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How do you plan on earning trust?

By hearitdirect on May 10, 2012 in Uncategorized with No Comments

Here is a repost of J Michael Manley’s thoughts on Hear it Direct – Join us for HID Dallas on May 21 !

I recently attended a real estate conference in Charleston, SC. This wasn’t your typical real estate conference. Hear It Direct brought in consumers to tell us what they thought about our industry and the processes of buying and selling homes from the other side of the table. Listening to the panels it started to become clear that the younger people on the panel really had a mindset that is drastically different from what we have seen in past years. These 20 and early 30 something’s really have a distrust of all PEOPLE’S knowledge when it was spoken. This really got me thinking why this could be? I would like to throw out an hypothesis. When our parents and grandparents needed and answer to a question they asked people. This generation has never had to ask for the answer to a question. Why? Because when they need an answer and they can Google it! I also believe there is another layer of this that has added to the distrust of information for people. They have seen the selfishness and trouble caused by previous generations and they want to stop this track we have been on! They have been told that previous generations have killed the planet, killed the economy (thus the Occupy Wall Street movement), kill Social Security, killed politics in Washington, I am reminded of a recent article from the Washington Post editorial linked here. goo.gl/LkOnj So when a generation has a distrust of spoken human knowledge as they do, how do we build trust and gain their respect other than organically being on Google’s first page?

So when a generation has a distrust of spoken human knowledge as they do, how do we build trust and gain their respect other than organically being on Google’s first page?

I believe there are a few ways that this can be done not just in the Real Estate industry but in other industries as well.

1) Transparent Marketing- This will be come a “buzz” word for us who market widgets and services in the future. Let me give you my definition for transparent marketing, being able to verify what you say about your widget or service with others information. I believe this has to be done not with just small print sourcing information. This is something that needs to be cross referenced to other websites that are recognizable to the general public. At the Hear It Direct conference consumers talked of how everything they found was cross referenced with other sites.
So how would this look in a real world environment? Lets take Real Estate, on your website, when people view a home we could link to Google maps street view so they can see the neighborhood, there would also be a link to Zillow so people could check the Zestimate, another link for Trulia so they can see the birds eye view. By giving people other sources you are validating your transparency for each property.
The key here is the sites used for cross referencing have to be site recognizable to the general public or they are going to want to check deeper.

2) Higher Calling Marketing- this sounds funny but let’s take a serious look at it. This generation wants to help, they are a generation of recyclers, ribbon wearers, and 5kers for a cause. They sincerely want to show they are doing something help others thus proving to themselves they are not a selfish generation. I look to 2 national brands that have tapped this marketing style very well! Toms shoes, and Subaru, how else could you sell the ugliest shoes and station wagons to a modern generation?
Let’s take a real world view of this style of business. Let say that for every home you sale you will donated $150 to a local charity this in turns starts a great word of mouth marketing campaign that just continues to grow without you. Lets take this a step farther and say you have pre-chosen 4-5 local charities for them to pick where the money goes and the charities range from humane society, children’s charity, local Audubon society, and a local Literacy Council.

3)Video Marketing- All of the people on the panels at Hear It Direct said they watched the videos if they were offered. Why? Because they felt it was harder to hide problems with a home or neighborhood in a full motion video. They mentioned this isn’t just pictures set to music that they had already seen in the listing. They hated that across the board! Have you ever gone to Timbuc2 to view backpacks they have a great video of each product being offered and how it works, how it fits, this is the style of videos consumers are looking for, short, and transparent about widget or service.

4) Testimonials- These really go to hand in hand with transparent marketing. People want to hear what others are saying about you, so viewing other sources for validating you. I do believe these should be done in video. I see so many times where there is a quote and I think to myself did those people really say that? I also believe there is a fine line you will walk here with quality of the video. Bad quality video is hard to trust and great quality video seems over produced and hard trust also.

