5 Ways the Missouri Association of REALTORS® Is Celebrating the Code of Ethics Centennial

How will your association acknowledge the 2013 Centennial of the REALTORS® Code of Ethics?

The Missouri Association of REALTORS® (MAR) decided to commemorate the Code’s 100-year anniversary as part of a Leadership Academy class project. Read about their plans to spark ideas for your own association.

1. Create a Centennial Graphic

MAR’s marketing and communications team designed a custom graphic—shown at right—to honor the Missouri association's celebration of the Code of Ethics centennial.

A national version of this graphic will be available soon for associations nationwide.

2. Order and Use Centennial Postage Stamps

Adding its new Code of Ethics image to a custom postage stamp enabled the MAR to promote the centennial on all its mailings.

You can create a stamp for your association at Web sites like Stamps.com and Zazzle.

3. Plan and Launch a Public Awareness Campaign

MAR plans to get the word out to consumers about the Code of Ethics Centennial using multiple channels:

• Periodic press releases, with a local human interest focus, aiming to generate stories in news publications across the state
• A grassroots messaging effort, including commitments by AEs and Board Presidents to act as local spokespersons, targeting newspapers, TV, radio, and social media
• Pre-written blog posts available to MAR members to post on their own blogs or send in communications to clients
• A consumer-focused one-page story to address why a client should care about the REALTORS’ Code of Ethics, to be included in mailings to clients and buyer/seller packets

4. Educate Members

With the goals of educating its members on the history and significance of the Code of Ethics, MAR plans to:

• Publish monthly articles about the Code in its e-newsletter and member Web site
• Write a one-page backgrounder about the Code to be handed out at GRI classes and MAR business meetings and sent to all DRs for use in company meetings
• Develop a resource kit specifically for DR’s with information and fun facts about the Code
• Distribute the resource kit to each AE for use with Board training

5. Wear T-shirts and Other “Flair”

T-shirts, lapel pins, and other custom products add to the MAR’s ability to “Brand the Anniversary.”

Promotional items like these can be distributed to or purchased by association members.

Here, the 2011 MAR Leadership Academy class shows off their T-shirts at their class project presentation in Osage Beach, Mo.: