Industry Veteran Bondilyn Jolly Joins the WAV Group Executive Team to Launch Marketing Agency
At WAV Group, we are constantly striving to deliver the best possible service to our clients. Today, I am thrilled to announce the latest addition to our Marketing division, Bondilyn Jolly! Bondilyn is an incredibly talented marketing executive with over 20 years of experience in the industry. Her skills in brokerage, technology, and MLS/association marketing are unparalleled, and we are excited to have her join our executive team. With her help, we are confident that we will be able to help you take your marketing strategies to the next level. Bondilyn's passion for the industry, proven track record, and unique blend of experience make her an invaluable asset to our team. I cannot wait to see the innovative ideas and strategies she will bring to the table. Her appointment will significantly deepen our marketing bench and ensure that we can deliver powerful marketing solutions to our clients. Please join me in welcoming Bondilyn to the WAV Group family! Please see below for the full press release. WAV Group Expands Marketing and Branding Division with Industry Veteran Bondilyn Jolly Former Elm Street Chief Marketing Officer and Managing Partner of bcollective.agency joins WAV Group Marketing and Branding Division Arroyo Grande, Calif. – Feb. 28, 2023 – WAV Group, residential real estate's leading consulting firm, is expanding its Marketing and Branding division with the addition of Bondilyn Jolly, a highly successful marketing executive with deep skills in brokerage, technology, and MLS/Association marketing. From complete rebranding to new product launches, or on-going marketing and advertising support, WAV Group Marketing assists companies in shaping their marketing strategies, honing their brand message and delivering breakthrough creative that delivers. Bondilyn Jolly will be bringing her 20+ years of real estate marketing experience to WAV Group's Executive Team. "In an uncertain market, marketing dollars have to go further than ever," stated Bondilyn Jolly. "I am excited to bring my experience with proven, data-driven marketing approaches to expand the depth of strategic and executional support WAV Group can provide to its clients. WAV Group is highly respected for their thought leadership, passion for the industry, and outstanding reputation. I look forward to joining this group of business professionals and expanding the WAV Group's footprint across the industry." Having led her own full-service creative and digital marketing agency, Bondilyn and her team delivered highly effective business growth services for many of the nation's leading real estate organizations. After selling eMerge, her email marketing software to Elm Street Technology in 2018, Jolly joined the Executive Team as Chief Marketing Officer, overseeing all marketing initiatives across Elm's many business units. Jolly has a strong reputation for her work with franchise organizations, brokerages, and software companies in developing, executing, and analyzing business marketing and growth strategies related to recruiting and retention, market expansion, and mergers and acquisitions, while serving as a leader and mentor to many across the real estate industry and beyond. "Bondilyn brings a unique blend of experience. She's a marketing strategist with proven entrepreneurial skills who will deliver powerful marketing solutions for our clients at WAV Group. Like all WAV Group leaders, she is passionate about overdelivering and creating waves of business success for the great work she delivers. She will significantly deepen our marketing bench," said WAV Group Founding Partner Marilyn Wilson. "I look forward to her strategy, creative, copyrighting, innovative executional ideas, and analytical skills to help our clients achieve their growth objectives." If you would like to learn more about WAV Group's Marketing and Branding Division, click here. About WAV Group WAV Group delivers innovative and effective guidance to help each of its clients continually evolve and expand. Specializing in the real estate industry, WAV Group is the industry's leading full-service consultancy and trusted advisor for many of the industry's most successful brokerages, MLSs, associations, proptech and fintech firms. Our key service areas are strategic planning, public relations, marketing, technology, research, recruiting, venture capital, and mergers & acquisitions. Learn more at WAVGroup.com. To view the original article, visit the WAV Group blog.

