Over the holidays, I read “Flash Foresight” by Daniel Burrus, which I highly recommend. Burrus says, “predicting the future is easy … but predicting it accurately is hard”. Can you relate? He goes on to say that we are generally too focused on our current challenges (the housing market, difficult transactions, challenges in lending, etc.). Instead, he recommends that you think about the challenges and problems you are ABOUT to have next.  If that is difficult, think about the problems your customers are going to have next. Then (and this is the hard part), SKIP your biggest current challenge, since there isn’t much you can do about it or it may be too late anyway. You should know that Burrus is a futurist and a planner like me, and in my opinion, his message is solid.

What do you know right now — for certain?  I submit that you have three high-level options for the future of your association or MLS.  In fact, this may also apply to your brokerage and other businesses in 2012.  Rather than trying to predict the future, now is the time to prepare for it by picking the best option for you and your future.  You can:

1. Stay the course and manage your decline (at least that’s what I call it)
2. Merge your organization with others to increase your buying power and staying power
3. Partner with others through shared services, deliver more value and be indispensable to your customers

If you could pick one, which one is right for you? There are pros and cons to each.  Grab a piece of paper and jot them down today.    What is your best survival strategy to prepare for your future?

Some will say this doesn’t apply to their organization.  For example, there are many associations and MLSs that are doing just fine.  They are less likely to decline and in fact, some will grow.  However, in my opinion, they will end up participating in some form of merger or shared service partnership as other (smaller) organizations lean toward them.  So change will touch everyone at some point.

I help leaders of REALTOR associations and MLSs just like you to prepare for the future by showing them how to increase their value and be indispensable to their paying customers.  You have the power to decide for your organization and it’s time to pick which option is right for you.  Last year, I worked with 78 organizations, many in groups ranging from 3 – 15 associations, to show them how to work together to prepare for their future and be indispensable to their members and other customers.  Here is how we did it.  The results are huge and measurable.  I’ll post some examples in my next few posts.

Daniel Burrus gives us some things to think about.  What problems are you or your customers going to have next and what are you doing right now to prepare for your future (not predict it). Regardless of what your future holds, it’s time to decide which option is right for you and move your people to action (BOD) so you are ready for whatever comes next.

My wife Sue and I give graciously to our church and other organizations throughout the year.  In 2012, I will commit 10% of my time to giving back to the community by sharing my talents and experience.  We work closely with REALTOR associations and MLSs to help them be indispensable to their paying customers. Last year, I had the pleasure of working with 78 organizations in 16 states through my business Focus Forward.  Together we learned A LOT.  Now is the right time to share what we know and make a profound difference in the lives of the leaders in real estate.

Here are recent topics of interest:

• How do I make it easier for our members to do business and make money in this market?
• How do I reduce costs and balance budgets more easily?
• How do i increase our staying power to survive all of this?
• How do we  become  indispensable to our paying customers?
• What are our options right now?

Do you have any big problems or challenges you need to resolve this year?  If so, I would like to talk with you. It’s easy to schedule a free private consultation with me  at tungle.me/kevinmcqueen. No need to prepare – our conversation will take about 40 minutes.  I want to hear from you and give back much more in 2012.   — Kevin McQueen

For instance, as consumers now have ever more real estate-related information at their fingertips from both third-party and industry sites, the role of the real estate professional has shifted from gatekeeper of information to enabler, Masnick said.

“There is still a role for middlemen to (help consumers) understand the process and the pitfalls and the best practices (of real estate), but their role is no longer as a gatekeeper,” he said.

One way real estate professionals can adapt is to change the way they look at the market and what they can do to make the consumer experience better, Masnick added.

Read more from Inman News

Hope you can join us at the Inman Data Summit next week!

REALTOR association execs and board members are well aware of the “value crisis” that is brewing. Membership is declining and so is income. Technology is moving faster than most association decision-making and the data, which used to be exclusive to the local MLS, is now virtually everywhere.  Many associations have already reduced their operating budgets by 30 – 50% over the past 3 years. How much more can they cut and still be relevant?  Something has got to change.

Associations were not built for speed in decision-making or technology.  Other than MLS, many members inside and outside the boardrooms are questioning the value of REALTOR membership. Local politics and indecision are not going to get it done anymore.

