However, that kind of growth doesn't come without hard work, and what was once a single-family company is now a multi-generational brand, with several local families serving as owners. That includes Johnson, the current Chief Executive Officer/Member of Northwest Real Estate Brokers also known as The Tomlinson Group of Companies. In particular, Coldwell Banker Tomlinson has experienced continued success in the midst of challenges presented by the COVID-19 pandemic. From strategic mergers to digital partnerships to a positive corporate culture, CB Tomlinson met any challenges head on to become the go-to real estate agency in the markets they serve in the Pacific Northwest.

GETTING TO KNOW COLDWELL BANKER TOMLINSON

An independent for years, Northwest Real Estate Brokers initially affiliated with Coldwell Banker nearly a decade and a half ago. Since then, CB Tomlinson has become one of the most recognized and trusted real estate names in the area, working collaboratively with its agents and community, as well as Delta Media Group®, which they partnered with in 2018, while also focusing on meaningful growth opportunities.

Read on to Learn More About Coldwell Banker Tomlinson and their more than 80 years in the real estate industry. 

If there's one major theme in the real estate technology sector over the last three years, it has certainly been mergers and acquisitions. One in particular, though, stood out from the rest. Booj, one of the industry's leading technology firms, who had made their name inside of the independent brokerage circles like LeadingRE®, suddenly became a part of the RE/MAX family. Over 60 brokerages representing nearly 100,000 real estate agents had the rug quickly pulled out from under them and needed to start reevaluating their options. That's not to say that wasn't the right move for Booj and RE/MAX, but it certainly created stress in the industry.

We also saw other major moves such as PropertyBase merging into Boston Logic, Compass acquiring Contactually, and Inside Real Estate acquired by private equity firm Lovell Minnick Partners. The fact of the matter is that unless you have something in writing with your current technology provider giving you some kind of protection in the event of a technology acquisition — like many of our clients at Delta Media Group have — then you need to be prepared to evaluate the landscape of options in this space. 

Any technology provider that has raised funding or is backed by Venture Capitalists has one simple objective above all others. Provide an ROI for the company who invested millions into their business. You can see how this story has played out over and over again in the last 20 years. A tech firm raises money, and within 3-5 years they have sold their business to repay the VC. It means that there is always uncertainty for real estate agencies. That's why truly knowing who you are trusting such a large element of your brokerage's business with is so important.

So, where should you begin?

Read on to get insight into possible 2021 trends, as well as a Q&A with Cutler Real Estate President, Andy Camp and their e-customer Service and Business Development manager Suzi Stepanovich.

For plenty of North Texans, RE/MAX DFW Associates is their go-to-choice, whether they're looking to purchase their first house, upgraded their living spaces, or find their forever homes. With knowledgeable and well-trained agents, locals know that when they turn to RE/MAX DFW Associates, they're getting a real estate partner who will work with them to make their dreams a reality. 

GETTING TO KNOW RE/MAX DFW

Thirty-seven years ago, just after graduating college, Mark Wolfe, President and Owner of RE/MAX DFW Associates, began the process of building his company from the ground up. Long days and hours upon hours of work later, Wolfe has done more than simply create a lasting business. With over 300 agents, RE/MAX DFW Associates continues to grow every year, cementing its place in the industry and evolving into the de facto real estate leader in the area.

According to their website, in November 2020 alone, RE/MAX DFW boasted 596 new listings, up almost 100 from the previous month, while homes spent an average of only 72 days on the market. That number was down from 88 days in October 2020. DFW also ended 2020 with over $1.46 billion in closed sales volume, up 3.6% from the previous year.

Talking about RE/MAX DFW Associates' commitment to success and how that dedication helps them build long-term relationships with their clients, Wolfe says: The secret to our success, I think, the bottom line is that we absolutely care. I am involved seven days a week, almost 24/7 sometimes. It's not like so many other companies where you can't get ahold of the broker on the weekend, or you can't get ahold of the manager or whatever it may be. You can get ahold of our executive staff and our managers, seven days a week, and they're there to help, they're there to assist." 

Keep reading to learn how RE/MAX DFW Associates has stood the test of time and become one of the biggest real estate names in the Dallas-Fort Worth area. 

To that end, I put together this article to reintroduce you to some of the tools in the DeltaNET™ that you can use to help you make the most out of that SOI you've been building for years. There might even be a thing or two in there that can do all of that with just a little bit of setup, so you don't spend your days on the phone prospecting new clients as well. Let's start out 2021 right.

