Hope to see all you Coloradans here… this is a great event, good bang for the buck!

The popular “unconference” returns to Denver this Thursday when industry professionals gather to exchange ideas, discuss real estate technology, social media, trends and gadgets that make our lives easier or more difficult depending upon your perspective!

The day will be filled with sessions including but not limited to:

• Website optimization – SEO Workshop
• How to pick relevant keywords and tags for your website/blog
• How to leverage social media to build your business
• Video usages for real estate associates
• Tech tools that provide value to us and our consumers
• Getting started, How to Market Yourself Online
• Automated Social marketing systems
• Wordpress as a low cost, easy to use blog system
• Plugins, Widgets and themes
• Smart Phones and real estate apps
• Cloud CMA
• Google Maps & apps

The schedule continues to evolve, if you would like to learn more about who’s coming, visit REBarCamp.com/denver

REBarCamp Ticket Includes:

• Full Day of Sessions
• Lunch
• Refreshments
• BONUS:  There will be a professional photographer on site to take personal photos.  If you are in need of a fresh new photo for your online bios, Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn stop by

Tickets are $20 (prior to June 10)  $30 (after June 10th)  $35 at the door.  Tickets to the event can be purchased online at: http://rebarcamp.com/denver/rsvp-2/

Winding down here from what, for me, was one of the great real estate conferences ever – RISMedia’s 2010 Real Estate Social Media Summit!

More impressions and notes on cool new products I saw, and vendors I met, but this post is dedicated to Allan Dalton and his Keynote Address on ’Leveraging Your Social Media Links!’

If you don’t know Allan, he’s a brilliant guy: one of the most on topic, articulate and also entertaining people I have ever had the opportunity to listen too and know.  When Allan speaks, people stop in their tracks! Today was no different as he brought forth a heavy dose of ’social networking reality’ for real estate agents everywhere. And he certainly deserved the standing ovation he received.

Here is Some of Allan’s Wisdom from, ‘Leveraging Your Social Media Links!’:

• Gets it rolling by quoting John Wooden, “Never mistake activity for achievement.” And by the way, we couldn’t agree more about focusing on converting activity!
• Content is the asset: social networking is a tool, but irrelevant without content.
• “Without content there is no trust, without trust there is no relationship, without relationship there is no transaction, without transaction thee is no fee, without fee there is no career and without career there is no security.”
• Social networking and content [social media] must be integrated.  Relevant content solves problems. You must solve problems for consumers or your networking is irrelevant. How many friends you have solves no problem. Fail to solve problems, you make no money. 
• Allan coins the word ‘contentsequences’.
• Apply the ‘long tail’ theory to your web presence and be relevant for lots of key words and phrases. Some depth here on, and an example of, how the ‘long tail’theory can apply for business including how a business may generate less search discovery per individual variation of it’s most sought after key phrase, but how the collective impact of those variations can be much greater.
• Real Estate Agents should think more like politicians. They should triangulate on local events and pressing issues. Some one opens a restaurant, be the one to announce it. You have a voice [blog] and an audience [see disintermediation], use them.
• Use social media as links back to your brand!
• If your goal is to make good change and to help people it will be reflected in your social networking.
• Focus on Creating Your Own Real Estate Social Network!

For the past several years we’ve had the distinct pleasure of a continued relationship with the STAR POWER Systems Real Estate Education program. This year the real estate conference will be in our neck of the woods (Denver!) and we’ll once again be exhibiting. With the ever talented Howard Brinton  at the helm of this group – the collaboration, learning, experiences and sheer fun couldn’t be any higher!  Real Estate agents learn from immersion sessions with Howard’s STARs - successful agents willing to share their stories, successes and challenges in the changing real estate landscape.

STAR POWER Systems has been at the forefront of real estate education for years – they are one of the longest running educational series developed specifically for REALTORS. Their time-proven idea sharing network continuously offers leading-edge systems and techniques from nearly 300 top working real estate agents from across the country, each of whom averages over 200 transactions per year. In the spirit of sharing, this affiliation of Stars selflessly extends a menu of success to other success-minded agents, from which they can choose those strategies and methods to immediately implement that best fit their market, style, and personality.

“Stars” typically average over $35 million in annual real estate sales volume and over 200 transactions per year. They always provide a variety of styles and niche practices that make them appealing to a wide audience. Competition to become a “Star” is tough, and eligibility requires having a willingness to share the factors that contributed to the Star’s success and a desire to help others grow in a similar way. Club members are free to use the ideas provided by the Stars and modify them for their own use to help improve their businesses. The Stars come from every imaginable background: dentistry, construction work, teaching, professional athletic, accounting, parenting and more.

