CHICAGO 2-7-22

CHICAGO EDITION

1 BILLION-PLUS REASONS WHY YOU SHOULD BE ACTIVE ON FACEBOOK

COVER STORY

MARIBEL LOPEZ

5 Fresh New Approaches to

CONTENT MARKETING CONNECT BEYOND REAL ESTATE to Attract Future Clients

FEATURED AGENTS

AKILAH HILL SARAH JENEMA KATIE WAHRHAFTIG

CHICAGO EDITION

AKILAH HILL SARAH JENEMA

Intelligent, caring, hardworking and but an amazing personalways Determined and altruistic, Akilah Hill overall 7 15 23 of 27 incredibly well-versed in all aspects need. knew from her first year in college looking for stellar service for T a the real estate industry, top agent Sarah what’s that she wanted to enter the real estate real estate needs I couldn’t ima Jenema has truly earned her exceptional field. “Growing up in Los Angeles, I find a better person. Ifconstan I coul reputation as a trusted advocate for anyone became aware of the disparities between ten stars I would.” looking to buy or sell in the city of Chicago.

Anothe working, middle and upper class comspecial who works with The Olive Well Community holds a role in S munities,” she explains.Sarah, “I wanted to help people develop wealth through real Team at Compass, is also extremely hon- Akilah’s heart, so she always cess stom favor estate, and promote homeownership and from the highest levels of to give back. “One of my est and operates hensive volunteer forwhich is My a KATIE WAHRHAFTIG MARIBEL LOPEZ AKILAH SARAHtoJENEMA entrepreneurship.”

While at California integrity.

Focusing primarily on HILL achieving zations says.

State University, she studied business, excellent results for her clients, there are Hood, My City,” Akilah professi finance and urban planning, her better customer service in neighborhood cleanups,wethe few helping who provide usela did was in Roseland Palmer Pa build the foundation upon which City. she The Windy because we really also involved with Color of which could grow her real estate career. Right after graduaeyeChange, in the first twois CONTENTS of several million that are committed tion, she became an agentSarah, and hit the ground running. a former teacher and hospitality worker in people the each property is b ing racial injustices.

When she isn’t working Today she serves the south side of Chicago and surrestaurant business, began her career in real estate in sites and social me back, she’s spending time with her son, resto rounding areas, with much of her business consisting 2018.

“I had transitioned nannying for just one that each is seen b 4) 5 FRESH NEW APPROACHES 21) into 4 WAYS MENTORING ture, traveling, or enjoying the outdoors. of repeats and referrals. family,” she recalls, “and I loved working for them, sible. The most fre TO CONTENT MARKETING UP-AND-COMING EMPLOYEES but then they moved away.

I foundOne myself a position dollar, also hap MAKES A in BETTER AGENT day, Akilah would like toand expand he Akilah has become a top agent in her region by con- YOU where I was wondering what I wasinto going to do moving friends and family. investing and developing. But she’s lo sistently deliveringBEYOND exceptional service to all clients, 12) CONNECT forward.

I’d always been interested in realofestate, and I path, and sees hers minute her current no matter their listing or budget. “They continue REAL ESTATE TO price ATTRACT 24) 1 BILLION-PLUS REASONS had always loved and interior I also had When she’s not wo fielddesign. for decades to come.

“I genuinely b coming back to me because they can see thathouses I am really FUTURE CLIENTS a large WHY YOU SHOULD BE ACTIVE network, so I figured it would be a good time to than spending time mission-based,” Akilah explains. “I truly listen to what homeownership is the cornerstone of the ON FACEBOOK and jump in with both feet.” and creates stability son.in“My husband Dream, a community they desire, and I make it get mylicensed goal to meet their goals.” we about also love food a being able to teach people its impor Akilah provides support throughout the transaction, Jump did,For andher she found success almost imme- at our own.” She truly rewarding.” and only wants what is best forshe them. buyers, of the gate.