5) Referrals- For all of the great technology we have at our finger tips no one on any of the panels found their agent via technology. They got their agent thru a referral! This low tech marketing still rules in today’s modern industries. You are going to have to do all of the items above to be able to earn the referral in the future. If you are not staying in touch with your sphere and past clients you are missing out and going to continue to miss out in the future.

The Google generation is seeking trust. How do you plan on earning it?

Do Consumers Care about Designation? Buyers Panel Aha Moments

By hearitdirect on May 7, 2012 in Ah-Has, Events, Videos with No Comments

Join industry leaders on May 21 and hear what buyers and sellers really think – Register for Hear it Direct – Dallas – seats are limited so make sure you reserve yours today!

Do your potential clients know what CRS, ABR, and ePro mean? Do they care? Jeff Turner asks this buyers panel at Hear it Direct – Charleston some important questions:

Hear it Direct – Aha Moments from Sellers

By hearitdirect on April 25, 2012 in Ah-Has, Uncategorized, Videos with No Comments

“I was more interested in my agent creating a brand for me NOT what their brand was.”

Monday, May 21st at the Dallas/Plano Marriott at Legacy Town Center. Register today for your full day of Aha moments!

Hear it Direct – Aha moments from Buyers

By hearitdirect on April 25, 2012 in Ah-Has, Videos with No Comments

“I would like the Realtor to actually listen to what we want and provide that, versus just saying ’Hey – this is in your price range.’ “

Thanks, Everybody

By hearitdirect on December 8, 2011 in Ah-Has, Events with No Comments

We want to thank everybody who made the HearItDirect Charleston event… um, eventful.

There were a lot of A-Ha’s throughout the day, and the level of energy in the interaction between the consumer panelists and the realtor audience was amazing. There was a line at the mic at every panel when we ran out of time. The video clips of the consumers actually using technology at home and in their cars were great, but being able to ask those consumers questions about what they saw was pretty cool. The whole day made everybody look at things differently. We were looking at things through the consumers’ eyes, which made us question what we spend our time and money on, how we think, and how we do things compared to what they think is important. There’s a real gap. And as the heated discussions in the Agent Wrapup session and later in the evening over drinks showed, there’s clearly a need in the industry to have more of these conversations directly with consumers.

So many great people were involved in making HearItDirect Charleston a success. Diane Szoke and Kristin Walker, our lieutenants on the ground in the Holy City, were untiring and passionate from the very start of this project. They really went above and beyond the call to bring this event to life. Our moderators, Jeff Turner, Matt Dollinger, and Liz Landry did an incredible job of drawing out insights from consumers and keeping the audience entertained at times. The people who bravely got on stage after all the consumers told us all kinds of things — Seth Siegler, Michael Scarfile, Chip Collins, Seychelle Van Poole, and our very own Kristin Walker — deserve a ton of credit for sharing their insights.

Tim McManus and the crew from Production Design Associates displayed both professional competence and utter calm, even when the unexpected happened. And Todd St. Onge of TheaterTech did a masterful job with both lighting and sound; we hope the video showcases how great everything looked.

Without our sponsors — Boomtown, FloorPlan Online, Bob Corcoran Coaching & Consulting, KeenEye Marketing, and the Charleston Trident Association of REALTORS — we never would have been able to put the event on. And while many, many, many people were live-tweeting the event, we want to single out Lisa Archer and Laurie Davis for working their fingers numb getting the word out to the Interwebz from the American Theater.

And of course, without the attendees (one from as far away as Pennsylvania) with their questions and their passion to understand what the consumers think, and without the panelists who were so generous with their time and their thoughts, none of this would have been possible.

Thank you all so very much.

Now, as successful as HearItDirect Charleston was, and as great as it was, it wasn’t perfect. We’re so happy to have put this one behind us, but I know that we’ll start on Monday with all the hundreds, thousands of things we could have done better, and things we will improve for our next one. Keep checking back, or subscribe to the mailing list, to keep in touch.

-Rob and Sue

Hear It Direct Ah-Ha #1 – Are you wasting your money?