“In this climate, it seems appropriate that the associations should do what REALTORS do every day in their businesses; cooperate with each other in pursuit of mutually beneficial outcomes”, says Karl Berron, CEO of Indiana Association of REALTORS

Through the Cooperative Roadmap Program, these thirty leading associations in South Carolina and Indiana are demonstrating what is possible when the state and locals band together to serve the members’ best interests.  The “Co-op Program” is a 100 day initiative that will deliver the best tools at the lowest costs through shared contracts in at least the following service areas:

• Showing Services
• Lockboxes
• Membership databases
• Mobile apps
• Shared tax data across the states
• MLS data and technology sharing for some
• Non-dues revenue opportunities

Our charge is to deliver solutions which are only possible when the leading associations and MLSs work together toward common goals and outcomes and deliver incredible member value.

We hope you will follow along with us to monitor our progress and success over the next 100 days.

This is a first ever event for Inman and I am honored to be involved on the Board of Advisors with some of the smartest people in the business.   Check it out and I hope to see you there on July 25-26.  I will also be staying the rest of the week.  Why not, it’s San Francisco!

I’ll keep you posted with more details of the Inman Data Summit as they become available.

In May, I stepped away to to spend some time in Europe with my family (talk about really getting away from the the noise) and missed the NAR Mid-year meeting this year. At first I was worried about what I might miss. This has only happened a few times for me over the past 29 years. However, as you might guess, it seems that I mostly missed out on a lot more noise. I DID  miss seeing all of my amazing friends and colleagues at the event, but as a result of my decisions, I am now much more open to see the true opportunities and possibilities for your future. I am much more present when serving others, all based on my conscious decision to look ahead and not get distracted by all of the noise.

You know what I’m talking about here, right?  What I KNOW is that consumers don’t care about most of the in-the-industry issues and noise that are consuming so much of your energy – the good people in our industry. Consumers don’t care if the REALTOR(r) brand succeeds or fails. They don’t care about the struggles that many associations and MLSs are facing to balance budgets and overcome problems that step from old structure and governance. I know consumers will carry the day and get what they ultimately want.

So I will be writing a lot more from now on.

My mission is to co-create the future of the industry with a few good leaders like many of you. Maintaining and improving upon status quo just doesn’t cut it. A bold new vision for the industry is emerging and now is the right time to make it happen resulting in making a much bigger difference in the world of real estate. It’s time for some to shine brightly in the light of success rather than struggle to simply survive. Now is the time and I am working with leaders who really get this.

iSpaceships.  I just love watching leaders present and enroll others into their vision for the future. Regardless of what you think of Apple and Steve Jobs, you might want to check out this 11 minute video. Jobs is presenting his vision for the future of Apple’s new facility (iSpaceship) to the City Council in Cupertino, CA. Watch closely and notice how he does it. He completely understands his audience and is laser-focused on his message.  He is crystal clear on what’s in it for others (his audience here – the City Counsel). He is not arrogant  (which he can be ). I felt that he totally nailed his message and responses to questions from City Council members.

So with all of the noise around many of you,  it is clearly time to change the channel and start listening to other ones. I know that it’s hard, but you can make your own conscious decision to do it, just like I did.

My vision is to craft new and different ways of doing business that result in incredible value and service.

I will have a lot more to say about this, your future and the future of our industry.  My mission is to co-create the future of the real estate business with a few good leaders.  Can you relate?

Congratulations to Rebecca Jenson, Pat Bybee, Art Carter, David Charron and Rob Overman and the returning directors.  We support your efforts.

RESO 2010 Election Results

There is a big shift taking place in the real estate industry right now and it’s your springboard to your future. MLSs have never experienced declines in membership and revenues like they are dealing with now.  As a result, everyone is working harder than ever to balance budgets, search for new sources of income and be more relevant.  Most MLSs are now competing for their piece of a shrinking pie and many are trying to figure out what to do to survive the next few years.  We frequently hear, “how can we do more with less and still provide excellent service to our members?”   At the same time, members are struggling to re-shape their own value proposition in order to remain relevant with consumers and make a living.

The whole situation is further compounded when factoring in the outdated governance structure of most MLSs. We understand that it’s really difficult to innovate or be nimble in decision-making in this fast-paced environment.

We believe that there is also a lot of noise right now.  There is RPR, data licensing and sharing, third parties, such as Zillow and Trulia and many other potential game changers. Individually, MLSs don’t have much impact on these noisemakers, but everyone is buzzing about them anyway.  Are these distractions? We continue to recommend that association and MLS staff and leadership stay focused on their mission, as the members need innovation and additional value-added services from MLS, more than ever, during the big shift.

