NORTH CAROLINA 11-16-20

NORTH CAROLINA EDITION

GOOGLE ADWORDS:

How to Make Google Do the Work for You

HOW TO THROW A NETWORKING EVENT THAT CAN PUT YOUR BUSINESS ON THE MAP The Daily Schedule of a

SUCCESSFUL REAL ESTATE AGENT

COVER STORY

WILLIAM PURGASON FEATURED AGENTS

ROSE BONIFACIO BOBBI EUBANKS SHANTI HOLLOWAY

NORTH CAROLINA EDITION

BOBBI EUBANKS SHANTI HOLLOWAY ROSE BONIFACIO

Bobbi Eubanks was so inspired by the “Nothing is more exciting to me After receiving master’s degrees and email upd professional attitude of her first 16 real the gratifying feeling I get from hel 20 23 planningto apursue careerher in corporate America, tionneeds,” event estate agent, she decided people meet their real estate Shanti text when own career. “It was during Holloway the purchase decided to reevalsays. “My clients can count on m she wanted out of her life. of my first home,uate and Iwhat was impressed always do what’s in their best inte “Thankfully, reevaluation brought me addition by the care she showed as well asmy taking I pride myself on beingInhonest, t here,” she says.every In 2015, she began her alsoinvalue the time to educate me through worthy, and knowledgeable the step of the process,” she recalls.

“I felt estate market.” pre-licensing classes, and later that year, teaches fi this was somethingshe I could also do well.” received her license. “I really wanted and she a To stay in touch with her clients, B That was five7years ago, and she’s never to do a better job at educating the clients I The Butte makes phone calls as well as sends looked back.

Ten years with,” ago, Rose Bonifacio at a BOBBI personal which million inled sales. Perhaps more importantly, her Shantiwasexplains, Her goal WILLIAM PURGASON worked ROSE BONIFACIO EUBANKS SHANTI HOLLOWAY and professional crossroads. She had recently business is 80% repeat seasonal and referral clientele.

“I reminders.

Marketing her moved to Charlotte, North her children license have been relocated over the years, to at quickly getCarolina, her broker’s as several times andofdo Bobbi oversees a her team the more Housing includes to all thewh m to Charlotte, I wantedposting to were becoming independent, and her job so when I first moved ings well.

Shanti works with home buyers and is also a v get to know my city,” she explains.

“My agent was not providing much in the way of long-term Mentors covering Fayetteville, North Carolina, and syndicated sites and to social media. satisfaction. After some solid soul-searching, she wasn’t great about listening us what we wanted. inwasRaleigh, Durham, andNowChapel enjoys sp surrounding areas.sellers With sales decidedait multi-million time to make andollar official career that I am serving that role, I really get to my clients and she carefully listen to what change.NC, “I sat down andwell took stock goals,surrounding as knowBobbi Hill, as asof my the she has fr says especially loves the satisfaction volume this year so far, Bobbi reports that her busiwell as my skills in finance and negotiCONTENTS feels at the end of the day after helping her cli ation, and found that real estate checked areas. says,clientele.

“It went“Having very quickly, but there was a ness is entirely repeat andShe referral all my boxes,” she says. “Becoming a how it i the right real estatemission agent means having agent who reach their goals. “I know behind it.”

Shanti is aimportant natural lead realtor would provide me withan the ability to control my own destiny and the besttooffer for h committed to helping you buy or sell your home find your dream home or toget usethethis grow flexibility that I needed. It would also 4) is GOOGLE ADWORDS: 18) THE DAILY SCHEDULE says. “Therefore, I make it my for res with the highest level of expertise,” she asserts. allow me make a trulyand positive impact “This With a torepeat referral rate ofproperty,” over 75 she percent, “who are out there on people during an extremely stressful HOW TO MAKE GOOGLE OF A SUCCESSFUL REAL sibility to help my clients attain their dream also means helping you tohas understand each step of time in their lives.learned Looking back, it was to build good relationships Shanti how and also for the othe the best decision I could have made.” financial wealth and home ownership.” the buying or selling process.

This commitment level DO THE WORKwith FOR YOU ESTATE AGENT her clients and educate them along the way. She Her favorite part of he has helped me buildToday, a remarkable track record of Rose is a solo agent for Keller says, “I am 24/7 “a lot of istheir dreamsservice and seei Williams Selectavailable covering Charlotte Bobbi’sand latest project community ba delivering results.” and its environs and is well on her way to my clients,” them like the fact that I’m very transparent.”

