Association and Large Broker Relationships

Purpose & Philosophy

Toolkit Objective: Provide association executives with a customizable set of tools to build trust, foster engagement, and demonstrate value to brokers of all sizes and structures.

Guiding Principles:

Respect brokers’ limited time by offering concise, relevant resources.
Tailor outreach based on broker size and association staff capacity.
Focus on local value that brokers cannot easily replicate or access elsewhere.

Strategic Framework

Quick Wins to Short-Term Engagement

Host a Tech or Education Summit (day-and-a-half event for all members).
Organize Quarterly Broker Roundtable Breakfasts focused on managing brokers.
- Use sponsors to offset costs and create valuable connections for affiliates.
Offer On-Demand CE session tailored to broker needs.
Create Broker Office Hours via Zoom for drop-in conversations.
Conduct Surveys with incentives (e.g., gift cards) to gather broker feedback.
Compose handwritten “thank you” notes to send to brokers, thanking them for membership and introducing them to the association leaders. Use this opportunity to begin conversations on how the association can better serve members.

Long-Term Engagement Strategies

Professional Development Resource: Offer CE sessions, tech summits, and training for newer agents.
- Do specific outreach to brokerages that may want a partner in delivering these education offerings.
Personal Touch / Going TO Them: Conduct office visits, attend broker sales meetings, and create long term plan to host regular Zoom office hours
Developing Community: Facilitate broker roundtables and connect brokers with local stakeholders.
Be a Business Resource: Provide tech helpdesk, legal updates, and local economic data.
Be an Industry Resource: Share NAR/state updates with local context and invite NAR and/or state association staff and leadership to take part in events.
- See Broker Marketing Materials

Outreach Planning & Execution

Staff Assignment: Designate a staff member to lead broker outreach, with clear time commitments (weekly/monthly) for in-person visits, calls, or meetings.
Local Relevance: Share community-specific data (e.g., Chamber of Commerce stats, healthcare, education, new businesses) that brokers can use with agents.
Legal Updates: If available, send monthly legal briefings to brokers.
Information Filtering: Curate and re-share key NAR and state updates with local relevance.
Communication Strategy: Avoid overwhelming brokers with emails—focus on concise, high-value touchpoints.

Engagement Tools

Connection & Conversations

Starter Questions: Use a key of customizable conversation starters for calls, visits, and check-ins.
Polling Templates: Deploy quick surveys on retention, business challenges, and local needs with sample wording and formats.

Examples provided below.

Events & Forums

Coffee Talks & Broker Lunches: Quarterly small-group gatherings with rotating speakers (e.g., city officials, industry leaders).
Summits & Forums: Annual or biannual large-format events aligned with state/regional conferences, covering MLS, CE, and advocacy topics.

Broker Summit Toolkit for AEs

Provides ready-to-use, co-brandable assets that make it easy to plan, promote, and host your event—whether it’s in-person or virtual.

Education & Resources

Broker-Specific Courses: e.g., “You’re a Broker, Now What?” for CE/licensing support. Considering building modules for courses to respect time commitments and create further connection points.
One-Sheet Guides: Visual quick-reference tools on CE deadlines, RPAC, professional standards, and community contacts.

Relationship Building

Community Stakeholder Engagement: Connect brokers with local leaders (e.g., police, schools, planning boards) to show broader real estate impact.
Regional Outreach: Engage regional managers of large brokerages to align messaging and foster collaboration.

Visual & Digital Assets

Infographics & Charts: Create shareable visuals on CE deadlines, advocacy wins, and key updates.
Templates: Provide customizable materials for broker teams to use internally or with agents.

Implementation Guidance

Customization: Adapt tools to local market needs and broker size (small, medium, large).
Ongoing Development: Encourage continued discussion through AEI sessions, professional development, and potential use of AI to support outreach.

Conversation Starters for Broker Engagement:

“What does the association currently do that you think should be different?”

“What, if anything, do you hear your agents saying about the association?”

“Is there an industry trend that you think the association should pay attention to?”

“How can the association better engage others in your office?”

Quarterly Check-Ins:

“What kind of interaction or communication do you think would lead to a productive and harmonious relationship with your local and state association?”

“What types of educational opportunities and learning formats do you look for from the REALTOR® association that are beneficial to you and your agents?”

“How do you encourage large brokers and their agents to get involved in the association’s committee and events, and to assume a leadership role?”

Broker Surveys

Help your local association better understand broker needs, business challenges, and opportunities for support. Get tips and resources for effective survey creation.

Broker Survey Ideas

Help your local association better understand broker needs, business challenges, and opportunities for support.