Currently, almost the entirety along with The Oliv this means finding them diately the idealout property, and never Sarah’sSheimpressive business is based upon monthly food drive pressuring them to make aofdecision. educates them Phone 310-734-1440 | Fax 310-734-1440 referrals, a true testament at every opportunity so they feel confident and under-to the amazing customer cleaning up local p service |care she provides herher many grateful clients. “I stand the process. This attentive is seen with mag@topagentmagazine.com www.topagentmagazine.com sellers as well, with Akilah marketing properties think hastheir towhatsoever do with the prior factconsent that of I the provide a Top Agent Looking to the futu No portion of this issue may be reproduced inthat any manner without publisher. on theis published top social mediaPublications sites,straightforward sending out postcards, Magazine

by Feature GA, Inc. Although precautions are taken to ensure the accuracy very approach,” replies Sarah, when of published rapid growth of her materials, Top Agent Magazine cannot be held responsible for opinions expressed or facts supplied by its authors. and reaching out to her large sphere of influence. asked how she has managed to create such impres- of the amazing cust To subscribe or change address, send inquiry to mag@topagentmagazine.com. sive levels of trust and loyalty. “I always have my to expect. “I really Published in the U.S. Akilah’s love for what sheclients’ does is best palpable.

One in recent interests mind. I’m extremely com- of the transaction,” buyer said, “Akilah is the epitome of a professional. municative throughout the entire process, and since have somewhere to She is passionate about Ihelping her clients in andfirst shetime home buyers, I’m to get there.” really specialize Top Agent Magazine shows it with the level of commitment and care she provides. I was a first time home buyer, full of ques-

KATIE WAHRHAFTIG

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mailto:mag@topagentmagazine.com http://www.topagentmagazine.com

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5 Fresh New Approaches to Content Marketing A couple of weeks ago we were conducting a workshop when we were asked two excellent questions about content marketing:

• People

don’t want to hear from a roofing company every day. So how do you produce fresh and interesting content for social media that goes beyond your core services and yet ties back to your business?

• Can

you extend your social media presence and content to include personal things (like your hobbies) and how does that affect your overall business image?

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The workshop attendee who asked the first question was right. Almost no one wants to hear from any company every day… especially if all the content is about products and services…and yes, even if they’re giving helpful tips and information. Does that mean you should stop producing excellent daily content related to your business? No, of course not! Content is created for two reasons.

First, to provide knowledge, expertise and even entertainment to your ideal customers in order to achieve top of mind awareness as an authority in your industry. And second, to produce SEO-rich results that keep you at the top of search engines. You must strike a

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balance between the two, and try to include content that draws people in by being super interesting and entertaining….and yes, sometimes personal.

To help answer those content questions above, here are five different types of content (beyond the traditional stuff) that can give your brand a fresh, unique and balanced approach:

1. PHILANTHROPIC Your community efforts say a lot about who you are, and people will make an extra effort to do business with you as a result of this connection. We’ve consulted business owners who are very hesitant to promote these efforts because they don’t want it to seem as though they are exploiting the charities and organizations—and most especially because they don’t do it for the promotional aspects. They do it to give back. I ask you to keep this in mind. Nonprofit and charitable organizations very often have small marketing budgets. Not only do they rely on outside marketing forces to promote their initiatives, they would likely be forced to close their doors without that support. That means that when someone with a strong brand and presence promotes them, it’s a highly trusted and personal connection, and you can’t buy that kind of support. In other words, they not only need you to promote them, they want you to promote them. But your instincts are correct. It’s not about you. So just make sure your entire content focuses on the organization you’re helping, what they do for the community and how Top Agent Magazine

others can join in the cause. Then it becomes a huge win for all.

2. HOBBIES You bungee jumped from four of the tallest bridges in the U.S. In your spare time, you go fly fishing. You love playing chef and use only locally grown, organic foods. Your friends are always begging you to go to Vegas with your card shark talents. You’ve done mission work in Africa and would like to start your own group. You almost played professional baseball. You have an insane talent for gardening design or bass guitar.

Your family works at a soup kitchen once a month. Ok…you get the picture. And two more words. Reality TV. People are interesting…and people are interested in interesting people. We remember others based on these unique traits. And most of all, people love the story behind the face. Don’t be afraid to share your hobbies. Quite often, it’s the first thing that will personally connect you to a prospect.

3. CREATIVE CONNECTION This one is perhaps our favorite. While we can’t imagine seeing something come across our news feed from a landscaping company every day, imagine this for a moment. What are we always told to remember in this hectic world? Stop and smell the roses, right? So what if…a landscaping company posted a beautiful flower each day, just to remind you to ‘stop and smell the roses’. And at the bottom of that photo (small print), you included

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the type of flower and type of environment needed to make it flourish (moist soil, full sun, etc.). And then, of course, watermarked it with your logo….and a title like, “Sam’s Daily Reminder: It’s Time to Stop & Smell the Roses”. You could even include some great, thought-provoking quotes. It has the personal connection (Sam), the business connection (flowers & logo watermark) and a cool creative connector (pause the meetings and paperwork to take a moment and appreciate life by noticing this beautiful flower). This is a great idea for staying ‘top of mind’ and connecting business with the kind of creative messaging people wouldn’t mind seeing every day.

