Can’t attend the whole convention? Try a one day pass!
June 25, 2008
Let’s get hypothetical for a minute. Assume, just for the sake of argument, that you can’t attend the entire VAR Convention & Expo. Of course this isn’t the case. You’d be downright silly to pass on the full convention registration, with everything included in the price of admission, it’s the best value. But hypothetically speaking, you’ve determined you just can’t make the whole thing. We have an option for you, and it’s not hypothetical.
You can purchase a one-day pass for VAR’s Convention & Expo 2008 for as low as $145. Here are summaries of what you can expect on the days for which a one-day pass is available:
Friday, September 26 (full schedule)
Unofficially, I’m calling Friday “Fun Day.” Here are some of the highlights:
- First timer coffee hour
- Trend/Countertrend keynote with Robyn Waters
- Virginia Real Estate BloggerCon 3.0
- Out of the Cockpit and Into the Cabin with Marc Davison
- A New Look At Buyer Agency: Putting the Client First with Lem Marshall
- Expo Hall Grand Opening Reception
- Late night afterparty with Rapport (unofficial event)
Saturday, September 27 (full schedule)
And I’m calling Saturday “WOM & Networking Day.” No, it’s not as catchy as Fun Day, I know. This fact notwithstanding, here are the Saturday highlights:
- Breakfast in the Expo Hall
- Word of Mouth Marketing keynote with Andy Sernovitz
- Social Media for the Technologically Challenged with Tony Arko & Danilo Bogdanovic
- Pump Up Your Referral Network: Speed Networking
- Death, Divorce and Bankruptcy: Are You Ready for Some Football? with Lem Marshall
- Inaugural Party, a harbor cruise to toast 2009 VAR President, John Powell (extra fee if buying a one-day pass, included with full convention registration)
- Spontaneous, unscripted post-Inaugural Party merrymaking and hijinx (unofficial event)
Sunday, September 28 (full schedule)
I call Sunday “Short Day.” Not because you can wear shorts (well, who’s gonna stop you, really), but because it’s only half a day. Here’s what you get for your one half-day registration (as low as $45).
- REALTOR® of the Year presentation
- Get Back in the Box: Innovation from the Inside Out with Douglas Rushkoff
So of course, hypothetically speaking, if you can’t attend all of VAR’s Convention & Expo 2008, clearly you have options. And some very good ones, at that.
50 New Tools and Technologies For Real Estate
June 17, 2008
Faster, cheaper, better — or all three at once. Don’t you wish you could spend less time doing routine office tasks?
Attend 50 New Tools and Technologies For Real Estate with Marc Davison at 3:45 p.m. on Friday, September 26 to learn about 50 nifty new technologies that are either free or super cheap but most importantly, a sure-fire way to evolve your business and cut huge costs. There’s no way you’ve heard of all 50 technologies in this rapid-fire presentation, so you’re bound to leave with at least one new trick to help you get things done faster, cheaper or better. Bottom line? You simply can’t go wrong in this session.
Learn from the man who wrote the book on Word of Mouth Marketing
May 21, 2008
No, seriously, he actually wrote a book called Word of Mouth Marketing.
Andy Sernovitz is another VAR Convention & Expo speaker that I’ve had the privilege of seeing live and in person. Like his book, Andy’s speech is chock full of practical tips and techniques that will help you turn your customers into a volunteer sales force.
I’m very excited to see him speak again. He’s the former CEO of the Word of Mouth Marketing Association, a prolific blogger, and — yes — he’s on Twitter. Andy’s matter-of-fact, down-to-earth speaking style will give everyone at the VAR Convention & Expo actionable ideas that they can start using immediately. You’ll walk out of Andy’s presentations and make a real difference in your business the very same day. Andy is all about word of mouth — and we guarantee that VAR members will be talking about this amazing session.
From Andy’s website, here are three free things you can read and use ahead of his Saturday morning keynote address at VAR’s Convention & Expo 2008. You might even want to subscribe to his newsletter.
Reel in referral contacts in no time flat with Speed Networking
May 7, 2008
Pump up Your Referral Network: Speed Networking: Saturday, September 27 at 4 p.m.
Here’s a news flash: REALTORS® aren’t exactly known for being introverts. Still, some of us on the VAR staff notice that attendees tend to flock together with other REALTORS® from their local associations, making it difficult for even the most gregarious agent or broker to actually meet new professionals from other parts of the state. And then there are the rare introverted agents who would benefit from a little bit of structured networking time. We have the solution and it’s called speed networking.
During this facilitated networking activity, we predict you’ll meet more people in the space of an hour than you would ordinarily meet all day long at a convention. Bring a thick stack of business cards and prepare to schmooze until you lose your breath. Having facilitated many speed learning events for other groups, I can assure you that one of the byproducts is becoming hoarse and tired from the constant talking. Not for the faint of breath.
You bring your elevator pitch, some interesting conversation, and business cards. Speed networking will do the rest.
Let go of the joystick: Marc Davison implores real estate brokers to spend more time with clients and agents
May 7, 2008
Out of the Cockpit and into the Cabin: Friday, September 26 at 1:30 p.m.
Tray tables up! Seat backs in the upright and locked position! At a recent convention, I had the good fortune of attending this very session by Marc Davison, altered slightly for a slightly different audience. I had the doubly good fortune of sharing a noon-hour breakfast with Davison after his presentation. Having read his blog for several months, I enjoyed soaking up his knowledge and getting to know the man behind blog.
I’ve described Marc Davison as the Malcolm Gladwell of real estate marketing. And it’s not just the hair: Davison and Gladwell share a profound understanding of how culture and society are changing, and how business is trying to keep up. As a consultant for Inman News, an entrepreneur, and a former professional musician, Davison has extensive experience in marketing, innovation, product development and branding. He is certain to challenge your thinking about client service, professional image, and innovating the real estate business.
In this session, Davison will encourage brokers to build their bottom line by spending more time and energy focusing on the front line of their business. Brokers who are removed from those who are up to their elbows in the real estate transaction will be increasingly out of touch as the market evolves, but being close to agents and their clients will open eyes to the changing realities in real estate, he says. Davison will equip brokers with strategies they can use immediately to turn the tide of their own obsolescence.
Having seen it with my own eyes, I can personally recommend this session.
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