Money Motivates – 3 Tips You Can Bank On (Video)
Money Motivates: 3 Tips You Can Bank On (Video)
I recently had the opportunity to speak in front of 300 Insurance Adjusters, thanks to an invitation by Dr Mike. I met Dr Mike aka @drmikempa on Twitter and from there that is where he invited me to speak at the conference. He asked me to share my experience of success and motivation as a business owner and independent contractor for both The Somers and REMAX Access.
The 3 main tips/topics that I went over in detail were:
- It is a Numbers Game
- Do Not Step Over Dollars to Pick Up Dimes
- ABC: Always Be Closing
Here is the video:
- If you would like to contact me for a speaking engagement, email me at csomers@remax.net.
See you on Twitter! How to Connect with the Somers Team
Chris Somers shows you how easy it is to connect with the Somers Team on Twitter and which accounts you should follow now @phillyrealty and @thesomersteam!
Insights from Agent Reboot New York City 2012
In hearing my friend Chris Smith give an opening presentation at Agent Reboot, he reminded everyone that it is still People First in our business. Sure there is amazing technology, new gadgets and gizmos that we all want - the latest iPad, iPhone, apps and whatnot, but at the end of the day, the question is how much business are you doing and how many people are you actually connecting with? Chris gave an example of a question that came up on the new hot Facebook group "What Should I Spend My Money On?" where a recent technology-related question generated well over 250 comments. However, when another question came up related to "Strategy", very few comments came up at all. Which in my mind, is kinda backwards thinking. So, getting back to basics, the acronym that was suggested was POST (people, opportunities, strategy, technologies).
POST
People
Opportunities
Strategy
Technologies
And to notice that technology is last. The agent of tomorrow will be ahead of the curve of course with technology, but at the same time will be connecting with the most people, seizing on all opportunities and have a defined strategy for 2012 and beyond.
Another analogy that was stated was to be armed with the "Ready Aim Fire" strategy in your business instead of the off-the-cuff or impulsive "Fire Aim Ready"
A super synopis that goes into more detail of Agent Reboot New York City that day was an article written by Andrea Brambila (this is a must read) Real Estate Marketing - Strategy First, then Technology.
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Got Scalped at Agent Reboot!
For those of you who do not know what Agent Reboot is, it’s a gathering of Real Estate and industry professionals who use social media and Internet stuff. It’s a crash course in the most current trends in technology and applications for entrepreneurs like Chris and I. We go every year.
This year, there was a lot of scalping going on at Agent Reboot in NYC. I am not talking about an onslaught of savage haircuts. And NO. I am not referring to snagging tickets from some seedy guy in a trench coat. Although, I guess anything is possible in NY, that s not what I am referring to.
What I am saying is that there were a huge number of Agent Reboot attendees showing their SCALPS during the presentations in NYC. Yeah. The tops of their heads! Side parts, bed heads, bald heads, big heads, and most shocking of all, Chris Smith's head!! (see image below...you rock Chris but put the hair gel down!) I think you will get the picture.
As I was saying...Heads were down! But don’t get the wrong message here. Scalps availed in every row but NOT because the speakers sucked or the info was mind-blowingly dull. On the contrary, it was awesome! I saw scalps because the attendees were texting, typing, and tweeting like mad all through the presentations. Tweeting Live. Blogging Live. How cool is that?
In the past seeing an audience full of scalps may have implied you were a dull as a doorknob. if people were not making eye contact then that was a sure sign, the show was over. Today, seeing a person’s scalp is pretty much as important as seeing their eyes. It is no longer an insult when you are speaking to a group and you see some heads are down. It’s cool. It's a compliment and it is a sign of the times. If they like what you say they'll tweet it, blog it, and post it for all to see. People want to share what is happening “Right Now”.
The preferred medium for communication has changed dramatically over the years. Technology is paving the way. With a few clicks your photo or video can be seen by a huge audience. For consumers, people like you and me, we love receiving info through our social venues like Facebook and Twitter. We like our info captured live. And, most of all, the info must be relevant.
Therefore, next time you are in the audience and you like what you hear, feel free to Look Down and Scalp Them! Oh and PLEASE...Don’t forget to use your Head & Shoulders!