4. EXPERIENCES This one is similar to hobbies from the personal aspect, but instead of something that identifies us like our hobbies, our experiences are random happenings that can have great interest and meaning to our audience.

Whether you have a unique experience buying a new car or a fateful conversation with a stranger in the airport, if you feel it ties into a life lesson or business lesson you’d like to share, by all means do. The lesson is to keep your radar up 24/7. Any experiences you have which relate to your

ideal customer are an opportunity to connect beyond the business world. And when we do that, we become a part of the family.

5. INFLUENCERS “Show me your friends and I’ll show you your future”. You’ve probably heard that saying, and the same is true whether you are a teenager or a business owner. Maybe you’ve learned a lot of your business knowledge from Bill Gates, Steve Jobs or Warren Buffet…or you like to quote Benjamin Franklin. Perhaps you have some mentors you’d like to recognize and tell why they’re important to you. Sharing the people and things that influence us is what makes us human. No matter how successful your business, you didn’t get there alone. People and circumstances shaped you along the way. Recognizing others for their contribution in our lives, large or small, is important in staying connected and grounded.

We hope these five types of content help you to put a fresh spin on what you share with your audience, whether personal or professional. We believe you must have the combination of both to build an incredible brand.

Tonya Eberhart is the Branding Agent to Business Stars and founder of BrandFace®, LLC. Michael Carr is America’s Top Selling Real Estate Auctioneer & BrandFace® partner. Together, they focus on personal branding and marketing designed to help real estate professionals become the face of their business & a star in their market. BrandFace® for Real Estate Professionals is a book, professional speaking series and an exclusive workshop for agents, and is currently active in 18 U.S. states, Canada and New Zealand. For more information, visit www.BrandFaceRealEstate.com.

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KATIE WAHRHAFTIG Top Agent Magazine

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KATIE WAHRHAFTIG

A longtime resident of the Chicagoland area, Katie Wahrhaftig took a winding road to her current status as a top producing real estate agent in her community. After earning her Master’s Degree in Creative Writing in New York City, she relocated to Chicago to pursue her career in education. Along the way, her sister, a leading Realtor® in Indianapolis, inspired her to pursue her license in 2015. Sure enough, Katie would prove a natural in the business, establishing a network of satisfied clients and colleagues that spans the city. Today, she is a Realtor® with D’Aprile Properties, where she assists clients throughout all of the Chicagoland area. Combining her penchant for service with her strong business acumen, she has cultivated a workflow to meet the needs of any buyer or seller.

she shares it via a blend of highly targeted digital and social media campaigns. Along the way, she utilizes proven resources, like postcards to the surrounding areas, to ensure a seamless transaction that maximizes each client’s value.

Elsewhere, Katie is just as attentive when assisting her buyers, leaning on her acute knowledge of the Chicagoland area to help them uncover the

When listing a property, Katie leverages the elite marketing team at D’Aprile Properties to give her clients an added advantage. After helping her sellers fully prepare their home for the market, 8

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right investment for their best interests. In fact, she prefers to remain in touch well after the deals are done through frequent check-ins, all to cultivate a lasting relationship and make sure her clients are thriving in their new homes. “I love keeping up with my clients,” she says. “Whether I’m hearing an update about their homes or their lives, they often feel like family by the end of our transaction.”

Over the years, Katie has earned a fantastic reputation throughout the Chicagoland area, with the vast majority of her volume coming from repeat clients and referrals. On pace to complete $12 million in volume in 2021 alone, she still returns to the time-tested values that brought her to the business in the first place. “No matter if you’re buying or selling, it can be incredibly challenging to complete these deals by yourself.

As such, I strive to be present and accessible for my clients while providing them with the best service possible.”

Outside her career, Katie, an avid mountain biker, enjoys donating portions of each closing to the Chicago Area Mountain Bikers, an organization that promotes sustainable trail development around the city. When she’s not bringing others together in her community, she can be found spending quality time with her husband and three children or taking the occasional spa day at their local wellness studio.

