The Direction your Business is Headed

Erin Meyer, author of The Culture Map, explained the communication barriers across cultures during the REALTORS® Conference & Expo.

The education sessions are the bread and butter of the REALTORS® Conference & Expo, and this year in Chicago, attendees gained a wealth of knowledge about elevating the customer experience, building relationships across cultural divides, and creating compelling content through evolving marketing channels. If you couldn’t be at the conference, don’t worry. We’ve got the best tips and advice to share with you right here.

Dos and Don’ts of Building an Ideal Customer Experience

The single most important thing you can do to deliver better service to your clients is to simplify something for them, whether it’s an aspect of the real estate transaction, the way you deliver data, or the way you keep in touch. But simplification must be done in the right way or you risk frustrating customers even more. Get the top dos and don’ts from motivational speaker and Chicago-based real estate pro Terry Watson.

Where Do You and Your Clients Fit on the Culture Map?

American home buyers and sellers expect straightforward answers and quick, hassle-free customer service. But people in Asia and the Middle East, for example, may want you to “read the air” when they speak rather than rely on the literal meaning of their words. Learn the communication styles of different cultures and methods for how to adapt when working with international clients.

How to Measure the Success of a Podcast

You don’t need to know what you’re doing to start dabbling in creating a podcast that delivers must-know real estate information to consumers. But you should know why you want to start podcasting in the first place, which will inform your process for setting and monitoring goals. Follow online audio enthusiast and real estate pro Monica Neubauer’s plan of action for launching a podcast.

6 Ways to Build Trust in a Skeptical World

Points of distress in our society are growing more extreme, making trustworthiness a rarer commodity. So what can we believe in these days? Desiree Rogers, chair of the Chicago Tourism Bureau, says the business world is likely the “next logical avenue to build trust.” Find out how to develop trust with customers more quickly by guiding them toward the right decisions that will fulfill their needs.

Your New Real Estate Motto: ‘Helping Beats Selling’

Think of the U.S. as a “salad bowl”—rather than a “melting pot”—that integrates many different cultures as you develop marketing strategies to reach a diverse set of prospects and clients. Marketing expert and author Kelly McDonald offers a range of tips to foster strong and meaningful connections.

How 3 Agents Used Real Estate to Pay Off Student Debt

Three millennial practitioners say their jobs were key in helping to get on track toward a stable financial future. Learn how they used their real estate know-how not only to help clients but also to develop their own investment strategies to help pay down debt and accrue more personal wealth.

—REALTOR® Magazine