So if you are exasperated about your budget, relevance and governance, you might ask yourself these questions:

1. How do you stack up in your market and in contrast to industry benchmarks in services, fees and costs?
2. What do your members value most and need from you right now?
3. Do you have a clear message to express your value proposition and the right communication solutions to reach your members?
4. Who is your (future) competition?
5. Does your current governance structure ensure your ongoing survival and success?

While the direction and pace of the economy and housing markets are outside of your control, the direction and actions you take in the next few months are not.  The next twelve to eighteen months are pivotal and your actions will likely determine how you get beyond survival to a thriving business in the years ahead.  What’s your plan? ?  The answers to the above questions are your starting point for developing a solid plan for the next decade.

Like an architect sketches a blueprint for a new home, your MLS needs a success blueprint if you are going to build a business to withstand the noise and the turmoil during the big shift.  With an MLS success blueprint, you will know how you stack up in the marketplace based on service offerings, member satisfaction, fees, internal costs, structure and competitive advantages.  Having a clear blueprint for success will show you the best way for growing your membership and revenues and increase your buying power, allowing you to do more with less.  It will allow you to be more relevant to your members and show you how to communicate your unique value proposition to them.  More satisfied members equal retention.

What is your MLS Success Blueprint?  Stay tuned.

Valencia, Calif., Nov. 2, 2010 –

Discover Software, Inc (Discover) announced today that it is raising the bar once again with several new innovations in its flagship product, Discover MLS.

First, with its exclusive DiscoverCache technology, normal use of Discover MLS creates a re-usable cache of listing data. Beginning in November, users can harness the power of that local data with a one-time installation of Discover Desktop. This new application extends the capabilities of Discover MLS with true desktop functionality – including the use of offline data. For example, after selecting desired listings and/or comps, reports can now be generated on a user’s local computer (i.e.; without using the internet) for unparalleled performance, especially with a slow connection to the web.

The reporting improvements described above are coupled with an all-new metadata- driven Report Designer that empowers implementation staff (and association/MLS staff, if desired) to create and maintain reports using familiar Microsoft Office tools, with no programming. This represents a new paradigm in reporting, with all of the robust flexibility demanded by an MLS system but without the usual, legacy coding requirements. As a result, tedious work that typically consumes hours of development time can now be completed with ease in minutes.

Next, Discover’s enhanced Client Portal, to be released next month, will include a bold new layer of CRM and activity tracking, plus integration with Facebook, Twitter, Zillow, education.com, Walk Score, and more. At the same time, Discover will offer integration with AnnounceMyMove.com, the premier social marketing solution for real estate professionals. “Our track record for rapid development speaks for itself, but this recent onslaught of social networking integration is especially exciting,” said Warren Andrich, V.P. of Sales.

And finally, development is underway on a mobile-enabled version of the MLS which will bring the power of Web 2.0 to the PDA’s and Smartphones of all Discover users by year-end. This will include revolutionary features found only in the original Discover MLS product, such as “smart” input controls, count-on-the-fly (for vastly more efficient searches), and more…supported on any mobile device with a web browser.

“We remain very supportive of Discover Software,” said California Association of REALTORS® Executive Vice President Joel Singer. “The core team at Discover Software continues to innovate and raise the bar for the MLS software marketplace.”

Bret Wiener, President of Discover, added “We have only begun to realize the potential of this next generation of apps. Discover Desktop opens the doors to a new world of possibilities, and our progressive approach to CRM, social media, reporting, and mobile technology is keeping us far ahead of the curve. We were the first to embrace the power of Rich Internet Applications, and we remain light years ahead of our competition, with the only production-tested MLS system of its kind.”

Discover’s state-of-the-art Multiple Listing Service software is the industry’s first and only Web 2.0 solution, designed from the ground up to harness the power of Adobe Flash®. Leveraging this next-gen platform, the application includes ground-breaking features such as seamless multi-tasking, real-time search count, active map search & results grid, and exclusive performance-boosting cache technology.

About Discover

Discover Software was launched in 2010 by a group of partners with more than 40 years of combined real-estate industry experience. Determined to set new standards for the MLS software marketplace, the goal was simple: raise the bar.

