TENNESSEE 3-16-20

TENNESSEE EDITION

BEYOND

CLEANING AND DECLUTTERING: What Improvement Expenses Make the Most Sense?

MILLENNIAL BUYERS:

Where They Are & What to Know FEATURED AGENTS

CAREY LATHAM STACIA ROSATTI COVER STORY

KATHY MAY-MARTIN

TENNESSEE EDITION

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CAREY LATHAM21

STACI

This one-woman-show, as approachable. H Carey jokingly refers to reflected her f Theinsayin herself, entered the world of “Do not worry than one” Real Estate in July of 2011 worry about itse true in t after a family tragedy forced its own.” estate age her to change her whole trajectory. She had been in Variety is therun spi who the Insurance Industry, but Careyalongside who appr needing more that real estate b KATHY MAY-MARTIN CAREY LATHAM STACIAflexibility ROSATTI Bill. The with her schedule, real estate business,” she s been busy conquering the Te proved to be the perfect answer has for her and her family. just as stimulate anAward impressive 42 transactio Carey took home the Rookie ofWith the Year from from songwritin her Brokerage her first year in the biz!

She credits her and watching him an average price point of $534,00 real estate savvy to one person, volume and that person Dan keep they her busy beingis22 million, are er CONTENTS Elam of ELAM REAL ESTATE. She says without her the side called “ of Crye-Leike theO# years with Dan, she would notoffice have the knowledge Realtors, Strengthening owned that helps her stand apart from the rest. brokerage in the United Sta 4) BEYOND CLEANING 19) THINKING OF LISTING?Her approach to Carey has recently madeWAYS the move to join Music City flew wake with aS AND DECLUTTERING: WHAT NINE TO GET READY When her children theupcoop, Experts, LLC. Her business consists of 80% repeat heart, and start s IMPROVEMENT EXPENSES the role of stay-at-home mom. But and referral customers, with an average of 30 transac- can go to bed at MAKE THE MOST SENSE?tions per year. “I22) back tosold her14previous adveho TO THROW A career haveHOW one client I’ve homes thing”. in That’s to venture into real estate, is to,” she says and multiple to many others.

“I doTHAT not all keepsand coming NETWORKING EVENT pay for leads.

I do a lot of networking and a seventhBUSINESS year. She serves the areas 13) MILLENNIAL BUYERS: CAN PUT YOUR lot of social media, and I do a great job with and Collierville, as well as East Me WHERE THEY ARE & WHAT ON THEI think MAP my clients, which is what keeps them and Downtown.

TO KNOW coming back to me.”

KATHY MAY-MARTIN

One element of being a great Not REALTOR many® REALTORS® are capa is the ability to earn a client‘s trust, and level of success in suc such a high luckily for Carey this trait comes naturally of time, but one of Stacia’s ingredie Phone 310-734-1440 | Fax 310-734-1440 to her. She gains it through hard work and of success mag@topagentmagazine.com |anwww.topagentmagazine.com ethical approach. Although she considersis pretty simple: she bel tiveand to build long-term herself be outgoing, sociable, fun, No portion of this issue may be reproduced in any mannertowhatsoever without prior consent of the publisher.

Top Agent relationship when it comes to real estate it’s strictly busiMagazine is published by Feature Publications GA, Inc. Although precautions are taken About to ensure the accuracy of published 75% of her business is with materials, Top Agent Magazine cannot be held responsible for opinions or facts supplied by its authors. ness. “I get to the expressed nitty-gritty of it.

I don’t Bill have known for years or wo To subscribe or change address, send inquiry to tell mag@topagentmagazine.com. people what they want to hear. I tell Published in the U.S. past. They enjoy introducing the them what I know.”

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their old friends and helping peop To learn more Those who cross paths with Carey tionsquickly in the area.

Top Agent Magazine grow to love her down to earth attitude— an attribute that makes her feel instantly

email careyla visit careysmyage www.

mailto:mag@topagentmagazine.com

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Beyond Cleaning and Decluttering: What Improvement Expenses Make the Most Sense?

Decluttering open spaces, emptying cabinets and drawers and removing knick-knacks might seem like obvious – and free – ways to improve a home’s presentability. Unfortunately, however, not all sellers or agents are willing to do much more than decluttering and cleaning.

Think of the listing as a reflection on yourself. If you didn’t comb your hair, shine your shoes, dress 4

neatly and drive a clean car, people would think you don’t care about yourself. They may wonder, “If he doesn’t care about how he presents himself, how is he going to present my house?” Likewise, not prepare a house for its most beautiful presentation might cast doubt on how the overall marketing will go. And, while not all changes will be immediately noticeable, chances are that what isn’t changed will be noticed.