First and foremost, get that customer database of yours imported into the DeltaNET. There are plenty of tools in the system to help you organize your database, help you reach out to your customers, and even reach out to those customers on your behalf, but none of that does you any good if your customers aren't in there. It can hold a lot, too, so don't be shy about adding in every contact record you have. Keep in mind that, though the system contains a lot of functionality related to emailing clients, there's functionality for phone, text messaging, and even physical mailing as well. So, even if your contacts are just a name and a physical address — or really even only that address — don't be afraid to put them in there. You never know what contact could lead to a closing just because you got in touch with them at the right time.

Don't forget about the old, inactive contacts either. You might have filed them away years ago when you reached out, and they told you they weren't interested, but what was true five years ago might not be true today, and it might just take an automated Market Watch Report to get them interested again. At this point, it's worth it, in the long run, to organize them as best you can. You'll thank yourself later when you're setting up email campaigns or market watches and need those emails to go to the customers that are most likely to engage with them.

Read on for the best tips to get the most out of your email marketing plans. 

Highlighting the Use of Drones in the COVID-19 Real Estate World

Why Drones Have Truly Taken Off in Real Estate in 2020

The challenges posed by COVID-19 and precautions in place to prevent its spread have impacted every part of life, including real estate. Many markets have restrictions currently in place that make touring homes and neighborhoods in person impractical, or sometimes even impossible And while there are some more "open" communities around the country, many real estate clients won't be comfortable making tours in person. Virtual tours and online research have taken an even more important role in buying a new home than ever before, with drones providing valuable footage that simply can't be obtained in any other way.

How Buyers Are Adapting to Shopping in the COVID-19 Era

The good news is that even with all of the unique challenges we have faced in 2020, buyers are still very interested in purchasing homes and sellers still want to find the right buyer for their properties. Today, buyers rely on virtual tours for learning about the homes and neighborhoods that pique their interest. They are looking for detailed footage that really helps them fall in love with a home and neighborhood. This includes all of the photos/video that you're already used to gathering from ground level, but a view from above can really help tie the whole package together. That's where aerial drones enter the picture.

Read on to discover all the ways drone photos can give buyers and sells a brand-new angle on the real estate market. 

THE BUILDING BLOCKS OF LONGEVITY

A full-service brokerage and agent-owned company, Counselor was established in 1964. Since then, it's become one of the most trusted real estate names in Minnesota's Twin Cities and across the entire state with over 200 agents and 15 offices.

With a structure that President Andy Prashad likens to a co-op, or even similar to how an attorney would join a law firm, Counselor provides its agents with their own voice and the tools to use it. Not only for their success, but profit as well, even during the unusual circumstances presented by 2020. Prashad adds that Counselor prides itself on providing the best available "services to our agents...so they can, in turn, provide that service to their clients. We're all about agent support, very agent-driven, and agent focused."

While plenty of things have changed since Counselor Realty opened more than 50 years ago, the fundamental principles of the company remain as solid as ever. Throughout the ups and downs of the market, Counselor stays a strong, consistent presence across Minnesota, providing home buyers with a sense of confidence and security.

As a household name across the state, Counselor is also able to focus on opportunities for its agents. From shareholder options to sharing information based on a vast pool of experience, Counselor's continued success rests largely on their ability to foster collaboration and teamwork.

Says Marketing Tech Co-Chair Kevin Bumgardner, "You really do lean on agents around you. I recently told an agent, as a brokerage, we put agents first who put customers first. We are really geared toward the full-time full-service agent who plans to sell as their full-time job."

Read on to learn about the history of Counselor Realty and how 50 years in the business has only led to success across Minnesota.  

It seems that nearly all the real estate firms we speak with are working on acquisitions and mergers, while also working on streamlining their business with office, technology provider, and marketing platform consolidations, and more workflow automation.

The change that excites me most is the workflow automation.

All the other changes have been very common in the real estate industry for the past twenty years, but, workflow automation, true workflow automation, has not been common to the real estate industry as a whole. In fact, it was only the "disrupters" in our industry that focused on workflow automation like Zillow, Redfin, Movoto, and other "digital" firms.

However, I would strongly argue, that true workflow automation is upon us in 2021 for traditional, brick and mortar real estate firms. And I think this is a very good thing!

