CHICAGO 11-8-21

CHICAGO EDITION

TURN OPEN HOUSES INTO

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TIPS TO GET NEW CLIENTS

DESTINATIONS

HOW TO BUILD A TEAM THAT WILL WIN BIG

FEATURED AGENTS

DIMPI MITTAL GABE CAPORALE KATHLEEN MALONE

NO MATTER ITS SIZE

HOW TO SEND SMARTER EMAILS

COVER STORY

GLO ROLIGHED

CHICAGO EDITION

DIMPI MITTAL GABE CAPORALE KATHLEEN MALONE

From theeach start ofyear, her career, Outsi mpi Mittal got licensed and and Kathleen is 18 renowned as a skilledand21 Gabe Caporale the Development Planning 7has been a member of 17 Malone has focused on providing involv Glo Rolighed ull-time career a Realtor. and reliable agent in her region. real as estate industryTop for Agent over 50 years, and Commission for the Village each real estate buyer and seller active of @properties primarily ked for many in Public hisyears extensive experience, and commitment Park. “I volunteer andNorth co with an unmatched level of service. serves New Trier and Her ability effortlessly guide cli- Dimpi Park nd Public Communications, In to terms of marketing, to client success, ensure that every buyer thingsprioritizes within the community the North Shore ents toward reaching their real estate raise t the move and intoseller real working estate with him receives the social media advertising and utilizes to give back.her The community communities, as welldreams, as as well as her strong commuChari ze her skillshighest and experience own expansive sphere of influence to level of service.

“I graduated from a lot, and I’m happy to recipr nication skills, help her exceed client Vince the Lincoln Park, Gold Northern Illinois in 1971 and he has time off, he likes to tr at would allow her to help University garner significant exposure and interways Coast, and Lakeviewexpectations every time. Affiliated with Compass, buyers is loo the job market wasareas very slow at that time. mber of people in her comest for she her assists listings.

She takes a personal of Chicago. and sellers throughout Chicago as nizati Gabe with has no plans to slow d A friend of mine said that since I was a it turns out, she couldn’t approach to keeping in touch past well as the North Shore and Western in, an in theand near future.

“R people person, I should give real estateSuburbs. a more right. Dimpi has been clients, preferring personalness meetings well.”

With $1,000,000 @properties, Glo primarily serves definitely not on the horizon try.Chicago I did, and I sold the very enjoy an agentGLO in phone to mass emails, and throws and the North Shore commuROLIGHEDand New TrierDIMPI MITTAL GABEcalls CAPORALE KATHLEEN MALONE Aside from her expertise and extensive knowledge, children and staying on focusing more on the listing side, sim first year.”

Gabe now serves as the Managing Broker at ding area for a decade and nities, as well as the Lincoln Park, Gold client appreciation events to recogCoast, and Lakeview areas of Chicago. it’s Kathleen’s desire tolove makethe each transaction part as of tiesthe as process.” well as practi negotiation Caporale Realty and assists clients throughout and has made a name for Group nize how much her clients mean to her.

“Real estate here is based on connections seamless and stress-free as possible for her cliof Chicago’s incredi or friends of clients, and Elmwood Park, service aswhether wellfriends as the surrounding Northwest to maintaining lasting relationan agent with exceptional who is that committed ents, has allowed her to build a strong network that’s where my businessDimpi comes from,” Over five decades of hardInwork and Kathle tirele suburban Glo explains. “It definitely helps having Rolighed began her clients. real Chicago estate career area. of repeat and referral business.

“I think consistent the future, doesGlo right by her ships with her clients.

-genlived here my entire life.

