Is Social Media a Fad? Watch This Then Answer #rebcden

The way we communicate is changing. If you aren’t in step with society you will be left behind. Are you willing to risk it? A wise business person would not.

Come to REBarCamp this Thursday and get in the flow, don’t be left behind.

IRES Sponsors the REBC Denver Event

It wasn’t long after the date was announced for Real Estate Bar Camp Denver, when I received an email from Tammie Drake of IRES-LLC.  As an attendee from the first event, Tammie wanted to be sure to support this year’s efforts by sponsoring.  It did my heart good to have IRES this year as a sponsor.  I’m sure they have many opportunities to support their members.  Of course REBC is the perfect venue to start a conversation about some of the tools we never realize exist or don’t take the time to use.  I’m sure Tammie will help us learn more about IRES!

Let’s welcome from Tammie Drake…

Tell us a little bit about yourself, are you a Colorado native?

I am a Colorado native, raised in Broomfield now reside in Fort Collins.

Who do you work for and why do you enjoy your job?

I am employed with IRES LLC, a regional MLS, as the sales and marketing ambassador.  My primary territory consists of the entire Denver Front Range.  There are too many reasons why I am so professionally passionate about my job.  To summarize, I feel empowered as a former Realtor to have the opportunity to share such a powerful MLS resource tool to fellow Real Estate Professionals.  It’s easy to understand why IRES has been ranked the #1 MLS in the country twice.

What is your favorite tech tool for business?  Why is it your favorite?

Hard question, because it always changes.  My favorites currently:  iPhone, Youtube, Activerain, Linkedin but I always keep an eye on the new things.

What would you like to learn more about at REBC-Denver?

Everything that is new and exciting.

Do you play to present a topic?  If so what would you like to talk about?

I’m always happy to discuss any topic related to the IRES MLS system.  CloudCMA would be a fantastic subject.

Contact Tammie Drake

IRS, LLC – “Excceeding Your Expectations”

Colorado Property

IRES

800-596-4901

Steve Beam Plans to Attend REBarCamp with an Open Mind

Steve Beam is a worthy competitor in my market. Most people would find that intimidating, but Steve is a cool guy and a very good Dad.  I met him, because as a joke I used FourSquare to check into one of his listings.  Typically I don’t do this, but I knew Steve was on my “friend list” on FourSquare and he would be watching.

He didn’t disappointment.  In fact he messaged me telling me to sell his listing and he would take be out to lunch anywhere I wanted to go!  Well I sold that listing and Steve made good on his promise.  We’ve been friends ever since.

It’s with pleasure I introduce Steve Beam…

Tell us a little bit about yourself, what brought  you to Colorado?

My wife Jen and I moved to Colorado after 3 back, to back to back hurricanes in Wrightsville Beach, NC. We just couldn’t handle the continuous clean up plus we felt like our luck was running out since we never received any damage or flooding. We wanted to live in Jackson Hole, WY but flat out couldn’t afford it and the cold lasted too long up there. Beside I took here there for skiing one Valentine’s Day and when we got off the plane it was -42 and she said her nose hairs were frozen. That was the end of WY. We moved to Colorado as newlyweds, started a family and have never looked back. We love it and actually try to take advantage of all this great state has to offer.

Who do you work for and why do you enjoy your job?

I work for my family under the RE/MAX name.  The best part of this job really has two sides. I can work my ass off and make a lot of money plus I get a huge satisfaction from doing transactions. Watching people at the closing table get the home of their dreams is cool no matter how many times you have done it.  I also have the ability to drop off and pick up my kids every day of the week for school. I know my kids and they know who I am and honestly that is all that really matters to me. Freedom to do my job but also have a family life. It’s a pretty hard thing to do in this business for a lot of people.

What is your favorite tech tool for business?  Why is it your favorite?

iPhone tops them all. It does everything and then some. I’m so thrilled with the easy syncing with all the google apps. The iPhone just keeps my life and business in order and that is 50% of the battle in this business. (Systems & Order). What else can I say … it does everything.  I’m never bored in a Doctor’s office anymore either.

What would you like to learn more about at REBC-Denver?

