Ask anyone who has ever attended an Inman Connect conference and they will tell you that you leave swimming in ideas and information. The speakers leave you envisioning the ultra-techie world we will live in 10 years from now and then you are left thinking – what do I do with all of this new information right now? It is overwhelming – and at the same time so very exciting.
But with every Connect there are themes that arise and stay with you. Here are three themes I brought home from ICNY.
Being Different is Good
- “For the first time we can treat different people differently.” – Seth Godin
- “The population of normal people is diminishing.” – Seth Godin
- Revolutions destroy the perfect and enable the possible. Real estate is going through a revolution. Now is your time to do something different.
- Be in alignment with the person you are projecting online.
- People do business with people they know and people they think they know. Use video and social media to “connect” with people and let them “get to know you.”
- “We aren’t trying to be perfect, we are just trying to be a little bit different than everyone else.” – Seth Godin
So what does this mean for you. In all of you marketing efforts – be you! Be the unique person you are and let your clients get to know you. Be true to who you are – both online and in person. If this speaks to you – watch Seth Godin’s presentation.
Get Ready – innovation and disruption have just begun
- “Real estate has not been touched by the Internet/technology as much as it is going to be. The process of buying a home is still very antiquated.” – Kara Swisher
- If you are frustrated with or turned-off by all the change in the last few years, you are in for a ride. Tech has a long way to go in real estate.
- Change is coming – both in terms of smart homes and the home-buying process.
- Pay attention to sensors – sensors in homes and smart homes are going to change real estate. We heard this time and time again.
- Virtual reality, on-demand services and artificial intelligence will play a role as well.
This was an overarching theme to the conference, but I would recommend listening to Kara Swisher on the topic for more.
Tech is not a threat - You still have a place at the center of the transaction
- Technology doesn’t have to be threatening – but you can’t ignore it.
- Find ways to use tech to solve problems and improve the quality of life for you and your clients.
- Be ready for change, embrace new technology and use it to bring you closer to your client – not create distance.
- Don’t try and do it all. Find tech tools that streamline your business and make it easier for you and your client.
- Continue to provide value – the kind-of value that only you can provide. Be the area/community expert.
- Technology can work for you around the clock – even when you are sleeping. Put the tools to work for you. Automate and excel.
For those of you wanting more of the nuts and bolts of just what these exciting new tech tools look like in 2016 and beyond – I will compile that list and share it soon.
These themes provide you with the big-picture of ICNY and give you an idea of what is on the horizon. Think about them and apply them to your business plan. If you want more, remember that as a Missouri REALTOR®, you can listen to all of the sessions from Inman Connect.