Positioning a new independent agent for credibility and growth in a competitive market.
John O’Sullivan knows property. After years of working in large corporate firms, he set out to start his own real estate consultancy focused on one thing: offering honest, personal, expert advice to people buying or selling homes in South Dublin.
But when you're going out on your own in a competitive market, expertise alone isn’t enough. You need a brand and website that people trust at first glance and remember later on. That’s where I came in.
Website: www.josp.ie
Client: John O'Sullivan Property Consultants
Sector: Real Estate Agents
Services I provided:
Brand Discovery & Strategy
Logo Design & Visual Identity
Copywriting & Messaging
Tagline Development
Graphic Design
Brand Style Guidelines
UX Research & Benchmarking
Wireframing & User Flows
Website UI Design & Prototyping
The Challenge: Standing out in a competitive industry
John had the experience and reputation. What he didn’t have was a brand identity or online presence to match.
I had to solve three key problems:
He looked like everyone else.
The real estate world is full of cookie-cutter logos and safe, corporate branding. John wanted something different, but still professional.He was new.
Starting from scratch meant he had to build credibility fast. His brand had to do some heavy lifting from day one.He needed a website that worked.
Not just a brochure, a proper site that showed his services, built trust, and helped people get in touch.
The Solution: A brand that inspires confidence & trust
We kicked off with a discovery session to define John’s vision, purpose, goals, values, and ideal customers. Through honest conversations, we uncovered what really set him apart: a calm, knowledgeable presence in an industry where clients often feel overwhelmed. That became the heart of the brand.
A meaningful logo & visual identity rooted in guidance & local expertise
The logo design is inspired by a compass, symbolising guidance, direction, and expertise in navigating the property market. The initials “JOS” are subtly woven into the design, creating a recognisable and personal emblem.
A subtle nod to locality
The compass subtly points southeast, representing the specific area of Dublin where John operates, reinforcing local expertise and precision.
A professional & approachable visual identity
The colour palette and typography were carefully chosen to reflect trust, professionalism, and warmth, ensuring the brand appeals to clients looking for personalised and knowledgeable real estate advice.
Turning Strategy into a Seamless Online Experience
Building a Website That Builds Trust:
Once the brand strategy and identity were in place, the next challenge was to translate John’s expertise and approachable style into a digital presence that worked just as hard as he did.
This wasn’t about building a flashy site, it was about designing a clear, confident online experience that felt personal, professional, and easy to use.
From Research to Reality: A Thoughtful UX Approach
To create a website that truly supported John’s goals, I approached the project like a user experience consultant — not just a designer.
Competitive Benchmarking: An audit of local and national estate agents to identify visual and content patterns and opportunities for differentiation.
Customer Journey Mapping: Understanding how potential customers move from search to sale and what information they need along the way.
User Flows: Mapping the ideal visitor pathways from homepage to key actions (contact, browse properties, learn more about services).
Bringing It to Life: A Clean, Confident UI
Once the strategy was clear, I brought it to life through a user-focused design process:
Information Architecture: A simple sitemap and clear page hierarchy that made browsing effortless
Copywriting: Direct, warm messaging that communicated value without jargon
Wireframes & Prototypes: Low-fidelity wireframes followed by interactive prototypes to test flow
High-Fidelity Design: Clean layouts, strong visual consistency, and clear calls to action — fully mobile-optimised
The Result:
John now has a confident, professional brand that’s already making an impact. People in the industry have taken notice and more importantly, so have his customers.
In John’s words
“Barry asked me questions I’d never thought about before. My original vision was quite traditional, but he opened my eyes to other possibilities. What we landed on is something I’m proud of — it stands out and feels like me.”
“I’ve worked with plenty of designers in corporate firms, but going out on my own was a completely different experience. Barry helped me not just define my brand, but think ahead to what I’d need next — before I even realised it myself.”
John O’Sullivan,
Managing Director,
John O’Sullivan Property Consultants