In our experience this group is a wonderful and very knowledgeable bunch of people.  Even as a vendor we walk away each year having learned a great deal about the industry and the needs of our real estate clients.

We hope to see you there!

If you’re planning on attending the MLS of Long Island Tech Fair tomorrow 10/07/08 please do not hesitate to stop by and see us, ask any burning questions you may have or just say Hi.

We’ll also be serving on the ‘Blogging: Bringing Value To Your Business’ panel @ 1:30PM with esteemed moderator Dan Green of Bring the Blog, panelist Joe Ferarra Selsius Blog and Eastern CT’s own Linda Davis.

We’ll be attending RISMedia’s Real Estate Leadership Conference in New York City. If you’re in town and want to catch up please don’t hesitate to get in touch

Breaking news: The LA Times is axing it’s Real Estate section

Albeit its the LA Times, these events should not come as too big a surprise. In an environment where traditional news media revenue has been in a downward spiral, it has everything to do with what we’ve been touting as the enormous opportunity to become a local source of real estate trade media coverage. Decimated by free or discounted classified advertising, both large and small newspapers alike are finding it difficult to cover subjects locally.

Said Inman News, "Such major cuts at that paper and others have triggered questions about how the industry can properly inform readers about community news in the face of staff cuts, the article notes."

The barriers that once stood between your local real estate knowledge and those who want or need it have been broken! Business Blogs have reduced the cost of content creation and distribution to negligible lows, empowering the real estate business to step up and become the source of local real estate & community coverage!

As a real estate marketer, do not miss this advertorial blogging opportunity!

We’re just beginning to unwind from an incredible Star Power Conference in Orlando FL. Frankly, I’m so incredibly impressed by the energy that is pervasive throughout a Howard Brinton show. Drawing from the knowledge of top producing Realtors®, I believe Star Power truly delivers North America’s premiere real estate educational event  

For us, what comes from a show like this are great questions from many of the top producing Real Estate Stars themselves [many we're honored to say are our clients] and then also the attendees that aspire to learn from and to be Stars. So, I felt sharing some of the more common questions [with answers] we fielded pretty regularly at Star Power ‘08 might be useful to folks, as follows:

Que. "What is a blog?"

Ans. "A business blog is just a website; however, it’s a website that allows the layperson to publish easily and at will. A blog also offers its’ viewer the choice to subscribe via direct RSS or Email, which by the way, is a highly undervalued marketing proposition. Going direct is always the best way to remain high on a prospects radar screen."

Que. "Why do search engines like blogs more than websites?"

Ans. "They don’t necessarily. Search Engines need content, including the most timely information about every subject [i.e. New Albany OH Real Estate & Community News], to satisfy their searchers. Their business depends on loyal search activity. Logically speaking, a platform that makes it simple and cost- efficient to publish is more likely to be active… and more activity draws more interest from those same [needy] search engines. Even better, a platform that not only calls to, but that eases the consumption of topics [keywords & key phrases] for those same [needy] search engines is ideal."

Que. "What is better about your blog technology than the next company?"

Ans. "I believe there are companies that offer good technology out there. We use a modified version of WordPress, which I believe is the most universally used blogging software. It’s also incredibly user- friendly software that can be as optimized for search engine indexing as any we’ve ever seen. And we’ve worked with a few. We have some of the top people, including two of the original WP development team, managing our platform. Together we monitor and deploy core WordPress updates and then the most important features coming out of the open source community. It’s leading edge, but we’re careful to evaluate and then to tweak and improve. Remember, the web and search engines are always changing and we’re working to meet that challenge… so that you don’t ever have too. Never to underestimate good technology, you should be LESS concerned about blog technology than you should be about blog content. Google wants to level the playing field for technology so that they can gather more and more content. The folks that truly want a competitive advantage know to be focused MORE on their content. They know to be consistent, to be on- topic, to be educated about better blog writing techniques [backlinks, outbound links, deep internal links, anchor text, inviting subscription and much, much more] and the many things they can leverage through content."

Que. "What can a blog do for my business?"

Ans. "First off and most important, it will A) reduce your marketing and advertising costs dramatically if you leverage it correctly. A good business blog will generate 1) broad topic advertising in the organic search engine result pages, which in my humble view is modern day advertising. A good business blog will generate a 2) human online presence so that you can more readily appeal to those researching what you have to offer and sell. This, at least in my view, is modern public relations, brand reinforcement value add and the development of trust. And then finally, there is 3) direct subscription. Modern day direct marketing is a result of a blog’s built in ‘really simple syndication’ capability. As above, going direct is always the best way to remain high on a prospects radar screen!"

que. "Can a blog generate new sales?"