While you could argue that the industry, as a whole, had access to utilize automations in the past, you would also have to admit that only a few really did it. As we change the calendar, and turn our attention to the new year, that's all about to change.

Before I go any further, I should probably discuss what automations I am talking about. So, let me go over just a few.

Marketing Automation

What is marketing automation?

If you search for a definition of marketing automation, you'll find options such as this one from Wikipedia: Marketing automation refers to software platforms and technologies designed for marketing departments and organizations to more effectively market on multiple channels online and automate repetitive tasks.

Read on to learn more about the future of automations and how it can make your work life even easier in 2021. 

Smart Home 101: What Every REALTOR® Needs to Know

• Who Is Embracing Smart Home Products?

Like with many types of technology, you will see the highest adoption of smart home products among the younger demographics of home buyers and owners. But Millennials and Gen Z are definitely not the only ones embracing the convenience and connectivity of smart homes. Anyone who owns a smartphone can download apps to connect with their smart home products, and buyers of all ages are doing just that. Most smart home devices are designed to be user friendly, easy to install, and easy to connect with the rest of the home. Add it all up, and you have a very diverse group of clients who are embracing the smart home trend.

• The Internet of Things Grows Every Year

The Internet of things (IoT) is comprised of all the devices in the home that have online connectivity, and it's growing rapidly every year. Everything from light bulbs to toasters, TVs, and larger appliances can be part of the IoT. These devices often have their own software that allows them to be controlled remotely and have WiFi connectivity to exchange data. For people who already love smart features, IoT devices are a natural fit. These devices can also provide an easy entry point for anyone who is dipping their toes into the waters of smart home items for the first time. 

Read On For More Information on the Ins and Outs of Smart Home Products

Still, email has a learning curve to conquer before you'll be able to make the most of it!

There are two significant challenges when it comes to a flourishing subscriber list:

• Getting leads to consent to join your list

• Providing useful and informative content

Excited to get started? Don't forget: Before anyone gets to see your carefully crafted messages, they have to opt-in. Federal laws prohibit sending unsolicited commercial email, and many U.S. businesses strive to comply with the standard set by the EU's General Data Protection Regulation, which is even more strict.

Luckily, there are plenty of ways for real estate pros to give leads a chance to opt-in. For example, you could send an automatic invitation to prospective buyers who register for an open house. Many will join if you offer something valuable, such as inside information on the local market. The bigger challenge is keeping people on your list until they become confirmed customers.

Read On to Learn How A Properly-Curated Email List Can You Separate You From the Pack

These are all reasonable questions to have, but to position yourself for success in 2021, it's crucial to focus on the things you can control. Managing your priorities, schedule, and energy levels will get you where you really want to go. Speculation can leave you running in circles with no more clarity than before.

Luckily, the start of a new year is also a natural time to "start over" and focus on what matters most to you. Coming up with a plan and, most importantly, sticking with it can help make 2021 your best year yet.

Lasting Success Comes from Using Your Time Better, Not Using More of It

If you've been in the real estate business a while, you've probably heard of colleagues who are working 80-hour weeks to build their practice. We've all seen someone brag about how little they sleep. But a dash of time management know-how can help you get just as much done in a fraction of the time.

Dedication counts, but you also can't sprint forever. Consistency is what truly sets real estate professionals apart from the rest of the pack, and that level of consistency only comes from defining the level of work you can do every day without fail.

In turn, that comes from determining what you need to focus on to move your business forward the fastest.

Read on to discover why planning for and committing to a schedule is one of the easiest and most effective ways to streamline your time. 

Social media ads can boost your visibility and keep you top-of-mind with customers in every phase of the buying process. Customizable emails, ecards, flyers, and texts via the DeltaNET™️ 6 CRM keep sales associates top-of-mind so that when a customer is ready to buy or sell, your name is number one on their list.

We asked sales associates from across the country about the technology they use on a daily basis that helps them be successful. Read on to see what they can't live without.

The pandemic is creating challenges for everyone, all of them difficult. In the real estate industry, old ways of doing business became unworkable overnight. Just consider the average day: Until March, sales associates spent hours on face-to-face contact. A home showing was the centerpiece of most transactions.