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Ashley Aguilera, REALTOR®, broker and owner of The Aguilera Team in California’s Murrieta Valley and Temecula, says that after every consultation, her team formulates a game-plan. “We want to set their property apart from everything else on the market, but also fall within the comfort zone of the seller’s lifestyle,” she says. Changes may run the gamut from minor repairs and moving furniture for better flow, to adding accent pieces to harmonize the home’s look or create a “wow” factor before professional photography.

Many agents recommend conducting a professional inspection prior to listing; some will even hire the inspector at their own expense. Of course, any necessary repairs found during inspection and not repaired before listing must be formally disclosed. But wouldn’t it be nice to have no surprises during the buyer’s formal inspection?

In general, some improvements are required, others are low-cost and others pay for themselves

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with lower time on the market, competing offers or higher sale price.

Landscaping & Exterior First impressions begin outside. Be sure to mow and edge the lawn regularly; prune back overgrown trees and hedges; hire a professional to repair uneven pavement (especially if it’s a hazard); remove or replace dying annuals; and clean or repair porches or railings. Are there dry or dead patches of lawn? An inexpensive repair to the irrigation system might be the solution.

While painting an entire house can be extreme, a wise investment is to paint trim, porches, steps or railings that may look tired or have too many colors; choosing a single, neutral color for trim can create a bright, cohesive look. Finally, check the roof, gutters and windows, looking for spots to caulk, shingles to replace, or debris to remove.

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Paint is extremely important if the home has faded or dirty walls, holes or chips on paint or plaster. If an entire paint job is not feasible, at least consider cleaning repairing the obvious and adding a fresh coat of semi-gloss to baseboards, moldings, windowsills, doors, banisters balustrades and built-ins. Don’t overlook the ceilings!

A long-ago leak from a second-floor bathroom may have been completely repaired and moisture abated, but a patched-up ceiling is a red-flag.

Kitchens and baths

Walls, carpets, ceilings and trim Next, it’s time for agent and seller to open up to one another about the interior. Janelle Holte, who leads Seller’s Edge Home Team in the Minneapolis/St. Paul area, loves walking into a home knowing that her team will be the driving force behind selling it.

“I like seeing how owners took care of it and raised their family in it,” she says. “But I won’t sugar-coat anything, so I tell them not to shoot the messenger!” She gives it to them straight, explaining what needs to be done to stage it to present well from a buyer’s perspective.

Those changes often include repainting at least the primarily living areas and replacing carpet, especially worn carpet or carpet that has faded or stained beyond what professional carpet cleaning could remedy. Sometimes, all that’s needed is professional carpet stretching to remove any buckling prior to cleaning.

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Most agents agree that the easiest costs to recoup in home improvements prior to selling are those spent in bathroom and kitchen updates. Complete remodels are unwise; you can’t anticipate the style preferences of their buyer. But refinishing, touching-ug up or painting cabinets can create a great impact, while also forcing the seller to remove unwanted or overstocked items from cabinets and drawers. Don’t forget the cabinet pulls – shiny, new nobs look nice.

Lee Ritchie of Ritchie Realty Group in Columbus, Ohio, gives a reminder to discuss any and all issues up front. “People need to be able rely on the professional who’s presenting, pricing and marketing their home,” she says. An honest and diligent agent will be an open book about the current market conditions, the quality of comparable listings and the potential return-on-investment for improvements.

Some agents, like Debra Dobbs of @properties in Chicago, even roll up their sleeves to help with decluttering and repairs. While not at all required or expected, doing so sure lets sellers see the investment their agent is willing to make for them.

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KATHY MAY-MARTIN Top Agent Magazine

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KATHY MAY-MARTIN Serving the West Knoxville, Tennessee Metropolitan area, Top Agent Kathy May-Martin closed a total of 86 units, totaling $19,580,260.00 in 2019 and ranks in the top 1% of Coldwell Banker agents nationwide.

Kathy May-Martin started in real estate in 1992 “I chose real estate as a career so I could work around motherhood and find a work-life balance.”

Today, she works solo, with the help of two unlicensed assistants and serves areas around the West Knoxville, Tennessee Metropolitan 8Copyright Top Agent Magazine

area. “My clients have me as a point of contact...for contracts, negotiations, questions and concerns” she says. “I have also been the managing broker at the Coldwell Banker Jim Henry & Assoc. office for the last 23 years.”

Last year, she closed a total of 86 units herself, totaling $19,580,260.00 and ranks in the top 1% of Coldwell Banker agents nationwide.

