Any REALTOR®, like any good businessperson, understands the importance of marketing. In my marketing course at the UW School of Business, I learned that it was most important to market during hard economic times, when there is more competition for the consumer's attention. This is true whether you are marketing a product, a service, an idea or an association. In this economy, our Association will have to compete hard with others to get attention for our issues and to protect the interests of our Members and the families that we serve. It may be a state-wide issue like potential new property taxes to plug a huge budget deficit, or a local issue like fighting an ill-considered shoreland zoning initiative that could have huge negative impacts on property values. We have to be prepared to market our ideas and values. In this fight, three of our biggest tools are our RPAC, our Direct Giver Program and REALTOR® and Government Day.

 The REALTORS® Political Action Committee (RPAC) is your collective voice in the political sphere. Largely funded by your voluntary RPAC dues ($35), RPAC helps fund the campaigns of candidates with a record, or a willingness to listen to us on our key issues and hopefully support us. We also use RPAC funds to help educate both the public and elected officials. For every dollar, thirty cents goes to the NAR, thirty cents goes to the WRA and forty cents stays with RASCW. Your contribution, whether on the local, state or national level, is governed by your elected directors. If $35 is a little steep right now, consider giving $10, or $20 to become a member of the team.

 For $100, you can become a Direct Giver. These are essentially political checking accounts. You can designate your contributions as you see fit. We might ask you to contribute to a candidate endorsed by the WRA or RASCW, but the decision is always yours. We will write the check and either send it to the candidate or to you to give it yourself. We provide the information to the candidate necessary for their financial disclosure forms. One great way for a RASCW Member to start a Direct Giver Account is to attend our fall Live/Silent Auction, get a great deal and designate your $100+ payment to open your account.

 Last but hardly least, attend REALTOR® and Government Day on April 8th. This is when we descend on the Capitol to meet our representatives and market our concerns. As a former elected official, I will tell you, nothing focuses a politician's mind like a roomful of constituents. Almost all associations have their Government Day. Can we afford to have their concern's represented and not ours? Yes, there is a small ($25) fee for REALTOR® and Government Day, but this gets you into the reception with some of the key Wisconsin decision-makers. It also insures that you will be in the meetings with the Democratic and Republican lawmakers that have such an impact on your practice, your family and your community.

 I think we are all tired of sports analogies ­ but ­ politics is a team sport. Are you on the team?

For questions about RPAC, Direct Giver and REALTOR® and Government Day, call Phil at 608.438.7993 or email to psalkin@wra.org