Shanti end of a deal.

“A lot “Right TO now,THROW we are developing a podcast ca 13) 5 TIPS TO MAKE 21) HOW to reachingNEW a goal volume of $8-$10 knows thatreceives this isstellar a very special moment for her make it happen,” she ‘Local Look-Out’ for which we will be promo It’s notAsurprising that Bobbi reviews HIRES LONG-LASTING A NETWORKING EVENT THAT Copyright Top Agent Magazine area businesses through interviews and adverti clients, mission to make sure that they feel for them, that is the m for her esteemed work ethic.and Oneher client recentlyiswrote: SUCCESS CAN PUT my YOUR page,” sheBUSINESS explains.

“My dealings with Bobbi were nothing less thanend on happy and successful with the result.

Because of as a real estate agent.”

ON THE MAP advantageous for myself and my family.

As a veteran, her high level of service, she says, “They are confinot working, Bobbi enjoys spending time I found her work ethic with the forWhen dent comparable in my ability to some get it ofdone them.” most qualified professionals I’ve come in touch with her family. “That time together is so important during my career. Within 45 days of contact, we found rejuvenating,” she notes.

Shanti says, “I just really want my clients to know our dream home and closed with positive education Phone 310-734-1440 | Fax that I’m310-734-1440 committed to them,” and through reading on the home buying experience, as well as incentives As for the future, Bobbi eventually hopes to bec it| is clear thatBobbi she hasadone this. As one “It’s my mission to help o real estate coach. mag@topagentmagazine.com www.topagentmagazine.com not normally foundher in reviews, the purchasing process. agents develop with the highest standard of ethics,” ofreproduced her clients shared, “I hadand a without great experience is a ofbased upon intelligence, sincerity, No portion this issue mayintegrity, be in any manner whatsoever prior consent of the publisher. Top Agent Magazine is published Feature Publications GA, Inc. Although precautions exclaims. aremy takennew to ensure the accuracy of published Shanti in finding and purchasing home. die-hard workbyethic.

10/10 experience!”

WILLIAM PURGASON

materials, Top Agent Magazine cannotthrough be held responsible for opinions expressed orshe factsmade suppliedthe by its authors.

Even the Covid19 pandemic, To subscribe or change address, send inquiry to mag@topagentmagazine.com. process easy.

Her Bobbi extensive knowledge of the For more about Eubanks, please callreal (910) 496-5859 Published in the U.S.

estate business helped in regard to ensuring ,the priceThehousingmentor.com email Thehousingmentors@gmail.com or visit negotiated was in my favor. Shanti’s quick response to my emails, calls and texts were impressive, at Top Agent Magazine For Maga mor times I felt like I was her only client; which I knew Copyright Top Agent www.

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

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Google AdWords:

How To Make Google Do the Work for You There is no denying that the internet is the first place a buyer begins looking for a new home in this digital age. Knowing how to put the powerful tools available on the internet to work for you can give you a decided advantage when it comes to attracting prospective buyers to your listings, as well as you as an agent. Google is easily one of the major superpowers of the internet, and they have one of the most powerful advertising tools available. Knowing how to utilize Google AdWords in the correct manner can make your internet advertising immensely powerful and possibly your best way to reach prospective buyers.

Google AdWords is also extremely cost-effective. This multifaceted tool gives you much more control over your advertising campaign than other more traditional methods. You can target specific audiences, choose the specific search terms, also known as keywords, that will bring up your ad in someone’s search results, and you can set a budget for each campaign that will dictate it’s reach and how long the campaign will run. Here are some tips for how to put Google AdWords to work for you.

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ent websites. You want to set yourself apart from every other real estate website users are viewing in their search for a house.

MAKE SURE YOUR ADS ARE GOING TO SEND USERS TO A SITE THAT WILL CAPTURE THEIR ATTENTION

You can spend an infinite amount of money on Google advertising campaigns, but if those ads don’t send users to a site that will capture and hold their interest, then you’ve just wasted all that money. Don’t put your cart before the horse. Make sure you are considering exactly where these ads are going to send users. To set up your website for success, at the very least you want to make sure users are greeted by clear call-to-action, such as a message that will encourage them to sign up for your newsletter or subscribe to your blog. You want to set up your website to maximize and capture the leads the ad campaign sends your way.

