In real estate, standing out is essential—but few have done it as memorably as Sue “Pinky” Benson. Benson is widely known as the “Pink Lady of Real Estate.”
Earlier in her career, Benson faced a crowded field of agents, many of whom happened to share her first name in her market of Naples, Fla.
Her solution? Pink.
“Nearly 20 years ago, there were a lot of Sues in my office, and clients rarely remembered names,” says Benson, leader of The Benson Boutique Real Estate Team with RE/MAX Alliance in Naples, Fla. “I wanted something to differentiate myself.”
The principle is the same today, she adds. “With so many agents online, you have to do something that makes you memorable. For me, that was pink.”
Related: Lights, Camera, Listing: How to Get Noticed in Real Estate
What started as a simple differentiator quickly evolved into a full-fledged brand. Pink shows up everywhere—from her wardrobe and marketing materials to her social media presence and even her car, a limited-edition fuchsia convertible Volkswagen Beetle.
If she dares to show up in another color—people instantly notice. “Oh my gosh, where’s the pink?” they’ll say to her. “Clients will even send me photos of pink things they see,” she adds. “The brand has sparked conversation and connection. … But you really do have to love your brand. If you don’t, it won’t work.”
Luckily, Benson does love pink.
After first adding more and more pink into her wardrobe, a client had first dubbed her the “Pink Lady”—a nickname that stuck and ultimately became the foundation of her brand. It anchors her website (pinkladyofrealestate.com) and social media pages with the handle, “Pinky Knows Naples.”
Consistency, she says, has been key.
“The biggest mistake agents make is inconsistency,” says Benson, who also has coached agents on real estate social media marketing. “It’s not going to come from one post or using a new logo one time. Brands like Target or Nike didn’t become iconic overnight—they built recognition over time.”
It’s not just picking a brand and sticking to it; it’s also making sure you’re fully aware of what all it represents. While some may see pink as feminine, Benson pushes back on that assumption, pointing to its historical ties to red—a color long associated with strength and power, even in times of war.
“Sometimes people get confused by the color pink,” she says. “They might think: ‘She’s trying to be like Barbie.’ I’m not Barbie—unless Barbie is ready to seriously kick it in real estate. … For me, pink represents my voice—my fire. It’s how I express who I am and what I stand for.”
Find Your Own Thing
Her top advice to agents seeking to make a mark: Stop copying others with the latest viral sensation, whether it’s dancing or lipsyncing to a song.
“I think one of the biggest mistakes agents make is copying each other,” she says. “They can’t find their own voice. But in an era of AI-generated content and even AI versions of ourselves—AI twins—the only way to show up authentically is with value and your own voice. … Authenticity is going to win against a fake version.”
And if you build a strong enough brand, it can then evolve with you. Recently, Benson has shifted more focus to reaching consumers directly on platforms like Instagram.
“My brand has evolved and adapted to my audience and new business goals,” she says. “But pink is still part of my identity.”
