MORE than 650 Ray White Group members from across Victoria and Tasmania descended on the Crowns Conference and Events Centre today for Unite 2020. Hosted across capital cities by Australasia’s biggest real estate group, the Unite 2020 program would provide a new and improved training format for salespeople and property managers. The sessions were designed to help its agents navigate and adapt to current market conditions. Ray White Group Managing Director Dan White (pictured below) said it was a huge day for members across Victoria and Tasmania, one they could all be proud of. "Looking back at last year, we decided that we'd push on and have our biggest year yet and despite a tough start in 2019, it was a cracker," Mr White said.
"I know some people said the market improved, but we were in a position to make the most of it.
"We put more put more effort into auctions than ever before, our property management business grew by 43 per cent, and our NPS scores were at their highest ever.
"It's been a high year of growth for us and we've never grown our market share faster - but as always - we never risk complacency and there's never a finish line.
"I also want to take the chance to thank everyone for coming together and supporting the Beyond the Bricks campaign, in response to the devastating bushfires."
Ray White Victoria and Tasmania CEO Stephen Dullens (pictured below) said it was fantastic to see more than 650 members of the group attending Unite 2020.
"The first thing I'd like to say is how proud I am of the role Ray White has played in the Beyond the Bricks bushfire campaign - collectively the industry has come together to raise in excess of $1,000,000," Mr Dullens said.
"What an amazing year that was, together we achieved some really fantastic things, and 2020 will be a year of change for our industry.
"There's around 160 changes to the residential tenancy act and our teams have been working hard to work through the changes.
"What's been clear in our research is that we're well and truly ahead of where we need to be at this point in time.
"I'd also like to introduce the latest appointment to the corporate team of Jeremy Tyrrell. Ray White now has the most experienced auctioneering team in Victoria.
And it was new addition Mr Tyrrell (pictured above) who led a charity auction, complemented by other initiatives, for the Beyond the Bricks appeal that raised more than $13,000 on the day.
It was the efforts of competitive bidding and other contests including raffles that drove the Beyond the Bricks donations to more than $1,000,000.
Keynote speaker and a former captain in the SAS Mark Wales (above) said planning and execution of very difficult tasks were crucial for people working in a high-performance environment.
"I was once on a clearing mission in Afghanistan that didn’t go to plan. We had all sorts of issues during the attack but it’s how you deal with issues and make the right decisions in situations like that," Mr Wales said.
"Mental health is incredibly important. When I came home from war it took me a while to get my mental state back on track and the stress is similar in high performance jobs.
"Sometimes people overwork themselves for years and a burn out creeps up on them. So, putting yourself first – and that means eating, sleeping and resting properly – is very important.
Research shows that 120 minutes of vigorous exercise is another great way for suppressing symptoms of depression and improve cognition."
In the first session of the day, Head of Marketing Lisa Pennell (pictured above), Ray White Marketplace Activation Executive Angela Tracey and Communications and Customer Experience Manager Natalie Hortz discussed the importance of technology.
"Proof points are important for any product or service, and fortunately we have absolute and clear evidence that our marketing strategy and campaigns are effective in hitting the mark, by generating more business for members," Ms Pennell said.
"A Be Seen video campaign is the equivalent of a digital letterbox drop, but only served to people we know are interested in the local area, not just anyone," Ms Tracey said.
"It's designed to amplify the visibility of your property listing and your profile in your targeted geographic area."
"Video is the way of now and the future," Ms Hortz said.
"There's no point in developing this incredible content and then doing nothing with it. Be Seen will help us win social media in 2020."
In the day's next session, Ray White Glen Waverley Partner Marc Lum took the packed house through the ultimate skill set for a listing presentation.
"You want to differentiate from other agents early on. I walk into the listing presentation with a mentality that I'm the best agent," Mr Lum said.
"The best agent doesn’t necessarily mean the agent who has sold the most properties, but the agent who will get the best possible price.
"Show your vendor how much you really want their business, believe you are the best agent, and just execute it."
Ray White Victoria and Tasmania Property Management Business Development Executive Shaun Doyle (pictured above) discussed with the audience what the approximately 160 rental legislative amendments in Victoria would mean.
"Offering support and training is top of mind for our businesses at the moment and we're going to embrace the changes with confidence," Mr Doyle said.
"Our full strategic plan is rolling out and we'll be communicating each week with new information, resources and much more.
"Every property manager will get access to rental reforms webinars and each and every property manager will be enrolled in our online learning platform."
Next up was Ray White Bracken Ridge's Principal Roxanne Paterson, who took members through how best to unlock your value.
"I faked it until I made it. I actually had a higher commission rate when I started out than I do now," Ms Paterson said.
"I never forget the enormity of what I do. In the real estate world, confidence is attractive and arrogance is ugly.
"You have to talk with conviction and absolute confidence and be sure to inform your clients of the whole process.
"Quite simply, they have to fall in love with you and feel confident and safe with you representing their biggest asset."
Ray White Head of Growth Mark McLeod (pictured above) took a look at the past decade and provided tips on what needed to happen in the next 10 years to be successful.
"The agent that wins in the next decade is the agent that sees the whole community as the customer," Mr McLeod said.
"Agents who become multi-faceted and multi-dimensional will win and we need to embrace and use technology for this to happen."
The day was well received by members from both Victoria and Tasmania, with keynote speaker Mark Wales the stand-out for many.
"Keep your axe sharp and be ready to go at a moment's notice. That was excellent advice and Mark Wales was definitely the highlight of the day for me," said Ray White Brunswick Agent and Auctioneer Alex Ilyn.
