2020 Leading Edge Magazine | Royal LePage by Royal LePage Canada

2020

Supercharge your business 16

Fuel your business today and in the future

EDGE

Royal LePage

16 SUPERCHARGE

YOUR BUSINESS

Power the possible with rlpSPHERE

2020

CONTENTS

INNOVATIVE TECHNOLOGY

02 MESSAGE FROM OUR CEO 04 STRIVING FOR SAFE HOUSING FOR ALL

Supporting the Royal LePage Shelter Foundation

06 TREKKING FOR A GOOD CAUSE A record-setting fundraising event

07 YOUR VOICE AT THE TABLE Shaping the future at Royal LePage

08 STAY TOP-OF-MIND

Shop promo products to increase brand awareness

royallepage.ca | rlpNetwork.com marketing@royallepage.ca (416) 510-5800

Tech trends influencing the way you do business

TRENDS & OUTLOOKS

24 GUIDING CANADIAN NEWCOMERS

An in-depth look at the growing population

26 2020 MARKET SURVEY FORECAST

Driving factors behind competition and demand

29 SMARTER HOME SELLING

Take advantage of increased property marketability

34 COACH’S INBOX

Real world advice from successful team leaders

38 LEADING ONLINE CONVERSIONS

Increase online prospecting with Smart Leads

39 THE POWER OF ONLINE TARGETING How to spend less and impact more

MARKETING & TRAINING

30 GOING ABOVE AND BEYOND

Saving you (and your clients) time and money

Boost your business with integrated team services

32 AHEAD OF THE CURVE RECOGNITION & EVENTS

10 THE POWER OF CONNECTION Learn and grow at the largest conference of the year

12 THERE’S NO SECRET TO SUCCESS

Insights from the 2018 A.E. LePage REALTOR® of the Year

Ask the trainer about tech to level up

42 OVERCOME MARKET DISRUPTION

Playing the value game

44 ATTENTION TO DETAIL

Move over Waldo. Can you find Phil?

Leading Edge

39 Wynford Drive, Suite 200, Toronto, ON M3C 3K5

OF CHANGE

31 GROW YOUR TEAM

The trademarks REALTOR®, REALTORS® and the REALTOR® logo are controlled by The Canadian Real Estate Association (CREA) and identify real estate professionals who are members of CREA. All Royal LePage products and services are subject to change. For the most up-to-date information, visit or contact us:

20 THE DRIVING FORCES

2020

©iStock.com/JuliaAugust ©iStock.com/invincible_bulldog ©iStock.com/venimo ©iStock.com/ilyaliren

Many thanks to our contributors, partners and writers: Patricia Burton, Carolyn Cheng, Andrew Fogliato, Sarah Louise Gardiner, Stephanie Gellman, Joanne Geridis, Roseline Joyal-Guillot, Geneviève Lavoie, Nelia Luis, Kelly McCain, Christine Nattrass, Alicia Omand, Charlotte Ottoway, Phil Soper, Shanan Spencer-Brown, Meera Trivedi, Sunny Tung, Sandra Webb, Mike Wrobel, Box Brownie, Home by Design/Teldon, Genworth Canada and TD Canada Trust.

— Sarah Louise Gardiner, Director of Communications

BRAND & CULTURE The future of work is here

Leading Edge Magazine is published annually by Royal LePage

Newcomers are expected to purchase 680,000 homes over the next 5 years

AI and Superhuman Agents

A philosopher named Michael Polanyi observed that we humans grossly underestimate ourselves. What is known as ‘Polanyi’s Paradox’ helps explain why machines are not going to take our jobs. We know more than we know. Moreover, we can’t explain the depth and breadth of human intelligence. If we can’t explain it, we can’t program a computer to replace us.

Leading Edge

2020

There’s no denying that thinking machines can complete huge, complex tasks in a tiny slice of time. The Googlederived AI search engines that drive royallepage.ca can comb through millions of listings and photos in seconds, and far exceed client expectations with the results. If the buyer tells the machine behind our website how long they are willing to commute to get to work, our ‘bot will simultaneously comb through gigabytes of traffic data, and present only properties that fit. The magic doesn’t stop there. Users can share that they will be commuting in rush hour – via bicycle – and the listings will be narrowed accordingly. These amazing features and more have helped royallepage.ca become Canada’s leading real estate company website. As powerful as computers are, what can be accomplished with technology alone is limited. While systems like ours do a phenomenal job of chewing through vast mountains of data, they fail miserably in understanding and addressing core human needs. If we were selling houses to robots, we would need a lot less people. Selling to humans is much more complex. For example, when a house-hunting couple disagree, the clues will often be subtle and non-verbal.

Our agent will pick this up and address the conflict; the high-tech iPhone they carry, with the infinite power of cloud computing at its disposal, cannot. Not today, perhaps never. Dealing with humans requires judgement, creativity, insight and empathy. Machines are inflexible. People are infinitely unique, and so are their needs and wants. It is the uniqueness of people that preserves an agent’s place at the centre of the real estate transaction. What computers can do is improve our working lives, in the way that the wheel made human lives better when it was invented many years ago. Early wheelbarrows were expensive, but according to Smithsonian researchers, they would ‘pay back’ their owners in mere days through labour savings. Greek craftsmen then spent more time building homes and less time hauling rocks. What an appropriate metaphor for our industry! Software is the wheelbarrow of the 21st century. It is not going to replace the careers in sales, management and support that are necessary to keep a real estate company thriving, but it is going to allow us to generate new leads, to operate more efficiently with fewer mistakes, and to deliver higher client satisfaction in the process. Royal LePage is known across the real estate world as Canada’s technology leader. We understand the balance required between high-touch and high-tech. With 2020, we begin a new decade, and a new era of leadership. Welcome to the marvel that is rlpSPHERE – a digital ecosystem that seamlessly brings together everything a REALTOR® and their brokerage needs to succeed in today’s marketplace. It all begins with dynamic new agent and office websites and mobile apps that automatically engage and respond to consumer curiosity and client requests. There is also an integrated marketing centre that not only leverages the robust data from royallepage.ca, realtor.ca and elsewhere to drive leads, but also delivers

Without hesitation, I can say there is nothing in the industry today that comes close, and rlpSPHERE is future proof. It is designed to evolve as our large and talented technology team develops new solutions to enhance your professional lives.

Brand & Culture

smart tools to nurture them. Administrative pain points are removed to free up time to work face-to-face with clients, and intuitive client services are used to delight existing customers and magically convert their happy experiences into gratifying online reviews and valuable referrals.

What does the decade ahead hold? We will continue to nurture the partnership between human and artificial intelligence. A machine will be there to assist consumers, day and night, and then will introduce them to their Royal LePage agent, through the method and channel most likely to succeed. Advancing technology will help the consumer with research and inquiry. The REALTOR® will take the lead for serious client engagement and in closing business. For over a century, Royal LePage has been Canada’s most trusted real estate company. In the future, clients will place an even higher premium on trust and transparency. We will enrich our offerings with layers of new data to improve the consumer experience. Our customized solutions will provide our agents such a competitive advantage that they will have engaged before the competition knows an opportunity exists. The pace of change in our industry is both enthralling and daunting. In order to succeed and remain relevant, continuous learning is mandatory. I promise you, we will be there to guide you with the best learning services in the business. The great business thinker Peter Drucker once said, “The only thing we know about the future is that it will be different.” So true, and let me add this: embrace the bold steps we take today, for they lead us down a path towards even richer rewards.

Phil Soper President and CEO

Leading Edge

president@royallepage.ca soper Philip.Soper @PhilSoper

2020

Get in Touch

Striving safe housing towards

As a REALTOR®, you dedicate your professional life to helping clients find the perfect home.

Leading Edge

2020

But a house is only a home when the people who live there feel safe, loved and accepted. Sadly, there are thousands of women and children who do not have that privilege today. In Canada, approximately 6,300 women and children seek the safety of a shelter on any given night due to domestic violence. A shocking one in four women worldwide will experience domestic violence in their lifetime.

help How we

Commission Donations Agents generously donate a portion of their sales commissions to support the cause. rlpNet work .com / commissiondonat ions

National Garage Sale for Shelter This annual event is the largest, multi-location charity garage sale in Canada and has raised over $3 million since 2009. rlpNet work .com / gar agesale

©iStock.com/JuliaAugust ©iStock.com/YuliyaDerbisheva

for all

Here are some examples of the issues these shelters are currently facing: A lack of safe, affordable housing. When there is insufficient housing available in the community, women need to stay in shelters longer. This means beds are not available for others, jeopardizing the lives of those in crisis.

100% of all funds

“Women’s shelters offer more than just a raised goes to room with four walls and a bed,” says our cause Shanan Spencer-Brown, Executive Director, Royal LePage Shelter Foundation. “It’s about providing women and children with safety, as well as the opportunity to heal, to feel less isolated, and to build a sense of community.” As a Royal LePage agent, the Shelter Foundation provides you with a unique opportunity to drive real change in your community. Whether donating a portion of your commissions or volunteering your time, every effort counts. The programs offered by the shelters help women gain confidence, become economically independent, and feel empowered to support their children and contribute to society. “We’re really changing the fabric of society as a whole in Canada by making it possible for people to find safe places and live free of violence – we all deserve that,” Spencer-Brown says.