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BUILD CUSTOMIZED OR CUSTOM-MADE WEBSITES RATHER THAN TEMPLATE WEBSITES It is easy and tempting to use template websites, or to offer your agents template websites if you are a real estate manager or broker. While this offers a cost-effective solution to providing every agent with a website, it does little to set you or your agents apart and capture the attention of users that are used to seeing a wealth of differ-

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MAKE SURE YOU ARE OFFERING VALUE ON YOUR WEBSITE

Don’t simply use your website as a kind of brag sheet. Let users know what makes your particular services valuable to them. Highlight your expertise in a certain location through tools such as blog posts, providing market updates, or giving pertinent information on a unique type of property. This will ensure that your online advertising campaigns are much more successful.

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LOCATION IS EVERYTHING!

Location is everything in real estate, and the same holds true for Google AdWords. You can target specific locations in your ad campaign. While one approach is to focus on the area around your location, a more advanced approach would be to link AdWords campaigns to your Google My Business account. This is a Google service that includes your address in the ad, allowing people to then click on it and see exactly where you are located on a map.

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USE GOOGLE ADWORDS IN YOUR CAMPAIGN TO EXPAND YOUR BUSINESS IN GENERAL

Focus an AdWords campaign on expanding your business by incorporating specific zip codes and neighborhoods that will help you establish a presence in an area where you would like to increase your real estate business. Making sure that your ad appears in search results that are related to the real estate in a specific area will help shape the image and brand of your business as well as bring in new leads.

HARNESS THE POWER OF DATA

When you run a Google AdWords campaign Google Analytics captures a wealth of information about your target client demographic.

You can gain real insight into your online visitors, such as when they visit, what they do and look at on your site once they get there, and what search terms they use. You can use all of this information to grow your business. Use Google Analytics to determine which users (location, gender, age) are utilizing specific aspects of your site, such as looking at multiple listings, reading your blog, etc. You can then use this information to target these specific demographics in your AdWord campaigns, Gmail ads, the Google Display Network, and other advertising.

Using the internet to help advertise your business and your listings is one of the smartest moves you can make as an agent in this modern age. However, you don’t want to simply go into the process blind or you’re wasting a lot of potential resources and data that could make all the difference. To reap the benefits of Google AdWords, you must apply an intelligent strategy to using these campaigns.

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WILLIAM PURGASON

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Top Agent Will Purgason is a lead member of The Purgason Group, serving clients in the greater Greensboro, NC area.

Will Purgason had never expected to follow in his parents’ footsteps and get involved with real estate, but after spending some time in the music industry and looking for a way to support himself, he discovered a hidden passion for the business. “As I toured the country, I began to fall in love with the real estate side of the business,” he explains.

“I was able to pick up on quite a bit.” Will 8Copyright Top Agent Magazine

has now worked in real estate for 15 years, including 12 years as an assistant. He got his license in 2018 and is a lead member of The Purgason Group that serves the greater Greensboro, NC area. Will is also a nationally featured agent by Josh Flagg of Bravo’s “Million Dollar Listing.” “I didn’t know I had a knack for it until I started practicing the business,” Will says.

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80 percent of Will’s business comes from referrals, which he attributes to his customer service and relationships with clients. “The biggest thing is that I understand the service aspect of the business,” he says. Will worked quite a few restaurant and retail Top Agent Magazine

jobs before getting started in real estate, so he knows how to put the customer first and always be available to them. He also believes he has an advantage from seeing his parents’ success in real estate as he grew up. One way in which Will exceeds clients’ Copyright Top Agent Magazine9

Will loves seeing his clients’ reactions when they finally make their dreams come true, and he explains, “There’s nothing more satisfying than that.” expectations is through marketing their homes. Understanding that most people find their homes online and that the digital aspect of marketing is most critical, Will tends to focus on email blasts, professional photography and videography, and syndicating information across websites. Yet he also puts effort into getting in touch with other realtors, saying, “When you connect Copyright Top Agent Magazine 10

with other realtors, you connect to their hub of clients as well.”

Will and his team have consistently proven their expertise in the business through each client they work with. One former client shared in an interview, “If you want a great combination of experience, excellence and personal care, go with the Top Agent Magazine

Purgason Group. They make buying or selling as painless as possible and throw in some fun too. I highly recommend them.”

Even when the transaction is complete, Will likes to continue relationships with his clients through handwritten letters and Top Agent Magazine

personal phone calls. He says, “You don’t do it to get business, you do it to support your clients.”