Two Amazing Cultures Come Together to Create One Great Company
Two amazing cultures have merged to create greatness together. Even in these volatile times, the best run companies find opportunity together. Richardson Properties of San Luis Obispo in the California central coast was an exceptionally well run family business for over 30 years. LIV Sotheby's CEO saw an amazing opportunity to acquire a solid operation and an exceptional leadership team in Chris Richardson and Brooke Sutton. McLaughlin Ventures served as the strategic advisor to Richardson Properties. From executed LOI, to closing in 50 days, these two leadership teams demonstrated the collaboration and pace required to be successful in today's market dynamics. We are looking forward to watching the greatness unfold. McLaughlin is one partner of four WAV Group M&A experts. Contact us to request a confidential consultation. See below for the original announcement made by Mark A. McLaughlin: M&A Update | Two Amazing Cultures Will Create Greatness Congratulations to Richardson Properties in San Luis Obispo and their family-like culture and team, to have found an amazing merger opportunity with LIV Sotheby's to create Richardson Sotheby's International Realty. I have known Chris Richardson and his family for a decade and just recently met Scott Webber, CEO Majestic Realty and LIV Sotheby's. These two teams are bound for greatness. McLaughlin Ventures served as the strategic advisor to Richardson Properties. This is Where We Are Now. Thanks!Mark To view the original article, visit the WAV Group blog.