Working together in previous years, Discover’s founders deployed and supported over 100 MLS customers nationwide, constantly frustrated by the limitations of the Web 1.0 platform. Beginning in 2008, the Discover MLS application was designed from the ground up for usability, flexibility, high-performance, and low-cost operation.

Web 2.0 is about new ways of thinking and interacting, not just new technology. Think you know MLS software? Think again.

For more information, please contact Discover at (800) 964-2656 or visit http://www.discovermls.com.

We recently interviewed Russ Bergeron of MRED and Bob Bemis of ARMLS,  two of  our industry’s best thought-leaders.  We discussed the future of MLS, the changes that have taken place in the industry and the challenges they have faced in this competitive environment.  You can listen to these interviews on the new Facebook page, ‘Future of MLS’.  www.futureofmls.com Hear what they are doing to prepare for the future, what keeps them up at night and how the changes in the industry are impacting their businesses.  There are some similarities and some differences in how they view the future of MLS.

Both Russ and Bob see larger, standard databases that are not limited by geographic areas.  The increasing popularity of websites like Zillow, Trulia, and the up and coming NAR RPR are proving that there is a need for increased information over larger market areas.  Counties and state lines no longer define the market.  MLSs need to work in your market areas to provide this information in order to compete and survive.  REALTOR associations and MLSs have traditionally been slow to move and reactive in their approach.   As Bob Bemis says, there is power in data aggregation.  Look at the facts — everyone wants your data.  MLSs have an opportunity to provide this data in the most efficient ways possible when they learn to work together and move past the personalities and politics that have held them back in the past when things were “more normal”.  The future of your MLS depends on working together with your allies and business partners.

Listen to these interviews and much more at www.futureofmls.com.   Let us know if you find it worth your time by commenting. Click on the “Like” button to stay well-informed about the future of MLS. Together, we are smarter than any one of us.

What does the Future of your MLS look like?   Are you getting ready now?   We hope you will hang-out with us at Future of MLS and join in the fun.

Kevin McQueen and the Focus Forward Team

Why did Move® acquire ListHub/Threewide?

Move® identified syndication as a core part in the future of helping brokerages with their online marketing strategy.  ListHub is the industry leading platform for real estate syndication and provider of market intelligence that quantify the results of online marketing.

Move® recently received NAR consent to syndicate listings in accordance with each data content provider’s permission and instructions, and syndication under the ListHub brand is as an excellent fit with our core competencies of data aggregation, relationship management and marketing solutions for the real estate industry

In an effort to continue to support the brokerage and agent community in their online efforts, Move, Inc. has acquired/merged with Threewide Corporation and will make ListHub an integral addition to the Move family of products.

Online real estate content is fragmented and often inaccurate.  The acquisition enables us to aggregate and connect this content, standardize the data and reporting from and for multiple sources, and improve the overall experience for consumers and brokers regardless of where they market their listings.

What is the vision for ListHub? Has it now changed?

Move® is in the process of welcoming ListHub into our network of real web sites, and will operate it as a wholly owned subsidiary and brand similar to the Top Producer® brand.

The vision for the ListHub product is to provide real estate brokers and agents with a consolidated ability to manage their critical online marketing  metrics across multiple websites.

How will this benefit my MLS organization?

ListHub has grown at a very rapid pace over the last few years, largely due to the support of our MLS partners.  Now that ListHub has access to a broader set of resources available through Move®, ListHub will be able to deliver more quickly on product and service enhancements that benefit the MLS directly, as well as enhancements for brokers and agents as a benefit of MLS membership.

Because REALTOR.com® listings will now be included within the ListHub reporting structure, brokers, agents, franchises and MLSs will have a more balanced and accurate view of listing performance and ROI across the internet (regardless of where a listing is displayed) through ListHub’s advanced intelligence reports.

Brokers, MLSs, and franchise customers will benefit from increased access to the online marketing efficiencies as a result of ListHub joining the Move® Network through access to additional campaign management, expanded customer care and technical support

Will ListHub be used as part of the RPR strategy?

No. There are no current plans for ListHub to be leveraged for RPR.

Does this mean that REALTOR.com® data will now appear in ListHub reports?

Yes.  One of the most exciting opportunities that results from Move, Inc.’s acquisition/merge with/of ListHub is that REALTOR.com® metrics will now be included in the ListHub reports, giving brokers and agents one single standardized report for side-by-side analysis of the results from all of their online exposure.

