How to Implement Naming and Folder Architectures at Your Brokerage

If you handle marketing or create content for your brokerage, have we got a treat for you. Incorporating a folder architecture and file naming convention for your brokerage's data management system can do wonders for boosting brokerage efficiency and agent productivity.

Setting up a standardized way of naming and finding all brokerage assets and collateral can make your brokerage look – and act – like a well-oiled machine. Plus, there's an added benefit: tears of joy and applause from all your colleagues. This simple act can have far reaching effects top-down and back again.

At Moxi Works, we utilize a naming convention and folder architecture derived from Platform as a Service (PaaS) best practices. Here is a sneak peek into how we use folders across a number of our teams and help to keep everyone sane.

Parent-level (Team) Folders

In our ecosystem, there are platform components where teams utilize common tools. To help each easily distinguish "where to play," we start with parent or "team-level" folders.

• Admin
• Marketing
• Account Management
• Sales
• Relocation Services
• Finance
• (z)Testing
• (z)Training

By calling out these folders initially, each team can easily navigate to their pertinent place of truth.

Child-level Folders

Child folders are those that live within the parent or team-level folders. As a best practice in the marketing team, we name child-level folders to align with either asset or marketing channel type.

Marketing (Parent Folder)

Child Folders:

• Calendar - Launch dates for campaigns and programs with parents, vendors, internal, etc.
• Campaigns - Years, type/channel
• Content - Images, videos, collateral like case studies, infographics, white papers, Bit.ly links, etc.
• Emails - Sent emails, draft emails, and email templates
• Forms
• Landing Pages
• Search Marketing - PPC, Google, Bing, Paid Social, etc.
• Social Media - Content media posts, copy, mockups, etc.

Grandchild and Great Grandchild Folders

I know what you are thinking right now: "You guys have a lot of folders!" Yes, we do, but it keeps us extremely organized and our productivity up!

Grandchild folders nest under the child folders. An example would look like this:

Marketing (Parent)

• Campaigns (Child)
  • 2015 (Grandchild)
  • 2016 (Grandchild)
  • 2017 (Grandchild)
  • 2018 (Grandchild)
    • Advertising (Great Grandchild)
    • Blog (Great Grand Grandchild)
    • Direct Mail (Great Grandchild)
    • Email (Great Grandchild)
    • Public Relations (Great Grandchild)
    • Seminars/Trade Shows (Great Grandchild)
    • Social Media (Great Grandchild)

We utilize channel at the great grandchild level to quickly navigate between past and present for easier benchmarking and reference of initiatives year-over-year.

Naming Conventions for Assets and Collateral

Just like your folders have a naming structure and architecture, so should your files. First, you should define which types of files need naming. For marketing assets, here are some suggestions:

• Header: Email header images
• Footer: Email footer images
• Content: White papers, case studies, flyers, onesheets, etc.
• Social Icon: Images for your social media channels
• Logo: Brokerage and partner logos
• Ad: Digital advertisements for PPC or paid social

Here are some working examples of how you might be able to customize naming for your own brokerage:

[File Type] [Purpose or Name] [Intended Audience] (where applicable)

• Header – 2018 Market Trends Webinar – Real Estate Agents.png
• Content – Brokerage Communication Success Guide – CMOs.pdf
• Content – Agent Success White Paper – Agents.pdf
• Logo – 2017 Your Brokerage Here – Large – New Prospects.png

No two brokerages or teams are alike, so what works for you may not work for someone else. Figure out what best aligns within your own organization.

To view the original article, visit the Moxi Works blog.