REBarcamp Houston Wrap Up Post

It's taken me a while to get caught up to the point where I could write this post. Let me preface it by apologizing in advance for anyone that I forget to acknowledge. There were so many awesome people and companies behind REBarcamp Houston, I'm bound to miss something. It's not intentional.

REBCH was a resounding success. The attendance was a little lighter than I had hoped but I will have more to say about that in another post that is designed to help the next cadre of brave souls that undertake an REBarcamp. The journey to Oct. 22 started last July when I pitched in a little bit to help Andy Kaufmann, Brad Coy, Todd Carpenter and others kick off the very first RE focused BarCamp in San Francisco. We had no idea what to expect. It turned out to be the talk of the Inman Connect event that took place immediately afterward. The folks at Inman were a part of making it a success and understand that the dynamic of this type of event actually dovetails with their conference, so much so that they were one of the first sponsors of REBCH. If there's one thing I've learned in business, it's to press your bet when things are going well and remember you're only as good as your last effort. That's why I jumped in with both feet and volunteered to get the ball rolling almost immediately for the next event. For those unfamiliar with the concept of a BarCamp, I encourage you to read up on it at Barcamp.org. It's like a group of friends pitching in to pay a big bar tab. Sponsors are set at a strict limit amount that is no more or no less for each one. This keeps within the BarCamp spirit of sharing. The agenda and sessions are designed and owned by the attendees, not the sposnors or planners. When I asked for sponsors Not only all said yes... other sponsors came directly to me and said they wanted to help. What can I say about them, this event was a success because we collected almost to the penny what was needed to make it happen right. To be honest, a few didn't come through with the $ and some were in-kind donations, but it doesn't matter, they all we're part of the process in some shape or fashion. I don't want to give more exposure to one sponsor than another, but it should be said that a certain guy from Hawaii named Jeff Manson put in for multiple sponsorships because he could and wanted to see REBCH become a success.

Next I would like to thank the people that stepped up in a big way to help make sure the nuts and bolts fit together, starting with my lovely wife Laurie. She did so much more than any of you will ever know to help make things run smoothly. I said it once before in a tweet and it bears repeating. After 25 years of marriage she still has my back, what an awesome human being. Next up is Stephanie Edwards Mussa. She called me every day asking what she could be doing. Without her tireless efforts it would not have happened. Frances Flynn Thorsen of Trulia (another sponsor) showed up early just to throw in a hand, she jumped in and made sure that so many things like registration went smoothly. The folks at the Shenandoah Meeting Facility allowed us to use extra rooms without charging me for them and had the set up done just the way Stephanie told them to do it. The wireless connection stunk, but I think I jinx just about every internet connection at every event I have ever been a part of. (Must be my magnetic personality). Carson Coots, who I failed to mention in the keynote, (sorry I caught my mistake 3 minutes too late) designed and hosts the REBarcamp web site, designed the logo and helped us handle registration and other tasks. If you need kick ass design work, call Carson - He rocks hard! Same for our late sponsors SouthTxt.Com they asked - what can we do? We put em to work and they did it with such enthusiasm and selflessness, it made my heart glow.

I really want to drive this next observation home with as many people as possible. Rich Jacobson of Active Rain said it better than I ever could. Here's a link to the video of his wrap up, pay attention to what he has to say about the vendors and thought leaders that spend their time and money, the "supplier vendors" he speaks of and that I represent. These people are the best and brightest in the industry and they are transparently sharing knowledge without very little, if any, self promotion. Many sponsors and attendees flew in or drove long distances on their own T&E to be a part of this and they have my undying gratitude for doing so. Fran Thorsen from Trulia, Scott Sambucci from Altos Research, Rich Jacobson and Brad Andersohn from Active Rain, Drew Meyers from Zillow were sponsors that sent folks from far and wide. My good friend and a Web 2.0 favorite Jeff Turner flew out from LA and kept everyone engaged while doing live video sessions via Qik.com.