4 WAV Group Executives Named to RISMedia 2022 Real Estate Newsmaker List
2021 was a busy year for real estate, and, as always, the team at WAV Group was right in the middle of it all. We are humbled and grateful to be recognized by RISMedia Newsmakers for our contributions to the real estate industry. However, it is our forward thinking-clients who trust us to help them with their goals and projects that are really behind all the progress we have seen over the last year. They continue to innovate and lead the industry to new heights, and we are honored to help them along the way. WAV Group Communications division has been doing such great work. Kevin Hawkins and Myra Jolivet deliver unmatched experience and expertise to their clients. We are extremely proud of the work they accomplished in 2021 and are excited to see what they can continue to do this year and in the future. Victor Lund, Managing Partner Named to the Influencer list, Victor was recognized for his continued work with the Broker Public Portal and his real estate policy advocacy, including Clear Cooperation and DEI. Marilyn Wilson, Managing Partner Named to the Achievers list, Marilyn's achievements in 2021 included the launch of a statewide broker-owned MLS and the creation of the Broker Resource Network, which helps brokers from across the country share ideas to build better businesses. She continues to push the MLS industry forward with the recent launch of a new customer experience program and in depth strategic planning. Kevin Hawkins, President of WAV Group Communications Named to the Trendsetters list, Kevin helped clients such as zavvie and Ben Caballero position their companies as leading experts in their fields, generating massive news coverage and dramatically increasing their visibility and brand recognition. Myra Jolivet, PR and Communications Strategist Named to the Trailblazers list, Myra has helped clients, throughout the added challenges of the pandemic, craft the compelling stories they need to stand out in the crowded and noisy real estate space. Her ongoing efforts helping many organizations with DEI and continuity plans continue to raise the industry standards for inclusion. We launched WAV Group because of our passion for real estate. All these years later, we remain dedicated to the goal of helping our clients move the industry forward with the power of knowledge. If we can assist you with your next project, please contact us to learn more. See full press release below: Managing Partners Marilyn Wilson and Victor Lund are joined by WAV Group Communications President, Kevin Hawkins and PR and Communication Strategist, Myra Jolivet in this year's exclusive group of industry leaders who have made newsworthy contributions to the real estate industry Feb 2, 2022—WAV Group is honored to announce that Victor Lund, Marilyn Wilson, Kevin Hawkins, and Myra Jolivet have all been selected as RISMedia 2022 Real Estate Newsmakers—a dynamic group of key influencers making headlines as a result of their newsworthy contributions to the real estate industry and their efforts to positively affect the consumers and communities they serve. RISMedia, the leader in U.S. real estate news and information services, announced its more than 300, 2022 Real Estate Newsmakers on Feb. 1, in both an online directory on RISMedia.com and in the February issue of its flagship publication, Real Estate magazine. RISMedia's 2022 Real Estate Newsmakers were nominated in 2021 by RISMedia readers and editors and are showcased in the following categories: Influencers, Trailblazers, Futurists, Achievers, Crusaders, Motivators, Luminaries and Trendsetters. "From records being broken, to the glass ceilings being shattered and the creativity and technology innovation being implemented through our changing times, to the always-inspiring and wonderful charitable work being done across the nation, we continue to be amazed by the incredible ingenuity and success of the professionals in the real estate community, over 300 of whom we are celebrating our fifth year of Real Estate Newsmakers," said John Featherston, CEO, president and publisher of RISMedia. "Once again, we are proud to recognize the hard work, dedication and determination of real estate's finest professionals—the 2022 Real Estate Newsmakers—who went above and beyond in 2021 amid the challenges and opportunities of this historic market. Help us in celebrating their hard-earned recognition," Featherston added. Within RISMedia's Newsmakers showcase, you'll also meet this year's "Hall of Fame" class—a select group of 10 industry icons who have gone above and beyond toward the betterment of the real estate industry. RISMedia will honor this year's Real Estate Newsmakers, including the 2022 Hall of Fame, at RISMedia's Newsmakers Reception & Dinner, being held Sept. 7 at the Mayflower Hotel in Washington, D.C., in conjunction with our 2022 CEO & Leadership Exchange. About WAV Group WAV Group is a premier business and marketing consultancy serving the nation's leading real estate brokerages, real estate technology firms, Multiple Listing Services (MLS), and real estate Associations. For over 20 years, WAV has embodied an unmatched passion for real estate and a unique depth of knowledge in the industry. The WAV Group's C-level professionals provide world-class strategic planning and business advice to individuals, organizations, and companies seeking to grow and improve within the real estate industry. Learn more at wavgroup.com. About RISMedia For more than 40 years, RISMedia has provided the residential real estate industry with news, trends and business development strategies through its flagship publication, Real Estate magazine; its leading website, RISMedia.com; its award-winning Housecall blog; and its iconic networking and educational events, including RISMedia's CEO Exchange; RISMedia's Power Broker Forum, Reception & Dinner; and RISMedia's Newsmakers Reception & Dinner. Through RISMedia's content programs—including ACE, a turn-key social media content system—real estate professionals share thousands of articles, infographics and videos each day created by RISMedia editors and contributors, helping them influence hundreds of thousands of consumers as they consider buying and/or selling a home. Visit RISMedia.com and ACESocial for more information. About RISMedia's Real Estate Newsmakers RISMedia's Real Estate Newsmakers is designed to recognize those individuals making headlines as a result of their newsworthy contributions to the residential real estate industry, and their efforts to positively affect real estate professionals and the consumers and communities they serve. RISMedia's Real Estate Newsmakers were chosen based on nominations received through an online nomination process on RISMedia.com, and by nominations from RISMedia's in-house editorial team and other industry sources. Nominations for RISMedia's Real Estate Newsmakers are collected on an ongoing basis throughout the course of the year. There is no fee to nominate a Newsmaker or be recognized/featured as a Newsmaker. Due to deadline and production criteria, RISMedia's 2022 Real Estate Newsmakers Online Directory may not currently be in its final format. Please check back for ongoing updates.