Brand & Culture

The Royal LePage Shelter Foundation is Canada’s largest public foundation dedicated exclusively to funding women’s shelters and domestic violence prevention programs. Each year, the Shelter Foundation supports 50,000 women and children in 200 women’s shelters across Canada and funds more than 30 violence prevention programs, including healthy relationship programs for teens. Since its inception in 1998, the Foundation has raised $33 million and every dollar is invested in the cause since Royal LePage covers the Foundation’s administrative costs.

Smart technology is heightening the risk of violence. Smartphones and transit passes may be convenient for the general population; however, these tools are making it easier for women to be stalked or abused by their partner. The correlation between domestic violence and head injury. Royal LePage Shelter Foundation partner, Kelowna Women’s Shelter, is working with the University of British Columbia to study the effects of head injury on domestic violence survivors. The findings will be used to improve training for shelter staff to better recognize the signs and symptoms of head injury and determine appropriate interventions.

Research shows that survivors of domestic violence experience the same level of PTSD as soldiers returning from war zones. “Women’s shelters have also identified that domestic violence survivors often experience complex mental health concerns and substance abuse,” explains Spencer-Brown. “Meaning some survivors may have significant needs and require ongoing support, well beyond million raised the point at which they leave their abusive partner.”

$33

But with increasing pressure on Canadian shelters to “do more with less,” it’s becoming more pertinent that organizations such as the Royal LePage Shelter Foundation do their part to strengthen the services available across the country.

Aging buildings are in serious need of repair, but women’s shelters don’t have the financial resources to afford sufficient restoration. Every six days, on average, a woman is killed by her former or current partner. A woman may stay in an abusive relationship for years, but the moment she leaves is when she is in the gravest danger. “This is why women’s shelters play a critical role and must be supported to do their life-saving work,” says Spencer-Brown. Being a REALTOR® is not only a job; it’s a calling. Every person deserves a safe space where they feel love, hope and joy. Safe homes produce safe communities, and global change begins in your own backyard.

Help end domestic violence in Canada rlpNet work .com /shelter

Leading Edge

Locally-organized charity tournaments, gala dinners, silent auctions, and more. Plus national events like the Challenge for Shelter treks and fundraising activities at Royal LePage conferences. rlp.ca /shelter-fundr aising

2020

Fundraising Events

Together, the 120 trekkers and their supporters raised a recordsetting amount for a single fundraising event in support of the company's charity.

Waking in the pitch black of early morning in the Sahara Desert, the Challenge for Shelter trekkers dress quickly and pack up camp under the light of their headlamps. They enjoy a breakfast of coffee, oatmeal and thin Moroccan pancakes with honey – the carbohydrates necessary to fuel them for the long day of hiking ahead. Over the course of five days, the Royal LePagers trek more than 100 kilometres, navigating a variety of terrain, including rocky river beds, dried up lake beds that crunch underfoot, endless stretches of sand and volcanic rock-covered hills. They tend to blisters, sprained ankles and sore backs along the way, cheering each other on and reaching out a steady hand to support others in need. Their motivation is shared, yet personal; they set their sights high to raise funds to support the Royal LePage Shelter Foundation, and to experience a life-changing travel adventure with new friends.

d o o G Cause

The top fundraiser, Danielle Margolis of Royal LePage Dynamic Real Estate in Winnipeg, raised a whopping $38,584, followed by Lindsey Edwards of Royal LePage ProAlliance Realty in Cobourg, Ontario who raised $37,281. Every day at lunchtime, the trekkers gather round to read a story of a domestic violence survivor who received life-changing support through one of the shelters funded by the Royal LePage Shelter Foundation. “It helps to reinforce that what we’re doing really matters,” says Shanan Spencer-Brown, Executive Director, Royal LePage Shelter Foundation. They think of these brave women and children as they walk for hours on end, and while climbing a massive sand dune stretching 300 metres to the sky. “We’re here to bring safety and hope to individuals back at home who live with abuse and violence,” Spencer-Brown says. “Our hardship is temporary, our physical and mental strain transient. Our “why” is so much stronger than our discomfort.”

Leading Edge

2020

Trekking for a

This year’s “Challenge for Shelter” trekkers take on the Sahara Desert in Morocco, raising over $1.1 million in support of the Royal LePage Shelter Foundation. r l p . c a /s a h a r a f o r s h e l t e r

2020

Our members

at the table

Brokers weigh-in on your behalf to shape the future at Royal LePage

An extraordinary brand is built upon a network of extraordinary people who embody its mission and values. This is why Royal LePage created the Services Advisory Council – a group of leaders selected to represent our network of 300 franchisees and 18,000-plus agents. In business, feedback is crucial to success. It provokes change and fuels growth. At Royal LePage, the Services Advisory Council is responsible for weighing in on industry-related issues, while also providing valuable input. These perspectives and opinions inspire refinements to new and existing tools and services, ensuring optimal profitability and potential for brokers and agents coast to coast.

The Council, which meets in person three times a year, consists of 18 broker/owners and manager-delegates. These leaders represent the network’s various regions, markets and brokerage sizes and are also highly engaged in Royal LePage events and organized real estate. In response to industry changes, this year’s member selection criteria also included expertise in technology and disruptive innovation. “Being a Council member has given me the opportunity to help shape new services,” says Brad Johnstone, broker-owner at Royal LePage NRC Realty, who is based out of St. Catharines and has multiple locations across southwestern Ontario. "At the same time, I’m able to create stronger relationships with the Royal LePage leadership team and share ideas with fellow brokers from across the country. It’s exciting to see the Council feedback being implemented efficiently, as Royal LePage truly listens and follows through with its promises.” Of course, fresh perspectives bring new ideas. While members commit to the council for a two-year term, half of the council is renewed each year so there is both continuity as well as an infusion of new perspectives. If you’d like a seat at the table, look for a network communication each November to apply for the chance to serve on the Council.

Angela Asadoorian

Pauline Aunger

Royal LePage Crown Realty Services

Royal LePage Advantage Real Estate

Brand & Culture

Your voice

Tracey Bish Royal LePage Atlantic

Sean Burns

Nirmal Brar

Royal LePage Coast Capital Realty

Royal LePage Flower City Realty

Karim Dalati Royal LePage Du Quartier

Chris Dunlop

Brad Hawker

Royal LePage Estate Realty

Royal LePage Rocky Mountain Realty 7

Brad Johnstone Royal LePage NRC Realty

Michael Kha

Sandra Kirkland

Royal LePage Sussex and West Real Estate Services

Royal LePage Real Estate Services Ltd.

Andrew Lawrence Royal LePage Lannon Realty

Etienne Mellor

Angie Peters

Royal LePage Heritage

Royal LePage The Realty Group

Thank you to our 2019 outgoing members:

Randy Ryalls

Royal LePage RCR Realty

Royal LePage Sterling Realty

Christian Bouvrette

Rob Landry

Royal LePage Humania

Royal LePage Burloak Real Estate Services

Jeff Slightham Katrina Honsberger Royal LePage Atlantic

Shirley Williams Royal LePage Premier Real Estate

Stuart Berenhaut Royal LePage Dynamic Real Estate

Royal LePage Connect Realty

Mike Turner

Desmond von Teichman

Royal LePage Turner Realty

Royal LePage Locations North

Brin Werrett Royal LePage Regina Realty

Leading Edge

Royal LePage Signature Realty

Michelle Risi

2020

Andrew Wildeboer

THE MARKET

Watch Video

8 2 16

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1. "There's no place like OM" Yoga Mat $38.00

9. "I love my new crib" Baby Onesie (set of 2) $25.95

2. Yoga "Slazenger" Tote Bag $38.00

10. Moscow Mule 4-1 Gift Set $53.00

3. "The Pursuit" Jacket $135.00

11. "Fireside" Insulated Water Bottle $26.55

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5. "Cross-Canada" Flip Flops $23.00 6. "I sniff out the best deal" Dog T-shirt $20.00

7. Royal LePage Dog Tags (set of 4) $23.60

8. Maurice the Moose $24.00

Brand & Culture

12. Buffalo Plaid Tote Bag $6.50 13. Wireless Headphones $78.00 14. Shelter Blooms (250-500 bulbs) $200-300 15. “Who’s my favourite homeowner?” iShine Mirror $8.50 16. Soper Socks $25.00

Leading Edge

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2020

Shop today!

r l p r e d m a r ke t . c o m

Recognition & Events

The largest conference of the year brings a chance to learn, connect and grow The minute you walk through the doors,

the roar of the room swallows you whole. Over 1,200 Royal LePage agents, brokers and managers join together from all across the country to be inspired, share ideas and transcend the industry. After all, it’s one thing to send emojis in DMs on Instagram, or keep up with the latest on LinkedIn, but nothing beats the value of real, face-to-face interactions with people who share your passion for Royal LePage, your fervour for real estate and your motivation to learn and grow.

