Posts with tag 'Delta Media Group'
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9
Accentuate the Positive
Achieving what you dream of in real estate takes more than believing you can do it.Â
But if you believe you can't do it, you might well never reach your goals.
No matter what your background, your unique perspective can help you succeed in real estate. And given the diversity of interactions and skills you'll need to practice, it's not unusual to find some aspects of real estate fit you better than others.
Of course, you want to build your skills and address your weak points over time. It's a...
3
In Their Corner
Every decision starts with an emotion, then gets a helping hand from logic.
And while there's plenty to look forward to when buying or selling a home, the entire process can be one of the most stressful anyone will face in their life. When stress runs high, emotions tend to as well.
Ambiguity – about things like financing, the logistics of the move, and whether it will be worth it in the end – triggers heightened states of tension. There's no way to know in advance how everything will play out, so these feelings can't be resolved completely.
But the emotional component of real estate isn't just about distress.
The full spectrum of emotions plays into de...
6
No Place Like Home: J.P. Weigand & Sons
Take a drive through Wichita, Kansas on any given day, and there are a couple of things you're bound to notice. Bustling businesses. People ducking in and out of shops or grabbing a quick bite to eat at local restaurants. Homes those same people are anxious to get back to after a long day of work. And, of course, J.P. Weigand & Sons, Inc. signs on lawns throughout the city.
Whether those lawns sit in front of residential or commercial spaces, it's impossible to miss the presence J.P. Weigand & Sons, Inc. has throughout Wichita. For over a century, the independent, family-owned and operated, full-service company has exemplified its promise of meeting The Standard for Excellence, serving its community, and racking up accolades. That includes nearly three straight decades as the top real estate company in Wichita, according to RealTrends.
"You can't drive anywhere or very far without seeing a J.P. Weigand sign in Wichita, says President and General Manager Joshua Turner. "And because we do commercial and residential, we're so present. You drive down a residential street; you're going to see a J.P.Weigand sign. If you drive down any major thoroughfare, a business district, you're going to see a J.P. Weigand sign. It's a household name. Everybody knows that J.P. Weigand is real estate in this part of the state."
And while real estate has undoubtedly changed in the last 100-plus years, Weigand's commitment to its clients has not. With leaders who know the neighborhoods in Wichita like the back of their hand and agents who constantly strive to get the best results possible, Weigand's ability to make anyone the company works with feel like family is a trend as dependable as spotting signs on lawns. Because, really, this is a family business and every interaction just adds another member.
GETTING TO KNOW J.P. WEIGAND & SONS
To understand J.P. Weigand & Sons, Inc. now, it's important to understand J.P. Weigand & Sons, Inc. then. Then being 1902 — when J.P. Weigand himself first arrived in Wichita. Traveling from Illinois in a covered wagon, it didn't take long for Weigand to realize there was something special about the area, a potential that he was determined to grab onto. So, he subleased desk space and got to work.
Less than a decade later, Weigand's certainty in Wichita's potential proved true as the city's population boomed, bringing with it a need for the sort of real estate company that could help that population turn the area into homes. In 1912, Weigand expanded his business, leasing a one-room office, and while he remained the lone staff member, tracking his transactions on scraps of paper he kept in his suit pockets, the company's growth matched the city's. Joining Weigand a decade and a half later was his son, Nestor R. Weigand, Sr., truly making the company a family affair as those living in Wichita began to define real estate with the Weigand name.
His reputation expanding, Weigand's dedication to Wichita never wavered. In fact, one of his business cards in the late 1920s read:
I am for Wichita. Wichita is the Indianapolis of the Southwest. The greatest commercial and financial center of its size in the world. 15 lines of railroad radiate into a territory with 700,000 people within 100 miles of Wichita; wherein the future will live 1,000,000 people, with Wichita as their metro point. Population now 45,000; will soon have 100,000. Watch us grow.
Grow, they did.
Since those early days, with J.P. Weigand walking his way across the city because he never actually drove a car, the company now boasts over 200 associates offering services from seven locations across South Central Kansas, with more than $500 million worth of real estate sales annually. Family is still at the center of the company as well, with Nestor Weigand, Jr. serving as CEO and Chairman of the Board. It's a presence that, despite more than a hundred years between the company first opening its doors and now, keeps its roots as strong as ever, with a sense of pride in its Wichita heritage that has never once waned.
"One of the things that has impacted me about this company is the way that people are treated here," Turner says. "People are treated with respect. They're treated well, and that's all part of that standard of excellence. We treat people with excellence, also."
