Agency Sales Connection
A message from Lori Rice Managing Director - Sales
The Power of Presence: Celebrating a Year of Showing Up
“Sometimes the bravest and most important thing you can do is just show up.”
-Brene Brown
What does “showing up” mean to you? I recently attended an event for a foundation that was created out of tragedy 10 years ago but has become a source of light for so many in the past decade. The host of the event gave a heartfelt speech on the importance of showing up. It really resonated with me because showing up is a simple choice each of us makes every day, yet it is one of the most impactful things that we can do for others, whether in our personal lives or our professional lives
We faced some uncertainties and challenges in 2024, yet your relentless commitment has led to many shared successes throughout the year. Your ability to adapt to changing market dynamics, leverage new technologies and processes and build strong customer relationships has been incredibly inspiring. You showed up for each other, helping colleagues learn and grow as well as providing encouragement and recognition. You showed up for our customers by listening, finding creative solutions, and embodying First American’s values and signature behaviors, strengthening our agency connections
As we approach the holiday season, I encourage each of you to continue embodying the spirit of showing up. This time of year can be particularly challenging for many, and the simple act of being present can make a profound difference. Whether it’s lending an ear to a colleague, offering a helping hand to a neighbor, expressing gratitude to our customers for choosing to work with First American, or spending quality time with loved ones, your presence has the power to uplift and support those around you
On behalf of our leadership team, I would like to express our sincere gratitude to each of you for the part you play in our incredible team. Your hard work, dedication and unwavering commitment have been the driving force behind our success. Now it’s time to rest up, recharge and get ready to crush our goals in 2025. Wishing you and your families a joyous holiday season!
�� 2025 Sales Planning
REMINDER
2025 is right around the corner! During the January 10th session of "Secrets of Agentlinx,” we will review the sales planning process. Start preparing by collaborating with your manager to identify agents for your 2025 Sales Plan Targets.
Congratulations and Thank You to our colleagues celebrating a FAnniversary this month!
Patricia Galvin Sales Administration Coordinator
Tom Gates VP, Division State/Area Manager
Katie McMurray Sales Representative
Sherri Rozek Senior Title Coordinator
Stephanie Runnels Sales Representative
Brian Sutter Sales Representative
Heather Szynaka Sales Representative
Veronica Whitley Agency Support Assistant
CommUnity: Discover, Engage, Connect
Building connections within First American and the Agency Division has always been important, but it isn’t always easy when you ’ re on the road, working from home, in an office with limited staff, or a combination of those. We are so excited to be launching CommUnity: Discover, Engage, Connect!
This optional program is a great way to grow your internal network as you get to know employees in other offices, cities, or states that you might not otherwise meet. Once a month beginning in January 2025, participants will be randomly paired with someone else across the division for a virtual 30-minute chat There is no set agenda for the calls; the goal is simply to allow you to get to know one another, share about your roles within First American, and/or learn about business practices in other states. We’ll even provide talking points you can use to help break the ice, if you ’ re not sure how to get the conversation started
If you ’ re interested in joining the program for 2025, please use this registration link and sign up prior to December 23, 2024 You will receive additional information once you complete your registration
State Expansion Opportunities
As a reminder, and to continue to grow market share, State Expansion Opportunities are provided in AgentLinx. The State Expansion Opportunities are set up with the Account Owner at the Firm level of the hierarchy. The Opportunity owner must evaluate the Opportunity and either open an OAM case for the expansion or close the Opportunity. If the Opportunity is closed, the Opportunity Owner must provide the reason.
If an OAM case for the expansion is necessary, please reach out to the ASO to assist you at agencysales@firstam.com.
QUICK TIP:
Access the My Open Agent opportunity list view, instead of the reports, to work the opportunities. Be sure to sort by Account Name to see all State Expansion opportunities for your agents. For further assistance, Sales Guidance for Success is included in the opportunity.
Here are some guidelines when evaluating an expansion:
Prior to submitting your expansion application, State Manager approval must be secured for all jurisdictions outside of the rep’s home state. These approvals can be provided to OAM as a file, email, or chatter post within the case.
Information needed to evaluate and approve the State Expansion Opportunity in AgentLinx:
State specific compliance requirements
Proposed volume and business mix in expansion state
Underwriting experience in expansion state
Services required in expansion state (ie, search services, typing services, etc.)
During the approval process, the expansion State Manager will determine the contract terms, cost center and which sales rep to assign to the account if the home state rep will not be assigned.
It is at the discretion of the expansion state manager to approve or deny expansion requests.
Access the following Sales Secrets of AgentLinx for training: Click Here
Please review and evaluate your existing State Expansion Opportunities prior to January 31, 2025, and monthly moving forward.
Viktoria Prokopovich Client Solutions Manager
Tori’s Tips
Microsoft Teams – Install on Mobile
Stay in the know on Division Sales Team announcements and connected with your team while on the road.
Open the Comp Portal app, which should already be loaded on your First American issued mobile device.
Type in ‘Teams’ in the search bar
Select Microsoft Teams
Click Install
You now have access to Microsoft Teams on your mobile device! Everything available in the palm of your hand –Activity, Chats, Teams, Calendar, and Calls.