Ans. "Sure, if you use it correctly. The above tells why, but rather than taking my word for it, let this Santa Clarita CA Real Estate Blogger and this Phoenix AZ Real Estate Blogger answer that question in real terms."

que. "What does your service offer us versus free?"

Ans. "Beyond a leading edge technology solution for what is the most cost effective marketing you’ll ever leverage in your Real Estate business, we do so much more. We’re always working to improve the blogging platform and to add useful features, but we bring a human approach to service and an extensive commitment to educating you! Let me get on a soap box here because I’ve been around the start up arena for years and I’ve experienced [personally] what businesses are capable of doing to their clients. I believe value reflects the point of view/ the experience set of management. We’re not interested in running a business that shorts on service or the genuine addition of value. We’re a small company working hard to be successful. Hopefully this tagline says it all ”At Kinetic Knowledge LLC / Real Estate Blogsites^TM we believe in adding tremendous value. Clients come first – we can’t succeed unless you do!’, but if you’ve seen us at the trade shows you’ll know from our booth presentation [alone] that we do things within our means. With this service you get us, no fluff, no bull, no hype and no exaggeration! In my years around the technology start up arena I’ve learned a lot about how companies can compromise service and value add. That’s not us and its’ not ever going to be us. We intend to grow organically by helping business people to succeed, affordably. We truly believe that client loyalty and that gradual growth is the sustainable long term philosophy…. maybe a lot like what we see in Howard Brinton’s STAR POWER® Systems

  Interested in the leading source of education and training for REALTORS^® in North America?

Internationally-renowned real estate educator, trainer and motivator Howard Brinton and his STAR POWER® Stars are gathering in Orlando FL July 23- 26 for their annual conference. Says STAR POWER^® Founder and CEO Brinton, “A systematic, balanced approach is necessary in today’s real estate marketplace, and the Real Estate Success Summit attendees are better equipped to deliver difference-making benefits to their clients. Summit attendees learn advanced principles and techniques geared to overcome challenges that Realtors face daily due to the prevailing market conditions and client misconceptions. What they see and hear is guaranteed to stimulate ideas to help them build a more efficient and lucrative real estate business that is thoroughly focused on providing superior levels of service to new, existing, and repeat customers.”

Due to its’ unique format there is – arguably – no more powerful conference in all of the real estate industry. A one stop shop for all things education and training, Howard Brinton assembles the top producing Real Estate Stars in North America to share his or her vast knowledge with the up and comers of tomorrow.

While the show is all about real estate education, it remains unique in terms of how knowledge is shared directly between established top producing REALTORS^® and those who wish to be. Its a mix of content, networking, openness and value from the Stars who make themselves available for 4 straight days to share the techniques that have made them industry leaders. Brinton and the Stars have perfected time-saving systems, effective presentations, strong negotiation tactics, methods to increase conversion ratios and much much more. They freely share their gems with REALTORS^® determined to increase their own personal success.

Howard Brinton is a long-time speaker and educator who also excelled as an agent and broker for 17 years, closing 470 transactions his peak year. His company, STAR POWER^® Systems, is an industry leader dedicated to improving the business and personal lives of REALTORS^® since 1989. The STAR POWER^® Stars are progressive thinkers from across North America who individually average more than 200 real estate transactions and $35 million in sales annually. Most importantly, they have the willingness to share what works and the desire to help others succeed.

So, get down to Orlando later this month and improve your real estate knowledge and skill sets. We’ll be attending STAR POWER® Annual Conference Orlando 2008 as an exhibitor and sponsor so if you’d like to catch up with Kristen or I in person please stop by or get in touch to set up some specific time.  

If you’re attending the 2008 Colorado Realtor Rally please don’t hesitate to stop in and see us at booth #036

If you’ve thought about blogging, have wondered about how it can help your business or maybe you would just like to have a look see we’d love to meet you  

We’ll also be speaking on the ‘Blogging for Business’ panel at 2PM.

It was an honor to support the launch of Pro Real Estate City and our friend Scott Forcino. With PREC Scott supports the local Realtors ability to host their own relationship-marketing portal. There, they are completely empowered to support online communication with a private network of clients, friends, real estate industry professionals and local business owners.  

It was also great to see old friends and to spend quality time with new friends, including Real Estate Industry luminaries like Ralph Roberts and his trusted Lois Maljak.