PUTTING WORDS INTO ACTION
For J.P. Weigand & Sons, Inc, The Standard for Excellence is not simply a tagline. It's more than a motto. More than a string of words, even. It's the foundation on which the company has built itself; a promise made every day by every person working for Weigand. Excellence is a guarantee, ensuring that whatever transaction Weigand might be working on, it never forgets the human element of real estate.
"We always put our clients first," Turner says. "Nestor [Weigand, Jr.] often says that integrity is more important than the deal. We always want to be handling things with integrity. And our reputation is very important to us."
Providing clients with the best possible experience begins well before any deals are made or a single dollar bill changes hands. In order to foster that familial mindset, Turner says Weigand has to bring the right sort of agents into the fold. Finding those agents who mesh with Weigand's culture and understand the company's collective goals begins in the interview process.
Whereas other companies may allow agents to simply sign up and get into the field, Weigand takes a far more personal approach. Potential agents meet with Weigand's leadership team and, once hired, go through additional training above and beyond simple licensing.
"We put every potential agent through an interview process to ensure that they are a quality person, at least as best we can, and make sure that people are going to be engaged and that they're going to understand what our standards are," Turner details, adding that any additional training Weigand offers is free for agents.
"[Training is] a requirement from us," Turner continues. "And so it's about making sure that [our agents are] somebody that's going to fit into the culture and making sure it's somebody who will provide a quality product. And if they don't provide a quality service to our clients, they don't stay here very long."
One of the keys to finding agents who will truly gel with Weigand's culture goes back to those ever-present "FOR SALE" signs so easily spotted throughout Wichita.
For so many people living and working in the city, Weigand is an almost omnipresent company. The name is synonymous with real estate, and so, as Arlan Newell, the Managing Broker of Weigand's Newton and Hutchinson office, explains, the majority of people looking to jumpstart their careers with the company are already well aware of who they're joining and what that means to the community.
"It seems like the ones that kind of mesh their way to us are the people that have already known our company for many, many, many years," Newell says. "And maybe they're coming off of a second career or a change of career of some kind. A lot of those people end up gravitating towards us because our name's been in the market for so many years. The integrity of the company leads them to come to us."
Bringing in those agents — whether they're looking for a new direction with Weigand or simply hoping to get careers off the ground — throws the importance of training into stark light. It's a process Weigand doesn't take lightly and one that's grown and evolved as much as the company itself over the last century-plus.
Once they're hired, agents go through a two-week-long training course, touching on everything they can do now that they're part of the Weigand family. It's a crash course in everything from Weigand's technology offerings, including the tools provided by Delta Media Group®, as well as instructions on how to handle contracts, open houses, and everything in between. Armed with all that information, agents have a perfect jumping-off point as they hit the ground running with Weigand.
"They get a lot of training in their first few weeks on the job," Director of Marketing Abby Parker says. "We try to give them as many tools as possible to set them up for success."
As an independently-owned company, with such an obvious and long-standing reputation in the community, Turner says Weigand's ability to localize its training also helps set it apart. By focusing classes and training on South Central Kansas, agents offer the sort of area expertise that can make all the difference in real estate.
"Companies have these national training platforms, even international training platforms, but you don't conduct real estate transactions in Wichita, Kansas, the same way you do in San Diego or in New York," Turner says. "So our training is provided by local experts that have been in the business for 15 to 35 years, and that know how business is done in Wichita, and they know the people in Wichita. One of the key components of what we do is making sure that people understand Wichita and the way we do it here."
A PILLAR OF SUPPORT
Building a business with a family atmosphere like J.P. Weigand & Son's means giving agents every opportunity to succeed. But in order to succeed, those agents need someone in their corner — no matter what they're working on, where they're working, or who they're working with. In addition to training and the various classes offered, particularly to new hires, Weigand's support system is unparalleled, ensuring agents know there's a safety net to fall back on.Â
And it just so happens that safety net comes with over 100 years of real estate experience.
"We invest a lot in having staff that's trained, and that knows how to deliver the product and help the agents deliver what we expect," Turner says. "So the agent is not out there trying to do it all on their own. That also gives those agents a leg up on being able to handle more volume themselves because they're not doing every step on their own."
On the residential side, Director of Operations Leslie Myers sets the tone for Weigand, running, as Turner details, "pretty much everything that happens kind of behind the scenes to support the brokers and the staff in each of the offices and bring continuity and cohesiveness in the way we do it."