I’m a 4 at the urging of family friend, Diane Strey those relationship around him left with an the impact and maintaining atopositive withhave clients high a results broad of Koenig and Strey Real Estate. “When eration Chicagoan and enjoyCONTENTS the people I serve, the key components to expand her servic with the different communiGabe’s clients, but onofhis entire community record excellence and professionalism hashave been I graduatedHis from track Northwestern, Dianeoffamiliarity ties of Chicagoland.” pi’s greatest strengths a Realtor is her At themymoment, Dimpi works solo, are butpresumably she looks forStrey approached me and saidas I should success. I’m aware that clients continue growing an inmy honor of Gabe’s 50 years as a REALTOR made itGlo possible join her in real estate,” recalls. “Shefor Gabe to grow a tremendous network going through a major life transition if they’re buying people on my team ake clients feel comfortable throughout ward toartsexpanding her business and starting a team in Glo’s background in the performing was very convincing, and and she became of Elmwood Park has decided to dedicate of buyers sellers over the years—many of whom are makes her uniquely well-suited to workHOW TO A the near 19) OPEN or selling a home, so I getTURN heavily involved and I have get licensed in Wisc my mentor in4) the business.”

The rest is BUILD ion process.

She prides herself on her future.

Inclikeeping withNow, her vision of expanclosely with people.

A theater major history, andrepeat for the pastand 22 years, Glo has ing name. every time he walks referral clients, and even 3rd generation a strong understanding of the experiences that they’re service my outside clients w TEAM THAT WILL WINsion, HOUSES INTO while at Northwestern, sheBIG says,she “I’m is planning excelled helping her clients achieve d ability to atkeep her clients informed and on getting licensed in Texas and going through on a both professional and personal hoping to continue he will be walking down the Gabe Capoto ents.

“They know that I do good job and that I work hard used to being on stage and interacting their real estate goals.

ITS SIZE DESTINATIONS r every phaseonNO oftheir theMATTER experience.

“I’m not California as well.

Dimpi is a pillar of her commulevel,” she explains. ects as well as reminiscing on how far he’s come. adapt behalf. I don’t have any unhappy clients. If I mpi says. “I don’t ever pressure clients nity, and donates regularly to local charities to enrich ever have a problemmy with someone, I always make sure Always striving to find different marketing solutions, 14) 5I do TIPS 22) TO SEND ced decisions, and my TO best to the no world her andHOW give back to the people who Gabe that I work everything outgive so there’s hardaround feelings.

Kathleen utilizes aI variety of has toolsbeen whenmarried working to Janice for 44 year pertinent information upsay front.” strongly support her and business.

IftoGabriel you’re who is marr GET NEW CLIENTS SMARTER EMAILS with sellers.

“One thing thather really attractedand me children, Natalie can honestly that IPeople would be so happy to her have coffee Compass the ‘Coming Soon’ ersonal approach to of real service, looking for awas Realtor in the Chicago area which who takes Gabe is component, the grandfather of Alyssa, Johnny, with any myestate past clients and feel comfortable.” has been incredibly helpful.

As soon as I photograph nt by the fact that she gets more than 70% excellent care of her clients, look no further than a listing, I can have it up online as well as the private ess from referrals andtorepeat Mittal!

On pace close clients, over 10 and millionDimpi in sales volume listing network. this I also put a heavy emphasis on social year, Gabe continues to break ard to provide a satisfying experience for his own mediarecords as well asand print advertising. I still consistently Phone 310-734-1440 | Fax 310-734-1440 do mailers and postcards, even though it may seem remains the top salesman in his own office, while still e works with. pretty old school.

I view it as just another touchpoint managing to mentor and guide his |agents.

But for this mag@topagentmagazine.com www.topagentmagazine.com To learn and a grassroots type of approach. I also think it’s real estateof veteran, it’sbeScience not the number ofimportant sales that make kground in Communication No portion this issueand may reproduced in any manner whatsoever without prior of the publisher.

Top Agent Magazine please c to network with consent other agents and maintain or email is published by Feature Publications GA, Inc. Although precautions are taken to ensure the accuracy of published materials, Top hisestate workindustry, rewarding.

“I like because every relationships.” an of the real Dimpi hasreal estatethose Agent Magazine cannot be held responsible for opinions expressed or facts supplied by its authors. deal is different, and every client is different. It never nce necessary solve that To to subscribe or any changeproblem address, send inquiry to mag@topagentmagazine.com. boring!”

Published in the U.S. up during a gets transaction.