By hearitdirect on December 4, 2011 in Ah-Has, Videos with No Comments

In filming some footage for our upcoming Technology Panels on 12/7 as part of the premier Hear It Direct event in Charleston, SC, we caught this priceless moment we thought we’d share with you. This insight is exactly the type we know you’ll get more of at the event, so don’t miss out. You’ll get a leg up on your competition and learn how to spend your marketing dollars effectively. Buy your tickets now as there are limited seats left.

Thanks to our newest Sponsor – Keen Eye Marketing

By hearitdirect on November 23, 2011 in Sponsors with No Comments

We’d like to welcome our newest Sponsor to the team – Keen Eye Marketing. Keen Eye produces incredible HD real estate videos for your listings – whether residential, commercial or vacation rental. You’ll have a chance to view them during our Hear It Direct event breaks!

In the meantime, check out one of their videos below. Not only is this a sample of their work, but also it is a peek into one of Charleston’s finest waterfront homes.

Meet the Moderators & Hosts!

By hearitdirect on November 17, 2011 in Events with No Comments

For our Premier event in Charleston, SC we have an incredible set of panel moderators from all over the country joining our event hosts, Sue Adler and Rob Hahn. To learn more about each one of them, see below.

Matthew Dollinger

Buyer Panel

Matt Dollinger is the V.P. of Strategic Development with @properties, the marketshare leading residential real estate company in Chicago, IL, and an active member of Leading Real Estate Companies of the World. Prior to getting into real estate Matt worked for a consulting firm that developed strategic marketing solutions for the top 1% of financial planners in the United States including Mass Mutual, New York Life, and Northwestern Mutual.

He is an environmental engineer by trade and feels that the process oriented methods of engineering have enabled him to bridge the gap between technology and business. Social Networking, Business Planning and Branding are all at the heart of his curriculum for both agents and brokers alike.He is a regular contributor to a number of online blogs and publications, has spoken on both the local and national level on subjects such as social media, customer relations, and company humanization. His blog, The You Factor, is his outlet for ideas, opinions, and insight on the real estate industry. Most recently he has worked as a collaborative project manager on the development of the @properties company website, has finalized the @properties agent training curriculum.

Jeff Turner

Seller Panel

No Nonsense.

That is what Jeff Turner is all about. Jeff is able to cut through the hype to get to the heart of which things will be profitable endeavors for your business. Whether it’s online communications and social media, emerging technology, or good, old-fashioned, face-to-face meetings, he knows what works and what is simply a waste of your time and energy.

Impassioned Communicator.

A free-thinker with degrees in psychology from Grace College (Bachelor of Science: Psychology) and Ball State University (Master of Science: School Psychology), Jeff applies the beauty and science of creative communications not just to his own organizations, but to those of his clients. Through these practices, he’s helped his companies and clients achieve measurable, practical, real-life success … time and time again.

Entrepreneur, World-Class.

As founder and CEO, he led his company, J.J. Grace to Inc. Magazine’s list of the 500 Fastest-Growing Companies in America and was at its helm when it won Cisco’s “Growing With Technology” award. He is the President of Zeek Interactive, a firm widely-recognized as being an ingenious, creative hub of Internet development.

Liz Landry

Technology Panel

Liz Landry – Self described as – “Real Estate Innovator. Normalcy challenger. Limit Pusher. Technology and Social Media Junkie. Sock enthusiast. Coach, Realtor, Trainer. Sarcasm filled realist. Humor of a 20 something. Teacher to some, student to many.”

Liz started real estate in 2006 in Jacksonville, FL as the market had already slipped. Being new in town and new to real estate Liz built an internet based hyper local business. Within 2 years she had become one of the top agents in her market segment and built a strong team presence. In 2010 Liz turned her focus to helping other agents do what she had done by becoming a national instructor, speaker and business coach with a focus on internet technology and real estate.