As her volume maintains its steady growth, Katie intends on scaling the approach to service that continues to set her apart in the region. More than anything, though, she looks forward to the new clients and opportunities that await in her city. “I love the process of building a connection with our clients over time,” she says. “After all, buying or selling a home is such a remarkable journey. From the challenging conversations to the celebrations at their closing, I feel truly privileged to help my clients reach the finish line.”

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To learn more about Katie Wahrhaftig email katiew@daprileproperties.com, visit callonkatie.com or call (708) 466-1611 www.

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Campbell Sanuw Law is proud to congratulate

KATIE WAHRHAFTIG

on being featured for the State of Illinois in Top Agent Magazine!

Campbell Sanuw Law Offices, LLC Lauren E. Sanuw 708-485-4500 lauren@campbellsanuwlaw.com 823 Burlington Ave, Western Springs, IL 60558

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Rick Benoit and MidwestLending are proud to congratulate

KATIE WAHRHAFTIG

on being featured for the State of Illinois in Top Agent Magazine!

RICK BENOIT | NMLS #435910 Vice President of Mortgage Lending 708-925-5622 | rbenoit@midwest-lending.com

midwest-lending.com

www.

Licensed in Illinois, Indiana, Michigan, Wisconsin, and Florida | Illinois License #031.0048477

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CONNECT BEYOND

REAL ESTATE

to Attract Future Clients What kind of content are you sharing on your blog, website, and social media? Does most of it have something to do with buying or selling a home? While sharing the latest market information or tips on how to qualify for a mortgage, or when someone should buy or sell is important and demonstrates your value as a REALTOR®, it shouldn’t be the only subject you cover. If you only focus on real estate, you’ll be missing the chance to connect with future clients that might not be ready to move just yet. By sharing a lot

of industry-heavy content, you are only going to appeal to those who are currently in the market rather than a broad base of potential clients.

To pull in those other future clients you want to provide fresh, interesting content that will appeal to those possible future clients that aren’t quite ready to move yet. However, you also want to still tie this content back into your business goals.

So, how do you share content that will speak to a wider audience, but also still be relevant to your business?

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Talk About Your Philanthropic Activities

The philanthropic work you do to support your community says a great deal about who you are as a person. Many people will be attracted to working with you because of the charitable works you are involved with. While you may be hesitant to share these efforts because you feel it may come across as bragging, you also need to remember that sharing information about the charitable organizations you support will actually help those organizations. Many of them have small marketing budgets, so any free exposure you can give them helps to promote their cause.

In fact, they want and need you to promote them.

And you can promote them without coming across as a braggart. Focus your content entirely on the organization. Talk about why you support them, how they help the community, and how others can also get involved. This turns what could have been bragging into something that benefits everyone. n

Your Local Community

We humans are connected to each other through our community – our local sports teams, parks, churches, schools, and much more. What better way is there to connect with people in your community than to talk about your community? Demonstrate that you are an expert on your community, and bring that community to your followers. Share information about a local event; perhaps even share the actual event through live-stream video. Interview city officials to get the low-down on the latest development project. Share information with your followers about things they didn’t know about their community. Consult with local historians or the historical society to share interesting information about your community that your followers will want to read. You could even turn it into a series of podcasts or videos. n

Use Your Creativity to Connect

Find creative ways to engage your followers on the topic of real estate. Try engaging your followers in an interactive project such as posting photos of interesting front doors. Doors are the entry point into our homes as well as our private lives. The way we adorn our front door can give someone a sense of our style and personality. Ask followers to submit photos and choose one to post each Friday. Make sure to watermark each photo with your logo at the bottom and include an inspirational quote that ties back to the importance of home. You could also ask your followers to provide a little story or caption to go along with the photo that tells something about them and their home. These kinds of projects are interesting and unique, and clearly connect back to your business. n

Share Your Hobbies

Are you an adrenalin junkie who has bungee jumped from some of the tallest bridges in the world? Are you a foodie that grows your own organic vegetables and fruit? Do you have a Top Agent Magazine

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secret passion for photography? Everyone has hobbies that they enjoy outside of work. When you look past the surface people become quite interesting. People also happen to find interesting people interesting, and tend to remember people based on their distinctive traits. We humans love discovering a person’s behind the scenes story, the mind behind the face. While you don’t want to talk too much about yourself, sharing pieces of your personal life and things that interest you can be a great way to connect with followers. By sharing interesting facts about your life, you will find that many followers will feel a strong, personal connection to you based on your hobbies and personal interests. n