100 10

There’s a reason agents from coast to coast call the Royal LePage National Sales Conference the “event of the year.” The empowering keynote speakers together with in-depth and topical educational breakout sessions are always a draw. But this is also a place where you can count on walking away with guaranteed referrals and lifelong bonds with people you’ve never met before. “It’s so satisfying to see the connections that are made, and to know we provided the avenue for those relationships to form,” says Christine Nattrass, Director, Events. This September 15-17, the conference will be hosted in Winnipeg, Manitoba – home to the ultimate foodie scene. Attendees will enjoy three nights of dinner and entertainment, including a Taste of Winnipeg celebration at the Convention Centre and a pop-up dinner in the middle of

Experience the of

a cornfield, prepared by none other than the infamous Chef Mandel Hitzer. The owner of Deer + Almond – twice named one of Canada’s 100 Best restaurants (2017, 2018) – is widely praised for creating one-of-a-kind culinary experiences in different locations around the world.

Over

1,200

Royal LePagers from all over Canada attend Winnipeg itself is known for more than just the Winnipeg Jets – although its fan base is one of the NHL’s most dedicated. Did you know Winnie the Pooh is named after the capital, and it was the first city to have 911? Not to mention, Winnipeg has no shortage of vitamin D; with 316 days of bright sunshine a year, it’s one of the sunniest cities in Canada. Join us for the learning opportunities, stay for the food and entertainment, and leave with an overflowing referral network of new connections.

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2020

power connection

Featuring inspiring breakouts, instant connections and increased profitability Register today!

royallepageevent s.ca

2020

National Sales Conference

Build sharper skills, stronger connections and a brighter future

Winnipeg, Manitoba September 15-17, 2020 #rlpnsc

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NoSecret Success There's

Caroline Baile, Royal LePage’s 2018 National REALTOR® of the Year, opens up about what it takes to build a prosperous career in real estate.

“When you do what you love, it doesn’t feel like work,” says Caroline Baile.

This mantra has served Baile well in her career, most recently leading to her achievement of our most prestigious award. Baile lives and breathes Royal LePage’s core value: “Helping you is what we doTM”. Not only is she a proud ambassador of the brand and a familiar face at Royal LePage events, but she has also earned a spot in our National Chairman’s Club – the Top 1% of over 18,000 REALTORS® nationwide – and actively gives back as a Top 10% donor of the Royal LePage Shelter Foundation.

Leading Edge

2020

We asked Baile to give us a behind-thescenes look at her path to success.

What’s your favourite quote?

I’m a quote junkie – I look at them every day when I wake up. Can I pick two? Lolz. “Believe and achieve.” – Unknown “You can’t spell challenge without change.” – Unknown

What does being a top performer in real estate mean to you? My philosophy in life has always been to exceed expectations. Being a top performer means being committed to my clients and going above and beyond to get the results they are looking for. Real estate is not a sales industry; it’s a service industry.

Technology continues to change the real estate game – how do you stay innovative and on top of the latest trends? We’ve been quite successful with tag marketing (also referred to as pixels). It works by “tagging” users who visit our website, so we can retarget them through online ads. If they land on our website through a property listing, for example, then it’s as though our brand follows them around online. Now when they’re browsing their favourite blog or online magazine our ads will display. It’s great exposure – and they think we’re everywhere.

What productivity tools do you lean on to keep your business at peak performance?

Last year, almost 30% of our business came directly from Royal LePage agent referrals. People ask me, “Aren’t they your competition?” But it’s the exact opposite – other agents are my greatest allies. This is why I take advantage of every networking opportunity that Royal LePage offers, from the National Sales Conference to the Chairman’s Club Retreat and the Royal LePage Shelter Foundation’s annual Gala. Meeting face-to-face is imperative to building a personal connection and feeling confident in your referrals.

You’ve been recognized as an exemplary brand ambassador. What inspires you about the brand? When I was looking for a brokerage to join, I did my due diligence. Royal LePage was the top choice, hands down. Not only is the brand built of trailblazers in the industry, but it feels like home to me. I love the fact that it is truly Canadian, and we have offices coast to coast. The Royal LePage Shelter Foundation was another driving factor for me. I’m very committed to giving back to my community – I feel it’s in my DNA. The fact that we have our own charity makes me feel proud to be part of the team. At the end of the day, it’s the vision and the culture of Royal LePage that attracted me, but it’s the people that keep me here.

You are an active supporter of the Royal LePage Shelter Foundation. What inspires you to give your time and support so generously?

The Shelter Foundation is close to my heart. As REALTORS®, we work every single day helping families find that perfect home – a place where they feel safe and happy. Sadly, that is not the case for everyone in our community. Domestic violence is everywhere – it transcends race, religion and gender. But we have the power to make a change. We can help provide shelter beds and fund programs to support women and children through this transition. And we can confidently say 100% of the money you donate will reach the people in need, with Royal LePage covering the costs of administration.

If you could go back in time to when you started your business, what would you tell yourself? There’s really no secret to success. It’s about hard work. The harder you work, the better you get. It’s not going to happen overnight. People tend to jump into something new – whether it’s a new career or a new health regimen – expecting instant results. When I got into this business, I started at the bottom and worked my way up. I took as many courses as I could, I door knocked, I read all of the books. Don’t get discouraged. It’s going to take time. But when you do what you love and stay focused on your goal, success will follow.

Get in touch

carolinebaile@me.com

2020 Leading Edge

CRM is imperative for tracking sales, tasks and client wants and needs. But my greatest tool is my incredible team. I have learned to focus on areas where my time is the most valuable and then delegate everything else. It’s amazing how much more efficient we are when everyone is playing to their strengths and working together. “Teamwork makes the dream work,” as John Maxwell said. See, I told you I’m a quote junkie.

How do your relationships with other agents have a positive impact on your business?

Recognition & Events

sales industry; service industry.

Real estate is not a it's a

First-time homebuyer? Do you have customers looking to buy their first home? The Genworth Canada FirstHome Guide will provide them with key information to help them take the exciting step to homeownership! Topics include: Saving For a Down Payment, Budgeting, Financing, all the way through Closing Costs and Moving In â&#x20AC;&#x201D; to help first-timers prepare for one of the biggest investments of a lifetime.

Available Now! Visit Genworth.ca to download your copy of the FirstHome Guideâ&#x20AC;&#x201D;today!

me FirstHo

Innovative Technology

Supercharge your business A powerful tech ecosystem to fuel your business today and in the future

16 15

Leading Edge

How the latest tech trends are changing the way you do business

2020

ÂŠiStock.com/miakievy

THE DRIVING FORCES OF CHANGE

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Supercharge your business A powerful tech ecosystem to fuel your business today and in the future

81% of agents name productivity among their highest priorities *REAL Trends & Inside Real Estate - The Keyes Company Study 2018

Watch Video Learn more about rlpSPHERE's • Smart CRM

At Royal LePage, we believe there’s a better way to do real estate. We connected all the tools you need to increase your productivity and operate your business in a world-class technology ecosystem. Royal LePage leveraged the highly-popular kvCORE platform to develop rlpSPHERE – a fully integrated, Canadian custom business solution, for Royal LePage REALTORS®. Unique to our brand, rlpSPHERE is the first of its kind in Canadian real estate. More to the point, it automates and supercharges your business.

Leading Edge

2020

• Marketing Autopilot • Lead Engine • Web & IDX

INTEGRATION WITH RELEVANT, PREFERRED CANADIAN SUPPLIERS* •

For brokers: integrations with front desk, electronic document management and back office accounting solutions

•

For agents: integrations with optional travel time search, school search and neighbourhood content vendors

•

For all: integrations with Royal LePage Directory and Financial Reporting Systems

LEAD GENERATION TOOLS • Branded brokerage, agent and team websites • Unlimited custom landing and squeeze pages • DIY or agency SEM, social advertising and retargeting options • Advanced lead distribution systems

Innovative Technology

WHAT IS rlpSPHERE? It is a technology ecosystem that provides Royal LePage professionals with critical business features in a bilingual, mobile-ready environment:

MARKETING AND CRM TOOLS

Unique Ecosystem

M a r k e t pl a c e

• Automated listings marketing with social boosting options • Robust, opportunity-defining smart CRM • Branded print, web and social marketing templates • CRM and Open House apps

• Top-to-bottom business analytics

rlpSPHERE powers your business through every career stage and business model, from individuals to teams. Imagine yourself as Nathan Newcomer, Valerie Veteran or Randy Rainmaker – no matter where you are in your career, rlpSPHERE is designed for you.

I am new to the business and want to supplement my in-person relationships by building my online presence to grow my database.

Nathan Newcomer

* Note: Preferred rates have been negotiated for brokers and agents to pay for the 3rd party services directly. These services are integrated within the platform.

Leading Edge

He can easily personalize his website by adding widgets for Royal LePage’s proprietary consumer search features, such as School and Lifestyle Search, for a fee. Nathan’s website leverages behavioural automation to add leads to his database and to kick off automated smart nurturing campaigns.

To generate even more lead opportunities, Nathan uses special landing pages and lead capture forms with value-added reports to gather new prospect email addresses. These tactics help Nathan to target prospects, generate organic leads, build relationships and boost his database. Nathan also leverages affordable paid lead campaigns that are just a click away within rlpSPHERE.

2020

©iStock.com/miakievy

The cornerstone for Nathan is his rlpSPHERE website. It ensures he has plenty of listings including his own, competitor listings via a Data Distribution Facility (DDF) and sold information from his Virtual Office Website (VOW) feeds, where available.

