Page 2 - TYSON PROPERTIES: 20 YEARS AND COUNTING

(... continued.) marketing. Going forward,
we will ensure that our brand
CLOSE ENCOUNTERS OF THE continues to be well recognised
PROPERTY KIND and well positioned,” he says.

So, an agent will instruct AI to That positioning will also
complete a sale agreement, send it follow South Africans from
out for signing and return it. big cities into smaller locations
as many begin to consider
“But that’s positive because that moving to more remote spots
will create an opportunity for that like the Karoo.
agent to do other things within
their businesses. If you look at “Over the next 10 years, we
all the major companies, they’re plan to fill in all the spaces.
During our first 20 years,
staffing up and we intend doing we knew it was important to
the same to create service delivery establish ourselves in the
platforms that allow agents to do main centres. That was a big
more of what they’re good at – task. We have accomplished that
selling and listing properties. In and it now time to look to the
the old days, each franchise had outlying areas. We’ll probably
an administrator. Now, we are The Tyson Properties 2025 National Top Office Award was presented to Bryanston / Fourways. start with the Garden Route
fine tuning the back end to create and move on from here,” Tyson
a platform that can work across points out.
multiple franchises,” he argues. non-existent base. There have real estate company to remain find like-minded people.
been record years and another resilient. You cannot thrive He is confident that, within
He continues: “You will still growth spurt following the in the very good times, and Even in its earliest years, Tyson the next decade, Tyson
be dealing with an agent, decision to go national after its suddenly, when the market dips, Properties has been the David Properties will have a footprint
somebody you can talk to, tenth anniversary. close your doors. That’s why in a David and Goliath scenario in most places across South
somebody you can trust. I can Tyson Properties ensures that its – or is that Luke Skywalker in a Africa without missing any
Star Wars battle?
replace a lot of things, but I Now, Tyson says growth will franchisees have good businesses steps in the existing markets it
can’t replace somebody that be steady and organic thanks that are not vulnerable to Today, Tyson remains has worked hard to create.
you’ve known for the last 10 to to having the right people and downturns. It is simply good determined to harness the right “In 20 years, we’ve developed
15 years. You still want to deal moving in the correct direction. business practice to run a good technology and market insight to a good brand and a good
with someone who understands “I think one of the biggest business,” he explains. compete with larger companies. business. Now, it is really
your lifestyle changes – whether lessons learnt has been to Hence, the technological infusion about taking that business to
it be a marriage (or divorce), a ensure that you run a profitable Leadership, too, is critical. One will spill over from administration a completely different level.
decision to move to be closer to company that can weather of Tyson Properties’ slogans into training and marketing. This is something about which
schools or to downsize. AI will storms. When you hit a bump reads: “a good business is built “We’ve just launched the our franchisees and managers
on the right people”. He sees
never be a substitute for that.” refresh of our entire brand. are very excited. We’re seeing
along the road – whether it’s a his biggest job as recruiting It’s very exciting to see a much so much opportunity and look
During its first year, Tyson global financial crisis or interest franchisees, business partners, fresher look coming through. forward to really capitalising
Properties grew by 100 rates go higher than people managers and agents that are From day one, we pushed our on our new systems,” Tyson
percent, albeit off an almost expect – it’s important for a exceptional. He is on a quest to boundaries with regards to concludes. 

CELEBRATING 20 YEARS WITH A BRAND REFRESH

complete brand refresh always be something bigger were different inputs from
and a new Customer than what it does. The group various sources.
R
A elationship Management goes beyond helping people buy “As part of our 20th
system (CRM) have been and sell property. Your home is anniversary, we want to launch
launched, continuing the where you live, look after your
company’s legacy as a trailblazer health, make memories. The a completely new corporate
in real estate marketing. Tyson Properties brand is about identity. That will not mean a
helping people to realise their different logo but will reset the
“We have refreshed our potential,” explains van der Spuy. brand going forward. This is
entire brand so that it remains a very important task for us.
relevant in the marketplace,” GOING BACK TO ITS ROOTS We want to make sure that our
says Chris Tyson. brand is well recognised and well
Tyson remembers launching positioned with a consistent look
For Tyson and brand creative a company without so much as
Willie van der Spuy, the 20 - year a website in 2005: “I think we through whatever we do,” says
campaign, which comes with only developed one a year or Tyson. Van der Spuy describes
the brand refresh as taking a
the tag line “Expect more. Let’s two later. We relied very heavily couple of steps backwards in
talk,” not only celebrates decades on newspaper advertising,
of exceeding expectations but show houses, boards in the terms of visually refreshing the
extends the brand’s horizons as it marketplace. If we look at how brand into simple, clean, luxury
lines and then stepping into the
continues its journey as a national properties are marketed today future.
market leader. and the part technology plays, we
Initially, the logo and corporate
“From the beginning, we realise that real estate has gone image was based on Durban’s
focused on redefining what from being an industry that was
South Africans can expect from not reliant on any technology, to art deco legacy. He believes that
it is important for the company
real estate built on our ethos one that is completely reliant on to remain true to its roots, but
of delivering elevated service, it. Property portals and digital appeal to everybody. Although
innovation and a people first marketing have become key.”
culture. Tyson Properties has He admits that, from day one, the logo spoke to Durban
architecture initially, it now has
grown from a single office to Tyson Properties pushed its broad appeal.
a national brand trusted by boundaries when it came to
thousands. A brand should marketing. Over time, there (... continued page 3)

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