So whether it's assisting with marketing efforts or double-checking compliance and regulations, Weigand's support staff lives up to its name day in and day out. By giving their agents that extra assistance, Weigand takes some of the pressure off its agents.
"Our sales support staff does everything for our agents," Myers says. "They input listings; they do contract compliance, they set up their transactions for them. They get them from contract to close, everything that needs to be done."
It's not just those hired to the support staff making everything run smoothly for Weigand, though. Beginning with Chairman of the Board and CEO Nestor Weigand, Jr., the entire structure of the company is built with the best interests of its agents in mind.
"Mr. Weigand treats people with respect and dignity," Turner says. "He doesn't act like he's better than anybody else. He engages his employees. And that helps maintain that family value of the company because of how people are treated like family. And when something comes up, or somebody comes up, and they don't treat people like that, they get rid of them. And that's the expectation."
Real estate is often a stressful industry. Buying and selling homes is a monumental moment in anyone's life — including the agents. It's also an industry undergoing near-constant change. What worked 50 years ago doesn't always translate in today's market. Now, there's always more to do. More phone calls to make, more social media platforms to master, another open house to market. Still, Weigand has found success in both eras, and that's a testament to the people that make up the company.
In short, its agents.
Turner says that Weigand's longevity comes because "We recognize that the agents are our clients. They are what makes the company work.
"Without them, there's no reason for sales support. There's no reason for marketing. There's no reason for operations managers or a president without the agents," Turner adds. "And we focus on supporting the agents and allowing them to be successful because our success is connected to theirs."
When the people working for the company also turn to the company in life-changing moments — like buying or selling a home — it stands to reason that those people would be best suited to continue Weigand's tradition of success. Over the last century, Weigand's reputation has only grown. More and more people think of Weigand whenever they're looking to make their next real estate move, including those who call the company their professional home. So, Turner says, Weigand has done everything possible to make sure that professional home provides all the comfort and support it can.
And with that support, it's rare that any agents leave the home they've helped build for themselves at Weigand.
"We have agents that have been in the business and been with our company for 35, 40 years," Turner says. "And it's because we take good care of them, and we recognize even when there's a mistake, because this is a human-driven business, J.P. Weigand has proven that we can get through those types of mistakes and get past those turbulent times because we've been around for 120 years."
STAYING WELL-ROUNDED
When a company exists for more than a hundred years, it's no surprise that the company will also grow with the times. Over the last century, J.P. Weigand & Sons, Inc. has evolved into a full-service real estate option with multiple divisions, all of which maintain The Standard for Excellence that's at the company's core.
Residential Division: With offices in Wichita and the surrounding areas, Weigand provides the best possible home buying or selling experience in South Central Kansas.
Commercial Division: Since opening, Weigand is Wichita's largest commercial real estate brokerage firm representing buyers, sellers, landlords, tenants, investors, and developers with professional services, including office leasing and sales, industrial leasing and sales, retail leasing, and sales, investments, consulting, auction services, farm, and ranch sales, land sales, site selection, corporate services, and tenant/buyer representation.
Relocation Division: A member of Leading Real Estate Companies of the World Relocation Network, this division sold over 1.3 million properties valued at over $296 billion last year.
Auction Division: Weigand's auction team works throughout Kansas and Oklahoma, utilizing auctions for a wide range of properties, including agricultural land, farm, and ranch, as well as commercial and residential.
REO Division: Weigand's newest division was created to better serve the needs of the lenders in the area and the increased number of real estate investors in the market.
Balancing so many divisions could be challenging, but Weigand has worked hard to keep everything organized and successful. Parker says communication is one of the most critical factors in that consistent success, ensuring that no matter what division someone is working in, they know how it fits into the rest of the Weigand model.
"From my marketing perspective, communication boils down to letting agents know what we have available and what our other divisions can do so they can help each other out," Parker details. "It's a one-stop shop for their client, and we can do everything their client needs in a transaction."
Adds Turner: "We have good, strong, experienced leaders in every division. We don't experience a lot of [issues] because between our training and our staff to support the agents and our leadership, they're able to keep things rolling the way that they're supposed to. And we won't put somebody in a leadership position that isn't equipped and hasn't proven that they're equipped to handle those types of things."
Six different brokers manage Weigand's residential offices, including Newell, all of whom, as Turner says, "have experience and the knowledge to make the decisions and to determine which direction we should be going with certain things." Meanwhile, Turner often takes the lead on the commercial side, with agents who, cumulatively, boast 560 years of experience. Weigand is also affiliated with Weigand-Omega, a property management company, adding even more knowledge to the collective tank.
