I first sat down with Laura from Thwaites Realtors to discuss a branding session in January. She had found us through a search for branding photographers and hoped we weren’t too far a distance to do some updated realtor branding for their company. We are in western Kentucky by Bowling Green and they are located in Paris, KY. I assured her we loved to travel and we could definitely make it work. By the end of the call, we both realized this was going to be an AMAZING experience for everyone involved.
She said to get ready for a lot of laughter and craziness (in a good way) and man, was she right! Even on the Zoom calls we had to prepare for this session, I could see the interactions of these agents and we were already laughing. The little comments they would make to each other when they would walk by or just the exchanged glances of inside jokes.
So from the moment I met the entire team in person, I knew this would be a fun realtor branding session. No stiff poses, no awkward silences, just quick wit and maybe a few lighthearted jabs at each other. Even the outfit selections had some fun stories that came with them.
One thing was for certain, this was a team that worked well together. I could also see in the in-between moments of our realtor branding session that several of them were taking calls from clients and setting up meetings or showings. I learned that a real estate agent is never truly off duty, even when they “aren’t working”. Or at least the agents in the Thwaites Realtors group. I could tell their clients came first.
The owners of this agency are a mother and son team. Donna is an agent and Chris is a broker. This familial basis seemed to trickle down into the entire agency. It really did feel like one big, happy family with hometown family values. And I could see why clients would choose this group to work with. Kevin and I instantly felt welcomed into the family.
Another integral part of this team is Whitney. She is the office manager, which is quite the job when you have this many agents on your team. Others on the team will jokingly tell you that she is the one who keeps them all in line. She is also the photographer for all of their listings, a job which she handles with the utmost professionalism. We have taken our share of real estate photos and I can tell you firsthand that it’s not as easy a job as you would think. But Whitney does an incredible job of capturing the essence of each property.
Another key piece of this team is Dustin. He is not only an agent but the auctioneer for the group. With his signature cowboy hat, boots and aviator glasses, he definitely added so much to this realtor branding session. A cowboy auctioneer with a sold sign…I’m proud that I held myself back from singing a John Michael Montgomery song on the session. Tho I bet I could’ve gotten most of the group to sing along.
Oftentimes these agents work side by side, bringing together a buyer and a seller to make a perfect match. Though they, of course, work with many realtors from many different groups, when two members of this team get to collaborate on a home, farm or commercial property sale, they make a dream team. Then both sides of the process get to be part of the amazing communication and education that this team is dedicated to with all of their client interactions.
From the first phone call to the congratulatory handshake, Thwaites Realtors are invested in being your go-to resource for real estate industry insight and advice. And I was amazed to hear how much real estate experience there is in this group. A few had 40 plus years!!! I could tell that they really know the trade like the back of their hands.
And by the time of the closing, a real relationship has been built. These agents don’t just view this as a transaction but as an opportunity to help their clients achieve their goals. They listen to their hopes and dreams, address their fears and anxieties and work together through all the ups and downs.
I love that each agent has their own unique style, their own strengths and zones of genius. Are you looking to buy your starter home? Do you want to purchase the farm of your dreams? Or you want to finally take your business to the next level by having a commercial property of your own? No matter your needs, someone on this team can help with that.
We finished the session with a few of Laura. Her motto is “Life is short. Buy the farm.” She was the agent I was in contact with during the entire planning process for this realtor branding session. And all along, I could tell how much she cared about her clients. Her family and her farm mean so much to her and she just wants others to get to experience this joy for themselves. It was apparent this wasn’t just a marketing ploy but that she really lives this farm life. From the cattle shows to the cow print phone case with the matching belt… She really wants to help you plan a mooove!
I’m so grateful for the chance we had to work with such an amazing group of individuals. There was witty banter. The preacher among them offered a prayer before the noon meal. You could sense they genuinely cared for each other and for all the ones they have the opportunity to work with. Here are just a few more images of their session:
Thank you, Thwaites Realtors for giving us the privilege of photographing your brand session. We can tell you are going to change so many lives in the Paris, KY, area. We wish you a very successful year!
Love, Kevin and Renee
