MASSACHUSETTS ASSOCIATION OF REALTORS®
STRATEGIC PLAN
Mission: To provide highly-valued products and services to our members, foster professionalism, and serve as the leading statewide advocate for the real estate industry and private property rights.
Vision: MAR is the leading business advocate for career-minded real estate professionals.
General Objectives: The general objectives are derived from the Mission Statement and identify the broad results that the Association intends to achieve on behalf of its members. It provides more detail about the functions, products and services that the organization should deliver to its constituency.
- Research, develop and promote services, materials and techniques which support members in the successful conduct of their business.
- Represent the interests of REALTORS® on risk management issues, and provide a resource to the membership on legal matters.
- Represent the interests of REALTORS® in governmental affairs.
- Improve the education and professional abilities of the membership.
- Provide services and programs to local associations.
- Foster excellent business ethics and practices throughout the membership.
- Promote the availability and affordability of housing.
- Develop, maintain, interpret and disseminate comprehensive data pertaining to real estate.
- Encourage involvement by the membership in support of candidates and issues.
- Assure the availability of adequate and affordable sources and methods of financing real estate.
- Promote cooperation and a strong relationship among local associations of REALTORS®, the Massachusetts Association of REALTORS® and the National Association of REALTORS® to ensure an effective structural framework for organized real estate.
- Promote favorable public perception of REALTORS®.
- Provide a forum for the discussion, dissemination and communication of Association policy.
- Provide policies, procedures, organization, resources and staff for the efficient and effective fulfillment of MAR’s general objectives.
Definitions:
Strategic objectives: Strategic objectives are change objectives. They describe real changes that we want to see in the organization over the next three to five years. If achieved, the new organization should be able to materially improve the value of the products and services that it delivers to the members.
Key Initiatives: These are specific initiatives which, can be accomplished in the next twelve to eighteen months. If achieved, they will move the organization materially closer to achieving the strategic objectives and realizing the new vision.
MAR Strategic Objective 1: Promote real estate as a career to Gen Y and emphasize the value of REALTOR® membership.
Key Initiative M1.1Membership
MAR will appoint a task force to develop strategies to attract Gen Y to the real estate profession and REALTOR® membership.
Key Initiative M1.2Gather Data
Systematically capture and interpret "entrance and exit survey" data from members, based on key strata (age, location, etc.)
MAR Strategic Objective 2:To increase the diversity of our membership to more closely reflect the general population.
Key Initiative 2.1Membership
MAR will appoint a task force to develop strategies to pursue the objective.
MAR Strategic Objective 3: Increase member awareness and participation in RPAC and advocacy efforts.
Key Initiative M3.1Education
Increase education to Brokers and agents about the purpose and benefits of RPAC.
Key Initiative M3.2Member Mobilization
Expand member mobilization regarding advocacy.
Key Initiative M3.3Communication
Explore more effective means of communicating with members about RPAC and advocacy.
Key Initiative M3.4State Political Coordinator (SPC)
To further develop the MAR State Political Coordinator (SPC) program in collaboration with local associations.
Key Initiative M3.5Participation
Research state associations who have exceeded 25% participation goal and develop strategies accordingly.
MAR Strategic Objective 4: To make MAR the definitive resource for accurate housing data to the members, media, and general public.
Key Initiative M4.1Collaboration
Collaborate with the local associations as the voice of real estate.
Key Initiative M4.2Member Awareness
Develop strategies to increase member engagement and access to MAR housing data.
Key Initiative M4.3Media Engagement
Increase media engagement with MAR housing data.
Key Initiative M4.4Consumer Awareness
Develop strategies to increase consumer engagement and access to housing data.
Management Plan
MEMBER AND LOCAL ASSOCIATION SERVICES BEING DELIVERED BY MAR
A.Legal/legislative
1.Provide Legal Hotline for all offices through their Designated REALTOR®, as a member benefit.
2.Develop a Risk Management/Broker Owner tool kit.
3.Manage a goals-based RPAC fundraising program.
4.Develop ongoing education program on RPAC.
5.Maintain and update statewide standardized real estate forms.
6. Implement NAR’s Commitment to Excellence program.
7.Implement professional standards training via video or online for MAR &local association panel members and offer and administer at least one live professional standards training (if needed) at local associationsalternating every other year.
8.Manage professional standards cases for inter-state disputes.
9.Provide mediation training for MAR & local associations; provide resources for local associations to implement an ombudsman program as well as an ethics citation program.
10.Provide legal articles for local association publications.
11.Present legal seminars via local association meetings as needed.
12.Provide local government affairs idea exchange.
13.Develop and coordinate local government relations program via dedicated MAR staff support.
14.Administer a State Political Coordinator (SPC) program in cooperation with local associations and encourage local associations.
15.Implement a town monitor program.
16.Maintain Independent Expenditure Political Action Committee and provide training to local associations as needed
17.Provide opportunity for members to influence legislators via annual Day on Beacon Hill.
18.Manage membership Calls for Action on legislative and regulatory issues.
19.Maintain legislative and regulatory monitoring of issues affecting members and property owners.
20.Provide professional lobbying on legislative and regulatory issues.