What are the search engines looking for now has anything changed lately with SEO?  I want to learn about any new tech tools or tricks. Ways to spruce up your blog posts. What’s the best video and regular cameras to buy since I’m in the market. I would also like to revisit some of the basics like how to build the perfect post including TAGS, Titles, Body, Text and so on. My #1 issue is how to manage all this? How do people keep it all together and make it look so good and so easy. Do they not sleep? What’s the trick?

I try to walk in the door at REBarCamp with an open mind and listen as much in the hallway during break as I do in the discussion groups. Eavesdropping at BarCamp is supposed to be an OK thing to do.

Contact Steve at:

RE/MAX Alliance Parker  303-941-4663

@stevebeam

Real Estate Yak

Who should attend REBarCamp?

REBarCamps are a phenomenon that have been finding excited participants across the nation since 2008.  Typically the topics covered at REBarCamp relate to the web, blogging, digital technologies, video, cameras, social media, mobile devices, conversions and conversations.

The most common question people want to know, “Is REBarCamp for advanced users only?”  In a word the answer is “no!”  Of course that doesn’t mean the topics covered are exclusive to beginners!  The format of BarCamp is intended to bridge the gap so everyone can find common ground and learn a trick or two.

Traditional BarCamp agenda’s come together spontaneously on site.  A grid is placed on the wall and speakers are scheduled to present that day as time allows.  Each slot is 30-45 minutes where the speaker may introduce a topic and illustrate main points then open up the conversation to everyone in the session.   This is when information exchanges and the learning begins.

As the organizer, I am asking everyone I meet if they have a topic they would like presented.  It so, let’s hear it!

So far suggestions have been made for

• website optimization
• how to pick relevant keywords and tags
• How not just to use social media but more importantly to UTILIZE it to build business
• What are The Real Causes of Success in Real Estate
• Short Sale Strategies
• Photography Tricks and What camera should I buy?
• Help Understanding Video and it’s Usage
• Reputation Management
• Tech Tools that Will Provide Value Beyond Tomorrow

The list can go on an on.  If you have a subject you would like to learn more about, bring it up.  Also, if you are talented with a subject and want to share, show up and let’s hear your stuff!

So who should come to REBarCamp?  Anyone no matter their skill level who is passionate about sharing, learning and is forever sharpening their skills to be the best!

See you at Camp!

kk

Scott Sambucci of Altos Research Presents Denver Real Estate Stats!

Altos Research has been supporting REBarCamp from the very beginning.  I first had the pleasure of meeting Scott and Mike in the balcony of the first REBarCamp in San Francisco.   They were presenting their products to an amazed crowd.  “Yes, these graphs are in real time! You can place them on your website and watch them change.” OK, that may be as exciting as watching paint dry, but it is true, you plug ‘em in and forget about them. They are the coolest widgets in the industry!

Scott will show us how to use real estate statistics in an effective manner so we can demonstrate competency in our respective neighborhoods. It is with great pleasure I welcome Scott to the REBC Blog and next week to Denver!

Tell us about your company.  How long have you been working there?  What services does you company offer in the real estate industry?

Altos Research does real-time real estate market data.  We’ve been supporting real estate agents with our marketing solutions packages since 2005.  We provide a complete suite of products to help agents answer “How’s the market?” in all aspects of their business including:

• Personalized market reports updated every week
• AltosConnect to set up customized, automated drip marketing campaigns
• AltosCharts that provide live, real-time market data on websites and blogs

Are you involved in social media? How do you use social media to leverage your business?

Yes, yes, and yes!  We’re most active on Twitter – following clients, sending out local market data, publicizing real estate industry events (like Barcamp!!).  We also announce free webinars that we host and special deals for Twitter friends.

We’re starting to do more on Facebook, and just launched a Facebook app for any to use – it’s a real-estate market chart customized for your area – shows your Facebook friends that you’re in real estate without have to blare to everyone that you’re an agent.

How can your product/service benefit those in the real estate industry?

When someone asks an agent “How’s the market?” what they are REALLY saying is – “OK – you’ve got about 30 seconds to tell me why I should consider participating in today’s market and why should I work with you to do just that.”