Outside of real estate, Will loves working with the Greensboro community and Copyright Top Agent Magazine 11

spending time with his family. His wife is very involved with the Salvation Army, and he likes to help out by donating to food banks and even playing music at charity events. In his free time, Will enjoys going out to new restaurants, watching British television, and reading books, in addition to writing and producing new music.

When asked what his favorite part of his job as a real estate agent is, Will says it is “the story aspect and the relational side of it.” He loves seeing his clients’ reactions when they finally make their dreams come true, and he explains, “There’s nothing more satisfying than that.” In the future, Will says, “I want to hire and train additional agents, yet at the same time, I want to still ensure the quality behind each agent.”

For more about William Purgason, please call 336.601.9625 or email williampurgason@gmail.com

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Top Agent Magazine

5 Tips to Make New Hires

a Long-lasting Success Bringing a new employee into the mix is process commonly known as onboarding. The idea behind onboarding is to make the transition from new hire to team member as efficient and pain-free as possible. However, polling shows that some 31% of entry-level and intermediate level hires leave their new posts within just six months of starting. The question is: why?

The hiring and training process is time-intensive and doesn’t come cheap. This means that making Top Agent Magazine

a good match for the long haul requires more than just assessments of skill and personality. To ensure a talented new hire sticks around and is truly positioned for success, the onboarding process must be executed with the same care applied during hiring. For a few ideas on how to make the most of the onboarding process, consider the tenets below as you guide your new hire toward long-lasting success within your company.

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1. Be honest about the scope of the role

2. Build in some perks

Let’s say you’re looking to add a new buyers agent or loan processor to your team. You write up the position’s responsibilities, but neglect to mention that you want the new hire to handle a host of administrative tasks, as well. Maybe it doesn’t seem important enough to outline in detail, as it’s the sort of thing the rest of your does. Miscommunications like these are a leading reason why new hires leave their roles.

If there isn’t clarity and transparency about a position’s true responsibilities, then new hires may become quickly disillusioned and seek out greener pastures.

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While stocking the breakroom with bagels every Friday may seem like a small gesture, it’s often those little morale-boosting moves that build loyalty and comradery among the team. Bike-to-work incentives, subsidized gym memberships, and benefits that match the needs of your employees—all are ways to demonstrate appreciation and investment in your team.

Likewise, the right candidate will return the favor and invest his or her energies into their new role.

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3. Get a sense of big-picture career plans

4. Keep the lines of communication open

Another reason new hires move on may have nothing to do with you or your office. In fact, many hires in entry-level or even intermediate roles have doubts about their long-term vision.

That’s why it’s important to be upfront from the beginning regarding a candidate’s five-year plan and ultimate dream job. Maintain realistic expectations when asking these questions, but use it as an opportunity to gage a candidate’s seriousness about the real estate or mortgage industry. Why this line of work over another?

Emphasizing industry longevity and career growth during the interview process can save you drama down the road.

Take a proactive approach in communicating with your new hire. Take time to check in regularly during the first six months of his or her addition. If you can, make time to train new hires yourself—if only for a part of the onboarding process. You’ll forge a deeper professional bond and create an avenue for further questions. All in all, make it clear that you’re personally invested in their presence and talents, and that you care what they have to say. That way, if any issues or doubts arise, you can stay on top of it and work out a solution, rather than lose a new employee.

5. Give new hires meaningful work to do It’s natural to keep the kid-gloves on with new hires, but don’t let that stop you from giving them a chance to shine. New team members will feel empowered and motivated if given meaningful projects to focus on. Don’t relegate their daily duties to busy work as they build experience.

Instead, task new teammates with something challenging, or that draws on a specific skill you hired them for. You’ll instill confidence, demonstrate your commitment to their growth, and with any luck—keep them around for the long haul.

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ROSE BONIFACIO

Ten years ago, Rose Bonifacio was at a personal and professional crossroads. She had recently moved to Charlotte, North Carolina, her children were becoming more independent, and her job was not providing much in the way of long-term satisfaction. After some solid soul-searching, she decided it was time to make an official career change. “I sat down and took stock of my goals, as well as my skills in finance and negotiation, and found that real estate checked all my boxes,” she says. “Becoming a realtor would provide me with the ability to control my own destiny and the flexibility that I needed. It would also allow me to make a truly positive impact on people during an extremely stressful time in their lives. Looking back, it was the best decision I could have made.”

million in sales. Perhaps more importantly, her business is 80% repeat and referral clientele. “I have been relocated several times over the years, so when I first moved to Charlotte, I wanted to get to know my city,” she explains. “My agent wasn’t great about listening us what we wanted.

