The personal connections of REALTORS® can have a great impact on their success, and so Deena Zimmerman of SVN/Chicago Commercial suggests “cross-industry” networking in the Illinois REALTOR® magazine story “Work Smart! Business hacks to help you kick-start 2017.”

Deana Zimmerman

“I focus on commercial real estate, so I attend as many residential events as I can for two reasons,” she says. “One, it’s a huge referral opportunity for me, but I also learn so much about the residential side of the industry, which is very valuable when working with businesses who want to know where their customers live and how much they spend on their homes. Two, I also meet so many great resources for my clients when they are ready to buy a home.”

Zimmerman is one of nine REALTORS® and industry experts who offer their ideas for starting their businesses on the right foot in 2017. Get all three of her ideas plus tips from eight other contributors.