She is intimately h housing market trends and a wide variis active within his and community and has recently Contact Robin Wilson at 847-207-1975 or email Robin@ChicagoToNorthShore. estate fields,Gabe including construction 80 or cbenitone@hobsonrealtors.com, helped sponsor a team for the Leyden Relay for Life 2 Top Agent Magazine n, and uses her expertise to get consistent ite at hobsonrealtors.com cancer walk, which helped raise $2,000 for the cause. He ave a lot of knowledge at my fingertips, th

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How to Build a Team That Will Win Big No Matter its Size In the real estate world building a team is a goal almost every agent strives towards achieving. Doing business with a team as opposed to solo has numerous advantages. With more agents handling clients as well as other employees specialized in areas such as marketing and administrative support there to assist you; you can greatly increase your business and sales.

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So, when creating a team, logic would tell us that the bigger it is, the better, right? Wrong. When it comes to real estate teams, size doesn’t matter so much as the players you bring onto that team to work with you. A team doesn’t have to be big to win big, and here are the secrets to building a team that wins big no matter its size.

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Hire the Right Team Members

Put Your Team Members in the Right Positions to Win

You’ve probably heard the saying, “you’re only as strong as you’re weakest link.” That idea holds true for any kind of team, including those in real estate. If you have weak members on your team, then it’s not possible to have a strong team. Drawing strong team members to your business is essential.

Finding strong team members is just one part of the equation. As the leader of your team, you now have to assess each member’s strengths and weaknesses and position them appropriately. You want the best player for each role playing that part and catering to their strengths. Choose your team member’s roles wisely, and place each individual in the position where their strengths can shine and they can best contribute to a win for the entire team. Every role is important to the team working smoothly and winning as a whole, so it is important to place each team member in the role most suited to his or her skills.

To better understand what kind of person would make a strong addition to your team, you need to ask yourself what skills and characteristics you want your team members to possess. The strongest members are often ones that share their leader’s values. When you share values with your teammates, you are all running along the same course towards the same goal as one. Your definition of a victory in this case is also your teammates’ definition of it. This helps strengthen even the smallest of numbers because you are all working together toward a common goal.

Another characteristic too look out for in potential team members is a positive attitude. You can teach someone the skills needed in real estate, but you can’t teach someone how to have a positive attitude.

Positive members tend to achieve more due to their optimistic nature, but more importantly, they spread that positive attitude to the rest of the team, which improves every members’ performance.

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Communicating Your Vision to Your Team

Your team members are the key ingredients to ultimate victory, but what recipe do you follow now to lead them to victory? That is what communication is for a winning team; the recipe you will use to

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help best utilize each team member and instruct them on how they need to work together to fulfill the recipe that will lead them to be a winning team. Your team members need to know the plan and you must give them the tools to successfully execute it.

It is up to the leader of a team to help your players see your vision and help them understand what a victory looks like. The goal may seem simple and obvious to you, but you must communicate it over and over again to your team members, so they understand it as well as you do. With different personalities coming together to form a unit, you are going to be dealing with numerous challenges such as competing agendas. You will find this on any team. You must keep the goal and at the forefront of your player’s minds in order to encourage them to put aside their own personal desires in order to come together as one cohesive, single-minded unit and push towards the team’s goal.

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Give Your Team Members the Tools to Help Them Perform at Their Best The final thing all great leaders do is equip their team members with the proper tools and training needed for them to succeed. You have to show them how they can each come together with their different strengths to work as a team towards one unified goal. This involves more than simple skills training, but also endurance, so they can last as a team and win even those matches that seem unending and impossible.

Think of all the challenges that they could possibly face ahead, and clear their path to victory by giving them the necessary training and tools they will need to get past any obstacle. As the leader, you must be prepared to continually communicate the team’s goal and your vision. Use that vision to motivate your team members throughout the journey towards victory.

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GLO ROLIGHED

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Top Agent Glo Rolighed of @properties primarily serves New Trier and the North Shore communities, as well as the Lincoln Park, Gold Coast, and Lakeview areas of Chicago.

Glo Rolighed began her real estate career at the urging of family friend, Diane Strey of Koenig and Strey Real Estate. “When I graduated from Northwestern, Diane Strey approached me and said I should join her in real estate,” Glo recalls. “She was very convincing, and she became my mentor in the business.” The rest is history, and for the past 22 years, Glo has excelled at helping her clients achieve their real estate goals.

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With @properties, Glo primarily serves New Trier and the North Shore communities, as well as the Lincoln Park, Gold Coast, and Lakeview areas of Chicago.

“Real estate here is based on connections whether friends or friends of clients, and that’s where my business comes from,” Glo explains. “It definitely helps having lived here my entire life. I’m a 4th-generation Chicagoan and enjoy a broad familiarity with the different communities of Chicagoland.”

Glo’s background in the performing arts makes her uniquely well-suited to working closely with people. A theater major while at Northwestern, she says, “I’m used to being on stage and interacting Top Agent Magazine

with an audience. I genuinely enjoy meeting new people - hearing their stories and learning about their backgrounds. My acting skills give me an additional set of tools that help me to perceive a lot of Top Agent Magazine

things that most people would miss. As an actor, you’re trained to notice subtleties, body language, and changes in your tone. When I’m speaking with a client and they feel uncomfortable or excited Copyright Top Agent Magazine9

“When I’m speaking with a client and they feel uncomfortable or excited about something, having the ability to perceive those moments is important. It’s a crucial part of communicating with and understanding my clients.” about something, having the ability to perceive those moments is important. It’s a crucial part of communicating with and understanding my clients.”

When it comes to marketing, Glo draws on her background in the field, with an MBA in Marketing from DePaul University. “I understand how to utilize social media Copyright Top Agent Magazine 10

platforms, where and when to use print effectively, and how to create the message,” she explains. Glo also takes full advantage of the resources available to her through @properties to ensure optimum exposure. “The team at @properties does a brilliant job in terms of with design and creative ad work. We work closely when developing media strategies.”

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Community involvement is important to Glo, and she sits on a number of boards including the Northwestern University Women’s Board, the Northwestern Memorial Hospital Women’s Board, and Top Agent Magazine

the Lyric Opera of Chicago Women’s Board. She is currently President of the Piven Theatre Workshop, belongs to the Garden Guild of Winnetka, and is a former member of the Chicago Botanic Garden Copyright Top Agent Magazine 11

Women’s Board. When she is not working or giving back, Glo loves spending time with her two children and her husband.

Looking to what’s next, Glo says, “I am taking this opportunity in the marketplace to set myself up for the future. I am in the

process of launching a new website, and I have doubled down on my marketing initiative across print, digital and social media. @properties is ahead of the curve when it comes to technology, and this year I’m taking full advantage of every tool they offer to set myself up for next year.”

To find out more about Glo Rolighed, please call 847-452-7480, email glo@atproperties.com, or visit atproperties.com/site/gloriarolighed www.

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5 Tips to Get New Clients

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If you’ve been in the industry for a while, you’ve probably built up a healthy percentage of repeat and referral business.

Although it can be tempting to just maintain those relationships rather than generating new business, there’s something to be said for staying on top of

your game by never resting on your laurels. Actively pursuing new clients is not only a way to generate more business, but depending on how you do it, it could even lead to a profitable new niche. Here are just a few ways to build up your new client base.

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Become a referral partner with industry peers

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Cold Call Expired and FSBO Listings

Everyone from mortgage lenders, to financial planners, to insurance agents, can be potentially lucrative referral partners for a Realtor®. You may already have great relationships with some that just need to be more formalized. But, you don’t just want to partner with anyone, make sure these are people you also feel completely comfortable referring your clients to - people who share your values and work ethic.

Another avenue to consider is divorce attorneys – yes, you heard that correctly. Helping people go through this difficult period actually requires a very specific skill set.

You need to be able to handle the legal aspects, as well as the emotional ones. There are numerous training courses you can take if you decide to take this route, which could end up being a lucrative and much-needed specialty.