Mission, Vision and Values: More than Fancy Posters, a Business Solution
There is that moment in an executive's leadership life when they look around the office and think; what in the world are we doing? The symptoms leading up to that moment are usually: inconsistent operations, office silos, and a general feeling that while much is being done, not much is actually being accomplished. The cliché for this situation is the rudderless ship that lacks a clear direction. I also liken it to a beginning swimmer who kicks up tons of water but barely moves two feet forward. Understandably, organizations with their heavy workloads and varying needs get swept up into day-to-day activity and find it difficult to take time to plan. Time is at a premium. Mission, Vision, and Values to the Rescue There is a rapid fix to getting back on track. It is the creation of three pillars that are often misunderstood: Mission, Vision, and Values. These concepts build the basis for the company road map, and they shine a guiding light on the pathway to goals-oriented success. In short, these three pillars are the foundation for clear direction. According to HR professionals of the Society of Human Resource Management (SHRM), the definitions of Mission, Vision, and Values can be defined as: A mission statement is the "what" of a company – its reason for being. "A mission statement is a concise explanation of the organization's reason for existence. It describes the organization's purpose and its overall intention. The mission statement supports the vision and serves to communicate purpose and direction to employees, customers, vendors and other stakeholders." Here are examples of two highly regarded mission statements: Facebook: To give people the power to build community and bring the world closer together. Starbucks: Our mission: to inspire and nurture the human spirit – one person, one cup and one neighborhood at a time. When well written, the mission statement can settle disagreements about priorities. The vision statement is the "why" of a company – its defined purpose. "A vision statement looks forward and creates a mental image of the ideal state that the organization wishes to achieve. It is inspirational and aspirational and should challenge employees." Among those vision statements called incredible are these two examples: Amazon: Our vision is to be Earth's most customer-centric company; to build a place where people can come to find and discover anything they might want to buy online. LinkedIn: Create economic opportunity for every member of the global workforce. When well written, a vision statement reminds management and staff where the company is going and what problems they are trying to solve. A statement of values speaks to your organization's culture and standards. "A values statement lists the core principles that guide and direct the organization and its culture. In a values-led organization, the values create a moral compass for the organization and its employees. It guides decision-making and establishes a standard against which actions can be assessed. These core values are an internalized framework that is shared and acted on by leadership." Here are the lists of values for two well-known companies. Adobe: Genuine Exceptional Innovative Involved American Express: Customer Commitment Quality Integrity Teamwork Respect for People Good Citizenship A Will to Win Personal Accountability When effectively constructed, company values answer questions of conduct, operations and the unique values of the organization. "What's going on in the inside shows on the outside." – Earl Nightingale In addition to the internal benefits of the establishing mission, vision and values are the brand benefits. Essentially, what happens inside of a company is reflected on the outside. Whatever internally is happening manifests to customers, stakeholders, and the public, impacting the brand and all operations associated with the brand. MVV Is Your Company MVP Statements and commitments of Mission, Vision, and Values affect each aspect of business operations and are why these pillars are taken seriously in the business world. There is a method to establishing your Mission, Vision, and Values to best serve your organization. If we can help guide your process and add that proverbial rudder to your ship, contact us. To view the original article, visit the WAV Group blog.

What Is a Brand?
A brand is the difference between a pair of running shoes and a pair of Nikes. A brand is what people feel about you your product, the service you provide, or your organization. It's part rational, but mostly emotional. People will forgive a strong brand if it makes a mistake. Likewise, people won't forgive a weak brand if it makes a mistake—remember Gateway computers? We thought so.

When Is the Last Time You Did a Media Audit?
African-American novelist, playwright, poet, and social critic James Baldwin put it best: "Know from whence you came. If you know whence you came, there are absolutely no limitations to where you can go." That sage advice is at the heart of why every organization benefits from a media audit. Never heard of a media audit? You are clearly not alone, because despite its enormous value and incredible insight for business and communications objectives, most companies don't use them. What is a media audit? A media audit is a survey – a deep dive into how a company and its competitors communicate, either internally and/or externally. A media audit looks at industry positioning, competitive media messaging, the effectiveness of that messaging by sampling over a specific period of time comparable media reach and coverage achieved, and subjectively analyzes PR/communication strengths and weaknesses. A media audit is all about a look back to where you have you been, what have you said, what digital footprint, if any, you have created, including baggage you've left behind. And it is all about benchmarking: where are you and your competitors today? What is your share of voice? Are the right messages resonating? Are you winning in the right markets or are your competitors? Benchmarking with a media audit helps you measure – and justify – new PR/communication efforts and strategies.