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Much of that success is thanks to a well-nurtured and cultivated repeat and referral business, which Kathy estimates at about 60% of her success. She credits her commitment to service and her attention to detail for those numbers, as well as her passion for real estate and her established foundation in the area and community, which grants her a deep knowledge and experience Top Agent Magazine

of the region that she can pass along to clients.

“The important qualities that set me apart are my knowledge, experience and work ethic,” she says. She describes her work ethic as “nine days a week,” but still manages to maintain a balance between work and family. “I love what I do,” she says. “That keeps me looking toward the future and empowers me to be the best I can be.”

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“The most important thing that I enjoy about this business is that I learn something new every day. This business is constantly evolving and changing, so I’ve learned to stay on my toes, be flexible and embrace change.”

When it comes to staying in touch with her clients, Kathy uses a CRM, and mainly relies on email and social media. “When customers get on their computer, they see me,” she says. “I’m that pair of shoes you keep seeing pop up on your Facebook.” The Internet also helps a great deal with her marketing, via the major real estate websites like Realtor.com, Zillow, Lakehouse. com as well as Coldwell Banker, numerous other websites and her own personal website. She implements a company to market her personally, another company to keep her engaged with her audience, and her assistants market her listings on social media sites like Instagram, Pinterest, Copyright Top Agent Magazine 10

LinkedIn, and Facebook, and she takes out ad space on local news sites as well as in print. Due to the noise of emails and social media this year, Kathy has also adopted an up front and personal approach, to stay in front of her market with a presentation she can share with local businesses and organizations to keep them up-to-date and informed about their market and the services she offers.

While she allots time each day to do desk work, it’s being out in public that Kathy really loves. “I love being outdoors, I love meeting people from all walks of life,” she says. “I think the most Top Agent Magazine

important thing that I enjoy about this business is that I learn something new every day. This business is constantly evolving and changing, so I’ve learned to stay on my toes, be flexible and embrace change.”

“I’m very invested in the community I live in, too,” Kathy says. “I currently sit on the Roane Top Agent Magazine

County Chamber of Commerce, the Fort Sanders Foundation Board, and I’m currently a member of the Harriman Rotary Club.” On top of all of that, she also helps out with a lot of community organizations through donations and sponsorships. She also enjoys spending time in the area’s beautiful outdoors, golfing, hiking and boating on the lake.

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“I don’t have any plans of downsizing or scaling back anytime soon,” she says of her future plans.

“I have a daughter in [real estate], so at some point in time, I’ll be the knowledge and experience of the business, and she’ll be the energy and do the legwork. That’s not in the immediate future, but that’s my succession plan, getting her invested in this business.” Kathy also became an Amazon Best

Selling Author with a book last year called The Essential Guide to Buying and Selling Homes, The book was named #1 in Real Estates sales and #1 Hot New release in multiple categories on Amazon, “I am so honored to be a part of this book,” she says. “It’s a testament to my hard work and dedication to the business for almost 3 decades.”

To learn more about Kathy May Martin, visit kathymaymartin.com, email sold@kathy-may.com, or call (865) 603-7230 or (865) 376-2121 ext. 107 www.

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Millennial Buyers: Where They Are & What to Know Homebuyers and sellers come from all walks of life. If you’ve been an agent for long, you’ve likely worked alongside a wide variety of folks—from first-timer homeowners and down-sizers, to second home searchers and those finally hunting for their dream home. While there is hardly a shortage of diversity in the housing market, there Top Agent Magazine

is one generation that is making big strides in homeownership these days: Millennials.

Millennials can be loosely defined as those between the ages of twenty-two to thirtyseven. As you can see, this constitutes a wide swathe of the population. If you’re an agent who stands to learn a bit more about

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a demographic whose influence and homeownership goals are rapidly evolving, tune in below for a few pointers that can help you expand a segment of your clientele in the process.

Where do Millennials prefer to buy?

Many Millennials came of age during or immediately following the Great Recession, and as such, many of them relocated or returned to mid-size cities and smaller communities where the cost of living was most affordable. Of course, there are countless Millennials that call the U.S.’s major cities home—especially those in the

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tech industry. The good news is that you can court Millennial clientele no matter where you service area is located. That said, community amenities are of great importance to this generation. They value public transportation, green space, and entertainment—from coffee shops and topnotch restaurants to farmer’s markets and boutiques. Emphasizing those attributes will be key in selling to Millennials and locating neighborhoods they’re most interested in.

What sort of communication do Millennials prefer?