Power BI – Install on Mobile
In the Comp Portal app:
Type in ‘Power BI’ in the search bar
Select Microsoft Power BI
Click Install
You now have access to Power BI reports & dashboards, including AgentNet Metrics and Agency External Scorecards.
Having the right people, in the right roles, focused on the right things, is how we will achieve our goals. This internal resource is here as your partner so you can focus on what you do best – Selling and Growing Market Share!
The ASO Team is currently supporting or being utilized as backup for all jurisdictions. This team specializes in providing support to help you navigate the OAM processes & procedures and case submissions, ensuring complete packages so there are minimal delays and timely approvals.
The support offered by the Agency Sales Operations Team continues to grow and evolve, with focus on complementing your growth strategy efforts, all with our common goal of being THE preferred underwriter of choice for our Agent partners.
Here is where to find the team: AgencySales@firstam.com
Your Agency Sales Operations Team
With a collective knowledge and experience of over 165 years with First American, nationally across the
Jackie Winter Director, Agency Sales Operations
Natasha Roberts Agency Sales Operations Manager
Christine Klaver Agency Sales Operations Manager
Cassandra Smith Sales Support Coordinator
Julia Schutze Senior Compliance Specialist
Viktoria Prokopovich Client Solutions Manager
Colleen Lindsey Sr Sales Support Coordinator
Melissa Holleman Sales Support Coordinator
Cindy Althouse Sales Support Coordinator
OfficeofAccountManagement(OAM)
Online Application QUICK TIP:
Did you know that required documents uploaded to the online application can be recategorized by the applicant and sales? Ensuring that documents are properly named will present an accurate list of outstanding documents on the application, as well as reduce OAM application processing time. It’s a simple click of the pencil icon next to the document name of the provided documents.
Access the Online Application page in the Agency Sales Playbook for more helpful tips and FAQs: Online Application
Reminder - Developed and enhanced for internal purposes only, this platform serves as your primary information source for products and services that support our sales teams, drive agent success, strengthen relationships, and grow First American market share.
Now available at Agency Sales Playbook (sharepoint.com)
For quick access:
Save it to your desktop - Agency Sales Playbook
Access from your mobile device – find our instructions here
Agency Technology Updates
AgentNet Branding
Is the new AgentNet branding perplexing? Check out the following platform and product guides in the Agency Sales Playbook:
Agency Product Matrix provides a quick snapshot of products and services to share with agents
AgentNet Platform Awareness cuts through the confusion to help understand the brands and names (internal use only)
AgentNet Environments provides easy access to all available websites to test, demo or help agents (internal use only)
Customer Satisfaction (CSAT) Survey
Our latest Customer Satisfaction (CSAT) Survey invitation was delivered to agents on December 10, 2024. Please encourage participation and feedback when speaking to customers. We improve when we hear our agents’ needs. Responses to the survey will be reviewed and necessary follow-up will be assigned in AgentLinx. Don’t forget: Dashboards are available to review customer feedback.
Pre-2021 Policy Jackets in AgentNet
Agency underwriting is beginning the process of decommissioning all pre-2021 policy jackets in AgentNet. Starting with the ALTA Homeowner’s Policy, all HO jackets which predate the 2021 version will be deactivated on December 31, 2024. Agents will receive notification and guidance on December 16th. Please be ready to support this initiative with our agents.
Education & Training
New Educational Content and Courses: Enhancing Agent Knowledge
We have been very busy creating a plethora of new educational content to keep you and your agents informed and updated. We hope that you are all taking a look at the Division Sales Team Channel, where we have been diligently adding our latest educational materials. Our goal is to ensure that you have access to the most current and valuable information in the industry.
Educational Resources and Updates
Title 101 Course Content
We are excited to announce that Title 101 course content emails are now available in Agent Print Pro. You can find these emails by clicking on the Agency Division catalog section. This comprehensive course covers fundamental real estate concepts, providing essential knowledge for agents.
Tenant & Community Opportunity to Purchase Legislation (TOPA & COPA)
We have also developed a new presentation on the Tenant & Community Opportunity to Purchase Legislation (TOPA & COPA). You can download a PDF version of the presentation directly from our platform here. If you are interested in presenting this topic in your state, please contact your content creator for assistance and to obtain a copy of the PowerPoint presentation.
Education Team Request Form - Form by Asana
Introducing the Agency Industry Learning Course Catalog
A new email template is ready for you to share with your agents, introducing the Agency Industry Learning Course Catalog. This catalog is now available on Agent Print Pro for AgentNet Knowledge (ANK) courses. It features an extensive selection of courses that cover essential real estate concepts, including the definition of real estate, the meaning of title, and the settlement process in real estate transactions. Depending on the agent's state, these ANK courses may be accredited, further enhancing their professional development.
Click here for more
NALA - Accredited Courses for Paralegals and Legal Assistants
We are pleased to offer accredited courses for the National Association of Legal Assistants (NALA) across every state NALA is the leading paralegal association and a voluntary membership organization. Even though NALA membership is not mandatory, we can still market these courses to attorney agents for their staff. Paralegals or legal assistants who do not participate in NALA can still benefit from these courses to further their education and enhance their industry knowledge. An email template for marketing these courses will soon be available on Agent Print Pro.