That was a dandruff joke guys!
Too flaky?
An Opportunity to Speak at GPAR on Blogging and Social Media
I want to thank the Greater Philadelphia Association of Realtors ( GPAR ) for asking me to speak this past week on blogging and social media. When I was asked if I would speak on the subjects to my colleagues, I accepted immediately as I knew it was an opportunity to give back. Of course I was a little nervous in that there are a lot of smart Realtors out there doing the social media thing. I certainly did not want to flop or be a disappointment to GPAR or the folks that took the time to show up.
Then I found out it was 2 separate topics, blogging was one topic and social media another, each topic being an hour long. 2 hours is a long time to speak in a structured fashion ! So I had some planning and preparation to do which I took head on. There is SO much to talk about that some conferences go on for 3 days with these subjects.
The big picture is that I believe there is a huge opportunity for those Realtorswho want to build their brand on the Internet through blogging and social media. Especially in Philadelphia since there are not many real estate bloggers utilizing new media. With the huge growth of mobile and video and the web, it is important for Realtors to stay ahead of the curve to be able to communicate with their customers and clients on these platforms and to be able to market listings with enhanced Internet Marketing skills to give sellers that necessary additional exposure that they need and want to get their properties sold.
Looking back about four years ago, I was just starting to blog myself on Active Rain ! It is amazing how much things can take off with hard work, goal setting, consistency and a strong mind set ! In the crowd there were a lot of potential new bloggers. I gave them some examples of changing business models that are inspiring for Realtors (and any entrepreneur) looking to be innovative and bold:
Amazon vs Borders
Netflix vs Blockbuster
Yelp vs Zagat
You vs Your Competition
It is up to YOU !!!
Flash! Bang! Pop! Fizz: Our New Logo
What does your logo say about you? A lot, actually. Taking the time to come up with or re-tweak your logo is worth every second -- it is the face of your brand. Businesses, products, and sports teams live and die on logos.
It's easy to focus on font and colors, but don't forget the message! Ask yourself these questions during your logo design process:
Does your logo convey what you do or how you do it? Otherwise, what's the point? A logo is meaningless if it doesn't connect the dots.
Does your logo make sense? Ask others around you for their opinion. If you don't get much of a reaction out of them, maybe a less-than-enthusiastic "Oh, that's nice" with confused looks or blank stares, you should probably re-consider.
Does it tie in with your branding? If your logo doesn't match your website or marketing materials, then it's as out of place as a leopard in a pack of tigers.
Is your logo still relevant? How long have you had it? Has your brand changed at all since then? People change, and logos should change with them.
Of course, we bring all of this up because we'd like to introduce our effervescent new logo. We were inspired by the retro campaign that 7Up used in the 70's, introducing a new and fresh type of soft drink marketed as "the UnCola". Well, we think of ourselves as "the UnCola" around here, because we're always trying something a little bit different, whether it's the latest social networking idea or simply giving back to our community in a time when it needs us most.
When we think of bubbles, we think of sudsy, clean, a fresh start. We want our clients to feel this way about us.
Take the fresh and light feeling that champagne bubbles evoke -- it's sophisticated and celebratory. Working with the Somers Team should always end with success.
Bubbles bring hope and promise, they float above us, daring us to reach out for them, and we can't help but feel this excitement about Real Estate in Philadelphia. We want to pop. Even our shade of Purple got brighter.
So call us Pop Culture Geeks, call us Bubbly, call us the UnCola, but please, Call Us.
What do you think of our new logo? What is the story behind your logo?
Check out the before and after...
Tip Jar: Zip Up and Toilet Seat Down
Today's Tip is for sellers and homeowners:
Keep the toilet seat down!
Toilet seats that are up are equivalent to having your fly down. It is not pretty. Especially when it is caught on camera. If you frequently film properties for YouTube listings, you already know how crucial it is to remember to do the "Seat Down Check" prior to shooting the bathrooms.
Do this for open houses, when guests come over, for photos for your listing, preparation for a showing. It's so common to forget about this one little detail, but it really does make any bathroom look much more appealing.
So remember, folks...The seat must be down and your zipper must be up!