Valerie Veteran As a seasoned and experienced sales professional, Valerie appreciates how rlpSPHERE automates her stay-in-touch processes for clients, contacts and new leads. When visitors land on her listings on her own website and on royallepage.ca, all of her new leads are automatically added to her Smart CRM, kicking off automated nurturing campaigns, just as they do for Nathan. For veterans like Valerie, positioning herself as a local expert is important. She can generate and share local market and seller reports to keep her clients informed and engaged. From her Dashboard, Valerie can track all of her activities, calls, tasks and calendar appointments so she is always on track. In time, she may decide to purchase additional upgrades from rlpSPHERE’s Marketplace to 18

Randy upgrades his team’s website with branded customizations to differentiate their services. Randy can also leverage his existing Wordpress website and integrate it within his rlpSPHERE team solution. This upgrade enhances his existing web assets and adds built-in lead generation and distribution tools with a roles-based CRM for his team.

2020

further customize her experience. In Marketplace, she will find PropertyBoost and ListingMachine (social media advertising) as well as CorePrint. These tools will boost her brand through social media campaigns and listing integrated marketing templates. After downloading the rlpSPHERE CRM app, Valerie is ready to work on the go. The app immediately lets her know what she needs to do each day to nurture new leads and keep in touch. The app highlights the biggest opportunities among her contacts based on engagement from her sphere and past clients. All calls made from the app are updated in her contacts, ensuring she is tracking towards that important close.

Randy Rainmaker Randy has chosen to upgrade to rlpSPHERE for Teams, at preferred pricing. He knows rlpSPHERE can deliver what his large team needs for success. rlpSPHERE will allow Randy to run his business within a business with full autonomy, giving him control of his operations.

Leading Edge

I have a solid client base and I’m looking for easier ways to stay in touch and generate more referrals and repeat business.

Randy’s lead routing options allow him to effectively distribute leads among his agents and create the right visibility for each agent within the team. Depending on his team’s structure, he may use an Inside Sales Agent (ISA) or, choose to distribute leads directly to his agents. Routing is based on their role, specialties, price range, property type, farm areas, while setting standards to improve

I want to generate leads for my team and provide them with the best tools to boost conversion rates.

response time. Either way, rlpSPHERE provides options to build out and increase agent accountability and improve the client experience. Randy can set or create tasks and campaigns for the team’s leads as well as the entire database, ensuring every business opportunity is fully optimized. Productivity is at its highest for Randy’s team. They are working effectively with tools that excite them and their clients. Meanwhile, Randy is using rlpSPHERE to access critical business intelligence and transaction management with brokerage participation improving efficiency, accuracy and cost effectiveness. Randy has more time to strategize, lead, coach and connect with his team.

Innovative Technology

rlpCAMPUS Training is built into rlpCampus from day one. Training courses and in-platform coaching are both available so that you can execute and apply the concepts in real time. Learn how to advertise online, set up landing or squeeze pages, manage your leads, deploy drip campaigns; or run an open house (and yes, rlpSPHERE has an app for that)! All of these tools are available to you via rlpcampus.com.

ADVANCED CRM & MARKETING SOLUTIONS

LEAD DISTRIBUTION SYSTEMS

Smart Campaigns: Email drip campaigns and e-blast templates triggered by specific lead behaviour. This automation sets the stage for effective follow-up and conversion

Landing Pages: Lead capture pages that appear in response to clicking on an SEO-search result, marketing promotion, marketing email, or an online advertisement

CorePrint: A print marketing centre with Royal LePage-branded marketing templates. Templates include listing data integrated feature sheets and postcards, brochures, business cards and lawn signs

Squeeze Pages: Gather emails by inviting consumers to learn more about listings, whitepapers and reports

PropertyBoost: Automated, geo-targeting Facebook campaigns and retargeting ListingMachine: Easy to create single property websites that can be shared with leads and on social media Mobile Dialer Assistant app: Intelligent mobile AI that keeps you on task by enabling calls to your database directly from your desktop or app, automatically syncing your daily tasks and follow-ups

Smart Number: Your 10-digit phone number that tracks your contacts and leads with routing options for all incoming calls and text messages

Open House App: The app helps you gather visitor leads at your open houses

FRONT OFFICE SYSTEMS INTEGRATIONS Showing Time: Offers front-desk efficiency, allowing your staff to move beyond booking showings into higher value services for your agents and team.

EDM & ESIGNATURES INTEGRATIONS • EzMax*

• Transaction Desk

• SkySlope

• Docusign

Leading Edge

©iStock.com/miakievy

2020

• Nexone

Power the Possible rlpNet work .com /rlp SPHERE *Coming in September 2020

Leading Edge

2020

THE DRIVING FORCES OF CHANGE

How the latest tech trends are changing the way you do business

Innovative Technology

Every aspect of today’s real estate industry is impacted by technology. Buyers can purchase a house online without using a pen to sign the contract. Drone footage allows clients to visualize their new home without visiting the property. Keeping up with the next big thing may feel like a full-time job, which is why we’re breaking down the latest tech disruptors to watch out for. COMING SOON

Personalized Search on royallepage.ca How many times have you accused your phone of listening to your conversations? One moment you’re dreaming about a vacation to Hawaii and suddenly you see ads pop up for tours in Kauai. What about when Google notifies you with information about your commute to work just as you’re climbing into the driver’s seat, or sends you the results of last night’s hockey game before you have the chance to look it up?

With more targeted content and an improved user experience, consumers will find ideal properties faster, meaning more inquiries that can quickly be converted into leads. Your clients will appreciate the enhanced search capabilities, and the Recommendation Engine will also save you time, versus spending time needlessly combing through unsuitable listings.

It’s like there’s an Internet wizard hiding behind the curtain, pulling all the strings. Of course, your phone isn’t actually reading your mind. The latest tools in predictive and personal search are scanning and digesting information across the web, delivering the appropriate content to users.

Explore royallepage.ca

Leading Edge

©iStock.com/titami29

2020

That same innovative technology is coming to royallepage.ca, through our personalized real estate Recommendation Engine. The service will learn from each user’s behaviour before recommending homes that are tailored to their unique interests and preferences in the search results.

THE HOME IoT MARKET IS EXPECTED TO GROW TO $53.4 BILLION BY 2022

What is IoT? The Internet of Things encompasses all devices that “talk” to each other and are connected through the Internet.

Become a Voice of Authority

Implement your own Flash Briefing:

“Alexa, what’s the average house price in my neighbourhood?” 22

When it comes to delivering timely, value-added content to prospective clients, it really could be this easy. REALTORS® are using smart home devices to broadcast audio content to listeners. In other words, you now have the ability to answer a homeowner’s question directly without picking up the phone (or sending a DM). Instead you can create a flash briefing: A pre-recorded audio file which can be played over an Amazon Echo smart home speaker like a mini-podcast.

Leading Edge

2020

“Flash briefings are created to provide a quick overview of newsworthy content, and are updated daily or weekly,” says Sunny Tung, Senior Manager, Digital Product Development , Royal LePage. “REALTORS® are using flash briefings to provide helpful tips, housing reports, information on open houses, or to talk about a recent transaction.” As a result, voice speakers are skyrocketing in popularity. Users can subscribe to a wide selection of flash briefings, and then ask Amazon’s Alexa to play them at their leisure. With the rapid growth of smart home technology and connected devices, audio recordings are proving to be a worthwhile addition to your marketing strategy. They allow REALTORS® the opportunity to demonstrate authority, build trust, and maintain a subtle presence in your clients’ lives. 1

statista.com/statistics/682204/global-smart-home-market-size/

•

Create an Amazon Developer account.

•

Record your flash briefing as a voice memo on your phone.

•

Upload the recording to your computer.

•

Choose an audio hosting service (such as Libsyn or Effct).

•

Set up the Alexa Skill by visiting the Amazon Developer console and selecting <Flash Briefing> under the list of Alexa Skill models.

•

Paste the RSS feed provided from your audio host in the setup menu.

•

Create a profile page for your flash briefing and submit.

Stay ahead of the curve and differentiate yourself as a go-to source for real estate information. libsy n.com ef fc t .co

Gartner.com/en/newsroom/press-releases/2017-02-07-gartner-says-8-billionconnected-things-will-be-in-use-in-2017-up-31-percent-from-2016

Get Ready to Smarten Up

There’s no denying it – being able to adjust lighting and music controls from your handheld device is appealing to most homebuyers in today’s fast-paced world. Having your blinds set on a timer so they automatically open at sunrise every morning offers a serious dosage of the wow factor. But IoT is more than just a luxury feature. It’s changing the real estate game as we know it. What does this mean for your real estate business? A smart home is an efficient home. Smart features lead to cost savings, as IoT-enabled sensors help to reduce costs in regards to heating, water, air and electricity. For example, a smart water heater can be scheduled, rather than running wastefully while no one is home. Use the data to show a potential buyer exactly how much money they are saving each month with IoT technology. Predictable maintenance brings peace of mind. There’s no way of escaping the ongoing maintenance that comes with owning a home; but what if you could predict when problems may occur and fix the situation before they cause massive issues (and dents to the bank account)? IoT-enabled sensors will monitor a home for inconsistencies that may arise and send notifications when maintenance is required. By presenting this data to potential buyers, you can help them rest assured there aren’t any concerns requiring immediate attention. This is especially relevant when it comes to commercial leases, as you can ease the mind of a prospective tenant who is concerned about how the costs of upkeep may impact their business. Simply put, smart properties are smart business – at least for those who are using IoT effectively. mat ter por t .com rooomy.com

When it comes to selling a property, you have one key goal in mind: help the buyer imagine what life would be like if this was their home. There are many methods to go about this, from staging to capturing professional photography, to hosting open houses. But the latest in virtual tours and augmented reality (AR) is taking the marketing world by storm and it’s going to have a massive impact on the way real estate is sold and leased in the near future. A virtual tour is an immersive walk-through of a property, which allows a prospective buyer to feel as though they are actually walking through the space. AR creates an interactive experience based on a real world environment, with the added capability of using digitally created elements. In the past, creating a virtual tour was expensive. Now, with the recent growth in AI and the competitive landscape of startups looking to maximize on this potential, the cost is becoming more attainable. Brands like Matterport and roOomy are leading the charge in virtual technology, and before you know it, you’ll be able to use the images shot from your phone.