This is a route a lot of agents take when they are just starting out, that usually leads to great success. You probably haven’t cold called since you started out, and this is a great skill to build up again.

It will not only sharpen your sales skills, but could generate a lot more business.

People with For Sale By Owners (FSBOs) and expired listings, are usually very motivated to sell. This is a great chance for you to really hone in on why they need to hire you. Do you offer innovative marketing plans? Access to a large sphere of influence? Expired listing clients are looking for ways to sell a property that seems impossible to move. With FSBOs, you need to show them how you can get them more money in their pocket, even

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with paying you a commission. Pursuing both will really engage your mind to think outside of the box, which will not only get you more business, but make you better at what you do.

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Partner up with a Relocation Company

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Become a Builder’s Realtor® of choice

This is another niche market that you can really capitalize on if you want to pursue a new specialty. But, it is a specialty, so getting educated on the process will help you generate the business you want. It’s a complicated area of real estate, you’ll often

times be helping to facilitate dual transactions, as you try and secure a property at the same time you are helping your relocation client sell their previous home. This specialty is becoming an in-demand skill in areas that have major corporate headquarters.

This can be a real score for any Realtor®.

The competition might be fierce to land a client like this, but there are numerous ways to make yourself stand out from the rest.

Gain certifications and become knowledgeable about the construction process. Be wellversed on what trendy materials, features, and finishes will add value to a property.

Get the builder on board with you by offering to take just a segment of the subdivision then wow them with your marketing skills.

Take on properties they haven’t been able to sell. You can even offer to throw an open

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Create a Website that Offers Real Value to Potential Clients

Perhaps the most useful way of getting contact information for people looking to sell is by adding a home valuation feature to your website. When people are first considering selling their home, finding out how much 16

house for them. This is another way to show them the level of service they can expect from you. These clients might be harder to land, but the payoff will be enormous.

it is worth is one of the first questions they want answered. By becoming a resource to potential clients (and current clients!), you just might be the first person that comes to mind when they’re actually looking to sell.

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DIMPI MITTAL In 2006, Dimpi Mittal got licensed and started her full-time career as a Realtor.

She had worked for many years in Public Relations and Public Communications, and felt that the move into real estate would utilize her skills and experience in a way that would allow her to help a great number of people in her community. As it turns out, she couldn’t have been more right. Dimpi has been working as an agent in Chicago and the surrounding area for a decade and a half now, and has made a name for herself as an agent with exceptional service who consistently does right by her clients.

One of Dimpi’s greatest strengths as a Realtor is her ability to make clients feel comfortable throughout the transaction process. She prides herself on her patience and ability to keep her clients informed and prepared for every phase of the experience. “I’m not pushy,” Dimpi says. “I don’t ever pressure my clients to make forced decisions, and I do my best to give them all the pertinent information up front.” People love her personal approach to real estate service, made evident by the fact that she gets more than 70% of her business from referrals and repeat clients, and she works hard to provide a satisfying experience for everyone she works with.

With a background in Communication and Science and a veteran of the real estate industry, Dimpi has the experience necessary to solve any problem that might come up during a transaction. She is intimately familiar with housing market trends and a wide variety of real estate fields, including construction and rehabilitation, and uses her expertise to get consistent results. “I have a lot of knowledge at my fingertips, and I leverage that knowledge to meet the best interests of my clients,” Dimpi says. She is a prolific performer, typically closing around 40 transactions Top Agent Magazine

each year, and is renowned as a skilled and reliable agent in her region.

In terms of marketing, Dimpi prioritizes social media advertising and utilizes her own expansive sphere of influence to garner significant exposure and interest for her listings. She takes a personal approach to keeping in touch with past clients, preferring personal meetings and phone calls to mass emails, and throws client appreciation events to recognize how much her clients mean to her.

Dimpi is committed to maintaining lasting relationships with her clients.

At the moment, Dimpi works solo, but she looks forward to expanding her business and starting a team in the near future. In keeping with her vision of expansion, she is planning on getting licensed in Texas and California as well. Dimpi is a pillar of her community, and donates regularly to local charities to enrich the world around her and give back to the people who so strongly support her and her business. If you’re looking for a Realtor in the Chicago area who takes excellent care of her clients, look no further than Dimpi Mittal!