21.Maintain public policy statement to set forth MAR position on various issues.
22.Distribute housing data to government officials.
23.Participate on several state government and allied industry groups affecting member interests.
24.Manage association relationship with Massachusetts Board of Registration for Real Estate Brokers and Salespersons, Board of Registration for Real Estate Appraisers, Mass Housing, CHAPA and various state agencies.
B.Technology
1.Maintain mobile accessibility to online CE.
2.Maintain mobile optimization for member communications.
3.Continue to enhance new Sitefinity Website with member customized content.
4.Maintain member database profile system.
5.Enhance member database processes through RAMCO.
6.Work with other associations who are also using RAMCO to develop tools to improve staff productivity.
7.Provide association governance meetings by web conference.
8.Provide tech expertise at local association events.
9.Identify new tech partners.
C.Communications
1.Conduct media training for local and state association leaders.
2.Regularly compile housing statistics – sales, median sale prices, inventory, months of supply, pending sales and REALTOR® Confidence Indexes.
3.Obtainoversampling report of NAR buyer, seller and member profiles.
4.Create consumer awareness advertising and manage an online consumer awareness campaign in both the spring and fall.
5.Improve consumer confidence in the market.
6.Extend consumer outreach and advocacy through social media.
7.Proactively provide information to the media.
8.Regularly disseminate news releases and media statements on legislative, regulatory issues and business trends.
9.Regularly disseminatenews releases on housing statistics to include: pending sales, REALTOR® Market and Price Confidence Indexes, and closed sales; andon award winners and new leadership positions.
10.Provide media with access to extensive MAR housing data through individual accounts.
11.Maintain strong media relations across the state, regularly featuring MAR leadership and staff in various radio, TV and print/digital media interviews (local, state and national).
12.Provide member access to state real estate sales data and research reports on marealtor.com.
13.Produce bimonthly Baystate REALTOR® print magazine to total membership, maintain online version and publicize in electronic newsletter.
14.Produce member communication via email, social media and other channels.
15.Develop member communications and services focused on the importance of the Government Affairs, business practices and trends, social media strategies, ethical standards, and tech tools.
16.Produce industry expert video downloads – short topical videos for Broker/Owner/Managers to utilize at sales meeting and promotional videos to members.
17.Produce podcasts on housing market with industry expert interviews.
18.Produce online weekly e-newsletters, association blog, Facebook and Twitter, LinkedIn feeds on news.
19.Promote the MAR website through social media.
D.Member Services/Education/Events/
1.Offer free online CE’sas a member benefit.
2.Maintain statewide annual education conference and real estate tradeshow.
3.Provide CE classes during annual Convention.
4.Provide AE education track at the MAR Conference and Leadership Symposium.
5.Offer live education courses.
6.Offer Graduate REALTORS® Institute (GRI) series – 6-8 courses a year. Revenue shared with local associations when attendee level reached.
7.Offer REBAC and NAR Designation/Certification classes and offer a co- sponsorship tolocal associations and real estate offices for a fee.
8.Produce educational webinars on topics like legal, marketing tools, risk management and technology.
9.Produce online webinars for brokers and office managers
10.Educate members on social media and other delivery channels to help them improve online communication.
11.Produce how-to's of the real estate business and success stories of members and communicate through social media channels to engage members.
12.Promote local association courses and events on MAR Website.
13.Continue to work with local associations on effective and collaborative channels for delivering services to members.
14.Provide new member orientation kits to local associations.
15.Administer and maintain My REALTOR® Mentor program to help new members succeed and stay in business
16. Develop outreach to make MAR more accessible to members.
17.Provide member discounts on products and services, which may include royalty to offset member dues.
18.Present MAR benefits and services at local associations, company events and vendor sponsored events.
19.Provide online interactive forms platform as a member benefit.
20.Promote and support statewide Young Professionals Network, including education and networking events.
21.Serve as NAR international delegate.
E.Governance/Administration
1.Provide customer service by responding to phone and email inquiries from members and the general public daily.
2.Manage multi million annual budget, investments, staff, committee management, leadership and staff travel, etc.
3. Maintain an efficient, effective governance structure for MAR.
4. Manage MAR Committees, Subcommittees, PAGs,regional meetings and MAR Board of Directors meetings throughout the year.
5. Manage annual installation banquet for incoming leaders and guests.
6. Manage several statewide awards including MHS Distinguished Service, Educator of the Year, Government Affairs Award, Good Neighbor and REALTOR® of the Year Awards. Manage annual Professional Awards and Recognition banquet.
7. Provide and manage an annual training conference for local and state association leaders.
8. Prepare and provide professional staff speeches at member offices and local associations.
9. Manage function room rentals.
10.Building search underway.
11. Provide hospitality reception for members at NAR events.
12.Administer all education and governance activities for New England Region when NAR RVP is from Massachusetts, including annual NERC Conference, NERC leadership training, meetings at two NAR conferences.
13. Comply with all aspects of NAR's Mandatory Core Standards, as approved by the NAR Board of Directors in 2014 and changed from time to time.
14.Administer MAR Charitable Foundation.
15.Operate subsidiary entity, REAPS, for possible consideration of for-profit programs on behalf of members.
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