Seychelle Van Poole

Agent Wrap-Up Panel Participant

Seychelle Van Poole and her mom, Barbara Van Poole built their real estate team from 16 transactions per year, to over 100 transactions last year and is on track to close 120 homes this year. She has a team of 8 in Dallas/Fort Worth and over 85% of her business comes from referrals and social media. Seychelle was named Top 30 Under 30 for Realtor Magazine’s 2011 edition, was recently featured on HGTV’s My First Sale and teaches Realtors marketing secrets and social media across the nation.

Sue Adler

Agent Wrap-Up Panel Moderator and Host

As an “Outlier” who grew up in the Real Estate business, Sue has proven that it’s possible to start over in any market and succeed. She was formerly the #2 Re/Max agent in PA before moving up to Short Hills NJ and starting over in 2004. Sue quickly turned what was once “Sue Who? and “Keller Who?” into household names in the NJ Midtown Direct real estate community.

* #1 Keller Williams Agent in NJ 2005-Present, Top 10 KW Teams Worldwide. * Annual Production for 2011 – on track for $75 Million , * #103 on Wall Street Journal Top Teams List Nationwide. * Nationally Recognized Website: www.SueAdler.com

International and Local Real Estate Conferences that Sue has been invited to speak at:

Inman Global Connect NYC 2010 & Inman Connect San Francisco 2011
Star Power Annual Conference Spotlight Presentations - 2010 Nashville, 2011 San Diego
Various Keller Williams International Family Reunion and Mega Camp Panels every year since 2007
Interviewed by Gary Keller for ”Agent Mountain” on “What the Best do that the Rest Don’t”, “Using Social Media Strategically for growing your business” and “Effective Buyer Management Systems”.
ORPI’, the Largest Real Estate Company in France’s Annual Convention 2011 – Paris

Robert Hahn

Our MC and host

Robert is the founder and managing partner of 7DS Associates, who brings a wide range of experiences, skills, and capabilities to the team. His practice focuses on corporate strategy, product management, and marketing with a heavy emphasis on interactive and social media marketing strategies for the residential and commercial real estate industries.

With over 18 years of experience with web-based businesses from the smallest startups to Fortune 500 companies, Robert brings a wealth of knowledge and experience to any engagement. Prior to founding 7DS Associates, Robert most recently served as the VP of Marketing & Product at Onboard Informatics, a data provider to the real estate industry. He spent four years at Realogy as the Sr. Director of Interactive Marketing for Coldwell Banker Commercial, where he created the award-winning website CBCWorldWide.com, the novel social-networking based site, Blueprint, and a number of other tools and online marketing initiatives for affiliates of CBC.

Robert is a frequent speaker at industry events, including Inman Connect, RETechSouth, and NAR Annual Convention. He also writes the influential industry blog, The Notorious R.O.B., where he engages in sundry acts of thought provocation. Robert is a graduate of Yale University and the NYU School of Law and is a retired member of the New York Bar.

Diane Szoke

Host

Diane Szoke is an accomplished business executive, Charleston real estate professional and entrepreneur with a passion for building businesses. As the former General Manager at Interbrand Wood, Diane has over 16 years of marketing and branding experience working on global brands such as Viagra, Prozac, Nissan Altima and Splenda to name a few. Fusing her love of marketing and real estate Diane began her real estate career at Keller Williams Realty, the 3rd largest real estate franchise operation in the US. In 2007, she founded Charleston Your Home (CYH) an award-winning Real Estate brokerage headquartered in Charleston, SC. CYH was singled out by industry experts for their exceptional Internet and Social Media marketing capabilities and was awarded the grand prize for “Best Website”. Focused on the intersection of the Internet, and relocation, Diane founded relocality®, a stealth-mode internet based service that will disrupt the relocation landscape.

Kristin Walker

Host

Kristin is a Realtor and blogger in Charleston, SC focusing on the Historic Charleston Peninusula working with Dunes Properties of Charleston. She’s also a Lowcountry aficionado, a bicycle advocate, somewhat of a techy-geek and a foodie, and most certainly, an outdoor lover. With over 13 years of experience in economic development, tech and bio-tech start-up company development, venture-capital financing, event management, marketing, telecommunications, and software, she earned a Masters in International Business from the University of South Carolina.

