The NALA’s North American Speaker Series (NASS) gives small and medium-sized business owners a unique platform to present their stories and industry expertise to a diverse, hyper-local audience through short, poignant audio segments. This is particularly advantageous due to the fact that within the next year, alternate content such as this is predicted to make up approximately 70% of consumer Internet traffic. Furthermore, audio elements give content a human and emotional touch, and can make your brand more recognizable and trustworthy.

Since its recent inception, the NALA’s NASS has garnered the expert opinions of small business owners, including two Realtors and an attorney. Topics range from how to stop a foreclosure sale and service-dog training for disabled veterans to the merits of using a drone to show houses.

Colorado RE/MAX Alliance Realtor Margaret Stapleton broke the ground with her NASS segment on drone technology, which is “revolutionizing the industry,” said Stapleton, a Certified Luxury Home Marketing Specialist, in her NASS segment. “It can effectively be used to show houses to potential buyers whose free time is limited, or for people relocating that do not have the time to travel far to see a house...I can honestly say that sellers in the luxury market want creative techniques that help buyers see the best features of a home quickly and easily, which is another reason why drones are becoming necessary in the real estate industry.”

Seattle bankruptcy attorney Richard Symmes followed suit by sharing three tips on how to stop a foreclosure sale in Washington State. “The first option, and the preferred option for many homeowners, is to stop the foreclosure by requesting Foreclosure Fairness Act mediation through the Washington State Department of Commerce,” said Symmes in his segment. “Filing either a chapter 7 or chapter 13 bankruptcy will also stop your foreclosure sale immediately, even if you wait until the day before the sale is going to take place.” Symmes goes on to illustrate the difference between filing a chapter 7 bankruptcy and a chapter 13 bankruptcy and a final option of filing a lawsuit. “However, this should always be your last resort as it can be very time consuming, expensive and stressful, and it is not something that can usually be used to stop a foreclosure sale immediately,” concluded Symmes.

The NASS’ most recent segment came from Dina James, a RE/MAX Traditions Realtor who discusses protecting our protectors through Guardian Service Dogs, which provides service-dog training to disabled vets. Dina always had a deep respect for the men and women who dedicate their lives to serve America, so looked for a way to give back to veterans. “I became involved with a special project called ‘Guardian Service Dogs.’ This program was developed by an Iraq war vet by the name of David Proctor who trains dogs for veterans with disabilities, including Post Traumatic Stress Disorder,” said Dina in her NASS segment. “Twenty-two of our vets are committing suicide every day, and I find this unacceptable. I made it my mission to help support Guardian Service Dogs because we can’t help everyone, but I can’t think of a better way to help one person at a time.”

Blog by Dale Myers. the NALA's Head Writer.