I picked up the phone and called Paul Chaney, author, social media luminary and president of the International Blogging and New Media Association. I asked him to help me with a new concept for a BarCamp, a Keynote. I think it's important to kick these type of events off with a way to set the tone for what's going to be a major impact on the way RE professionals do business now and in the future. He said yes with no reservation and drove all the way from Lafayette LA. He rocked the presentation in a way that HONESTLY exceeded my expectations.

Photo By Brad Andersohn
Our Sponsors Rock!:

• Active Rain
• Agent Genius
• Altos Research
• American Dream Realty - Hawaii
• BiggerPockets.Com
• BuildASign
• BuyWaterFronts.Com
• First American Title Insurance Co. Texas
• Hawai’i Life Real Estate Services
• Inman News
• Jaduka.Com
• Jeff Manson - Hawaii Real Estate Guy
• Matt Kelly
• ML Broadcast
• NationalRelocation.Com
• Prudential Gary Greene - Ken Brand
• SouthTXT Mobile Marketing
• StickerGiant
• Trulia
• Zillow
• Zipvo

The attendees grasped the concept of a Barcamp quickly and seemed to get a great deal from it. I have gathered a few links from across the web for your reading and viewing pleasure. If you know of a blog post, video or photos we should link to, please post them in the comments and I will get it done. Thanks everyone for a great event. Stay tuned for links to other REBarcamps as they get announced. Also if you use the tag REBC, #REBCH or REBarcamp Houston in searches you should be able to find a lot of content.

Vendors In White Hats

Flickr Group Photos

T-Shirt Photo Above By Lisa Heindel from the West Bank of New Orleans.
Here is her wrap up post on AR.

Paul Chaney's PowerPoint Deck

Paul Chaney's Wrap Up Comments

Active Rain Group

FaceBook Group

Marchel Peterson's Wrap Up

Brad Andersohn Updates

Stephanie Mussa's Wrap Up

Recorded Videos of Sessions From Jeff Turner

Fran Thorsen's Top 5 Takeaways

Comments From Deb Brooks

Crystal Ledbetter's Take

Guest Post: Communication 101: Technology and the Real Estate Agent

As I mentioned a few days ago, one of our goals with the blog this year is to introduce you to guest contributors. Our very first is Angela Parker.

Angela's business, Wicked Word Craftm provides professional writing and marketing services. Whether it's an MLS description or a blog post, if you need help taking your writing up a notch I think you'll want to bookmark this post. It is an outstanding resource! Please leave questions and feedback for her. Without further ado, I introduce Angela and her first guest post. :

Communication 101: Technology and the Real Estate Agent
By Angela Allen Parker, WickedWordCraft.com

The real estate industry loves technology and many agents are early-adopters. An agent's reach is no longer limited to local newspapers, radio and television. Real estate agents are now international publishers, web-wide.

Technology always develops faster than the ability to use it effectively. For instance, tech industry leaders are currently scratching their heads and scurrying to develop software capable of fully utilizing the next generation of multi-core computer chips. These chips will be available while developers work to complete the software to run them. Hardware always outpaces software. Initial ability precedes ultimate utility.

Technology doesn't improve the inherent quality of a message. Even the best tech tools will never replace the need to communicate with your clients.

The message is the priority. Technology may provide a convenient method or more options for delivering the message, but it doesn't improve it. That is up to you.

Writing Basics
Be conversational – Your writing should approximate the way you really talk. Avoid stilted language or too-long sentences.

Be clear – Keep your writing simple and easy to scan and your paragraphs short and to the point. Don't make your reader guess about what you mean. Don't “acronym” them. Don't ramble.

Be active - Write with authority. Use active voice. Exude confidence. You are the expert on the topic, so act like it!

Don't yell – Using all capitals in your listing descriptions or your emails is rude. It also brands you as a someone who isn't tech or communication savvy.