Divulge Interesting Experiences

This is somewhat similar to the idea of sharing your hobbies. Sharing some of your more interesting personal experiences such as a fateful conversation with a stranger or an exciting adventure you had while in another country can be a great way to connect with followers as long as it also relates to some kind of life or business lesson. Talk about experiences you’ve had with clients or purchasing your own home. Experiences that relate to your business are great ways to connect with future clients in a manner that goes beyond the world of business. n

What and Who Inspires You

No matter what you’ve chosen to spend your life doing, you didn’t get there alone. You may have had a mentor that made a special impact on your life or someone already in the business that you looked up to and who perhaps inspired you to get into real estate. You may have found inspiration through a love of architecture or design. People want to know why others do the things they do. Sharing who or what influences you in your personal and business life is a great way to connect with followers. Recognizing that you didn’t get to where you are now by yourself shows humility, and talking about those people that had an influence on you shows others that you stay connected to the world and people around you.

Connecting with potential clients is something that is essential to any REALTOR’S® business. If you’re doing the work to create interesting blog posts and make those connections, you want to make sure that you’re sharing the right kind of content to draw in those future clients. It takes a lot more than simply providing the latest market news. To get the most out of what you share, you need to provide a wide array of interesting content

that will draw in a broad range of followers.

Providing the right kind of content can make all the difference when it comes to connecting with future clients and building the right kind of relationship with them right from the start. Connecting through your website or social media and sharing more than just real estate advice will help you build confidence and trust with future clients before you even meet them.

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MARIBEL LOPEZ

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Top Agent Maribel Lopez of Keller Williams Infinity is the founder and team leader for Essence Realty—serving a wide swath of Illinois and the Chicago area.

After building a career as a VP in banking, Maribel was looking for a way to put her skills and knowledge she had acquired over her banking tenure to good use. “I wanted to be memorable to a person, to be a part of a big chapter in their lives,” Maribel remembers. Driving home one day, she saw a For Sale sign in a yard and knew how she could make a difference. She made the leap to a career in real estate and has been touching the 16 Copyright Top Agent Magazine

lives of her clients ever since. Maribel adds, “There’s no greater reward than when they have the keys to their new home, or they’ve sold their home, and you know you’re in their heart because they’re so grateful that you were with them through that experience.”

Today, Maribel is a REALTOR® with Keller Williams Infinity and is the founder and team leader for Essence Realty. With six licensed Top Agent Magazine

agents, Essence Realty serves a wide swath of Illinois and the Chicago area. Currently, nearly ninety percent of her business derives from repeat and referral clients. Maribel credits her transparency with creating a foundation of trust as she guides her clients Top Agent Magazine

through the transaction process. Equipped with an acute eye for detail, Maribel draws attention to features in a home that clients might not have considered. Her history in the banking industry puts clients at ease knowing they have an experienced financial 17 Copyright Top Agent Magazine

Maribel accredits much of her success to invaluable relationships with her longtime industry partners—last year, Essence Realty closed $12 million in sales volume, and is projected to surpass $20 million in 2021. advisor by their side. “They all know that I’m looking out for their best interests. I’d rather show them two dozen homes than let them settle for something that I know is not a good investment,” Maribel explains. “I’ve taught my teammates that it’s about honesty and integrity, not about what you’re earning. It’s about the relationship, being a part of someone’s adventure, and feeling good about it at the end of the day.”

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When it comes to marketing, Maribel and her team engage in a robust digital rollout for each listing. Posts across a wide range of social media platforms put Essence Realty Team’s properties right at a buyer’s fingertips. Top-of-the-line production including elegant professional staging and photography, virtual tours, and videography all factor into customized considerations for presenting each property. As a certified stager, Top Agent Magazine

Maribel gives careful attention to each detail, going the extra mile to show a home at its best. Last year, Essence Realty closed $12 million in sales volume, and is projected to surpass $20 million in 2021. She accredits much of her success to invaluable relationships with her longtime industry Top Agent Magazine

partners. “Having people who work tirelessly alongside you to help the dream come true is amazing. There is always a solution, always!”

