Where Do WeWhere Do WeWant to Go?Want to Go?

Starting Out

• Keep doing what has been working– Mid-Winter/Lobbying Meeting

– Claims Roundtable

• Get the Tools to do the Job– Rearrange Office to be more workable/suitable for

meetings

– Tools to Communicate with our members• Constant Contact

• Free Conference Call

• Webinar Service

– Integrated Association Management Software

– Website

– Social Media Tools

Starting Out

• Expand and Improve on what hasn’t been working so well– Advocacy

– Newsletter

– Convention

• Then Focus on bringing additional value to our Members

Guiding Goals

• Effective Advocacy

• Communicate & Interact– With Members– With Affiliated Industries

• Provide Value for our Members

• Drive Membership Growth & Participation

• Have Fun!!

The Value Proposition -- Underwriters

• Effective Advocacy & Communication

– Reducing Class Action Risk with Rate Simplification

• Information in Useable Format for Bulletins

• Providing Services to Agents so They Don’t Have To

– Education

– Guidance that would appear over-reaching or create liability

• FLTA for Unpopular or Sensitive Positions

• Having a Critical Mass of Agents

The Value Proposition -- Agencies 

• Tougher to identify -- We don’t have it Right Yet• Price of Membership > Perceived Value• Problem: Too used to getting things free from their

underwriters• Problem: Too Many years of promising without

delivering. – We have been Accomplishing More, but it hasn’t been visible

to average agent yet. – Focus on Increased Communication of Value– Must give away some of the value to non-members to attract

• Get to the Point Underwriters are Not Embarrassed to Strongly Urge/Insist on FLTA Membership

Directions for FLTADirections for FLTA

Short TermShort Term

Projects

• Membership Drive– Collateral Materials for

Underwriter Push

– Compensate/Motivate underwriter staff and affiliate members to market for us

– Top Recruiter award.

– Lower price point

Projects

Continue Adding Website Content• Agent Section Information• Info on Creating a New Agency• Info on Obtaining Agent License• Past Newsletters• More Pictures• Bios and Contact info for Board• Other Ideas?

Projects

• Government Affairs– Redraft of Rule to Reduce Class

Action Risk & Gain Clarity– Participate in Foreclosure Redraft– Transferee Tax Liability– Prep for Legislative Session– Coordinate Giving Programs

among Underwriters & Agents

Projects

• Step Up for Students– Florida Law allows insurers to redirect

their premium tax to scholarships. This does NOT increase the tax at all

– Organization will set up PR events around the state for each participating underwriter – Fidelity in Jax, First Am in Tally, ORT in Tampa, etc.

– Awaiting feedback from OIR

Projects

• Driving Attendance at the Convention – Day Pass for CE– Full Attendance– Fun People & Activities

• Turn-Out Committee for Convention & Other Programs

Medium Term ProjectsMedium Term Projects20122012

Projects

• Education– ¾ day programs run locally (5-6 CE

hours)• In lieu of one of zone meetings• Underwriters reduce focus on their own but

Maintain marketing benefit• Cost savings to Underwriters

– Online – tapping into other peoples’ resources for the benefit of our members

– Webinars

Projects

• Agent’s Title Forum– Must be Managed by an Independent

Agent with 3-4 others regularly participating

– Don’t take live until there are half of dozen topics pre-loaded.

– Invite Ray Wenger & Peter Rice to participate

– Policy Decided up front on attacks, divisive issues, & admissions/allegations of violations

Projects

Improve Newsletter Content – Prettier Format– Pictures– More Authors– Regular column on Real Estate

Fraud from US Attorney – “Can I go to jail if…?

– Volunteer Editor

Projects

Enhance Political Effectiveness• Push PAC Support

• Explore Other Funding for PAC?

• Regular meetings of lobbyists to coordinate and divide workload

• Expand Interface with other Real Estate Industry Lobby

• Better coordination of legislative/regulatory positions among industry

• Develop a grass roots political model

Longer TermLonger TermMid-2012 and BeyondMid-2012 and Beyond

Projects

• Communication– Weekly Video Blog (2-3 minutes, not

fancy)– Drive Participation Level on

Blogs/Forums– Push Email Subscription to Blog– Blog pushed to Facebook and Linked In

• Increase bulletin frequency to members

Projects

• Downloadable and Customizable Brochures:– Quick Facts about Title Industry– What is Title Insurance?– Why do I need an Owners policy?– Explanation of Form 9 Coverages– Explanation of 2006 Policy – Ways to Take Title (joint w/ RPPTL?)– Marketing Brochures, Cards and Flyers– Short Sale Problems and Issues (joint w/ RPPTL?)– FIRPTA (joint w/ RPPTL?)

Projects

• Realtor CE – FLTA maintains and sponsors

Realtor CE which is available for member agencies to present to the local board, as lunch ‘n learn for a local office, etc.

– FLTA provides Powerpoint, handouts & scripts for education

Realtor CE Topics:

• The Role of the Title Agent

• Helping your Customers understand the Title Insurance Process

• Working effectively with Title Agents -- Making the Title Process go more smoothly

• What is going to happen at Closing – what Should

• Protecting your Customer from Title Defects -- Reviewing the Title Commitment for your Customer – what to watch for

• There are some things a Title Agent just won’t do -- RESPA, Unlawful inducement and the rules governing title agents.

• Real Estate and Mortgage Fraud – Why Your Title Agent Says No!

• What a Survey can tell You? When is it “safe” for your buyer to rely on an old survey?

Projects

• Support on Running & Promoting your Business– Discussion Forum (Should this be

separate from the Agent Forum? Or just separate topics in the agent forum?)

– Marketing and Advertising Resources• Brochures • Realtor Brochures• Realtor CE • Tips on FR/BAR• MLTA type video that members can link

into their site

Projects

• Forms for use by Agencies– Escrow, Employment & other forms

which Underwriters Don’t provide– Title Clearing forms (coded to

standard requirements) which may develop into something we can charge to license or allow only members to use similar to ALTA policy forms.

• Bait to drive membership???

Projects

• Non-Traditional Training for Agent members– Management

• How to run a business• How to motivate a Staff• Non-Conventional, but RESPA compliant

marketing• Proper Escrow management/Risk

management• E&O and other necessary insurance

coverages

Non-Traditional Training

– Staff Training• At the Table Closing• Understanding the Real Estate

Process – who does what, who should do what

• The other roles in the process – mortgage banker, mortgage broker, realtor, surveyor, appraiser.

Project

• New Board Member Training– Background on FLTA– Financial Info– Expectations as to

Marketing/Membership roles– How to Turn out a Crowd

Project

• Mentorship Program– We were All Mentored in this

Industry– Not Happening As Much Anymore– Mentoring is part of Being a

Profession

How are we Going to Make it All Happen?

• Several Years of Projects Here– Some will never happen

• Tom Sawyer Approach

Linda and Alan are nearing capacity.We can’t take on much more UNLESS we can get other people to volunteer to paint the fence.

Increasing member involvement is criticalAs is willingness to take on projects large & small.

Committees Needed

• Membership Drive – Responsible for designing and implementing a membership drive and related materials (subcommittee of Membership Committee)

• Turn-Out Committee(s) – responsible for calling all agents in a given area and hounding them to attend our events. Personal invite not just email. And periodic follow-up.

• Legislative Action Committee -- Responsible for PAC solicitations and setting up Grassroots political operations.

• Realtor Education – responsible for developing the educational programs and materials for Realtors (sub-committee of Allied Industries)

• Agent Marketing – To assist in Drafting Brochures and marketing materials for use by agents.

• Practice Forms – responsible for gathering and polishing escrow and other forms we might make available to agents.

Priorities

• Before Convention– Membership Drive– Gov’t Affairs Projects– Coordination of Political Donors– Driving Attendance at Convention– Step Up for Students Program

• Winter/Spring 2012– Live Education around State– Start Development of Agent Brochures– Develop Grassroots & PAC Committee

Program

Volunteers Needed

– To Manage and Add Content to Different Portions of the Website

• Gov’t Affairs Forum• Title Forum/Agents Forum• Search References• Becoming an Agent/Agency• Pictures• Our Partners

– Newsletter Editor– PR– Pictures at Convention