In those first weeks of shelter-in-place, millions of real estate experts came together to find new ways of doing things, knowing their professional community depended on it. Virtual tours and virtual open houses are emblematic of that effort. They've become some of the most popular real estate marketing tools.

But are they here to stay?

Read on to take a closer look at how virtual showing and open houses are shaping the future of the real estate industry.

Being an effective trainer can be challenging in the best of scenarios. I won't dive deep into the art of teaching here (and make no mistake, it really is an art), because that's a very big topic in its own right, and I'm certainly not the authority there anyway. Nevertheless, in its purest form, I see training as breaking a complex action down into a series of easily digestible steps. Anyone that follows those steps can then perform that action, regardless of how complex it is.

But, what if you're training a group of people that could all potentially follow different paths to complete the same action. Not because there are several ways of doing the same thing (though there are), but because each user may have created their own path based on the workflow that best suits them. They may have even removed paths that were accessible to them at one point because, at the time, they believed they wouldn't need them. Those things are possible in the DeltaNET™️ 6 CRM platform.

Read on to discover how the DeltaNET 6 CRM platform makes training your sales team easier.

Read on to discover how to take your real estate website to the next level with these eight tips to improve your SEO and generate more leads.

Here You Can Build A Legacy

Coach Realtors' story begins with a friendship that started during World War II. That friendship continued and grew into a business partnership between the wartime friends in 1954. The foundation of that business still exists today in Long Island's Coach Realtors, owned and operated by the Finn family since 1980.

Larry and Georgianna Finn acquired the brand from its original owners and spent the next four decades growing and nurturing the brand. The Finn family and the real estate industry are inextricably intertwined. The Finns remain as the company's chairman and president, respectively.

Today, Coach Realtors is lead by Lawrence P. (LP) Finn, II, Whitney Finn-LaCosta, and Robert LaCosta, who bring experience, finesse, strong leadership, and a deep commitment to their associates, their community, and the people drawn to live on Long Island.

Use our guide to the real estate tech your business needs to stay connected with clients.

You might not think about it much when you're sending an email, designing your website, or working on the perfect home listing, but every piece of real estate technology has to work together to be effective.

When technology works, we never think about the thousands of ways apps "talk" to each other. Work that might seem simple s stunningly complex, and your computer can execute thousands of commands each second.

It can be fun to think about, but how does it all affect real estate?

Over the last decade, an explosion in new real estate technology has made it easier to grow your business and find the right leads for you. But none of it happened by chance: It all started with the work of real estate and technology professionals who decided to work together.

Not that long ago, there were virtually no standards for real estate Customer Relationship Management or many other tools we use today. All of that changed thanks to a single organization called RESO.

Delta Media Group® has provided residential real estate websites for over 26 years, dating back to 1994. However, many don't realize that we also create beautiful commercial brokerage websites, career and recruitment websites, "kiosk" sites, and so much more. Any vendor in this vertical should easily support all of your business elements, not just the templated residential sites that all look identical.

Let's take a look at dedicated agent career and recruitment-focused websites. Why do them, what makes this type of strategy successful, and where to begin?

I am going to ask you to pause and think for one minute before you continue reading and answer for yourself the following question:

"One year from now, when I look back on what my business did in 2020, what will I remember?"

I love this type of exercise. It forces me to change my mode of thinking and create goals; to develop targets.

I'm sure it is only natural to think about COVID-19 and the impact it has had on your business, on your relationships in business, on the economy, and on buyer and seller behavior and needs. It only makes sense if most of your thoughts regarding COVID-19 are negative. However, if we are honest, there have also been positive outcomes during this global tragedy.

While you and I cannot change the reality of COVID-19 and its impact on our businesses, we still have control over everything else in our businesses.

So, let me ask some direct questions. While I'm framing these questions to owners and operators of real estate firms and teams, they still apply to sales associates equally. Will you look back on 2020 and say the following?

• I empowered my teams and sales associates with technology, so they are more efficient in doing business.
• I cut my technology and marketing expenses in 2020, and my sales associates and teams have better technology.
• 2020 is the year that I re-thought how we do training.
• 2020 is the year that I re-thought how we do office meetings.
• 2020 is the year that I changed how we recruit sales associates and teams.
• 2020 is the year that I started making acquisitions because my firm was correctly positioned to thrive.

Read on to discover how to position your real estate business to thrive and survive in 2020 during COVID-19 and moving forward.

SMS Text Marketing & Millennial Buyers