"The guys that run that company have been in the business for 50 plus years," Turner says. "It's a lot of experience, and people want to work with us and want to do business with us because we make sure it's right and there's not a lot of headaches."
Despite so many moving parts, Weigand consistently avoids crossing signals or stumbling into obstacles, anticipated or otherwise. Backed by that same communication Parker touted and the confidence that comes from years of working in the industry, Weigand's multiple divisions only serve to make it that much more appealing to clients, giving those in South Central Kansas the chance to work with one company for all of their real estate needs.
J.P. WEIGAND & DELTA MEDIA GROUP
So much of the world has changed since J.P. Weigand first arrived in Wichita. Technology has become the driving force for achievement in real estate, something that wasn't even fathomable 50 years ago, let alone at the turn of the century. So, as the industry continues to evolve, it's imperative that Weigand found a tech provider it could depend on.
Turns out, Delta Media Group® fit that bill to a tee.
After years spent with Booj, and vetting other providers, J.P. Weigand & Sons opted to take the tech plunge with Delta Media Group. Working with Delta has given Weigand a partner in the truest sense of the world, not only making the transition from Booj simple, but ensuring every piece of tech supports the company's collective goalkeeping pace with the rest of the real estate world, just like it has for the last century.
"[Delta is] always evolving," Myers says. "[Weigand is] improving all the time, so what Delta has and is moving forward with was something we wanted. All of the automations for the agents on the CRM is huge. A lot of that stuff we were already doing, but manually, so we were thrilled to learn about all the ways we can help our agents save on time. And we were also impressed with [Delta's] tech support and the fact that the agents can reach out personally, and they're very responsive to them. That's huge for us."
Of course, transition is a process, and any project, whether it's building a house or a custom website, will face its own handful of obstacles. Getting everyone up to speed on a new CRM was a challenge Weigand expected, but with DeltaNET® 6, agents could pick things up quickly, easily moving contacts and information. And Turner is quick to applaud Delta for its communication throughout Weigand's transition, providing support whenever necessary.
For Weigand — which prides itself on the support it gives its agents — that sort of response makes all the difference.
"The quality of a company is measured by how they deal with problems but after the sale," Turner says. "We've run into snags. We expect that. But Delta has stepped up and done everything possible to correct those issues."
Newell echoes the sentiment, adding: "I'm a working broker, and I probably know the system on the backside as well as anybody does that uses it day to day. And anytime I had an issue, I can get an answer. I get a, 'Thanks for that. We'll work on it.' And then I get a follow-up when it's up and done and correct. So I appreciate that. It's a kudos to Delta."
In addition to getting everyone on Delta's platform in the last few months, Weigand has also worked on a fully custom site. The project gives clients and agents alike a singular spot where just a few clicks can give them readily available information, the kind they need to ensure any transaction goes off without a hitch.
More than simply providing information, however, a good website can be a marketing tool as well. Ease of use, simple navigation, and a straightforward company story, all give consumers — or in this case, potential real estate clients — a sense of confidence that makes choosing Weigand feel like the simplest of choices.
"When I check out companies I want to buy from or look at, if their online presence or their website is not easy to navigate, and I'm not finding the information that I need out of it; why look any further?" Parker says. "We have all the information that [clients] could ever think of finding [on our site]."
Weigand's site also makes it simple for would-be clients to find the company via internet search. Just a few decades ago, clients would see one of those Weigand signs and call the number on it. Now, while that still happens, it's more likely for would-be clients to grab their phone to Google the agent's name instead of making a phone call. So, it's crucial that Weigand immediately pop up in any of those quick searches. Thanks to Delta's industry-leading SEO and all of the work Delta has put into Weigand's website, those search engine results aren't just a want; they're a fact.
"That was a big key," Newell says.
By embracing fresh, new ideas — including, Turner says, "creative and talented people on our staff" — Weigand ensures it never finds itself behind the times, and partnering with Delta has made it simple to maintain that tech tempo, allowing the company to ask its agents what they want before turning to Delta to make sure it happens.
"Everybody's open, and the truth is there have been times throughout the legacy of this company that we have fallen behind in the technology role, but because we also listen to our agents, and we try to find the solutions that the agents need, that's changed," Turner says. "And when they're saying, 'Hey, we need a better website, or we need a better CRM.' We listen, and we have constant contact with our agents. It's one of the real advantages of having a broker and a manager in every office. They work hands-on, directly face-to-face with the agents."