As a REALTOR® who cares about her community, Maribel is a chairperson for her Copyright Top Agent Magazine 19

local local PTA, PTA, and and volunteers regularly through community community activities. activities. She She leads leads her her team team to to get involved as well.

“I encourage the team to get involved as well. “I encourage the team to get get involved involved and and be be aa part part of of the the community community as as itit is is rewarding rewarding to to support support the the communities communities we serve.”

Looking to the future, we serve.” Looking to the future, Maribel Maribel and Essence Realty are embarking on and Essence Realty are embarking on new new

projects, including partnering with a builder to develop lots in in Yorkville, Yorkville, Illinois.

Illinois. develop residential residential lots As to grow, grow, Maribel Maribel As her her business business continues continues to strives efficiency, developing developing strives to to improve improve efficiency, seamless empower her her team team to to aa seamless systems systems to to empower level excellence in in service service that that level of of success success and and excellence will legacy. will leave leave aa lasting lasting legacy.

Find Find out out more more at at bit.ly/EssenceRealtyTeamKw bit.ly/EssenceRealtyTeamKw Connect at (630) (630) 888-2113 888-2113 Connect with with Maribel Maribel via via phone phone at and and via via email email at at essencerealtyteam@gmail.com essencerealtyteam@gmail.com https://

https://

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4 Ways Mentoring Up-and-Coming Employees Makes You a Better Agent In the world of real estate, there are always new agents joining the ranks. Even if you’ve been practicing for just a few short years, you’ve likely learned your fair share of lesson along the way. As an agent, much of your working philosophy is derived from first-hand experience and your work on the ground. This means that new agents are less prepared for the inevitable curveballs of the industry. That’s where you come in.

While mentorship is often pitched as a relationship that solely benefits the mentee, there is actually plenty to be gained from becoming a mentor. After all, personal growth goes hand-in-hand with professional growth, and becoming a mentor asks agents to thoughtTop Agent Magazine

fully explore and demonstrate their own ideologies, practices, and rationale. With that in mind, take a look at some of the benefits of mentorship below, and you’ll get a sense of why counseling new agents can be a boon to your own business.

Teaching lessons to others reinforces your own professional values.

Showing the ropes to young agents is a great way to brush-up on your foundational skills.

Verbalizing and demonstrating processes, or walking through the rationale behind negotiation tactics—all cause mentors to think through their established practices and outline in detail why they’ve chosen this route over an

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alternative. This helps older agents fine-tune their routines, while getting back in touch with the critical thinking that went into constructing those habits.

Mentorships allows you to see the big picture.

surely sharpen your ability as the head of a team. What’s more, you’ll be building skills of empathy, understanding, teaching, and constructive criticism. Working on those skills will better your practice and your ability to lead in your office.

After a lengthy industry tenure, it’s not uncommon for battle-worn agents to lose some steam and begin to burn out. By devoting some time to mentoring up-and-coming agents, you’ll get back in touch with your early days, remembering the excitement, the trials, and the hard lessons gleaned. Spending time with the next generation of real estate professionals can reinvigorate your practice, as seeing the business from the eyes of an eager amateur can inject energy into your working life.

You’ll benefit from seeing things from a new perspective.

Just as working with young agents can help you remember your career’s big picture, you may also benefit from working alongside someone with a new perspective. Young agents bring a different set of skills and awareness to their work, and established agents can benefit from a fresh take. If technology isn’t your strong suit, or you’re interested in tapping the Millennial homebuyer market, working with a younger agent is an excellent way to see through fresh eyes.

Mentoring young agents makes you a better leader.

As a mentor, you’ll often direct the flow of your professional relationship—figuring out which issues to tackle, making an agenda, and imparting lessons in a clear way. These are all characteristics of a leader, and acting in a position of authority as mentor can 22

While some may balk at the time commitment or energy required to take on a mentee or two, you might consider it an act of ongoing education or professional development. While your mentee will undoubtedly benefit from access to your expertise, there’s certainly much to be gained from taking the time to cultivate tomorrow’s real estate leaders.

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AKILAH HILL Determined and altruistic, Akilah Hill knew from her first year in college that she wanted to enter the real estate field. “Growing up in Los Angeles, I became aware of the disparities between working, middle and upper class communities,” she explains. “I wanted to help people develop wealth through real estate, and promote homeownership and entrepreneurship.” While at California State University, she studied business, finance and urban planning, helping her build the foundation upon which she could grow her real estate career. Right after graduation, she became an agent and hit the ground running.