Not only will virtual tours of your listings become more affordable, but you can also start leveraging virtual staging technology, where you can have houses virtually ‘cleaned’ of clutter and staged with luxury digital furniture. To take it a step further, Magic Leap—a leader in AR technology and creator of AR glasses—allows the wearer to walk around and see life-sized digital furniture without being constrained by looking through the screen of a phone or tablet. Gone are the days when open houses were limited by the confines of geographical boundaries. Virtual tours and AR staging open the doors to buyers from different cities and countries, helping them feel more comfortable and confident making a buying decision through the use of this game-changing technology.

Leading Edge

PREDICTION: BY 2020, THERE WILL BE 20.4 BILLION IoT DEVICES

2020

©iStock.com/Rawpixel

magicleap.com

Innovative Technology

Smart homes are the new real estate upsell. Functions such as smart speaker systems, smart security, smart appliances and smart thermostats are changing the landscape for REALTORS® and homeowners alike. But the question is: are you taking advantage of IoT to increase sales?

Creating a Buyer’s Dream

Newcomers TO CANADA 24

A significant driver of homeownership demand Sarah Louise Gardiner

ÂŠiStock.com/invincible_bulldog

Leading Edge

2020

Director of Communications

Interestingly, 82 per cent of respondents remain in the region of their first residence. For those who relocate to a new region, a better job is cited as the most popular reason for moving (41%), followed by lifestyle (13%), and housing affordability (12%).

ONE IN EVERY FIVE HOMES IS PURCHASED BY CANADIAN NEWCOMERS Over 425,000 newcomers arrived in Canada in 2018, representing 80.5 per cent of Canada’s population growth. This growing demographic is a significant driver of home purchases in Canada’s urban markets. Royal LePage took an in-depth look at Canadian newcomers (those living and working in Canada for less than ten years) and homeownership in its 2019 Royal LePage Newcomer Study. Currently, newcomers represent one in every five homebuyers (21%) nationally. If the current international migration level is maintained, Canadian newcomers are expected to purchase 680,000 homes over the next five years. Newcomers are likely to be a family with children (31%), a student (25%) or a sole applicant (20%). Eighty-six per cent of newcomers see real estate as a good investment. Most newcomers arrive as financially fit, skilled immigrants and our study shows 75 per cent arrive with savings to help purchase a property. Despite this desire to purchase a home, the homeownership rate of

How do newcomers find their REALTOR®? Our study shows that the majority of newcomers found their REALTOR® through a referral (51%). Other top choices were an online listing search (20%), online advertising (13%), and at an open house (12%). As the best real estate professionals in the industry, you have the opportunity to guide newcomers through the homebuying process and make their Canadian dream of homeownership a reality. Keep this demographic top of mind when creating your sales and marketing plans. Royal LePage provides thought leadership and industry advocacy through its many studies, reports and releases. It is the go-to resource for media nationwide. Make sure to visit rlp.ca/mediaroom for more interesting statistics and information on Canadian newcomers, and other important homebuyer and homeseller segments.

75% OF CANADIAN NEWCOMERS ARRIVE WITH SAVINGS TO HELP PURCHASE A HOME Learn more

rlp.ca /newcomer_demand

2020 Leading Edge

CANADIAN NEWCOMERS ARE EXPECTED TO PURCHASE 680,000 HOMES OVER THE NEXT FIVE YEARS

Trends & Outlooks

newcomers is 32 per cent and the average duration to purchase a home is three years. However, those who arrive as a family with children have a much higher homeownership rate (46%). Of those who own a home, 44 per cent pay less than 30 per cent of their total income on their mortgage.

2020 MARKET SURVEY FORECAST

Canadian real estate market to appreciate 3.2% Similar price growth in both condo and detached segments expected by Q4 2020 By the end of 2020, Canadian home prices are expected to see Sarah Louise Gardiner Director of Communications

healthy appreciation in price year-over-year1. The positive outlook for the nation’s real estate market is based on healthy buyer demand and competition, largely driven by a segment of potential homeowners who postponed purchases at the advent of the mortgage stress test in January 2018, now entering the market. Sales activity in the suburbs will be reinvigorated by the recent shift in millennial demand away from condos and towards

houses. Another significant driver is Canada’s healthy immigration rate, and newcomers to the country are expected to purchase one in every five homes on the market over the next five years2. 2020

2020

2020/2019

$669,800 3.2%

$785,400 3.1%

Standard Two-Storey

2020

Condominium

Leading Edge

3.6%

Sales picked up significantly in the fall of 2019, and buyers are starting to return to the Greater Vancouver real estate market. Buyer momentum, combined with low inventory for quality listings, is expected to put upward pressure on home prices.

Aggregate

Price data, which includes both resale and new builds, is provided by Royal LePage’s sister company RPS Real Property Solutions, a leading Canadian valuation company. Aggregate home price is based on a weighted model using median prices and includes all housing types. Royal LePage’s aggregate home price is based on a weighted model using median prices and includes all housing types. Data collected reflects resale and new build transactions in the fourth quarter.

r lp.c a /ma rket-for ec as t

Greater Vancouver

LEGEND

Learn more

$506,100

2020

2020/2019

$1,125,200

1.5%

$1,460,700

1.25%

$666,900

3.0%

Royal LePage Newcomer Survey; One in five homes purchased by Canadian newcomers, October 16, 2019, rlp.ca/newcomer_demand. 2

Greater Montreal Area

Low supply and a growing population will continue to create tight market conditions affecting home prices in the Toronto core and Greater Toronto Area in 2020. Richmond Hill and Markham have shown signs of a recovery while areas closer to the city are showing significant momentum.

Positive economic indicators continue to support a healthy real estate market, with the Greater Montreal Area reflecting the highest appreciation rate among regions for 2020. Strong demand will continue to favour sellers, reducing inventory and pushing prices upward across the region.

2020

2020/2019

$883,700

4.75%

$1,027,200

4.5%

$600,000

6.0%

$457,9 00

5.5%

$581,300

6.0%

$355,100

5.0%

Ottawa

Halifax

Home prices in Ottawa are forecast to cross the halfmillion dollar mark in 2020. Stability in the government sector and employment growth in the high-tech sector will continue to benefit the areaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s real estate market.

Strong population growth is putting pressure on both the real estate and rental markets, leading to home price increases. Tight inventory is compelling buyers to adjust to increased competition as consumer confidence drives the market.

2020

$516,200

2020/2019

4.5%

2020

$547,600

2020/2019

5.0%

2020

$341,300

2020/2019

3.5%

$323,800

2020/2019

1.75%

2020

$340,600

2020/2019

1.25%

2020

$330,400

2020/2019

3.75%

Calgary

Winnipeg

Signs the local market has touched its price floor and is gradually returning to balance are supported by increased net migration and new jobs. More buyers should enter the market this year, motivated by tighter vacancy rates.

Population growth will continue to fuel home sales in Winnipeg as immigration continues to be a strong driver in the real estate market. Affordability and the regionâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s expanding tech hub continue to appeal to newcomers.

2020

2020/2019

$477,000

1.5%

$523,100

1.75%

$267,500

0.75%

$321,300

0.0%

$352,600

-0.25%

$235,800

1.25%

A modest price increase is expected, as well as a healthy gain in sales activity, as Edmonton moves into a more balanced market. Positive indicators from 2019 included increasing sales, lower inventory, and quarter-over-quarter price stability.

Oversupply of listings in Reginaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s market began to diminish in 2019 and potential buyers are realizing now is the time to enter the marketplace. An increase in demand is anticipated as the Saskatchewan Government continues initiatives to attract more newcomers.

2020

2020/2019

1.0%

$438,700

0.75%

$234,500

1.5%

$315,000

0.0%

$386,000

-0.5%

$207,300

3.5%

Leading Edge

Regina

2020

Edmonton

$383,200

Trends & Outlooks

Greater Toronto Area

Take advantage of smart home technology to increase property marketability.

Gone are the days when controlling your lights with voice activation was a futuristic dream. Smart-home technology is not only a common real estate upgrade, but it’s a necessity for sellers looking to gain a competitive edge. Of course, it’s not just the homeowners that benefit from understanding how to market a smart home. Being able to speak to this technology intelligently can help to set an agent apart. Here are three ways to market smart home technology effectively:

SMART HOMES MAKE LIFE EASIER Smart technology gives the opportunity to increase efficiencies and therefore improve quality of life. The ability to schedule lights so they activate on a timer not only saves money, but it also offers an added element of security. Away on vacation? Not even the neighbours can tell, thanks to your automated porch light. A video doorbell lets you speak to visitors without needing to answer the door – whether or not you’re even home. Plus, it detects and records unexpected action. By understanding how to properly identify and market smart home characteristics, you’ll be in a position to offer added value to sellers and buyers alike. It’s time to make smart home selling even smarter.