Staying competitive with the rest of the real estate world, particularly when so much of that world is made up of larger or national companies, requires Weigand to take every suggestion agents make regarding their tech to heart. They know best what they need, after all. But, sometimes, offering all those tools can be a daunting and expensive task. Not with Delta. Delta gives Weigand a way to provide for its agents without breaking the bank, while the technology remains as cutting edge as it is simple-to-understand.
"This transition with Delta has helped us catch up to providing the tools," Turner says. "Working with Delta has allowed us to provide a product that is the same quality as what these national companies are providing at a cost and a scope that works at a smaller level."
PART OF THE COMMUNITY
As long as Weigand has been in business, it has been a part of the Wichita community. J.P. Weigand learned the city by walking it, creating a foundation for relationships that have stood the test of time and become the lifelines that keep Weigand as successful as it's been for the past century. Of course, over that same century, especially with the growth of social media, Weigand's relationship with the city it calls home has changed just a bit.
Simply posting about homes or properties on social media is no longer enough. Parker, who joined Weigand in April 2020, says the company's Facebook page, in particular, is "Wichita-centered," meaning that it's not just an advertising platform or even a place for clients to find updates on properties, but a place to learn more about the city itself and everything it has to offer.
"I'm sure you follow brands that all they do is sell, sell, sell, and you don't want to follow them anymore," Parker says. "So adding in things that people can do in Wichita that
the agents can share and their clients can see it and get engagement from those is better than just posting about houses that are for sale. It's great that we have such beautiful homes for sale in Wichita, but we want to be involved in our community. That's one thing Weigand's great about is being involved in the community and participating in community events.
"We're a local company," Parker continues, "and Wichita is really big on buying and staying local. So we want to encourage that to our followers and agents as well."
Turner adds that, through Weigand's commercial division, the company also works with plenty of area businesses and often shines a light on the companies that make Wichita run. Hosting lunches at local restaurants, ordering catering from businesses Weigand helped purchase a storefront for, or posting on social media about the latest updates for area companies is the new norm. Not just to help get word out about those businesses, but because, as Turner puts it, "That's our bread and butter and [those businesses] support us, so we support them."
Weigand has also long been a significant contributor to various charities, initiatives, and events since it first opened its doors. Wichita and Weigand have genuinely grown together, and that sort of relationship makes giving back to the area as natural as anything.
"Invest in the success of others, and we in turn will be successful," says Johnathan Weigand, Director of Strategic Initiatives for Weigand's Commercial Division.
"We give back a lot to the community, probably to the tune of over a hundred thousand dollars a year," Turner says. "We strongly encourage our employees and agents to engage in community committees and community outreach events. There isn't a real estate company in Wichita that's been around longer than we have. And Wichita has built this company, going on fourth-generation leadership. And it's really good to see the response that we get from the community."
TO THE NEXT 100 YEARS
More than a hundred years ago, J.P. Weigand arrived in Wichita with a simple desire: To help people find the same home he found in this city. Now, although plenty has changed in Wichita, with more cars on the streets and buildings that are quite a bit taller than they were in 1902, Weigand's mindset hasn't shifted an inch.
Home is still the ultimate goal, providing the Wichita community with a sense of comfort and belonging that ensures every Weigand client feels as if they're part of the family, too. And as Weigand turns its attention toward the future, growing that family is the expectation. But how does Weigand achieve that? Same as always: Embracing change, encouraging evolution, and working with trusted partners. On the tech side, that means continued work with Delta Media Group.
"We need [Delta] to be our forward thinkers," Newell says. "Our world is buying and helping people sell houses and fulfilling their dreams. Your world is this technology world that is continually evolving. What we need is for you to be our forward thinkers for us on where we need to go."
Wichita has long been at the center of everything Weigand does. The city sets the tempo of Weigand's decisions and, for over a century, that's led to unquestionable success. Turner doesn't anticipate that changing any time soon, but what he does hope is that, with Delta's support and the sort of game-changing tech the real estate world is embracing, Weigand's continued evolution will help the company jump the line, so to speak. No more waiting for trends to migrate in from the coasts. No more waiting on updates. No more curves to sit behind.
With another century ahead of Weigand, the company wants to dictate what comes next, looking to become a trend-setter in the industry.
"What I want for J.P. Weigand & Sons, Inc. is to set the bar for the future of the real estate industry," Turner says.