The Future is Now: Insights from 3 of Real Estate's Top Influencers
Regular readers of RE Technology will no doubt recognize the name "WAV Group." The partners of consulting firm WAV Group are not only the founders of RE Technology, but also the dominant voice on our MLS and broker channels. You've no doubt read many of their insightful articles before. Every year, founding WAV Group partners Marilyn Wilson and Victor Lund appear on lists of the industry's most powerful and influential--and this year is already shaping up to be no different. Just today, the husband and wife team of Wilson and Lund were named to the 2017 Swanepoel Power 200, a list of "the 200 most powerful leaders in the residential real estate brokerage industry." And last week, Kevin Hawkins, President of WAV Group Communications--WAV Group's public relations division--appeared on a major industry list for the first time. Both he and Victor Lund were named to Inman News' Real Estate Influencers list. These accolades come as no surprise to anyone who pays close attention to the industry--WAV Group consults on major projects that impact the future of real estate, like the Broker Public Portal, Upstream, RESO, and more. The company has been a driving force in pushing the industry to adapt to changing consumer expectations spurred by technology. To give you a better idea of WAV Group's influential thought leadership, we've rounded up a sampling of their best articles from 2016. *** 1. Backed by Google, Zillow Set to Become Online Brokerage Why would Zillow become an online brokerage? The company has capped out on advertising revenue. In January of this year, they applied significant pressure to their broker advertising products in a calculated move to switch their revenue stream to agents. Brokers were really not that interested in the leads anyway – they just passed them along to the listing agent. But listing agents and buyers agents are starved for leads and were not total un-happy-ish about the price increase. The price increase weeded the garden of agents who were casual advertisers and paved the way for serious online real estate agents to get the customer flow they need. Zillow can continue to move forward with their mortgage programs. They appear to be RESPA compliant. Zillow can continue to work with owners and renters to satisfy the property management business. Zillow can continue to work with developers with their New Home marketplace. Heck, Zillow can even continue to support FSBOs. 2. Mastering Market LiteracyAgents who demonstrate a fundamental understanding of local market trends win more business and become trusted advisors because of their knowledge. Market "smarts" have become an important marketing strategy. You do not need a degree in economics to become market literate, just an understanding of how local real estate economies work, fluency with the terminology and good sources for local data on sales, prices, values, and inventories. Add your professional expertise and your skilled observations of the latest trends in the charts and numbers and you have a winning formula. 3. Brokers and MLSs Misunderstand RESOToday, the Real Estate Standards Organization has blossomed into one of the most collaborative industry-wide efforts we have ever seen, with funding from vendors, brokers, associations, and MLSs. This group is funding and directing a massive overhaul of how information (data) is used today, and laying a strong foundation for the future. It has inspired transformation. Like anything new, different and technical, there is also a massive level of misunderstanding that is frustrating the efforts. In some small way, my hope is to clarify some things to set people straight.

Is Growth Possible For You in 2016?
Economists are expecting 5 percent growth in 2016. Yet many of our clients are setting expectations above 25 percent. Goal setting is more than just putting numbers on a page and slapping your business in the rear, yelling "go get 'em" while you stand there in the dust with your hands on your hips hoping for the best. Goal setting is about getting on the horse and leading the charge. Before you get on that horse, you had better know where you plan to go. In business school, they call this discovery. It is a process for understanding the possibilities for your organization. I wrote yesterday about the three economic requirements for growth – capital, labor, and productivity. Discovery involves taking a hard look at your financial position, the skills of your employees, and the productivity of how you do business today. A lot of great leadership also involves storytelling. When journalists are interviewing for a story, they are taught to ask who, what, when, where, why, and sometimes how. In business, this process is a bit different.