2020 Leading Edge

©iStock.com/mikkelwilliam

SMART HOMES SELL FASTER Smart technology delivers added marketability of the property. When a buyer looks at five similar homes, the one with the smart-home lock and garage door opener leaves a lasting impression. A buyer is going to choose the home that offers more. You can entice buyers who have yet to physically view the home by creating a compelling video demonstrating how the devices work.

SMART HOMES SAVE MONEY A smart home may not automatically boost resale value, but it will save the homeowner money down the road. The opportunity to slash heating and cooling costs by 10-15% with a smart thermostat is going to impress any buyer. By showcasing this on your single property listing, or adding placards on smart-home amenities, such as smart lighting, smart dishwashers or smart laundry machines, you’ll help the buyer better understand the cost savings involved.

Trends & Outlooks

MAKE SMART HOME SELLING EVEN SMARTER

Going

Above and Beyond When it comes to making your client’s experience more memorable, it’s all in the details. It’s about going above and beyond to make them feel right at home. After all, the relationship doesn’t end when they sign the dotted line. Keeping in touch after closing helps ensure your clients feel valued throughout the entire experience.

This is what inspires Royal LePage’s Preferred Suppliers program, offering exceptional products and services that support your business. The partnerships we’ve established with a myriad of industry leaders – from retailers to marketing suppliers – will save you time and money, as all distributors and service providers are vetted in advance.

Royal LePage Preferred Suppliers can save you – and your clients – time and money.

The Welcome Home package is

available for download in a ‘Ready to Go’ version or a customizable option that allows you to add your own negotiated offers. Going above and beyond has never been so simple. Learn more

rlpNet work.com /supplier s

Leading Edge

2020

Gold Sponsors

©iStock.com/ilyaliren

This year, as part of the program, we’ve created the Royal LePage Welcome Home package, which includes specially negotiated discounts for your clients, as well as practical tips all homeowners appreciate, including a handy maintenance checklist and tips on how to boost the value of their home. Not only does the package offer additional benefits for homebuyers, but it will keep you top of mind when it comes to future referrals.

Preferred Suppliers

Marketing & Training

t s o o B

YOUR BUSINESS WITH INTEGRATED TEAM SERVICES

Operating a successful team is like running any prosperous venture: A competent leader with a clear purpose can motivate a unified team of experts toward success and results. It’s simple in theory, complex in practice.

rlpSPHERE for teams

Whether you are an established team leader, or a productivebut-overwhelmed agent considering the advantages of a team, Royal LePage’s Team Services can help.

• Customized team-branded website, landing and squeeze pages • Automated team listings marketing with social boosting options

Scale your growth and increase production using the support of our efficient systems and operations. rlpSPHERE provides a strong backbone to optimize a team’s profitability and serve a team leader’s vision. The all-in-one platform brands your team, generates leads, and mines the team’s database for new, repeat, and referral business At the same time, the platform captures business intelligence necessary for continuous improvement.

• Search and social advertising and retargeting options

It’s simple in theory, easy in practice.

• Dedicated Success Coach to facilitate seamless onboarding

• Advanced lead-routing capabilities from any source • Opportunity-identifying contact management and customizable campaigns • Team leader ownership and control of database visibility and assignment • Robust reporting, business analytics and performance tracking

LEVERAGE BEST PRACTICE OPTIONS

INCREASE PRODUCTION AND PROFITABILITY

• prerequisites for team creation

• organizational structures

• branded marketing and lead generation

• first steps in creating a team

• compensation models

• contact management and nurturing

• sustainable foundations for growth

• hiring and managing

• coaching for optimal results

• vision / mission / values / unique selling proposition

• training for continuous improvement

• business and financial planning and analysis

rlpNet work.com /teams

Leading Edge

Learn more

2020

GROW OR ENHANCE A TEAM

As a successful real estate agent, you recognize the industry is constantly evolving and you need to evolve along with it. Staying on top of the latest trends and technology may be a full-time job, but the good news is: you don’t have to know all the answers, you just need to know where to find them. Fortunately, you have access to an extensive network of trailblazers who are here to help you. We asked the Royal LePage Learning Services team to share their insights concerning what trends to watch for and how you can position yourself to stay ahead of the curve.

Ask the Trainer: Using Technology to Level Up

Leading Edge

2020

The Royal LePage semiannual live workshops, together with our extensive library of online webinars available on rlpNetwork, are designed to help you exceed your business goals by providing cutting-edge insights and longlasting benefits.

Mike Wrobel How do I determine which social platforms I need to be investing in for my brand? The ultimate goal of social media is to build trust and foster relationships. A better question to be asking is: which platforms are best for establishing more valuable connections? First, look externally. Ask your contacts what sites they enjoy interacting with. It doesn’t make sense to invest in a channel your target audience isn’t using. If you’re dealing with Boomers, then Facebook is a given. If you’re targeting a younger demographic, you may want to consider TikTok, or its Chinese equivalent, DouYin. If you’re working in commercial real estate, perhaps it’s LinkedIn. Ask your audience and start there. The second step is to do an internal investigation. How does the platform mesh with your skill sets? Create an account and

play around with it. If you’re producing videos, look at YouTube, IGTV or TikTok. If you prefer writing, consider exploring LinkedIn Pulse or try experimenting with long-form posts on Instagram. Finally, consider the platforms that are making waves in your community. Which ones do you see other businesses using effectively? Get comfortable with putting yourself out there, because if you don’t, you’re missing out. Instagram Stories may not come easily to everyone, but eventually you will realize it’s actually fun. We created our Social Marketer Designation to walk agents through the major social media platforms and help you understand how to leverage those relationships through targeted engagement. Afterwards, you’ll walk away with a designation that you can use to differentiate yourself in a crowded marketplace.

Marketing & Training

Tilly Murphy What KPIs should I track in order to measure the ROI of my digital marketing strategy? When you’re tracking KPIs for your website, look at where visitors are coming from and how deep they’re going. Are they just there to read a blog post or are they clicking through to a contact or sign up form? Track organic reach, unique visitors, bounce rates and time spent on the site. When it comes to Facebook ads or Google Adwords, monitor your click-through rates (CTR), and think about it from an organic perspective. How is your reach and engagement on social media? What’s your CTR on non-boosted posts? When people click through, how much time are they spending on your site? Once you know how many visitors are coming to your website (and where they’re coming from), focus on your Conversion Rate Optimization (CRO). Most people think this means converting into an actual transaction. But if you’re looking at it from web visitors to sold signs, you’ll have a huge gap. In this case, a conversion is an inquiry – someone who says, “Hey, I’d like to learn more.” Then, you need to nurture that inquiry into a lead, and turn that lead into a close.

Ariane McCourt How can I better use technology to hone in on target prospects and increase my conversion rate? The tracking tools available today are designed to target a very precise audience. Imagine you take out a bench back ad, and every person who looks at it for at least 10 seconds receives a postcard from you saying, “I see you’re interested real estate, how can I help?” This is what the latest technology allows you to accomplish. The key to using this technology effectively for prospecting lies in retargeting. Facebook’s Pixel is extremely successful at this. It works by placing and triggering cookies, which tracks users as they interact with your website and your paid Facebook ads.

One strategy is to build a campaign that drives traffic to your website with a

From here, the options really are endless. You can generate lead capture landing pages where you retarget people in order to collect deeper information about them. You can even use the rlpSPHERE open house app that prompts users to sign in and be automatically added to your email list. And now that you know which clients are looking at which properties, you can use rlpSPHERE to create an automated email or text to ask if they have any questions. rlpCampus shows you how. You don’t even need to lift a finger...except when you need to send them a digital sales agreement!

Leading Edge

We help agents set up their Facebook Pixel in a Tech Toolkit webinar, and suggest simple strategies for using it effectively.

compelling offer (such as listing details or home-buying strategies). Once they arrive on your site, they are tracked and you can now retarget them a week later with a different type of information. The reason this is so effective is because you are no longer just targeting a region or demographic; you’re targeting people who have already taken action on your content.

2020

During our Your Digital Footprint live workshop, we helped agents build out their marketing funnel and track KPIs. Not only does this demonstrate how well your website is performing in terms of delivering inquires, but it also allows you to determine exactly how much it costs to turn a visitor into a lead.

Marketing & Training

France Raymond How do I differentiate my brand from other agents and communicate my unique value-add to potential clients?

As a top performing agent, you are always learning and advancing your skill sets. You stay innovative by leveraging cutting-edge technology to cultivate more leads and secure more clients. You study the latest trends to adapt your offerings and outshine your competitors. In addition, you study your clients’ needs and wants, so you can provide greater value and coach your clients through the transaction process (and beyond). Specialization helps you learn these skills and connects you with other agents working in the same niches. Use these saleable assets to promote yourself and better service your clients. Royal LePage’s Learning Library allows agents to earn industry-recognized designations, such as Real Estate Negotiation Expert (RENE) or Accredited Buyer Representative (ABR®), at better than market rates.