4
Change The Game With Next-Level Tech
If you have seen any of the sales or training presentations I've delivered to REALTORS® in the last 12 months, then you'll know I've been beating the drum that the industry needs to "BE DIFFERENT." That's because there's growing disruption within real estate that's not going away anytime soon. In particular, we have continued to see massive movement from industry juggernaut Zillow over the last 12 months.
This is old news, but Zillow has been a licensed brokerage inside of every MLS in the country for months now. They also strategically made an acquisition of popular showing service "ShowingTime" in early 2021. I don't believe they are finished making big-time plays this year, as they also made the switch to power their property search on zillow.com with true ID...
1
Seeing Stars: Get to Know Five Star Real Estate Lakeshore
Five Star Real Estate Lakeshore was built to be different.
Initially owned by David Gritter, Terry Brinks, and Don TerHorst, Five Star Lakeshore opened its doors in April 1999 with a singular purpose: To provide Western Michigan a real estate option made up of the best agents in the area. With those agents in its corner, Five Star Lakeshore quickly built a reputation of quality service, integrity, and professionalism -- all without working under the umbrella of a national agency.
"[Five Star Lakeshore] started because the three original founders were at a different brokerage, and they were tired of the higher fees," explains current owner and partner David J. Arnoldink. "So, they just said, 'Hey, we think we can do this a little better.'"
Five Star Lakeshore's offices are locally owned, staffed by people who are familiar with the West Michigan area. These are people who know the ins and outs of the community, giving clients a local edge when buying or selling a home.
No matter how many years pass or what else changes — like Steve Grilley joining Arnoldink and Brinks as partner — Five Star Lakeshore's agent-focused mindset has helped the company continue to color outside the usual real estate lines. Five Star Lakeshore prides itself on offering an efficient and high-value option for agents and clients alike, buoyed by the strength of a branded franchise without the overhead and control of a bigger organization.
This is a company focused on its people. On what agents can do when given the freedom to do it, because Five Star Lakeshore, at its core, wants its agents to succeed as much as its clients.
"This is the way it was set up from the beginning," says Agent Development Leader Kimberly Ryan. "We're definitely more agent-focused than brokerage-focused."
A FOCUS ON AGENTS
It's easy to claim that a business model puts a spotlight on agents. Plenty of real estate brokerages do that every day. But at Five Star Lakeshore, that spotlight shines a little brighter, allowing agents the power to forge their own real estate paths while still giving them the confidence that the company name on their business cards is there to support them every step of the way.
Since opening, Five Star Lakeshore has evolved without losing sight of its agents and what they're looking for out of their careers. For Five Star Lakeshore, agents are the star of this particular show, and the goal of every transaction is to receive a standing ovation, metaphorical as it may be.
"When it comes to how we're making decisions, whether it be something cost-wise or a website or anything else, we're trying to focus on what's best for our agents versus what's best for the brokerage," Ryan says. "The name Five Star Lakeshore shows our reputation and the backbone of who we are, and we want to have that be a nice umbrella that our agents are comfortable being under. They have the reputation, but they also know the focus is on them and that they can go out and promote their businesses."
"We don't have a corporate number or an office number on our signs," Arnoldink adds. "Our signs are big and bold with the agent's name and their direct line. We want the listing agent to get the phone calls on their own properties. Reward those who are getting the listing themselves."
Real estate can be a tricky business. Buying and selling a home is one of the most important moments in anyone's life, and Arnoldink admits that in a "commission-based business, that's scary for a lot of folks," particularly these days. That's why finding agents with the innate drive to succeed is at the crux of Five Star Lakeshore's company-wide mindset.
After all, Five Star Lakeshore began with three people looking to carve out their own real estate niche. Now, agents are building on that legacy. First-time agents, especially, have found Five Star Lakeshore an appealing landing spot, the perfect jumping-off point for the rest of their careers. With Five Star Lakeshore, agents are in control of their day-to-day life. No one is "breathing down their necks," Arnoldink says, or "telling them they have a task list." As the public faces of Five Star Lakeshore, even things like marketing are left up to the agents to fine-tune and use as they see fit.
"We don't do brokerage marketing very much," Office Manager Diane Wolters says, "because [agents] are the ones that the clients are working with."
When someone is thinking about working with Five Star Lakeshore, the goal, more often than not, is to have them think of working with an agent. Because for as obstacle-filled and nerve-wracking as real estate can be, it's also a distinctly human business, and agents provide that personal connection between Five Star Lakeshore and the communities it serves.