Thanks to our great Sponsors

By hearitdirect on November 16, 2011 in Sponsors with No Comments

We are so pleased to give acknowledgment to our current group of sponsors – all of whom immediately saw the potential of Hear It Direct, and who provide wonderful services for the real estate industry. As we all know, it takes a village to make an event successful and we are proud to have them on our team!

If you’d like to learn more about becoming a sponsor, please visit our sponsor page.

Charleston Trident Association of Realtors – Event Sponsor

The Charleston Trident Association of Realtors® has served as the “Voice of Real Estate” in the Lowcountry region of South Carolina for more than 100 years, issuing statistical analysis of market conditions, offering legislative support to its members and the industry at large and serving as the premier resource for all things real estate in the tri-county and outlying areas. The Charleston Trident Association of REALTORS® has approximately 4,200 members, and serves Berkeley, Dorchester and Charleston Counties, as well as other outlying areas and municipalities.

FloorPlanOnline – Buyer Panel Sponsor

FloorPlanOnline® created the Interactive FloorPlan Tour to fill the gap in the market created by traditional virtual tour services – namely, the inability to see the property layout before an actual site visit. Their products save the Buyer, the Seller, and the Real Estate Agent valuable time and provides them key information that has been requested for years. FloorPlanOnline® has been used for all types of residential and commercial real estate listings. Their products include basic floor plans to Interactive FloorPlan Tours complete with pictures, the Virtual WalkThru™ Video Tour, Social Media tools, Mobile Tour Formats and Marketing upgrades such as Sign Riders, Vanity URL’s and CD’s.

Corcoran Consulting and Coaching – Seller Panel Sponsor

Corcoran Consulting and Coaching is a real estate broker consulting and coaching company focused on growing your business. Corcoran Consulting and Coaching was founded by Bob Corcoran. Corcoran’s background comes from years of retail management and recruiting. Corcoran teaches the Real Estate Broker the art of Coaching their real estate agents, works with the top producing real estate agents and Brokers in North America, helps implement cost effective real estate operational and business systems, and works with their clients to reach their next level of productivity.

BoomTownROI – Technology Panel Sponsor

BoomTown is a fast growing web-based software company specializing in an end-to-end web marketing system for real estate professionals. The platform includes a customized real estate website integrated with local MLS data, personalized online advertising campaigns, a dedicated Client Success Manager, and a cutting edge leads management system with marketing automation, which give real estate agents the tools needed to turn clicks into closings. BoomTown’s software solution is being used by over 300 of the top-producing real estate brokerages and teams across the country and was recognized on the 2011 Inc. 500 Fastest Growing Companies List, ranking 174th nationwide.

Our Premier Event – 12/7 in Charleston, SC at the American Theater

By hearitdirect on November 14, 2011 in Events with No Comments

We are excited to host our premier event in Charleston, SC at the American Theater on Historic King St. Here’s a little trivia for you.

Did you know Charleston was recently ranked the #1 city in the United States and the #3 city in the World by Conde Nast Traveler?
Did you know that the American Theater was featured in the movie, The Notebook? With its stylish theater exterior built by architect Augustus Constantine and its gorgeous art deco interior, we thought it was the perfect place to Hear It Direct.

To purchase tickets, please go to our Charleston Event page.

Hear It Direct is a series of full-day Real Estate Consumer Conferences held in different local markets throughout the country. Created by nationally-recognized real estate experts, the event presents a unique opportunity for industry professionals to hear the unfiltered voice of the consumer, telling them in person what they think, what they want, what they value, and what is a waste of time. Through intimate panel discussions and technology use demonstrations, event attendees will benefit from real perspectives that will help them reinvent their businesses in the midst of the new Consumer-Driven Real Estate Model.