You can contact Dimpi at (630) 730-5768 or dimpi@suburbanchicagohomes.com Copyright Top Agent Magazine 17

GABE CAPORALE Gabe Caporale has been a member of the real estate industry for over 50 years, and his extensive experience, and commitment to client success, ensure that every buyer and seller working with him receives the highest level of service. “I graduated from Northern Illinois University in 1971 and the job market was very slow at that time.

A friend of mine said that since I was a people person, I should give real estate a try. I did, and I sold $1,000,000 the very first year.” Gabe now serves as the Managing Broker at Caporale Realty Group and assists clients throughout Elmwood Park, as well as the surrounding Northwest suburban Chicago area.

His track record of excellence and professionalism has made it possible for Gabe to grow a tremendous network of buyers and sellers over the years—many of whom are repeat and referral clients, and even 3rd generation clients. “They know that I do good job and that I work hard on their behalf. I don’t have any unhappy clients. If I ever have a problem with someone, I always make sure that I work everything out so there’s no hard feelings. I can honestly say that I would be happy to have coffee with any of my past clients and feel comfortable.”

Development and Planning Development Commission for the Village of Elmwood Park. “I volunteer and continue to do things within the community because I like to give back. The community has given me a lot, and I’m happy to reciprocate.” When he has time off, he likes to travel and fish.

Gabe has no plans to slow down his business in the near future. “Retirement is definitely not on the horizon for me. I plan on focusing more on the listing side, simply because I love the negotiation part of the process.”

Over five decades of hard work and tireless dedication to those around him have left an impact not only on Gabe’s clients, but on his entire community. That’s why, in honor of Gabe’s 50 years as a REALTOR®, the village of Elmwood Park has decided to dedicate a street in his name. Now, every time he walks outside of his office, he will be walking down the Gabe Caporale Way and reminiscing on how far he’s come.

Gabe has been married to Janice for 44 years. He has two children, Natalie and Gabriel who is married to Chaza.

Gabe is the grandfather of Alyssa, Johnny, and Miela.

On pace to close over 10 million in sales volume this year, Gabe continues to break his own records and remains the top salesman in his own office, while still managing to mentor and guide his agents. But for this real estate veteran, it’s not the number of sales that make his work rewarding. “I like real estate because every deal is different, and every client is different. It never gets boring!”

Gabe is active within his community and has recently helped sponsor a team for the Leyden Relay for Life cancer walk, which helped raise $2,000 for the cause. He has also served as past president of the Kiwanis, Lions, Chamber of Commerce, and Oak Park Area Association of Realtors and is currently a Fourth Degree member of the Knights of Columbus and a member of the Economic 18

To learn more about Gabe Caporale please email gabe@caporalerealty.com, visit gabecaporale.com, or call (708) 473–7334 www.

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Turn Open Houses into Destinations People are busy. Even those who are actively looking to buy a house or want to learn about the market for a future purpose have busy schedules.

But with bit of added time, creativity and investment in making open house into destinations, you’ll see greater turnout. And we all know that greater turnout increases the likelihood of offers.

There are several creative ways to hold an open house with a mindset of hospitality and with the goal of providing something of value to each person who attends.

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The neighbors-only open house Some agents embrace the “nosy neighbor” concept as a benefit, not an eye-rolling challenge.

With his client’s permission, Wesley Peters, a Keller Williams broker in the Baltimore Metro Area, often gets the neighbors together before a home hits the market. “We invite other brokers, too, but we include as many neighbors as we can,” he says, explaining that he schedules these events for a Thursday or Friday evening, happy hour-style, rather than midday on a Sunday. They get a better turnout at 5:00 pm than

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midday on a weekend when the neighbors are busy with their lives. In a relaxed setting, conversations flow, neighbors can mingle and catch up, and the buzz begins before the home is listed.