So, now, whenever Arnoldink and Ryan meet with potential agents, they're looking for that specific personality, that desire to be the best they can be and to represent Five Star Lakeshore's decades-long reputation whenever they get a new listing.
"Ambition is a huge key," Arnoldink says. "We try to provide the structure, the umbrella, a good culture for them to work under, but they have to go out and do it themselves."
LEARNING CURVE
While Five Star Lakeshore wants agents with self-motivation and the drive to create their own circle of influence with the sort of local relationships that drive business, the company isn't leaving its people entirely on their own, either.
Training sessions are offered as soon as agents are brought in, educating associates on what it takes to succeed in the area from both an immediate cost standpoint and to help them plan for the future.
"Over the last eight years, we've been focusing on education so our agents can grow, not only in their skill sets but in their commissions," Ryan says, adding that Five Star Lakeshore saw record commissions paid to agents earlier this year. "We're focusing on education for our existing agents, as well as our new agents."
In addition to training sessions, Five Star Lakeshore also offers a mentor program, spearheaded by Ryan, who says it gives new agents "a chance to get into a career that they might not have had guidance in before." Working with existing agents, many of whom have a background of multi-year success, Five Star Lakeshore's most recent hires get an inside look at what works and what doesn't in Western Michigan, giving them a solid foundation to build the rest of their careers. The program beings with Jumpstart, meeting several times a week over three months to cover goal setting, buyers appointments, listing appointments, understanding the purchase and listing agreements, and technology pieces from using a CRM, the MLS, to pricing a property.
Following each session, agents receive homework to, as Ryan details, help "build not only their knowledge but their confidence before working with clients."
Through the program, which got its start, in part, as a response to the Great Recession, every agent also receives a syllabus detailing the local market, a resource they can keep with them for as long as they stay with the company.
"Agents can refer back to their previous lessons and use them for future reference," Arnoldink says. "We've had a lot of success with it. We also started offering some split programs, better, stronger commission splits than a lot of our competition, and more education."
Ryan adds: "The mentor program follows agents as they work on their transactions. They have constant access to me to call, text, email, or meet and get answers to their questions. Since no two transactions are the same, it's helpful to have an experienced agent focused on helping our newer agents. No question is a 'dumb question,' and I would rather hear it all so I can walk side by side them in their transaction.
"As time goes on, the agents start to feel more comfortable, and usually after a year or so, they can handle it on their own and 'graduate' from the program," Ryan continues. "I'm never far away and sometimes have an agent reach out even a few years afterward to discuss a question they haven't run into before. I love helping our agents build their businesses faster and stronger than if they were in a traditional program. We feel like this unique approach is a major piece to our past and future growth and shows them how much Five Star Lakeshore cares."
With the mentor program flourishing and more opportunities than ever for agents to thrive, Five Star Lakeshore has doubled its agent total, bringing in and retaining more and more people looking to take their careers to the next level. And it's that continued growth within the company that's helped Five Star Lakeshore increase its footprint across Michigan.
Most recently, Five Star Lakeshore added offices in Grand Haven and Zeeland and merged with a smaller company, WestEdge Realty. Arnoldink says the growth has "come organically," but it's Five Star Lakeshore's stature as a company with dependable associates that consistently gets the ball rolling on expansion.
"It's been connections that we have in our area, and we've been approached, or we've approached somebody and said, 'Hey, you'd be a great fit,'" Arnoldink says.
FIVE STAR LAKESHORE & DELTA MEDIA GROUP
There'll be no partying like it's 1999 when it comes to technology at Five Star Lakeshore. At least not anymore.
Just a few years ago, while working with a small, local tech provider, Arnoldink admits that Five Star Lakeshore wasn't significantly "involved with technology." So, when Delta Media Group® came into the picture, Five Star Lakeshore wasn't all that knowledgeable of its new tech partner. It didn't take long for that to change. Suddenly, the tech sky was the limit, and Five Star Lakeshore was anxious to make the jump toward that horizon.
DeltaNET® 6 gives agents a suite of tools and, most importantly, provides them with cutting-edge technology to stay at the top of their game without breaking the bank.
"[Agents] keep more dollars in their pocket to allocate where they best see fit," Arnoldink says. "We've started to look inwardly and say, 'Hey, you guys, here's the set of tools.' We know a lot of your business comes from your relationships. Here's a tool to keep track of that in a better way, manage that in a better way."