Today she serves the south side of Chicago and surrounding areas, with much of her business consisting of repeats and referrals.

Akilah has become a top agent in her region by consistently delivering exceptional service to all clients, no matter their listing price or budget. “They continue coming back to me because they can see that I am really mission-based,” Akilah explains. “I truly listen to what they desire, and I make it my goal to meet their goals.”

Akilah provides support throughout the transaction, and only wants what is best for them. For her buyers, this means finding them the ideal property, and never pressuring them to make a decision. She educates them at every opportunity so they feel confident and understand the process. This attentive care is seen with her sellers as well, with Akilah marketing their properties on the top social media sites, sending out postcards, and reaching out to her large sphere of influence.

Akilah’s love for what she does is palpable. One recent buyer said, “Akilah is the epitome of a professional.

She is passionate about helping her clients and she shows it with the level of commitment and care she provides. I was a first time home buyer, full of questions, comments, and concerns at every turn and she went above and beyond my already high expectations.

Akilah proved to be not only a wonderful Realtor® Top Agent Magazine

but an amazing person overall. If you’re looking for stellar service for any of your real estate needs I couldn’t imagine you’d find a better person. If I could give her ten stars I would.”

Community holds a special place in Akilah’s heart, so she always makes time to give back. “One of my favorite organizations to volunteer for is My Block, My Hood, My City,” Akilah says. “They do neighborhood cleanups, the last one we did was in Roseland Palmer Park.” She is also involved with Color of Change, which is a network of several million people that are committed to addressing racial injustices. When she isn’t working or giving back, she’s spending time with her son, restoring furniture, traveling, or enjoying the outdoors.

One day, Akilah would like to expand her business into investing and developing. But she’s loving every minute of her current path, and sees herself in this field for decades to come. “I genuinely believe that homeownership is the cornerstone of the American Dream, and creates stability in a community. So I love being able to teach people about its importance. It is truly rewarding.”

For more information about Akilah Hill, please call 773-647-2816 or email akilahrealestate@gmail.com Copyright Top Agent Magazine 23

1 Billion-Plus Reasons Why You Should Be Active on Facebook

By Bubba Mills

The number is staggering and potentially career ending for REALTORS® who ignore it: 1,440,000,000. That’s the total number of monthly active users on the social medium Facebook.

That number alone is reason enough to use it regularly in your real estate business. But Facebook can also help turn you into the expert in your community. Just by sharing knowledge and relevant events about the community you can become the go-to source for all things local – a perfect way to capture the attention of prospective buyers.

Plus, Facebook advertising also gives you tons of targeting layers like age, location, recent life events and interests. Plus, it constantly adds new targeting filters and functions that help you reach even more niche prospects who closely meet your customer criteria. Talk about pinpointing a target audience.

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Top Agent Magazine

Another Facebook real estate ad tool is Website Custom Audiences that lets you create Facebook ads that target users who have visited your website.

And several apps specifically for Facebook have emerged. Consider these: • Heyo.com: Helps you host contests, showcase promotions and high-

light special offers.

• Woobox.com: Let’s you easily create quizzes and other fun tools for engaging content.

• Pagemodo.com: Helps you make your Facebook business page both sleek and stylish and tabs allow for easy lead capture.

But the latest offering is just as cool. It’s called Facebook Live and it lets you stream live video on the internet. I recently wrote about Periscope, another live video streaming app, but when you use Facebook Live you’re automatically featured at the top of Facebook users’ news feed. What’s more, statistics show that live video is viewed more than recorded video.

How can REALTORS® use Facebook Live?

Open Houses: Broadcast a walk-through of a new listing

and highlight all the great features.

Webinars: Host live webinars targeted to buyers and sellers. They can sub-

mit questions just like a real-life seminar.

Real Estate Talk Show: Offer the latest news in the industry plus share lo-

cal events and your newest listings. In short, become the Lester Holt or Diane Sawyer of real estate in your town with your own “TV” show!

Facebook offers these tips for using Facebook Live: Promote: Tease upcoming Facebook Live broadcasts for more viewers.

Plan better: Take time to plan what you want to do in the video, whether

it’s a few key talking points or to have a few questions ready ahead of time in a Q&A, in case incoming comments slow down.