Your Pre-RainCamp Agenda 2010
We are certainly no strangers to the Piazza, it's where our office is located. So we were beyond excited to hear that there will be a blogger meetup on November 29th right here at the Swift Half Pub, the night before RainCamp Philadelphia.
If you plan on attending RainCamp, we strongly urge you to come hang out with us at Swift Half and visit the Piazza the day before. While the location for RainCamp has not yet been announced, we are already trying to guess where it'll be. Could it be in Northern Liberties? We sure hope so, because it's the neighborhood that inspires us so much when it comes to our blog, and whenever we have visitors, we love giving tours of this unique, modern, and totally plugged in area. Northern Liberties is packed with bloggers, photographers, gourmands, and trendsetters, and it's a buzzing hub of information and advanced thinking. It makes perfect sense to begin your RainCamp experience here.
We are ready for the Rain.
So, with all of you RainCampers in mind, we put together a list of some places worth checking out before we meet at Swift Half Pub. Remember that there is free parking for visitors to the Piazza at 2nd and Germantown Ave.
- First, you should come say hello to us at the Re/Max Office on the 5th floor of the Rialto.We have an amazing view of Northern Liberties and the city beyond and you should definitely bring your camera for some cool photo ops.
- Do check out Amberella Gallery in the Piazza, which has extended its November exhibition, arrtist Katherine Allan's show Love is a Special Way of Feeling, through Tuesday, November 30th. Amberella Gallery, 1050 N Hancock St, Suite #62. [image via Amber Lynn Thompson]
- Need a place to blog and keep your energy up with the neighborhood's best peppermint mochas? One Shot in Liberties Walk, across the street from the Piazza, is your go-to coffeeshop, serving beans from Stumptown.
Check in on Foursquare at PYT, the Piazza's burger bar, for a free beer. Better yet, find out what the Burger of the Week is, and order it. You only live once. [image via PYT]
- Visit the nearby SugarHouse Casino, Philadelphia's only casino.
If you somehow manage to do all of these things, we will give you some kind of badge for Unlocking the Piazza. See you on the 29th!
Update: RainCamp will be held at the Hyatt Regency at Penn's Landing. For more information, visit Jeff Belonger's link below:
Come party with the Forefathers - RainCamp invades Philadelphia
Related:
Read more about the Piazza
Swift Half Offers the Ultimate Tailgate !
A Peek Inside Bloom in Northern Liberties
Meet Your Neighbors: Borrowing a Cup of Sugar
Regional Land Use Program of the Year Goes to…the Piazza at Schmidts
What the Piazza Needs Now: Capogiro Gelato
For the Love of All Things Sacred ! Does Self Promotion Have No Boundaries?
For the love of all things sacred !
Does self promotion have no boundaries ?
Are there no limits to how far we will go to get our name out there?
For The Somers, as of lately, the answer to those questions is an obvious NO ! We have been shamefully and delightfully out of control with our self promotions and branding. But believe me when I say that we do not take ourselves that seriously. We are, quite frankly, just having a lot of fun. Perhaps we are loving it a little too much but what the heck.
Our latest act of flagrant promotion is clothing. We have our own line of Logo Printed T-Shirts! We are Pop Artists in our own mind. And honestly, we cant help but laugh at ourselves. Hysterically !
(The Somers t-shirts were made by Desisory Designs- a local printing company in Old Kensington )
We are not selling our extremely fashionable clothing line but we are giving the stunningly beautiful t-shirts away to any of our clients, family, and friends who dare to wear our fashion forward propaganda.
Our blog editor Kelly (who does a great job keeping me in line) said to me when she saw the shirt, that she’d probably wear it to bed. “Sleeping with The Somers... That is BRILLIANT!!!" I said excitedly. "No WAY!" Kelly said disapprovingly. I guess she is right : ( That is a bit risque... or is it = ) Don't tell Kelly I said that !
Well, truth be told, we are not the only ones who have joined our plight to ridiculous self exaltation.
Take a quick peek at the photo to the left.
Looks like Corinthian Development, our clients at the Mews at Brown Street seem to be on the same wave length as us. Bless their self endorsing hearts.
We have quite possibly started a new trend in Real Estate marketing in Philadelphia!
We are all friends here. So, be honest with us. How have you wildly promoted your brand, your brokerage, or one of your properties?
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