Participating brokers and agents will eventually have access to the highest level of performance reporting in the industry which they can leverage to secure business with prospective home sellers and/or better manage current relationships by demonstrating how effective their online investments are, know what product dials and channels they need to turn in order to secure more business, and better monetize the business they have today. Look for more details on this exciting capability in the coming months.

What affect will this have on my brokers?

Service to brokers will be seamless and unchanged.  Brokers will have the same point of contact for sales and technical support at ListHub.  Their current access to the ListHub dashboard will not change. The convenience of a single consolidated resource for reports across all major real estate listing Web sites (including REALTOR.com®) is one of the major initiatives that we are excited to work toward for the benefit of brokers.

Are you going to charge us for ListHub now?

No. ListHub will maintain its current model at this time.

Will the data be comingled with other Move, Inc. systems and used without my permission?

No. As always, listings syndicated by ListHub will only be used to populate sites as directed by the MLS or listing broker.

Can I re-direct consumer traffic back to the listing page on REALTOR.com®, or will this force me to change the consumer re-direction to REALTOR.com®?

There are no plans at this time to change any current redirects requested by ListHub MLS and broker customers.

Content providers remain in control of their listing data content.  They must give Move® permission to syndicate their listing content and provide us with instructions on which destinations are approved to display their listings. Content providers will instruct ListHub on traffic redirects, indicating where they want client leads via clicks to be sent – back to their own site or to the ListHub LDP network page, or both.

Do we need to amend our current agreement?

No.  Your agreement with Threewide Corporation will transfer automatically to Move, Inc.

What about ListExporter and ListSecure?

ListHub will continue to offer and support these two Threewide products.

Is the ListHub team the same?

Yes. Luke Glass will continue to manage ListHub and the entire team will remain the same. You will continue to work with your respective points of contact for sales, marketing support, and technical support.

Is there any relationship to the Find system opportunity?

Not at this time, but the respective teams at ListHub and Move will be working together so you will be receiving consolidated messaging and coordinated communication.

Will publishers that compete with REALTOR.com® be removed from the ListHub syndication network?

No, that wouldn’t be in our best interests, or the best interests of our customers, content providers, publishers or consumers.  In fact, now that ListHub is a member of the Move® Network, we are in a position to grow and expand the list of ListHub’s publishing partners, which would benefit both consumers and real estate professionals by expanding exposure of their listings.

To remove any of the current publishers would erode value from the platform as a viable syndication network for brokers, MLSs and consumers interested in having their listings broadcasted to a large audience of potential buyers.

Visit the About Page on mlsdomains.org to see the 40 MLSs that have already joined the association and the domain names claimed so far.  These leaders represent 517,000 real estate professionals.

Beginning this Wednesday, September 1, association Members will be claiming new domain names. You can claim yours once you join MLS Domains Association, where real MLSs are on the right side of the dot, .MLS.

Check out this unique opportunity for your organization.  Call (424) 243-6287 or email info@MLSDomains.org

Too often, Realtor associations are unclear about who they are and what they do. They adopt mission statements that sound a lot like every other Realtor organization, containing phrases like ‘protect private property rights’ and ‘high ethical standards’. A clear mission statement should be memorable and compelling, and should focus on (1) outcome and (2) audience. Delete all those references to programs and processes. If you want to enable the business success of your members, for instance, then just say so. All the references to how your organization is going to accomplish this mission belong in your statement of work, but not in your mission statement.

The statement of work, or implementation strategy, includes the scope of what your organization does, the areas in which you operate and the programs you provide. A Realtor association might be in several different businesses including data collection, creation of a business community, education, legislative and legal advocacy, and community relations. Not all associations will be in the same businesses to the same degree—for some a state or regional group may assume some of the responsibilities. Increasingly, those partnerships make good sense and avoid duplication of services.

An example of how these partnerships might work is outlined in the winning Game Changer program from the Chicago area Realtor associations. The Regional Alliances project establishes a formal, collaborative venture of four Chicago area associations to provide higher quality programs through consistency of messages and processes. The sharing of talent, reduction of costs and duplications, faster resolution of issues and a combined political voice benefits all members while keeping localized structures and emphasis.

The business plan includes the answer to the question, “How do you do your work?” That is, what are your operational strategies? Operational strategies consume a large part of an association’s resources and include managing finances, recruiting and supervising staff and volunteers, developing leadership, delivering programs, communications, recruitment and retention of members, and raising funds. It is at this point that a resource analysis of your organization (sometimes called a ‘structural audit’) is important in gaining a clear picture of your organizational capacity.