Leading Edge

2020

You need to communicate this value-add to your client in a personalized way – specifically, by explaining how it benefits them. For example, let them know your specialized training means you’re equipped to better negotiate for their best interests.

Lesley Whittle How is video marketing changing the landscape of the real estate industry and what do I need to focus on when implementing a video marketing strategy? It’s all about starting conversations. You’re the expert salesperson – once you’ve started a dialogue, you can close that sale. Video marketing accelerates the discussion. People are no longer reading your words solely off a website, social post or newsletter – they’re listening to your voice, watching your facial expressions, and visually experiencing you delivering your value. Instead of only creating listing videos, which don’t typically garner as much engagement on Facebook and Instagram, use video to relate to your audience and teach them something new. Share quick tips, answer client questions, or showcase specific and noteworthy features of a property (as a teaser instead of a walkthrough). The best part is, you can repurpose that video over time. Keep it short and engaging. Include closed captioning (CC) for followers who watch on mute, and use an editing app like Videolicious to package that piece of content in a professional way. With the right tools in your pocket and expertise in your corner, the potential really is limitless. You just have to learn how to use them to your advantage.

With the right tools in your pocket and expertise in your corner, the potential really is limitless. You just have to learn how to use it to your advantage.

Level up your training rlpNet work .com /t r aining

Watch Videos

Leadership refreshed Royal LePage Commercial is one of the most respected brands in commercial real estate in Canada. With an unparalleled referral network of over 18,000 REALTORSÂŽ, and comprehensive real estate solutions for both commercial and residential services, you will capitalize on extending your reach with a personal referral network of Royal LePage REALTORSÂŽ nationwide. A strong brand poised for growth. Royal LePage Commercial practitioners have access to refreshed brand and marketing materials, to help you stand out from the competition. Arm yourself with the comprehensive commercial real estate insights available through our discounted data partnership with Altus Group, and you will succeed in your day-to-day business.

Learn more rlpNetwork.com/commercial

Kirby Cox Kirby Cox & Associates 5 members | Calgary, AB kirbycox.com

Stacey Falkwin Falkwin Group 7 members | Halifax, NS falkwingroup.ca

COACH'S O Real world INB X advice from successful team leaders across the network

We asked top team leaders coast to coast to share their unique insights on building, growing and leading successful real estate

teams. Here, they reveal some of the valuable experiences, strategies

and philosophies that have helped to shape their stellar results. Cailey Heaps Estrin Heaps Estrin Real Estate Team 32 members | Toronto, ON heapsestrin.com

Rob Ohs Ohs Marketing 9 members | Qualicum Beach, BC

At what point in your career did you start a real estate team and why? Stacey: After almost 9 years as a successful individual agent with an assistant, I started the team so we could keep up with demand. Cailey: I started the team after I had been in the business with my mother for about seven years. Our impetus for creating a team structure was to maintain a high level of client service. It was evident even back then that service and delivering results are the most important elements of what we do as REALTORSÂŽ.

ohsmarketing.ca

What advice would you give to an agent thinking of starting a team? Kirby: You will know you need a team when you start to see too many crumbs fall off the table.

David and Maxime Tardif Ă&#x2030;quipe Tardif 15 members | Montreal, QC equipetardif.com

Rob: Be very honest with yourself. First, are you doing enough business on your own to warrant starting a team and leading other agents? Do you have a system in place to support any agents who do join your team?

Cailey: Create and nurture a strong company culture, and hire a team that fits well within that culture.

What role did you first hire for your team and how did that change your business? Rob: I hired an assistant and it was vital to the beginning of my business because I was able to have that position handle all administrative duties, leaving me free to work and spend more time with clients in a sales position. David & Maxime: Our first hire was a buyer agent. This individual was very good at servicing clients and very organized, so he could cover part of our administrative needs. We basically consolidated both roles without increasing our expenses too much. This person has now moved to our team manager position, and honestly, he is a pillar for our business. We would not be here without his dedication and true sense of organization.

Marketing & Training

Share a piece of business advice that you impart to every agent that joins your team. Cailey: Our focus has always been, and will always be, client service. I try to demonstrate this through my own actions and stress the importance of the client experience on anyone who joins my team. It is essential to build meaningful relationships with clients who support our business, not just when we represent them on a transaction, but beyond that experience as well. David & Maxime: Make sure you know where you are going, and revise your goals on a daily basis so you are not a victim of circumstance. We ask the team to write exactly how much they want to produce daily, weekly, monthly, quarterly and yearly. Jim Rohn says: “It is the set of the sails, not the direction of the wind that determines which way we will go,” and we think this perspective produces impressive results.

What is your secret for team retention? Kirby: Choosing the right agents to begin with and having the right tools to help them succeed. David & Maxime: Fair commission split and work environment. We have a private bi-weekly team CrossFit session, we host a team-building retreat four times a year, and we make time to break bread together. It is really our second family.

What makes you and your team successful? Kirby: Respect for each other in every situation that arises.

If you had to start your team all over again, what would you do differently?

Rob: Royal LePage, being a large national Real Estate company, has an amazing family culture. From the top-down you are made to feel welcome and a part of something bigger.

Stacey: I would have started it five years earlier!

David & Maxime: We have such a high level of service and support from Royal LePage that they are a key component of our success. The culture of collaboration among Royal LePage agents helps us to brainstorm on best practices and keep growing. Kirby: Name (Royal LePage brand) recognition is always front and centre.

Share a piece of leadership advice that has the greatest influence on the way you lead your team. Stacey: Team culture is everything. Knowing who you are, what you do and how you are going to do it, is the foundation of success. Ensuring everyone on your team wholeheartedly believes and demonstrates your core values will be well worth the effort in the long run.

Rob: I would only hire people that shared our vision for team culture, work ethic and systems.

Looking ahead, what do you think is the biggest change coming to the industry and how will you and your team address that change? Cailey: We believe that technology and how people use technology to view, assess and purchase real estate will be the biggest disrupter to the industry. We embrace the changes that technology brings, from implementing digital marketing strategies to maintaining and leveraging a sophisticated CRM, but we also believe there will always be a need for a well-informed professional in the real estate transactional process. Stacey: Competition from alternative brokerage models continues to face our industry. A continued emphasis on knowing your value proposition is key and teams that are well supported with a full suite of evolving services will ensure our continued success.

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Rob: We hold everyone on the team accountable for the activities that will help them reach their personal goals. I am able to do this by facilitating extensive goal setting with each team member. This defines their ‘why’ and we determine how they can achieve their goals by finding out which lead generating activities will work best.

David & Maxime: Hire a strong assistant quicker and systemize our business sooner.

2020

Cailey: When a client hires a Heaps Estrin agent, they are really getting a team of 32 individuals all working in unison to create the best possible outcome and experience for each and every client. Coupled with our traditional high-end service and our modern marketing strategies, this allows us to deliver the best possible results.

How has Royal LePage helped you in your growth as a business?

ROYAL L ePAGE SMART LEADS

Leading the industry in online lead conversion

Close Rate

5.1% 8.7% ROYAL L e PAGE NATIONAL 2

ROYAL L e PAGE TOP PERFORMING BROKERAGES 3

Looking to increase your online lead success? Take advantage of training and technology to help you achieve a 5% close rate or higher, and surpass the industry's performance of less than 1%.

Deals and GCI per 100 Leads

The best REALTORS® aren’t waiting for the phone to ring; they are continuously prospecting. Royal LePage agents and brokers outperform the competition by leveraging Royal LePage Smart Leads.

GENERATES OVER 4

DYK?

An online lead needs to be contacted six to twelve times in order to solicit a response, yet most agents only reach out once or twice. When a Smart Lead is accepted, your rlpSPHERE CRM automatically creates a contact record and fires an action plan and drip campaign, empowering you to build the trust needed to generate a response. Scripts and automated contact templates make the job even easier.

Distributed Smart Lead Types 1

LISTING

2020

Watch Video

52.8%

HOME VALUATION

SHOWING

42.3%

0.5%

For Distributed Smart Leads received between October 1 - December 31, 2019 September 2019, Distributed Smart Leads Brokerages reporting close rates higher than the Royal LePage National Close Rate 4 Assumes Distributed Smart Leads national average commission of $9,000 5 For leads received between October 1 - December 31, 2019 6 Top 25% of all responders

TOP QUARTILE

8 Deals $72,000

CRM Usage

100%

ROYAL L e PAGE TOP PERFORMING BROKERAGES

Distributed Smart Leads Response Time 5

00:01:12 00:05:42 15:00:00

TOP QUARTILE 6

MEDIAN

INDUSTRY AVERAGE

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1 2 3

Learn more rlpNet work .com /smar t leads

Marketing & Training

THE POWER OF

Andrew Fogliato

Founder, Just Sell Homes

Leverage the latest marketing tools to spend less and impact more

Online marketing is effective because it allows businesses of all sizes to increase their visibility, which could lead to more profit. While it’s easier to reach a wider audience, you should ensure you’re reaching the right one.

