doing the estimates, another great man doing the work, and I was simply cashing the checks! Humbling to admit, but years of hard work paid off in the long run.

Along these same lines I would suggest an immediate change of technology, but a gradual change of branding. Ed's the man, and his daughter's assumption of command should be gradual. IMHO, of course!

[RyanRE]

I wouldn't worry about it too much because it is Ed's daughter. This would be a lot different if the company was being taken over by some random person. The E.D. (Ed's Daughter) is too funny. I really like the associates idea too.

[Ryan Ward]

Kirkland Family & Associates

As a business, the branding must remain more important than her having her name in lights.

Kirkland is the name and the branding.

De-emphasize Ed and emphasize the family.

Just one more of many ideas for you to wrangle with.

[EFS Webmaster]

I disagree with emphasizing and branding the family. Brand the company "Ed Kirkland & Associates", not just one or two blood-related heads, especially if you are interested in scaling the business.

Again think how many companies (actually most companies) are named after a single person but have evolved into something much more significant. When branding something that is larger than an n=1, you need to focus on the bigger pictures and not just the family.

[Joe Cline Austin]

I dunno.. look at Mary Kay, Elizabeth Arden, Johnson and Johnson, the list goes on and on. I think you can leave it or change it. After all if you are doinga complete redesign you could leave that URl and site in place while you develop the new site. Then turn the old site off with an interstitial page that says something about Ed retiring and his daughter taking over and have a you will be redirected in 10 seconds after you read about ed page. I think you have options.