The final component of any business plan is the answer to the question, “How does your organization finance its work?” How does it maintain and attract sufficient revenues to continue its mission, and remain financially viable? Does the association have a diversified and stable income stream? And of the programs and services we provide, is there an adequate market or are our programs too expensive to deliver to our audience?

No matter how good the programs, organizational success or failure always depends on the business model. Knowing who you are, the work you do, and how you finance this work are all central to your business model. But the next steps in business plan development are equally as important: understanding what your market is, and what are your advantages over your neighbors and other competitors.

Next week – Market Thinking.

The first step is in the initial impression.  It’s superficial, of course, and based on appearance, speech, and mannerisms.  Often these impressions are significant clues to a deeper understanding, but more often than not, we find ourselves misled in our first analysis: the quiet person is really a talker, the aloof and cold person sobs her way through the ending of a good book.

Often, strategic planning begins with a planning committee compiling an inventory of strengths and weaknesses of the organization.  Like any first impression, such a list has value, but it should not be perceived as a thorough analysis: it is merely a snapshot of a moment in time, a set of initial clues about a real identity.

The second way organizations often attempt to assess their identity is by a survey of the membership.  “Who do our members think we are?” is the question at hand, and associations and MLSs attempt the answer through a series of questions, which ask, “What do you think of our service?” and “what would you like for us to do for you?”  The answer often arrived at is “why don’t members answer our questionnaire?”, “Clearly, they don’t KNOW what we do”, and “They don’t have any real suggestions for us.”

The typical conclusion?  Member apathy.  The usual answer?  Better communication.

In reality, the question “Who do our customers (members, public, and other stakeholders) think we are” is only a small part of truly understanding your organizational identity, and the opinion poll or satisfaction survey is only one small, and often partially effective clue toward understanding your organization.

A second question is “Who do WE think we are?”  The answer is found in the statements the organization makes through its mission statement, vision, goals, and policy formulations.

But the moment of revelation really comes with the third question, “Who are we, really?”

That’s where the work of Focus Forward really begins.  We answer this question by taking an in depth look at the organization as revealed in its allocation of resources (budget, staff, programs) in relation to its stated mission and goals.  Does the organization walk its talk?  What is its operating business model?  What is the competition for the organization?  What is its advantage over its competitors? What are its Big Questions?  Where has the organization positioned itself in relation to current industry trends?

The three organizational identity questions:

(1)  Who do our customers think we are?

(2)  Who do we think we are?

(3) Who are we, really?

These questions need answers before a real strategy is designed.  Focus Forward helps leadership answer these questions through surveys, individual conversations with brokers, and focus groups.  We examine your organizational statements, and we analyze your actions.  We write a complete analysis and we take time to lead a discussion on our findings and answer your questions.

At the end of the strategic planning process your organization will have a business model that outlines who you are, what work you do, your operational structure, and your financial sustainability.  Understanding your organizational structure is the first important step as you take a fresh look into your future.

Stay tuned for the next post in this series about  strategic planning and how to survive the big shift taking place in the real estate industry.

We work with the leaders of real estate associations and MLSs, who are at risk due to the “big shift” taking place in the industry and we show them how to create their own blueprint for a thriving MLS business by being of much greater service to their members and consumers.

Kevin McQueen, President Focus Forward

At the heart of every successful organization is a strong vision and a workable plan. But Focus Forward believes that rapid change calls for a new kind of plan, one that is based on strategic thinking and decision-making and which requires leaders to be flexible and fast. Our goal is to assist you by teaching you how to cultivate an environment of strategic thinking and meaningful action within your organization, how to manage decision making with real-time strategy.

This series of articles is designed to show you why the old way of strategic planning doesn’t work in today’s rapidly changing real estate environment and to help you better understand the strategic planning revolution which must take place if we are to emerge as successful, sustainable MLS operators going forward.

We understand that consumer and member expectations are constantly increasing and that’s why Focus Forward and the Loyalty Research Center have joined forces to offer this timely and unique solution that will ensure REALTOR® Associations benefit through quicker results and improvements that can be measured. What could be more important in this economy and highly competitive real estate market?

