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Whether it's your first national convention or your fifteenth, you'll have a lot more fun and get more out of NAR's Conference & Expo, November 7-10, 2003 in San Francisco, if you know the newest, most exciting things there are to do.
While you can visit the NAR's Website to learn what's being offered at this year's conference, including the General Session addresses by journalists Steve and Cokie Roberts, there is so much going on that you may miss reading or hearing about some opportunities.
"The conference format and industry topics are relatively consistent," says Sue Gourley, managing director of NAR's Convention Group, "it's the insights and issues that are new every year as the industry grows and changes."
Gourley advises, "For Realtors who've been in the real estate business for many years, the Conference & Expo is the most effective and affordable way to get up to speed with new trends that will keep them ahead of their competition. With so many opportunities available for education, networking, motivation and fun at the conference, here are some tips and new programs to help attendees get the most from their experience:
Networking - not only will agents increase their referral base, but they'll have an opportunity to find out what Realtors are doing in other parts of the country, outside of their competitive marketplace, that can be applied in their own community. With 15,000+ Realtors in attendance from all over the country and plenty of opportunities to meet, the network of peers they develop at the Conference is one of the great benefits of attendance for seasoned practitioners.
Tips:
- Plan to attend the all new "REV UP" sessions that will kick off each day's activities ... where attendees can meet other attendees, get advice on what to do and what are "must sees" for the day, and rev up for an exciting day.
- Sit next to attendees you don't already know at sessions. You're both coming to the session because you want to learn more about a subject ... a great way to meet new colleagues and grow through shared ideas and insights.
- If you think that "international real estate" isn't something that you need to get involved in ... we suggest that you spend some time in the International Networking Center and talk to the U.S. and International real estate professionals about their experiences. Immigration is part of almost every community's growth potential, and the referrals and friendships you make with international real estate professionals will pay off in ways you may not imagine now.
Education - Even the most seasoned professional needs to keep on top of industry trends in order to stay on top of their competition. This year, wireless technology applications are rapidly coming into the market and transforming the industry. Imagine the day when you can take a digital picture of your client's home and beam it directly into the MLS; or when you simply lift your flat screen monitor off your desk and take your full office files and on line services with you -- anywhere. The REALTORS Expo will feature products and services from 450 companies ... including almost 100 new exhibiting companies this year! A few hours on the show floor will save attendees days of product research ... and they can compare product features and pricing more easily.
A special feature on the Expo floor is the Realcomm Innovation Showcase, sponsored by REBAC and ePRO. The Showcase provides a wonderful opportunity to talk with computer experts informally, one-on-one about your technology needs now and for the future. Plus, you can see and demo some of the latest tech innovations that are just hitting the market. The Innovation Showcase is designed for your education ... there are no product sales in this area!
Sessions! With nearly 200 sessions being offered, there's a full track to meet everyone's needs and interests. For seasoned agents, here are just a few examples of the sessions being offered:
- Friday's CRS Day session by Pat Zaby and his panel will share strategies for making and saving an additional $25,000 per year with aggressive business and tax planning techniques.
- On Saturday, Michael Russer will convene a panel of Virtual Assistants to help agents determine which job functions are best to outsource, and to identify potential pitfalls with the Agent/Virtual Assistant relationship and how to avoid them.
- On Sunday, a number of sessions address tapping niche markets in your community, including resort, second-home, new construction, international referrals and reaching new clients through homebuying seminars.
- And on Monday, plan for a motivating day with sessions like Darryl Davis and his panel of top agents on attitude and reviving the excitement in your business!
Motivation - Self-motivation is the key to success in the real estate business. Many of the industry's most noted trainers in professional and personal development are featured on the Conference program. Time and again, attendees tell us the great benefit of attendance is that they return highly motivated for success in the coming year. Attendees also gain a great sense of pride in their industry through attendance. When you feel good about yourself, your industry and have a solid list of new ideas to put into practice ... greater success is the result.
Fun - The Expo Grand Opening on Friday evening kicks off the festivities with a special San Francisco Wine Tasting Party, sponsored by Bank One, while attendees get their first glance at the exhibits. Saturday's General Session, sponsored by REBAC, is motivating and thought-provoking. You'll hear from NAR's 2003 President, Cathy Whatley, as well as insights on current events from our featured speakers -- political pundits, Steve and Cokie Roberts. Sunday night's Celebrity Concert, sponsored by Bank of America, stars Smokey Robinson and is free with full Conference registration.
And, there's the fun of winning. NAR will be giving away $1,000 cash prizes on the show floor throughout the four days. Then on Monday, NAR's Realtor VIP Partner, Chrysler, will be giving away a Chrysler PT Cruiser and a Pacifica to two lucky winners. (Attendees enter the drawing in the Chrysler booth. Need not be present to win.)
And don't forget the fun of San Francisco. This year, low airfares and NAR-negotiated hotel room rates make traveling to San Francisco more affordable than ever. NAR negotiates the lowest hotel room rates offered by the hotel during that time ... and if the organization finds a lower offering online or in publications, the rates are lowered to the lowest rate automatically. Five hotels have already lowered their rates as a result -- a great savings to members attending."
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