Now that I am serving that role, I really get to know my clients and carefully listen to what

Today, Rose is a solo agent for Keller Williams Select covering Charlotte and its environs and is well on her way to reaching a goal volume of $8-$10 16

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they want in their next house, city, and schools.

Understanding what is important to them and matching their needs is key.”

Rose remains connected to her clientele well after the transaction closes. “I know this sounds cliché, but my clients are not transactions; they are relationships and ones that I keep close,” she says. Her relationships are not limited to her regular phone calls, texts, note cards, emails, and social media, either. During the holidays, she hand delivers beautiful poinsettias to each and every home. “I’ve reached out to each of my clients at least twice during this pandemic, just to check in and see if they needed anything and to ensure their families were doing well,” she says.

Rose believes in keeping each of her listings fresh and in front of the public. In addition to the MLS, she posts photos and videos of her properties to social media as well as on affiliate sites. “If a house does not sell right away, I put up new photos or do a live video from the property, just so it remains current,” she says.

“That’s often the difference in bringing a property to the right client.”

Rose currently resides in the Charlotte suburb of Waxhaw with her husband, John, and their three children, Alex, Noelle, and Luke. She is very active in the dog rescue community, volunteers for Meals on Wheels, and donates time to the underprivileged communities in Union County, NC. In her free time, she loves to travel, read, and spend time with friends and family.

As for the future, Rose hopes to build upon the success she has created, branching out into additional training and mentorship roles within Keller Williams Select. “My ultimate goal is to use my experience to help others in this industry,” she says. “In addition to serving all of my clients well, sharing my passion as a motivational coach for the real estate community would make me very proud.”

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To learn more about Rose Bonifacio, please call (704) 218-0244 email her at rosebrealty@gmail.com, or visit findyourcharlottehomes.com http://

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The Daily Schedule

of a Successful Real Estate Agent Everything you do should be intentional. A busy schedule isn’t the same thing as a productive schedule. Sometimes people write things like “find clients” on their to-do list, but finding clients isn’t actually a task. It’s a goal. Your daily schedule should be created with your goal in mind if you want to be a successful real estate agent, but a goal is too broad to add to your calendar.

Instead, you can break your goal down into projects, break those projects down into tasks, and schedule time in your calendar to complete each task. You’ll find that some of these projects will have an immediate impact on your business, and that those are the tasks that should be completed first.

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The fact is that as a real estate agent you can set your own schedule—if you’re not productive until 10am, then you don’t have to start your day until then. But having a daily schedule means that every day you have a running start on all those other agents who just “wing it.”

You don’t want to feel burned out and busy but like you’re simultaneously not getting a whole lot done. You can only keep up 70+ hour weeks for so long before your body breaks down and both your performance and income drop as a result.

Since every real estate agent’s operating hours look different, the following daily schedule is broken up by the suggested amount of hours you

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should spend on each task rather than specific times of day. However, certain tasks, like prospecting, appointments, and listing presentations should be performed at times when it’s most convenient for clients. If you’re an agent who likes to end their workday at 5 o’clock, remember that this is also the same time your clients are likely ending their day, meaning you might be unavailable for showings during the only time their schedule allows.

3.5 hours – This is that time of day that you should schedule all your appointments and listing presentations. If you are a newer agent, you might use this time instead to do more prospecting and appointment setting.

1 hour – Spend this time waking up, exercising either at home or at the gym, and eating breakfast.

2 hours – Now it’s time to unwind. Use this time to have dinner and spend time with you family. If you have children, this is usually the time of day when they are wrapping up homework assignments and getting ready for bed.

It’s important that you make time for these moments the same way you make time for your work.

2 hours – Use this time before you head to the office to develop a morning routine, if you haven’t already. You can meditate, journal, practice affirmations, or read personal development books to prepare for the day ahead.

1 hour – Once you’re at the office, spend this time to review the day’s schedule, catch up with your assistant or other colleagues, and check the latest industry news. This is also the time of day that you can role play to prepare for appointments.

1.5 hours – Spend this time prospecting and appointment setting.