Since 1997, the Loyalty Research Center has worked with REALTOR® Associations to improve performance and strengthen member relationships. LRC designs REALTOR® Association research studies that determine REALTOR® loyalty and identifies the problems and issues that can undermine loyalty and satisfaction

Kevin McQueen, President of Focus Forward, provides professional consulting services to Associations, MLSs, Vendors and Brokerages. He brings more than 28 years of hands-on leadership experience as an MLS vendor, CEO of the largest regional MLS in Michigan (Realcomp), President and CEO of a software firm and as a trusted industry advisor & independent management consultant to more than 300 organizations.

Kevin McQueen and the Loyalty Research Center look forward to working together with you and other REALTOR® Associations to improve association performance, reduce member losses and grow by knowing more about what your members want and need to succeed.

Watch for our upcoming announcement about the National REALTOR® Association Benchmark Study to show you how you stack up with others.

Please contact either of us to discuss your questions and your needs. It doesn’t cost anything to talk.

Kevin McQueen   kevin@kevinmcqueen.com (248) 374-1045

Andy Keene   akeene@loyaltyresearch.com (317) 466-5043

1.  How can we reduce our operating expenses by working together?

2.  How well do our current services meet our customers’ business needs?

3.  How do our services compare with others in our market and across the country?

4.  What should we do to help our brokers and agents keep up with consumer demands and remain relevant?

And the most important question:

What is keeping you from answering these 4 questions?

The most frequent responses include:  not enough time, the politics,  our market is unique, the cost of the assessment, we don’t have overlapping market disorder, too many other priorities right now and our neighboring Associations / MLSs don’t want to work together.

A better answer to the last question might be  “a thorough and objective assessment of our market”. That’s precisely what the Effective MLS Market Solution program (EMMS) was created to do. What could be more important than answering these questions right now?  Ask your leadership or your brokers what they think and let us know since we are very interested in your input at this time.

It’s time for a fresh new approach to support the efforts of progressive MLSs’ that seek out the best ways to help their MLS customers serve consumers more effectively.

With EMMS, you will know:

-  The opportunities for improved service and decreased costs by working together

-  What your brokers value

-  Governance and technology solutions that closely align with your brokers’ business needs

-  A plan outline for how to proceed, if you choose to

If you are interested in learning more about participation requirements,  contact Brian Larson at blarson@larsonsobotka.com  (612) 424-8661 or Kevin McQueen at kevin@kevinmcqueen.com  (248) 374-1045.  NAR is sponsoring our professional fees and all you pay for is a portion of the travel costs. There are a limited number of programs available.

Kevin will be in Quebec City for AEI this weekend if you would like to discuss this in person one on one or with some of your neighboring Association / MLS Execs.  Call (248) 374-1045 to schedule some time to talk and answer your questions.

Here is the EMMS 2-page overview for a quick read

EMMS
The Effective MLS Market Solutions program will help MLS organizations by providing them with objective market analysis and identifying options for them to deliver more effective services to their brokers.  At the conclusion of the EMMS program, you’ll meet with our independent consultants and receive an MLS Market Report laying out the results.

This is a fresh new approach to addressing the challenges that many MLSs and their customers face in their markets.  We will gather and measure data provided by the MLSs and survey and interview brokers to understand their business objectives and identify “pain points” in the current environment.

We sought funding from NAR for the program to eliminate one common obstacle to progress, namely the cost of engaging skilled advisers.  With NAR’s sponsorship, we can reach more MLSs that want to make a difference and achieve measurable improvements much more quickly.  NAR is not seeking active involvement in the program.

We have a limited number of program / MLS groups and are actively seeking out only 6 ready markets at this time.  Each market will likely consist of 3 or more MLSs.  The MLSs will be required to share agreed upon information with us, commit to the process and pay a portion of the shared travel expenses for on-site visits by Brian or Kevin.

If you are interested in learning more about EMMS, please read the overview and contact

Brian Larson blarson@larsonsobotka.com (612) 442-8661 or Kevin McQueen kevin@kevinmcqueen.com (248) 374-1045 for more details.

Kevin McQueen presented some of his most current views on the future of MLS at the recent NYSAR Business meetings, held in Albany New York.   He built on one of the themes from Inman Connect NYC — Real-time Everything.   View Kevin’s presentation on this and other topics about the future of MLS including data standards, RPR, the new Cloud CMA and long-term strategic planning is dead as we know it.

Want some ideas on what to do next?   Call Kevin at (248) 374-1045 and let’s take a fresh look into your future together.