Choosing a Consulting Service
What is Consulting for Real Estate? Any industry has its ups and downs, but recent years have been particularly turbulent for real estate. In a business like ours, in times like these, having someone to help and guide you is invaluable. Whether you're a brokerage, Association, or MLS, consulting services may be just what you need to take your business to the next level. From technology implementation to strategic planning, consulting services provide the research and advice you need. Questions to Ask There are some important questions to ask when considering any real estate technology product and some that are unique to choosing a consulting service. First, let's look at general questions you'll want to ask. What are my objectives for hiring a consultant and how do you expect the service to benefit your company? What is my budget? After you've asked and answered these questions, you can get down to the questions that are specific to consulting: What is the consultant's background? Do they have experience working on similar projects for a company like yours in the past? Can they provide references? What process will they use in providing the consulting service? Is their proposal detailed and does it include specific deliverables and timelines? Who on your team will work with the consulting firm and who at the consulting firm will lead your project?

Product Review: Immobel’s Multi-Language Website IDX and REAL-Buzz
Although we set out to write a review of Immobel’s Multi-Language IDX Translation, a look at REAL-Buzz was inevitable. Thus, our review covers both. Many REALTORS® who invest in IDX translation to market to global buyers will also choose to participate in the (free) REAL-Buzz.com portal.

Who is Your Company's CSO?
In real estate, we love our letters. CSO is Chief Social Officer. Hence the question begins; who is your company’s designee that owns your social media strategy? As we look back over the past few years, social media evolved slowly. Most corporations started with the tactic of outlawing Social media by employees. After all, like personal cell phone usage, it was viewed as a distraction from the work at hand. Now things have evolved, and progressive organizations have learned that social networking by employees (if done correctly) enhances the company’s brand and strengthens relationships with customers. The challenge is to have a plan for coordinating social media strategy across multiple components of your organization - sales, marketing, IT, research, public relations, HR, etc. There seem to be a variety of schools of thought on this. Some organizations require each department to create their own social media strategy. Others build one strategy and try to engage every person in the organization to participate. Some outsource. Here are some examples in our industry: Lead Strategist, Group Social, Oursource

Don't Make Them Wait!
You finally decided that with prices still low, you are going to upgrade to that bigger house you and your husband have been talking about for years. Things are good with both your jobs and now is the time. You have heard from several people that XYZ Real Estate has a good reputation and you see a lot of their signs around town so you decide to start your search on their website one night after work. They have a nice site and you are getting excited about the listings they have in the neighborhood you have been wanting to move into. Saturday morning you decide that you want to spend Sunday looking at a few homes for sale in your dream neighborhood. You get back on XYZ’s site while you are having your morning coffee and put in a request to speak to someone about viewing homes tomorrow. It’s about 9 AM and you give them your cell phone number in case they call while you are out and about. Soccer, baseball, yard work, laundry, and grocery shopping chores are done by mid-afternoon. You and your husband finally sit down to relax before cooking dinner and wonder why you have not heard anything from XYZ Real Estate. You are both eager to look at homes tomorrow so you check your email to see if someone has gotten back to you. Nothing on email and nobody has bothered to call after several hours. Not impressed with the lack of response, you get back online and start searching for other companies. Does this happen every day in our industry? Unfortunately, it happens hundreds of thousands of times every single day!

Listing Syndication - Be Sure to Read the Fine Print
Listing Syndication is a great method for attracting new sellers and increasing exposure for your listings. It is important to know what rights you are giving up when working with each of the online property search portals however. During the Council of MLS conference this year there was a groundswell of discussion about the rights brokers are giving up when they send their listings to third party websites. WAV Group went to school on the terms and conditions of several of the leading third party websites. We were specifically focused on the rights to display, distribute and maintain listing data. We learned that in some cases the broker is transferring the irrevocable, perpetual, non-exclusive, fully paid, royalty-free license to use, retain, transmit, copy, create derivative work of, sell, or distribute the broker’s listing data to other parties or sub-licensees. Bottomline, brokers are giving away rights to their listings they may not be aware of. We also learned that all third party listing sites are NOT created equal. WAV Group has researched this issue and produced a white paper on the topic that has been designed to help brokers ask the right questions before they syndicate their listings. Click here to download. Are You Ready to Wage War Against Data Licensing? Who’s Who in Lifestyle Search Lifestyle Search – What is it?