1 hour – Now it’s time for a lunch break. If you’re a multitasker, you can also use this time to prepare for the afternoon and any meetings you have scheduled or connect with followers on social media.

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.5 hours – Look over the day’s schedule again and ensure you’ve checked every task off your to-do list. While you’re at it, be sure to review tomorrow’s schedule and goals too.

2 hours – Spend these last couple hours before you fall asleep to have quality time with your spouse or perform your self-care routines.

8 hours – Now it’s time for sleep—getting a full night’s rest is crucial if you want every day to be productive.

As you can tell, there’s still some wiggle room left in this schedule, but the important thing is to block out time every day so you can achieve your goals and help your clients.

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BOBBI EUBANKS Bobbi Eubanks was so inspired by the professional attitude of her first real estate agent, she decided to pursue her own career. “It was during the purchase of my first home, and I was impressed by the care she showed as well as taking the time to educate me through every step of the process,” she recalls. “I felt this was something I could also do well.”

That was five years ago, and she’s never looked back.

Bobbi oversees a team at the Housing Mentors covering Fayetteville, North Carolina, and surrounding areas. With a multi-million dollar sales volume this year so far, Bobbi reports that her business is entirely repeat and referral clientele. “Having the right real estate agent means having an agent who is committed to helping you buy or sell your home with the highest level of expertise,” she asserts. “This also means helping you to understand each step of the buying or selling process. This commitment level has helped me build a remarkable track record of delivering results.”

It’s not surprising that Bobbi receives stellar reviews for her esteemed work ethic. One client recently wrote: “My dealings with Bobbi were nothing less than advantageous for myself and my family. As a veteran, I found her work ethic comparable with some of the most qualified professionals I’ve come in touch with during my career. Within 45 days of contact, we found our dream home and closed with positive education on the home buying experience, as well as incentives not normally found in the purchasing process. Bobbi is a based upon integrity, intelligence, sincerity, and die-hard work ethic. 10/10 experience!”

“Nothing is more exciting to me than the gratifying feeling I get from helping people meet their real estate needs,” she says. “My clients can count on me to always do what’s in their best interest.

I pride myself on being honest, trustworthy, and knowledgeable in the real estate market.”

To stay in touch with her clients, Bobbi makes phone calls as well as sends out seasonal reminders. Marketing her listings includes posting to all of the major syndicated sites and to social media.

Bobbi says she especially loves the satisfaction she feels at the end of the day after helping her clients reach their goals. “I know how important it is to find your dream home or get the best offer for your property,” she says. “Therefore, I make it my responsibility to help my clients attain their dreams of financial wealth and home ownership.”

Bobbi’s latest project is community service based.

“Right now, we are developing a podcast called ‘Local Look-Out’ for which we will be promoting area businesses through interviews and advertising on my page,” she explains.

When not working, Bobbi enjoys spending time with her family. “That time together is so important and rejuvenating,” she notes.

As for the future, Bobbi eventually hopes to become a real estate coach. “It’s my mission to help other agents develop the highest standard of ethics,” she exclaims.

For more about Bobbi Eubanks, please call (910) 496-5859 email Thehousingmentors@gmail.com, or visit Thehousingmentor.com www.

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How to Throw a Networking Event

that Can Put Your Business on the Map It’s hard to argue with the benefits of attending networking events—you make new connections, enjoy industry skill-building conversation, and expand your reach in the local business community. However, have you ever considered the benefits of hosting a networking event?

Instead of attending as a guest, you’ll be the wizard behind it all. Throwing a networking event can position you as a local business leader, and you’ll be able to curate the experience to your tastes and goals. This idea may be tempting, but how do you pull it off? Review some Top Agent Magazine

of our tips and tricks below and you’ll be more than ready to throw a networking event that’ll put you on the map.

MAKE IT EASY FOR YOUR GUESTS TO SAY YES. From the outset, try to keep things as simple as possible for your guests. This means that e-invites should be structured, yet conversational.

Include a link to register online so that arriving to your event is seamless and requires no signup sheets or stuffy check-in procedures. Select a venue that’s relatively well-known and central

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Throwing a networking event can position you as a local business leader, and you’ll be able to curate the experience to your tastes and goals. to your area. It should also have easy-to-access parking so that attendance is streamlined and hassle-free. Also consider sending an automated event reminder the day before and the day of the event—that way you’ll set guests up for easy attendance that they don’t have to debate.

