Thoughts on Leadership: Why Sales Convention Matters

This week my travels took me to Northern California to meet with Gretchen Pearson, president of Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices Drysdale Properties and her team—what a great group of real estate agents and managers! I also participated in meetings and conference calls as my team gears up for our big event in Arizona.

It’s hard to believe it but we’re just one month away from the Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices 2017 Sales Convention in Phoenix and if you haven’t yet registered, let me give you five reasons why you should absolutely attend:

1. You’ll leave with one new idea that will be good for at least one new transaction. Sign up and get your CIPS designation to learn how to work with international clients, attend our university sessions to discover new ways to market yourself and your properties, take notes at General Session as keynote speakers National Baseball Hall of Famer Johnny Bench and renowned economist Shawn DuBravac share their insights; no matter what you do, you’ll be learning, growing, changing and figuring out how to win that next client in a way you wouldn’t have thought of before. (Also, in many cases you can write off Sales Convention as a business deduction, so it practically pays for itself, though I’d recommend speaking to your tax professional for more details.)
2. You’ll meet at least one person who will share a positive habit you can incorporate into your routine. Whether it’s taking daily vitamins, reviewing your goals right when you wake up, discovering a new prospecting technique, learning about a unique way this person serves buyers and sellers that you too can also implement, someone you run into and talk with at Sales Convention will share a gem of wisdom that will help you improve your own day … and your business.
3. You’ll make a special connection that will turn into a referral down the road. The best feedback I receive about our events is when an agent comes up to me and says, “I met someone at Sales Convention last year from Chicago and a few months later one of my clients was relocating to the Chicago area; this agent was the perfect fit and I couldn’t have been happier to refer her with confidence, knowing I was putting one of my trusted clients in the hands of someone who I had built a personal relationship with!” The ROI of Sales Convention is immediate but it’s also long-term; you’re building a referral network that’s strong and widespread.
4. It’s an opportunity to let people know you’re dedicated to improvement and growth. Share your Sales Convention story on Snapchat—we’ve got custom filters for that—go live on Facebook during an intriguing session, use our hashtag, #ReadySetGo2017 to digitally connect with attendees and post about our event, download our mobile app to share feedback, search our agenda and message attendees. The best connections happen in person but our industry is a mobile, digital one, so start these connections right from the phone in your hand.
5. You’ll have a chance to recharge and have some fun. Stepping away from your office for a few days will be a healthy change of pace. I always stress the importance of balance and Sales Convention provides just that: the perfect mix of learning with leisure. Enjoy The Starting Block Theme Party Monday night and on Tuesday night, rock with GRAMMY award-winning band, Train, to benefit The Sunshine Kids. Fun is an underrated ingredient to success and downtime helps us maintain our focus when we do get back to work.

Now here are some excuses to avoid:

1. You’re too busy. No one is too busy to learn, grow and connect.
2. There are no hotels. Actually there are. Go to visitphoenix.com, click on “Hotels & Resorts” and search through all available options in the city.
3. You can’t afford it. Trust me, you can’t NOT afford it.
4. I went there last year, why do I have to go again? That’s like saying I went to work yesterday, why do I have to work today?
5. I won’t know anyone. Meeting new friends and contacts is the very definition of what a networking event is all about. Plus, the more you go, the more people you’ll know.

So, what’s the message? It’s appropriate we should hold our event in Phoenix—the home of baseball spring training—because Sales Convention really is the spring training for your year in real estate. It’s where you’ll get inspired by new ideas to spark new business, learn about positive habits to impact your daily routine, make and solidify relationships to garner referrals, and do it all while having fun.

 

Hope to see you there!

 

P.S. If you’re planning to attend but haven’t registered, learn more about onsite registration here.