Edit -- It takes longer to write a good short piece than a longer, error-laden one. Write everything about your topic when you begin. That's your rough draft. Now organize, add headlines, and re-arrange paragraphs. Eliminate words, phrases or sections that don't add something valuable. Use the copywriter's trick and read it aloud. Sections that don't “flow” when you read them aloud need to be changed. Short, focused sentences create a smoother reading experience.

Spelling, punctuation and grammar – These three items often discourage many would-be writers. Use a spell check program and keep a list of the most commonly misspelled words nearby. If you have questions about punctuation, refer to the Nuts and Bolts site on punctuation. Keep a copy of Strunk & White's Elements of Style at your desk or visit the online version to get answers to those tricky grammar questions. If you just love this stuff (and want even more information) refer to Common Errors in English Usage.

Single spaces and Block Style – When writing for the web (or when writing with anything newer than a typewriter) you should only hit the spacebar once after a period. Proportional fonts take care of the rest. Spacing twice makes your writing harder to read and “flags” you as out-of-date. Indenting your paragraphs is also “old school” and makes it harder to read on a monitor. (Instead of indenting, add an additional hard return after each paragraph before starting a new one.)

Beyond the Basics
Visualize your audience – Personalize the experience for your reader. Do what Amazon and eBay have been doing forever – tailor your offerings to the people you want to attract and serve. Present each property in a way that makes it unique – either because the house has an unusual feature or because you create a “story” on the use of a room, the type of people who would live there, or how living there will make a buyer feel. (Will they feel happy, rested, peaceful, successful, etc?). Help people identify themselves in your description – either how they are now, or how they hope to be in a new home.

Give tired words a rest - Overused words are as ineffective as no words – and are more annoying. Avoid terms like: beautiful, doll-house, spacious, cute and charming. Make your text descriptive. Replace, “Charming Dollhouse on Beautiful Street” with “Low Maintenance, High Quality 1920s Era Craftsman Cottage with Modern Kitchen” Tell them something! Don't waste your reader's time.

Positive spins – Suggest possibilities with a room, a house or a situation. Offer recommendations for potential rather than detracting with negative words. “The efficient kitchen, home office and walk-in closets make this the perfect home for any busy professional” rather than “This tiny kitchen can be renovated for a larger family.”

Annotate pictures/video – Yes, you still need words. Describe each photo or video to add depth and detail. Tell your viewers what the photo represents and what that means to them. Give them a reason to “click” on a video or podcast. Entice them. (And, remember to use alt tags on all graphics for improved SEO.)

Yes, nearly every real estate agent in the world is now online, publishing. But, if they aren't communicating well, they aren't really your competition. “Innovation” is wonderful, but it's not a synonym for “effective.”

While others are out looking for the next big “thing” that they believe will bring them success, you can use the tools that are readily available and get back to the basics of communicating and serving your clients. After all, that's the real secret to success – online and face-to-face.

New Real Estate Technology Blog Launches

Zillow has announced the launch of GeekEstateBlog.Com. The new resource's sole focus is on the rapidly changing world of real estate technology. I'm happy to be a contributing blogger and look forward to being a part of the process. As industry blogging evolves, vertical destinations with a clearly defined niche will emerge as "go to" sites for certain topics. I think it's a natural transition for blogging that will take place across many industries. I also think it's a great way for companies like Zillow to extend their brand and establish meaningful relationships in the RE net.

GeekEstate is launching with an impressive group of RE "technologists" that have all agreed to contribute on a regular basis. They are also soliciting more bloggers to participate in the community.

I'm not sure what Greg Swann at the Bloodhound blog put in his kibble yesterday. He has his leash in a twist over the effort. For some reason he has it in his head that the blog was created to divide and conquer the entire real estate blogging community. Sheesh. It would be funny if he didn't really think their was a vast conspiracy of control and domination at foot. That's why I've learned to let my blog posts marinate in the draft area a while before I click publish. I too have made the mistake of not getting all the facts or really thinking things through before I open my pie-hole. It may take GS a while to extract his foot from his.

Technorati Tags: geekestate blog real estate technology zillow