CREATE A THEME. Capitalizing on a holiday or local event is a great way to drive attendance to your networking function. While getting to know area professionals is a worthy reason to meet up, you’re likely to engender a livelier ambiance if you incorporate a holiday or theme. This will inspire comradery among your guests, in addition to giving your event a natural focus. Major sporting events, a Thanksgiving themed pie bakeoff, or a spring cleaning themed community volunteer day can generate more interest than your average mixer.

GET CREATIVE WITH YOUR GUEST LIST. While you may be trying to keep your invite list industry-specific, you may benefit from casting a wider net. Invite area entrepreneurs, young professionals, collegiate professional organizations, and even friends and family. You never know what sort of connections will be made, and high attendance is key to keeping the energy of your networking event at a high tier. Don’t worry about only collecting info from realtors or brokers or mortgage pros. Instead, create a 22

sense of community so that opportunities flow naturally and conversation remains diverse.

BE THE BOSS. As host, it’ll be your job to play matchmaker and drive conversation at your networking event. This means that you’ll get to know more people, but it also means you’ll be able to create connections between different professionals and businesses. You can maximize your matchmaking abilities by planting a few socially-minded friends around to drive additional conversations. Your goal is to keep people talking and to be outgoing. It should also be your goal to follow-up once the event is complete. Use this as an opportunity to continue to connect different people you met, or to follow-up with coffee or lunch with someone you found interesting. Try sending out a group thank-you e-mail to your guests after the fact, telling them to keep an eye out for your next event, or to get in touch with you for any questions or contact information of fellow attendees.

While it may feel like a risk to throw a networking event, it’s a risk worth taking. By positioning yourself as the host of your event, you’ll drive awareness to your business and brand, and build up the local professional community in a way that’s sure to draw good will your way.

Keep these ideas in mind as you go about planning a memorable networking event of your own, and above all—have a good time and others will follow suit.

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Top Agent Magazine

SHANTI HOLLOWAY After receiving master’s degrees and planning a career in corporate America, Shanti Holloway decided to reevaluate what she wanted out of her life.

“Thankfully, my reevaluation brought me here,” she says. In 2015, she began her pre-licensing classes, and later that year, she received her license. “I really wanted to do a better job at educating the clients I worked with,” Shanti explains, which led her to quickly get her broker’s license as well. Shanti works with home buyers and sellers in Raleigh, Durham, and Chapel Hill, NC, as well as the surrounding areas. She says, “It went very quickly, but there was a mission behind it.”

With a repeat and referral rate of over 75 percent, Shanti has learned how to build good relationships with her clients and educate them along the way. She says, “I am available 24/7 to my clients,” and “a lot of them like the fact that I’m very transparent.” Shanti knows that this is a very special moment for her clients, and her mission is to make sure that they feel happy and successful with the end result. Because of her high level of service, she says, “They are confident in my ability to get it done for them.”

Shanti says, “I just really want my clients to know that I’m committed to them,” and through reading her reviews, it is clear that she has done this. As one of her clients shared, “I had a great experience with Shanti in finding and purchasing my new home.

Even through the Covid19 pandemic, she made the process easy. Her extensive knowledge of the real estate business helped in regard to ensuring the price negotiated was in my favor. Shanti’s quick response to my emails, calls and texts were impressive, at times I felt like I was her only client; which I knew was not true.” Even once the deal is done, Shanti keeps in contact with her clients through sending Top Agent Magazine

email updates, hosting client appreciation events, and reaching out with a quick text whenever they are on her mind.

In addition to educating her clients, Shanti also values educating the community. She teaches first-time homebuyer seminars, and she also runs the mentoring group The Butterfly Effect for young women.

Her goal is to “motivate them to go on and do whatever their heart desires.” She is also a very family-oriented person and enjoys spending time at home whenever she has free time.

Shanti is a natural leader, and in the future, she hopes to use this to grow her team and add more agents “who are out there for the greater good of their clients and also for the other agents that they work with.”

Her favorite part of her job is helping her clients meet their dreams and seeing their happy reactions at the end of a deal. “A lot of people don’t think they can make it happen,” she explains, “and if I can do that for them, that is the most rewarding thing in the world as a real estate agent.”

For more about Shanti Holloway, please call 919-824-4494 or email realestatetheholloway@gmail.com 23 Copyright Top Agent Magazine

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Top Agent Magazine