In advance, prepare invitations and hand-deliver them to homes on the streets you and your client agree are best to include. The destination is the event; the value each attendee receives is the social interaction and the removal of any awkwardness over visiting their neighbor’s house.

Your client’s benefit is the buzz.

A turnkey block party any time of year Once a property is listed, some agents take on the role of party planners. Certain streets or neighborhoods, they find, are perfect for lowkey social occasions. In some place, such as neighborhoods with many young families, a bounce-house or games may even ramp up the fun factor. But the idea of a seemingly spontaneous block party during an open house can be easy to pull off, whether you’re serving lemonade and cookies or coffee and pastries. The chance to meet prospective neighbors turns the event into a destination for both buyers and the neighbors; the value comes in buyers’ ability to see how the neighbors interact. Your seller’s benefit is that the grapevine will be filled with happy stories about their home. Tips: By keeping basic supplies in storage, you’ll be ready for a pop-up block party any time. Promote this type of event with targeted social media marketing and fliers or postcards to communities within a short distance of your listing.

Invite other professionals It’s common mortgage lenders to attend open houses. But why not provide even more value to people who attend? Chances are, you have more than a handful of professional partners who welcome an opportunity to join you at your open house. Consider inviting an interior designer, a contractor, a gardener, even a gardener or a painter. Invite them to your broker’s open in advance or give them time to view the property 20

before the open house begins. Then encourage them to stroll the property during the open house or to sit with you. When visitors ask about needs or concerns they may have about the house – such as loan questions, the cost of improvements or upgrades or even remodeling – you’ll be able to introduce them to an expert on the spot. For that matter, your invited pros don’t even necessarily have to be in home-related businesses!

Prospective buyers always want to know about the community when visiting open houses.

Consider inviting representatives of community

organizations, like youth sports group or owners of mom-and-pop retailers to help your visitors get a feel for the neighborhood or town. For this type of open-house, prepare a flyer or card with your community contacts on it so visitors can leave with resources as well as information.

Open house should be about the buzz. They’re about creating a conversation about your listing and making the home memorable to visitors. By giving people a unique experience they won’t forget, you’ll show your sellers how creative you are in meeting their needs.

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KATHLEEN MALONE From the start of her career, Kathleen Malone has focused on providing each real estate buyer and seller with an unmatched level of service.

Her ability to effortlessly guide clients toward reaching their real estate dreams, as well as her strong communication skills, help her exceed client expectations every time. Affiliated with Compass, she assists buyers and sellers throughout Chicago as well as the North Shore and Western Suburbs.

Aside from her expertise and extensive knowledge, it’s Kathleen’s desire to make each transaction as seamless and stress-free as possible for her clients, that has allowed her to build a strong network of repeat and referral business. “I think consistent results and maintaining a positive relationship with the people I serve, have been the key components of my success. I’m aware that my clients are presumably going through a major life transition if they’re buying or selling a home, so I get heavily involved and I have a strong understanding of the experiences that they’re going through on a both professional and personal level,” she explains.

Always striving to find different marketing solutions, Kathleen utilizes a variety of tools when working with her sellers. “One thing that really attracted me to Compass was the ‘Coming Soon’ component, which has been incredibly helpful. As soon as I photograph a listing, I can have it up online as well as the private listing network. I also put a heavy emphasis on social media as well as print advertising. I still consistently do mailers and postcards, even though it may seem pretty old school. I view it as just another touchpoint and a grassroots type of approach. I also think it’s important to network with other agents and maintain those relationships.”

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Outside of work, Kathleen strives to be involved in her local community. “I am active in my children’s school (Near North Montessori) as well as Hamlin Park Baseball and frequently fundraise for Special Olympics/Special Charities Chicago and Merillac St. Vincent Family Services. One of the ways that I show my clients that I care is looking into what community organizations or charities they’re involved in, and then contributing to those as well.” In her spare time Kathleen enjoys spending time with her three children and staying involved in their various activities as well as practicing yoga and taking advantage of Chicago’s incredible dining and music scene.