Most Millennials are digital natives, or close to. That means they grew up learning

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how to navigate digital spaces, and prefer to communicate through mediums like email, text, and social media. This isn’t to say that Millennials aren’t good communicators, but they’re often on the go, and have learned to research and shop online. To accommodate this, it’s best to build a presence across the most popular listing portals and social media platforms. Although, it’s not enough to establish a site and wait for the calls to come in. Responsiveness is a key factor for Millennials, who expect speedy response times. Make sure you’re checking your inbox frequently, responding accordingly, and engaging with your audience online. This will let Millennials know

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that you’re savvy, available, and understand the value of their preferred method of communication.

Are Millennials ready to buy?

It’s a common misconception that Millennials are uninterested in the rite of passage of purchasing a home. While Millennials maybe waiting a bit longer than their parents did to buy a home, there are good reasons to explain this phenomenon. For starters, Millennials entered the job market during the downturn, which means they are more conservative when making big purchases, and have to play catch-up to reach a sound

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financial position. Likewise, student loan debt has proved a major financial inhabitation for Millennials. Instead of socking away a few hundred a month to save for a home, they’re forking over that cash to pay down their educational loans. How does a Realtor compete with this reality? For starters, a bit of understanding goes a long way. Work with your mortgage partners to find financing possibilities that cater to this younger demographic. Recognize that Millennials—like most buyers—have some trepidations when buying a home.

Also consider fielding Millennial clientele with the long view in mind. You might be 16

courting them for months or more until they’re ready to take the plunge, but they’re also famous for their reviews. When a job is done well, Millennials shout it from the rooftops—or at least share it a dozen time from their phone.

As time passes, Millennials will continue to dominate the marketplace when it comes to buying and selling homes. A little self-education on this powerful demographic can go a long way. If you know your clients and your audience, you’ll be in a far better position to serve their interests and make a customer for life.

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CAREY LATHAM This one-woman-show, as Carey jokingly refers to herself, entered the world of Real Estate in July of 2011 after a family tragedy forced her to change her whole trajectory. She had been in the Insurance Industry, but needing more flexibility with her schedule, real estate proved to be the perfect answer for her and her family.

Carey took home the Rookie of the Year Award from her Brokerage her first year in the biz! She credits her real estate savvy to one person, and that person is Dan Elam of ELAM REAL ESTATE. She says without her years with Dan, she would not have the knowledge that helps her stand apart from the rest.

approachable. Her easygoing philosophy is also reflected in her favorite quote, a verse from Scripture, “Do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has sufficient trouble of its own.”

Variety is the spice of life, and that’s certainly true for Carey who appreciates the constant change of pace that real estate brings. “Nothing is monotonous in this business,” she says. And outside of work she stays just as stimulated with an array of different hobbies, from songwriting to playing golf with her husband, and watching him sing on Broadway. As if that didn’t keep her busy enough, she also has a talk show on the side called “The SOAR Show”, which stands for Strengthening Our Area Relationships.

Her approach to real estate is ethics first. “When you wake up with a lot of passion, imagination, a good heart, and start serving other people, things happen. I can go to bed at night knowing I always “do the right thing”. That’s how everyone wins, and that’s how it all keeps coming back to you! #careysmyagent

Carey has recently made the move to join Music City Experts, LLC. Her business consists of 80% repeat and referral customers, with an average of 30 transactions per year. “I have one client I’ve sold 14 homes to,” she says and multiple to many others. “I do not pay for leads. I do a lot of networking and a lot of social media, and I do a great job with my clients, which is what I think keeps them coming back to me.”

One element of being a great REALTOR® is the ability to earn a client‘s trust, and luckily for Carey this trait comes naturally to her. She gains it through hard work and an ethical approach. Although she considers herself to be outgoing, sociable, and fun, when it comes to real estate it’s strictly business. “I get to the nitty-gritty of it. I don’t tell people what they want to hear. I tell them what I know.”

Those who cross paths with Carey quickly grow to love her down to earth attitude— an attribute that makes her feel instantly Top Agent Magazine

To learn more about Carey Latham email careylathamsells@gmail.com, visit careysmyagent.com, or call 615-556-2261 www.

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Thinking of Listing?

Nine Ways to Get Ready The less time a home spends on the market, the more likely it is to sell at or above list price. That’s why our Top Agents recommend getting a property ready for marketing well before listing. Anyone who is even just starting to think about listing will benefit from some basic upkeep and pre-staging work. Even if you decide now is not the time to list, you’ll enjoy these simple improvements around the home.

With the right local resources, most pre-listing preparations take less than a week and will make the formal staging process simpler for all involved.

Ask Top Agents in your area for referrals of local pros to hire. Once you’ve selected your Top Agent, keep yourself open to his or her opinion on other TLC to help decrease your home’s market time.

1. Inspection: The last thing a seller or buyer wants is a surprise at

inspection. That’s why a complete inspection before listing is so valuable.