No matter what their expertise with tech is like — from agents who grew up with a phone in their hands to those who are a little warier of recent changes — the DeltaNET's ease of use gives Five Star Lakeshore agents confidence every time they turn on their computer. Today's real estate world doesn't often afford extra time to learn a brand-new platform, but with DeltaNET 6, Five Star Lakeshore doesn't have to. Instead, agents have an intuitive system that makes sense for their busy schedules and even helps take some of the stress out of their everyday workload.
"Because we're not a national corporation and we're independently owned and operated, we don't always have the marketing background to know what to do," Ryan says. "So we rely on Delta to help us. And the communication that we've had has been awesome to allow us to put those pieces together."
These days, not only does Delta Media Group provide Five Star Lakeshore with the industry's most powerful CRM, but the duo is working on a large-scale website refresh. Moving away from individual agents sites, Five Star Lakeshore's main site will provide clients with an informational hub, giving them all the knowledge they need before buying or selling a home.
"In this revamp, we wanted it to tell a different story on who we are," Ryan says. "As far as what agents are looking for, our website tells a story about us."
When originally coming onboard with Delta, Arnoldink says Five Star Lakeshore's site was "so blatantly templative; it was crazy." Without the ability to customize, the site didn't give clients a sense of what Five Star Lakeshore was truly all about. Now, from the first click, users can learn Five Star Lakeshore's history, while also finding the perfect agent to work with.
Through it all, Arnoldink says the communication between Five Star Lakeshore and Delta has been "smooth," making the entire redesign process seamless. But that's nothing new; open communication is tradition for Five Star Lakeshore and Delta, with regular meetings and updates regarding brand-new tech.
"I check in once a year, at least, and say, 'Hey, what new changes do you have? Are we offering everything we could or can?'" Arnoldink says. "And [Delta] always says, 'These are the couple of changes we've got going on.' They listen and recommend options for some of the things we've taken advantage of or some of the things we haven't, and it's been a good fit for us."
GETTING SOCIAL
Five Star Lakeshore's tech focus has centered on its site refresh recently, but the advent of social media has also required attention. As agents move away from individual sites, social media gives them an avenue to continue marketing themselves and hone their brand, something Five Star Lakeshore, with its reputation of providing agents the leeway to bolster their careers, loves to see.
Social media also allows agents to flex their creative muscles. They're not just selling a property. They're selling their ability to sell that property. Posting photos on Instagram is as important as any other marketing strategy and might even work better to help create relationships with the community.
"As a company, we're letting the agents go out there and do what they're comfortable with," Ryan says. "So we have agents that are using TikTok regularly; they're using Instagram. They're not only showing the public what they have for sale and what open houses are coming up, but they're showing them who they are as a person. And we feel that that's so important because we know that the public's going to work with the agent because of who they are."
By putting not only their name but their personality out there, agents make themselves more approachable, more dependable, and a real estate partner in the truest sense of the word. It also helps create a sense of community, something Five Star Lakeshore has encouraged in the last two decades.
"In our sales meetings before COVID, we would consistently ask all of our agents, 'Where does your business come from?'" Arnoldink details. "And probably 90% would come back and say, 'It's from my sphere of people.' So we want to look more inwardly and offer these tools that [agents] can nurture their sphere. We're hoping it makes a big difference for them."
Building on those relationships also means giving back to the area. In those same interviews where Ryan and Arnoldink look to find self-starting agents, they're also looking for people who want to better the communities where they live and work. Teaming with agents, Five Star Lakeshore supports a handful of organizations and events every year, including Habitat for Humanity, as well as local initiatives like the Mount Baldhead Challenge to support the Boys and Girls Club.
Says Arnoldink: "As far as the community goes, it's everything."
WHAT'S NEXT FOR FIVE STAR LAKESHORE
As Five Star Lakeshore turns its attention to the future, the drive to succeed won't change. That drive is built into the DNA of Five Star Lakeshore, from the company's opening day to this very moment. And with the hopes of seeing agents' continued success while growing teams and expanding into new offices, Five Star Lakeshore is more confident than ever in its structure.
There are no plans to slow down. No plans to back down from any challenge. Only the desire to provide Western Michigan with a dependable real estate pro, led by agents who do their company proud.
"The future of Five Star Lakeshore is to continue to find ways to support those teams, to continue to bring new agents in, educate them, build loyalty with them through the mentor program," Arnoldink says. "And to continue our community involvement and hopefully even grow that."