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Invest in some equipment: A shaky live stream turns off viewers so con-

sider a tripod or other stabilizing tools, especially if you’re taking viewers on a tour of an open house. And check the shot before going live.

Get the lighting right: If you’re indoors be sure you have plenty of good

lighting and avoid a lot of light directly behind you because it’ll wash you out.

Sound good: A common mistake for beginners is overlooking sound.

Consider an external microphone to make sure your viewers can actually hear you.

And if the live option makes you a little nervous, you can also stream pre-recorded videos. Hey, that has worked like a charm for TV for decades. Some businesses promote their web series to “air” on Facebook Live at a certain time like TV shows. After they are streamed, Facebook Live videos function as normal Facebook videos. Some business owners believe videos may perform better if they begin as live ones.

NowThis, a news company that publishes entirely on social platforms, experimented by streaming a 38-minute compilation of its favorite viral videos via Facebook Live. The stream received over 20,000 views and over 500 comments, according to Facebook’s counters.

Yes, all the new-fangled internet tools, apps and options for REALTORS® can be a bit overwhelming. Just take it one step at a time and you’ll slowly be right there in the business-winning mix. E-mail me today at Article@CorcoranCoaching.com and I’ll send you more free information about how technology can help your real estate business.

Copyright©, Bubba Mills. All rights reserved.

Bubba Mills is the CEO of Corcoran Consulting and Coaching Inc. (www.corcorancoaching.com/programs, 800-957-8353), an international Real Estate, Mortgage, and Small Business coaching company committed to helping clients balance success in business, while building value in life. Bubba Mills is a nationally recognized inspirational and education speaker, coach and mentor to the top real estate agents and mortgage companies. To find out more about Corcoran Consulting & Coaching, call 1-800-957-8353 or visit us at www.CorcoranCoaching.com.

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Top Agent Magazine

SARAH JENEMA Intelligent, caring, hardworking and incredibly well-versed in all aspects of the real estate industry, top agent Sarah Jenema has truly earned her exceptional reputation as a trusted advocate for anyone looking to buy or sell in the city of Chicago.

Sarah, who works with The Olive Well Team at Compass, is also extremely honest and operates from the highest levels of integrity. Focusing primarily on achieving excellent results for her clients, there are few who provide better customer service in The Windy City.

Sarah, a former teacher and hospitality worker in the restaurant business, began her career in real estate in 2018. “I had transitioned into nannying for just one family,” she recalls, “and I loved working for them, but then they moved away. I found myself in a position where I was wondering what I was going to do moving forward. I’d always been interested in real estate, and I had always loved houses and interior design. I also had a large network, so I figured it would be a good time to get licensed and jump in with both feet.”

Jump she did, and she found success almost immediately out of the gate. Currently, almost the entirety of Sarah’s impressive business is based upon referrals, a true testament to the amazing customer service she provides her many grateful clients. “I think that has to do with the fact that I provide a very straightforward approach,” replies Sarah, when asked how she has managed to create such impressive levels of trust and loyalty. “I always have my clients’ best interests in mind. I’m extremely communicative throughout the entire process, and since I really specialize in first time home buyers, I’m

always there to help with anything they need. They never have to call me to ask what’s going to happen next, because I constantly keep them informed.”

Another factor that has played a significant role in Sarah’s exponentially growing success story would be her thorough, comprehensive approach to marketing her listings, which always begins with top-of-the-line professional photography. “At Olive Well, we use a very editorial look for our photos because we really want to capture a potential buyer’s eye in the first two seconds,” she explains. From there, each property is blasted out to as many online websites and social media platforms as possible, ensuring that each is seen by as many potential buyers as possible. The most frequent result is a fast sale for top dollar, and also happy customers who continue to refer friends and family.

When she’s not working, Sarah enjoys nothing more than spending time with her husband and her young son. “My husband owns restaurants,” says Sarah, “so we also love food and trying out new places or eating at our own.” She is also philanthropic minded, and along with The Olive Well Team she is involved with a monthly food drive and other charitable activities like cleaning up local parks.

Looking to the future, Sarah’s plan is to continue the rapid growth of her business, but never at the expense of the amazing customer service her clients have come to expect. “I really love seeing them happy at the end of the transaction,” she says, “and knowing that they have somewhere to call home and that I helped them to get there.”

For more information about Sarah Jenema, please call 312-351-9797 or email Sarah.Jenema@compass.com Top Agent Magazine

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