Many necessary fixes, such as minor roof or appliance repairs, can be discovered and repaired in less than a week. If inspection uncovers a major issue, any Top Agent will tell you that this knowledge is power; disclosing and expecting to take responsibility will increase buyers’ trust without affecting market time.

2. De-Clutter: Take a little time to pack away surplus furniture items and

extra knick-knacks, papers, books or occasional-use items throughout your house. Remember this may require boxing away video game supplies or packing up comfy throw pillows and blankets. Move these items temporarily into closets, the garage or attic with the assumption of possibly renting a storage unit just before listing.

3. Paint: Whole-house painting is likely not necessary, but consider touching

up baseboard moldings and doorways and open wall spaces in high-use areas Top Agent Magazine

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such as bathrooms, the office, family room and indoor recreation spaces.

Also consider a little varnish on the front door or banister.

4. Artwork and Decor: Take a neutral look at your décor. Better yet, ask a

Top Agent to do so. Buyers should be able to picture themselves living in your home. While your Top Agent may not advise you to appear generic, you’ll likely need to thin out any shrine-like displays to family, hobbies or cultural interests.

5. Deep-Clean Housekeeping: After you’ve de-cluttered and touched up

the paint, request a deep cleaning from your housekeeping service and weekly cleanings thereafter. Make sure they pay attention to details like dusting or vacuuming window treatments and lampshades or wiping smudges off door jams and baseboard moldings.

6. Carpets and Rugs: Bring in the pros, but don’t just clean the carpets.

Because the cleaners will be moving furniture anyway, ask them stretch and tighten any buckled areas of carpeting. Doing so now saves the trouble of having to credit your buyer for this following final walk-through. Also consider removing small area rugs to let the beauty of your hardwood floors shine.

7. Look at the Loo: Buyers may not notice a brand-new toilet seat, but they

will turn up their noses at the one with the broken hinges. Freshly replaced toilet seats, faucets or doorknobs in heavily trafficked bathrooms can go a long way in first impressions.

8. “Mow & Blow”: Consider buyers as guests you want to feel welcome

as they ascend the front walk. If you don’t already have one, hire a weekly gardening service to keep up with the mowing, weeding, pruning and basic maintenance outside so you can focus on other things.

9. Staging: Once you’ve selected a staging professional for the finishing

touches, ask them and your Top Agent for final recommendations on day-today upkeep, storage options and what-to-do (or what not to do) while your house is on the market.

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STACIA ROSATTI The saying “Two is better than one” couldn’t be more true in the case of real estate agent Stacia Rosatti, who runs her business alongside her husband Bill. The dynamic duo has been busy conquering the Tennessee market.

With an impressive 42 transactions last year, at an average price point of $534,000, and with their volume being 22 million, they are ranked #1 in their office of Crye-Leike Realtors, the #3 independently owned brokerage in the United States.

When her children flew the coop, Stacia left behind the role of stay-at-home mom. But instead of going back to her previous career in advertising, she chose to venture into real estate, and is currently on her seventh year. She serves the areas of Germantown and Collierville, as well as East Memphis, Midtown, and Downtown.

full-page ads inside of an upscale magazine called At Home, and utilizing a graphic designer to guarantee that their robust email marketing campaign is always reflective of their top-notch brand.

When they are not busy making million-dollar sales, Stacia and Bill enjoy life’s simple pleasures, such as going to the desert and staying involved with their two sons: a budding REALTOR® and a musician. Bill is on the board of directors for Catholic Charities, & Stacia enjoys serving others through Madonna’s Circle.

Even though her success brings in a lot of satisfaction, for Stacia it’s the people she meets that make her job truly fulfilling. “We like meeting new people all the time. We never want to feel stagnant in life.

We have met some of our closest friends through real estate. Helping others is a nice place to be at this stage in our life.”

Not many REALTORS® are capable of attaining such a high level of success in such a short amount of time, but one of Stacia’s ingredients for the recipe of success is pretty simple: she believes it’s imperative to build long-term relationships with her clients.

About 75% of her business is with people she and Bill have known for years or worked with in the past. They enjoy introducing their new clients to their old friends and helping people make connections in the area.

With her background in advertising, Stacia is the ideal person for creating a listing that captivates.

She ensures that everything is presented in the most polished fashion before it hits the market by investing in professional staging and photography.

Both she and Bill leave no stone unturned when it comes to marketing their listings, such as purchasing Top Agent Magazine

To learn more about Stacia Rosatti email stacia@staciarosatti.com, visit staciarosatti.com, or call (901) 270 – 9019 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 22

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 Top Agent Magazine

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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