Because we support agents in answering this $1,000,000 question for lead generation websites, with drip marketing to your contacts, with complete reports to support listing meetings and buyer consultations – we’re providing helping agents with transparency about the market to their clients.

Are you coming to REBC Denver and would you like to present a topic? Which topic?

Indeed!  We’ve been presenting our “Real Estate Marketing with Statistics” workshop across the country.  It’s a look at how to integrate market data and stats into your prospecting, client communication, and buyer/seller meetings.  Helping agents see the opportunities they have to showcase their local market expertise with just a few simple strategies using market data.

How can we contact you?

scott@altosresearch.com
@scottsambucci
@altosresearch.com
Scott on Active Rain
Articles by Scott Sambucci
(415) 931 7942 – office
(415) 596-0804 – cell

If You Are Looking to Get Ahead of the Curve…

Certain “ah ha” moments  make conferences worth the trip.  A couple weeks ago I had the pleasure of sitting in on a session lead by Devesh Khare while he spoke about mobile technology.  I was thinking I was in the wrong place, because after all I had my  iPhone tucked neatly away.  What could I learn about mobile technology?

Ha ha, the joke was on me. Devesh was not speaking about the device he was telling a story of the demographics of phone usage and how consumers are migrating to mobile search.  With that one statement he had 100% of my attention. 

It is with pleasure I introduce Devesh Khare to our readers, Devesh, can you tell us a little bit about your background?

I was born and raised in Vancouver where I became an electrical engineer, but about 8 years ago, I hung up my development gloves to focus on product marketing and ventured down to sunny Southern California.  It was a good move as I really enjoy working with businesses and helping them understand how they can leverage technologies in new ways.  Over my career, I’ve worked with technologies ranging from semiconductors to software.   In 2006, I started Aumnia with the goal to make it easy for any business to leverage mobile marketing using their existing web infrastructure.

After listening to your session at REBC in Phoenix, I was very impressed with what your company does with mobile technology. 

Can you give us a brief introduction to this technology and why it very important for us who are online?
Aumnia is an automated mobile internet platform that enables real estate professionals to extend their website services and branding to the mobile environment to drive lead generation and increase sales.  We optimize existing marketing materials, web content and services for mobile devices, providing a better, more relevant mobile experience to your clients.

Currently, over 88% of the US population has a mobile device and mobile devices outnumber PCs worldwide by a ratio of 4:1.  So, it’s an understatement when I say the mobile has become a key part of today’s lifestyle.  With smartphones like the Apple iPhone and BlackBerries, mobile users are using their phones to do much more than just make calls.  In fact, mobile internet usage has doubled from 2006-2008 and analysts expect that over half of all the devices browsing the internet will be mobile by 2012.

For real estate professionals, this means that having a website alone will not be sufficient for you to reach your online audience and that you must have a mobile marketing strategy, just like you have a web strategy today.

Are you using social media to leverage your business?  If so, tell us what is your favorite platform.

From a business perspective, we are just starting to use social media as a way to interact with our partners, customers, and end users.  We have learned a lot by attending past RE Barcamps and are getting a lot of insight on what we need to do.

From a personal standpoint, I’ve been using a variety of social media for a while to keep in touch with my family, friends, and colleagues globally.

Since you are a sponsor and will be attending REBC Denver, do you plan to volunteer to present a session?  If so, please tell us how we will benefit from coming.

I plan on facilitating a discussion that I like to call “mobile marketing – going from cool to driving results”.  The discussion is centered on the three tiers of mobile marketing (text messaging, mobile internet, and smartphone applications) and how to use each one effectively and avoiding pitfalls of all the mobile hype. 

How can you be contacted?

You can always visit our website & blog for general info.  To reach me directly, follow me on twitter www.twitter.com/mblz, email me at devesh@aumnia.com, or call my office at 949.242.3646.

Aumnia is one of our generous REBC Sponsors.  If this topic interests you, be sure to RSVP and attend REBarCamp Denver on May 22, 2009.

Change in Location!

The location for REBarCamp has been changed!  The new location is at 2105 Decatur Street, Denver, CO.

The DPPA Event Center offers our group more space and abundant parking (Bronco Stadium Parking).

Please make this change in your calendar for May 22, 2009.

Map of New Location and Driving Directions from DIA

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