Leading Edge

TARGETING

2020

ONLINE

The key is to be efficient with your dollars, by allocating your budget to the strategies that provide the highest returns. This means that instead of targeting large groups, you are narrowing your reach to focus only on the people you want to advertise to. You can do this by leveraging the latest tools and tailoring your message to attract your ideal clients. This is the power of digital marketing. Let’s take a look at a few of the ways you can get creative with targeting people online, especially on Facebook. UTILIZING YOUR DATABASE Upload your database to Facebook and Google and run ads to target these individuals. As these people scroll throu gh various sites and social platforms across the internet, they’ll see your ads pop up everywhere they go. This is a cost-effective way to stay top of mind with your database, and the best part is: it can cost as little as two dollars per day.

2020

If someone visits your site looking for information for sellers, you could target them with a timely ad offering to assess the value of their home. Imagine running an ad to someone who starts to fill out a home evaluation form but doesn’t finish it. Maybe they got distracted or second-guessed themselves. Now, you can entice them to come back and complete the form again. Your website has incredible value when leveraged the right way. MAXIMIZING SOCIAL MEDIA ENGAGEMENT

TARGETING YOUR WEBSITE VISITORS

One of the key strategies for using social media effectively is engaging with people without selling to them. It’s about building a relationship and taking the time to get them to know them. This is how you earn their trust.

Have you ever looked at a product online and then noticed that same item pop up in an ad on Facebook?

But it doesn’t end there. Now, you can run an ad targeting followers who have consistently engaged with you in regards to your services.

It’s not a coincidence.

Be sure to control how frequently they see these ads so they aren’t inundated. It’s a fine balance – you want to stay top of mind without overwhelming them.

By leveraging a tool like Facebook’s pixel, you can target previous website visitors with content tailored to their needs. This means

Leading Edge

you can reach anyone who came to your website directly, whether they landed on a specific page, or a combination of pages.

You don’t have to think twice about leading prospects through the funnel – the technology does it for you.

Marketing & Training

LEVERAGING SPECIFIC GEOGRAPHIC LOCATIONS With Facebook you can target users geographically within less than a twokilometre radius. By leveraging exclusion radiuses, you can actually narrow it down even further. Want to target residents of a specific condo building? Easy. Want to target people attending your open house? No problem. Is there a local event happening in town with potential clients in attendance? Run an ad targeting the attendees for the duration of the event. When you know where people are going to be, you can target them. Or maybe you have a seller grumbling that they aren’t seeing any progress. Drop a pin on their house and ensure any ads you are running are also targeting them, so they can see your listing marketing strategies in play. You can also target upcoming listing appointments with ads featuring client testimonials. What better way to warm up a potential client? Seeing previous clients talking about what a great experience they had with you is an impactful strategy to sway decision-making in your favour. TAKING ADVANTAGE OF TIME-BASED ADVERTISING We know first impressions are everything. When someone first discovers you, what do you want them to take away from the experience? By taking advantage of advanced settings on Facebook, you can put your best foot forward right away.

USING CAMPAIGN BUDGET OPTIMIZATION EFFECTIVELY The latest update from Facebook, called Campaign Budget Optimization, allows you to spread a budget across several targeting options. Before, for every group you wanted to target you had to spend five dollars per day. That adds up quickly. Now, you have the option to move that five-dollar ad spend to a campaign level and target as many different groups as you want. This allows you to create a series of micro audiences. Facebook can spread your five-dollar budget – or less – across different campaigns, based on whichever is getting the best results.

You have the opportunity to be successful online, no matter your budget. The possibilities for targeted marketing are limited only by your imagination. By following the tips above and committing to the follow-through, you can create a cost-effective digital marketing strategy with a substantial return on investment.

Take control yourself rlpNetwork.com/rlpSPHERE justsellhomes.com

Leading Edge

Let’s say someone visits a page on your website featuring tips on how to buy their first home. Now, you can take it a step further by targeting them with an ad on how to get pre-approved. Run the ad for the first three

You don’t have to think twice about leading prospects through the funnel – the technology does it for you.

Many of these audiences could be too small to consistently run ads to, so it’s important to consider spreading your budget across micro-audiences to ensure you are spending efficiently.

2020

This involves running Facebook ads for a specific amount of time when someone new visits your page or website. Then, as time goes on, you can show them new content based on how long they’ve been hanging out in your online web.

days, post-visit, and then on days four to six, offer advice on finding their dream home. On day seven, target them with a call to action to book a consultation with you.

within rlpSPHERE or book a consultation with an expert.

3 steps to improving customer service and keeping your pipeline full The real estate sector is currently undergoing a time of unprecedented change, and there are more challenges ahead. Yet much of the disruption we face starts with unhappy customers, not technology. Agents who focus more on tech than relationships have caused clients to seek other ways to get the job done. This lack of customer satisfaction is the silent disruption happening in the industry today. It is possible to overcome this silent disruption by taking a relationship-first approach. Follow these three steps to keep clients happy and your business thriving.

Master your skills, elevate your professionalism and stand out from the crowd with The Pathway to Mastery—Essentials, Buffini & Company’s in-depth training for real estate agents.

Learn more

Leading Edge

2020

buffiniandcompany.com

Brian Buffini

Founder and Chairman Buffini & Company™

BUILD YOUR SKILLS

Constantly practice the timeless fundamentals of real estate. Tech solutions are meant to complement your business, not replace the core skills needed to effectively serve clients. Invest in real estate agent training to brush up on the essentials and move toward success.

OWN YOUR NICHE

It’s crucial to become an expert who’s well-versed in current events that may impact buyers, sellers and homeowners. In this digital era, people are drowning in information, but starving for wisdom. Become a total pro within your niche, and help your clients decipher fact from fiction!

PROVIDE SUPERIOR SERVICE

Great service is your secret weapon against disruption. Clients crave a human element that technology, try as it might, just cannot replace. Deliver excellent, attentive service to every one of your clients, and your pipeline will never run dry.

Marketing & Training

TACKLING THE SILENT MARKET DISRUPTER

Playing the

Value Game Navigating industry disrupters and setting yourself apart

When it comes to differentiating yourself against disruptive models such as zero commission real estate, remember: it’s not a price game, it’s a value game. Here’s how to play:

Understand your value There’s a reason people choose the more expensive bottle of wine on the menu. When you recognize the value in spending more, you’re willing to pay more. This is why an agent’s track record is crucial to the sale. I like to ask: If you needed major surgery, would you go to a surgeon who performs that surgery more or less often than his or her peers? If you’re going to sell your most valuable asset, don’t you want to work with the person who is selling more often, negotiating higher than average sales prices, and has a high success rate of listings sold?

Richard Robbins

Co-founder and CEO Richard Robbins International

Demonstrate your value Always own the relationship – and own it in advance. Be a lifetime resource. Show the seller how you can mitigate the pain points involved with selling their house either by offering recommendations, or making the arrangements yourself.

Then follow up after the transaction has closed. I always say post-sales service is more important than pre-sales service. It’s what you do after you’ve fulfilled the expectations that ultimately determines your success. It’s your job to bring value to that person for the rest of their life – or at least as long as you’re working in real estate.

Ultimately it’s not about you, it’s about your clients. Use your first appointment to pose a series of questions (rather than talking about yourself), and once you understand what your client wants, provide a solution.

Listen to the Podcast Build a profitable and sustainable business that differentiates your value.

Learn more

richardrobbins.com

Leading Edge

I recommend delivering a pre-listing package before your appointment. This is where you include key stats, testimonials and your marketing plan. If you really want to blow their mind, send a video in advance, introducing yourself and telling them to expect a package in the mail. Then have it sent by courier the same day.

2020

Communicate your value

FindPhil!

Sahara Edition

Find all five!

Answers

rlp.ca/findphil

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CROWNING GLORY

THE ART OF THE RANGE HOOD

A range hood is often a necessary fixture in the kitchen. A built-in fan efficiently vents the air from your stove or cooktop out of your kitchen, helping keep air and surfaces clean. If you have a gas range, it is even more imperative that you have a functioning hood to keep everyone in your home safe. Thankfully, there are many attractive styles that can make this feature a showpiece instead of simply utilitarian. When shopping for new appliances (and specifically a stove and range hood), there are several considerations you will want to make. First, determine the distance you need between the top of your stove and the bottom of your range hood for proper function. Measure both your ceiling height and appliance height to ensure that you have selected the right size. Grand ceilings offer plenty of headroom but can complicate this practical installation. If you are working on a complete remodel, make sure your designer pays close attention to range hood placement. For style, select from futuristic floating versions, traditional stately options, and sleek modern pieces that blend in with cabinetry. As long as it gets the job done, your range hood can be a focal point or a wallflower.

By Design Publishing Publisher Home By Design Magazine 888-368-5209 info@bydesignpublishing.com www.rlp.bydesignpublishing.com

Personalize your entire front / inside back covers.*

Include your photo and contact info on the cover.

Use the back cover to reinforce your brand and messaging.*

A powerful tech ecosystem to fuel your business today and in the future

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Marketing and CRM tools

Leverage AI-powered Smart CRM with behavioural automation including listings marketing.

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2020 Leading Edge Magazine | Royal LePage

Articles inside

Playing the value game

Going above and beyond

Coach's inbox

2020 Market survey forecast

Your voice at the table

Trekking for a good cause

Striving for safe housing for all

Message from our CEO

Guiding Canadian newcomers

The power of online targeting

Overcome market disruption

Leading online conversions

There's no secret to success

Ahead of the curve

The driving forces of change

Smarter home selling

The power of connection

Grow your team

Supercharge your business