By: Jeff Arakelian, RASM Chief Executive Officer

Happy New Year! The start of the new year has traditionally been a time for New Year’s resolutions or to try something new. Last year the Association celebrated its 100-year anniversary and opened our new Bradenton office. We are kicking off 2023 with the introduction of our all-digital ELEVATE magazine.

Many of you may not see this as a new feature, since you have already been seeing ELEVATE in digital format. The inevitability of change had finally caught up to the print copy of ELEVATE, and the related cost became unjustifiable. With this January 2023 issue, ELEVATE will be delivered 100% digitally to all of our 9,000+ members.

These days, it is rare to see anyone reading a magazine. During my most recent visit to the doctor’s waiting room, everyone was looking at their cell phone. Not one person was reading a hard-copy magazine. How many of you still read hard-copy magazines or the newspaper?

There are so many ways members get news, so your Association communicates with you through multiple channels and uses various media to convey our messages. Our most recent member survey identified email as the best method to communicate with you. RASM goes a step further by using multiple channels of communication, such as, video, social media, infographics, website, and member-segmented eNewsletters are all in our arsenal to get relevant information to you in a timely fashion.

Our regular magazine contributors help to provide fresh content every month featuring legal topics, Association updates, neighborhood spotlights, and membership updates; highlighting new members, new brokers, and office changes. You will continue to receive all of the great content featured in our magazine even as a digital issue. But, now it will gain even more exposure in the digital space.

We recognize change is difficult for some, but we cannot ignore it. Our Association has learned to embrace change and to look for opportunities within it. Our willingness to do things differently is what sets RASM apart from the pack. So, while some members will have to adjust to the digital magazine, it shouldn’t be too difficult since they have been receiving the digital issue along with the hard copy version.

Best wishes to all of our members for a healthy and prosperous 2023!