Stay Connected and Informed
We are committed to providing you with the best educational resources and support. To stay informed, please continue to check the Division Sales Team Channel for the latest updates and educational content. If you have any questions or need assistance, do not hesitate to reach out to our dedicated team.
Let's keep our agents learning and growing together! For more information or requests, please contact us at AgencyEducation@firstam.com. And remember you can view all new state(s) available courses by accessing the AgentNet Knowledge New Courses link in the Sales Playbook AgentNet Knowledge New Courses.
Happy Holidays to you and your Families!
Marketing Updates
Introducing Event in a Box
Planning and communicating your events just got easier with our new customizable templates, designed to meet your event needs on-demand. The Event in a Box toolkit was created to give you the tools you need to create fully customizable event materials to increase attendance with save-the-dates and social media posts, thank your attendees post-event with thank you cards and emails, and everything in between from signage to name tags. Use the kit to give your event a consistent and sophisticated look from start to finish – all at your fingertips. Check out the Resource Guide to see more.
Powered by our Agent Print Pro® Content Builder
The updated, intuitive content builder lets you tailor each of the templates to match your event. The builder offers font selections, free form text boxes, image options – or upload your own – along with real-time previews for digital downloads or print through our printing service integration. Click here to watch a demo.
What’s included?
• Save the Dates & Invitations
• Social Media Posts
• Signage & Tent Cards
• Pre-Event & Post-Event Emails
• Email Signature Badges
• Event Name Tags
• Thank You Cards & Emails
• Folders and Agendas
Ready to dive in? Find the Event in a Box toolkit on Agent Print Pro.
Missed an episode of the Agency Insider? + Marketing Updates
Missed an episode? You can find all of our episodes here. Have an idea for a future episode? We’d love your feedback!
Underwriting - The Magic of Yes
In a world brimming with choices and opportunities, the magic of a simple "yes" can be truly transformative. Whether it is in our personal lives or professional adventures, saying "yes" can open enchanted doors to new experiences, foster personal growth, and lead to unexpected successes. The strength of saying "yes" lies in its ability to push us beyond our comfort zones, encourage us to take delightful risks, and help us lead more fulfilling lives.
Saying "yes" can also strengthen our relationships and expand our social networks. Opportunities often arise in unexpected ways, and saying "yes" increases the likelihood of encountering them. By being open to new experiences, we position ourselves to take advantage of serendipitous moments that can lead to significant breakthroughs. Whether it is a chance meeting with a potential mentor, taking on an underwriting risk, or an invitation to join a groundbreaking project, saying "yes" can unlock doors to opportunities that can shape our futures in profound ways.
Creativity thrives in an environment of openness and exploration. By saying "yes" to new ideas and experiences, we stimulate our creative thinking and encourage innovative solutions. When we embrace the unknown, we allow ourselves to think outside the box and approach problems from different angles. This creativity can lead to breakthroughs in both our personal and professional lives, helping us to navigate challenges and achieve our goals with greater ingenuity.
As an underwriter, I love saying “yes”. There is nothing more gratifying than being presented with a difficult challenge and finding a way to get to “yes”. In fact, getting to “yes” is an integral part of the First American culture. We strongly encourage our underwriting team to be creative and look for those innovative solutions that might sound a bit scary at first, but ultimately work for everyone. It is a goal of our company and our underwriting team to always find a way to get to “yes”.
May your holidays be filled with “yes”!
Happy Holidays
– Randy Paslay
Learning Curve
There are so many great business books and podcasts available, but which ones resonate with you?
Recommendation
from: Joshua A. Luksberg SVP, North Atlantic Region
Reading may be fundamental, but it is not necessarily my jam. As a kid I did enjoy reading (Stephen King was my favorite), but I really slowed down in High School and College. In Law School I probably read more than at any other time in my life, but it was certainly not for entertainment or pleasure. Honestly, I think reading so much in law school, and then even while working as an underwriter made reading seem like a chore and it became very difficult for me to do. That being said, I have slowly but surely attempted to get back in the habit of reading and less doom scrolling!
My favorite book that I have read over the last few years was Relentless, From Good to Great To Unstoppable, written by Tim S. Grover. This book checked all the boxes for me. I really enjoyed how the book stated its clear purpose and intent, and then provided numerous relatable situations and interactions to show to get those results. Sports, and in particular basketball and fitness are also heavily involved in the book. This made the book very enjoyable and entertaining to me, and it was amazing to learn about the lengths that the greatest athletes in the world are willing to go to in order to become a champion in their sport. Although sports focused, I found the book to be relatable and inspirational to me in a business setting and provided me with many useful ideas and action items to implement into my life I don’t think I have quite become a Cleaner yet, but I am confident that I am a Closer!
I find myself really focusing on books that will help improve my skills as a leader and make me a stronger person. Relentless is a book that accomplished both those goals for me, which is why I would recommend this book to you!