In the future, Kathleen plans to continue serving her clients with the highest level of dedication and looks to expand her services into other markets. “I want to continue growing and nurturing the business of the people on my team as well as my own. I’m eager to get licensed in Wisconsin and Florida so that I can service my clients wherever they’re going. I am also hoping to continue to work on new construction projects as well as adaptive reuse projects in the future.”

To learn more about Kathleen Malone please call call (773) 600–1551 or email kathleen.malone@compass.com Copyright Top Agent Magazine 21

How To Send

SMARTER EMAILS

Email is a great tool for agents to use when trying to stay in touch with their past clients, as well as for reaching out to prospective clients. However, used incorrectly it can make your attempts to reach out seem like spam. The secret to using email effectively is making sure that everything you send out does one thing: ensure that you remain relevant to your contacts. To do this you have to get personal. Personalization will go far to ensure that your contacts are actually clicking on your emails. This means that if you do reply on an automated drip email campaign to build business, you need to customize your content so that it delivers something meaningful to each individual recipient. Here are some steps that will help you do exactly that:

1. SEND A WELCOME EMAIL TO

NEW CLIENTS AND PROSPECTS Rather than simply add new contacts to your automated email drip campaign, make sure to send each new contact receives a warm welcome as well. Sending a welcome email along with adding new contacts to your drip campaign is proven to be 86 percent more effective at catching your contact’s attention. Let them know they are welcome and that you appreciate their interest.

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2. NURTURE YOUR RELATIONSHIP

THROUGH YOUR EMAIL To let your potential client know that you are thinking about them by sending them useful content that relates to the process of buying or selling a house. Some great topics include credit score information, ways to save money, regular market updates, what buying in your market is like, information about the neighborhood, tips on how they can prepare their home for sale, and other relevant information. A great way to

Top Agent Magazine

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add to these emails’ punch is to time them so that they coincide with what that individual is going through and dealing with at that time on their path through the buying or selling process.

3. CELEBRATE IMPORTANT DATES

Everyone loves to be noticed and appreciated.

Schedule emails to go to each client that celebrate their purchase anniversary or birthday.

Make sure you include a personal note and your own wishes that the year ahead goes well for them. If you’ve been a bit out of touch with your contacts, you might want to send them a friendly hello.

4.

MOBILE-FRIENDLY EMAILS With our phones being akin to mini computers, most people read their emails on their phone these days. So, it is particularly important to make sure that your emails are rendering well on the smaller screens. If you want to make any kind of impact, you have to run a mobile-friendly email campaign in today’s world. You are going to lose a lot of your audience if they can’t read your email on their phones.

5.

TRACK THE PERFORMANCE OF YOUR EMAILS AND ALTER ACCORDINGLY The best way to make sure your emails are being read and making the kind of impact you desire is to consistently monitor the analytics,

and see what your readers are actually clicking on and what elements are most popular with your contacts. Going forward you can alter different elements of your email campaign such as content, images, graphics, and even smaller elements like your subject line to draw in more clicks from your readers, and cater to what grabs their attention.

You also want to follow a targeted email strategy. The best way to do this is segment your email list based on the data from your CRM and the demographics of your contacts. Different clients are going to be interested in different content. Long-time clients looking to buy a second home or possibly downsize are going to be interested in completely different content than your first-time buyers. A good way to filter your contacts is by looking at which ones are looking to buy or sell, how far along in the process they are, as well as other important information about them.

6.

DON’T SPAM UNDER ANY CIRCUMSTANCES You probably already know that flooding your clients’ emails is big no-no. However, different people have different ideas about what is too much contact. One great way to approach this problem is to ask your clients whether they would prefer weekly, monthly, or occasional emails from you. This way you can cater to each client’s preference.

The emails you send your clients can often be a double-edged sword when it comes to how well they work to bring in business. Following these simple rules will help your emails be as successful as they can possibly be, and will make your contacts much happier with you. So, don’t just send out emails without doing your homework about how to do it right. Your email campaigns can be a powerful tool if you know how to create and utilize them in the right manner.

Top Agent Magazine

Top Agent Magazine

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Top Agent Magazine