How much attention have you devoted, over the past few years, to so-called on-line real estate marketing experts? How stupid do you feel now that those unwitting judas goats have sold out your IDX feed to Zillow?
Nobody likes to be mocked for being a dupe — the prospect of which, I freely admit, can make BloodhoundBlog a daunting place. But: Which is worse — being called a doofus or being a doofus?
BloodhoundBlog Unchained is a completely different way of learning net.wise real estate marketing. No dupes. No doofuses. No hype. No cant. No vendorsluts. We work as hard as we can for as long as we can, and we send our students home poor in sleep but rich in ideas.
Here’s what you missed yesterday at BloodhoundBlog Unchained in Anaheim:
I demoed half a dozen ways of creating web pages and web sites automatically from raw content.
Scott Schang showed us how he has used WordPress and select plug-ins to create a lead-conversion machine.
Mark Madsen and Tony Sena illustrated the web marketing ideas that have launched their property management business into orbital velocity in just a few months.
And Eric Blackwell was the show-stopper as always, taking us through all the latest twists and turns emerge from from the Googleplex — and documenting a killer strategy for attracting sellers on-line, the holy grail of Internet real estate marketing.
We had other speakers as well, and Brian Brady regaled us with email marketing strategies until almost 10 pm.
But the highlight of our day was Realtor magazine’s on-line editor, Brian Summerfield, pictured above, who bearded the Bloodhounds in their own den. Brian very graciously and calmly defended the NAR’s more controversial stands, and the dawgs acquitted themselves admirably, engaging Summerfield with insight and without rancor. More that one person compared the talk to Nixon’s visit to China, but I’m not sure who was whom. 😉
Everywhere you turn there are so-called experts peddling so-called solutions — but the problems being solved are not your problems generating leads and closing sales. Instead, almost always, you are being sold, the the problem to be solved is the speaker’s carefully-concealed poverty. But the worst poverty is the poverty of ideas.
Brian Brady and I strive, always, to deliver the opposite at BloodhoundBlog Unchained. We want to send you home with more ideas than you can implement in a year — and we want to come back next year with another quiver full of radical marketing ideas.
Scott Cowan is making plans to bring us to Seattle in the spring, and we’re interested in hearing proposals for one-day Unchained events in other cities. We know we deliver a better product, as do all of the people who have joined us over the years. I’m sorry you missed us yesterday. But you’ll be sorrier if you miss us the next time.
Erion Shehaj says:
I guess no DVDs this time around?
November 12, 2011 — 3:05 pm
Brian Brady says:
1- Good on Brian Summerfield for his session. I thought it was admirable that he was completely transparent about his reasons for appearance (he wants content for Realtor.org)
2- This Unchained was a something of a “victory lap”. Attendees saw the results of previous Unchained conferences when Scott Schang and Mark Madsen presented. Their presentations are direct evidence that Unchained conference produces actionable ideas which puts money into practitioners’ pockets.
3- It was nice to have Kelle SantaMaria wander in. Ms. SantaMaria is attending the NAR conference and was our neighbor at the hotel. We invited her to join us for the evening session and her input was invaluable.
Kelle told us that she would have bagged the NAR session that day had she known about our conference. She told us that the content we delivered was essential for saving careers. That sort of direct feedback is invaluable because it confirms what we’ve known all along; we’re changing the way real estate brokerage and financing is practiced in this country and we’re changing it for the better.
I’ll share some ideas later about how to do one is Seattle this winter, San Diego or Phoenix this Spring, and Orlando next Fall.
November 12, 2011 — 8:34 pm
Mark Green says:
I wish I was there. Miss you guys.
November 13, 2011 — 8:58 am
Brian Summerfield says:
Greg and Brian:
I thoroughly enjoyed it. Thanks for letting me participate, and for being gracious hosts.
Brian Summerfield
REALTOR Magazine
November 13, 2011 — 12:32 pm
Jeff Brown says:
Nothing like being shown what has ALREADY WORKED, instead of theoretical crapola. The best way to discern the difference is in the opening remarks.
“This is what’s been workin’ like gangbusters for us.”
NOT
“This can’t fail. We’re confident this will get you the results you seek.”
Unchained is about results.
November 13, 2011 — 2:04 pm
Bill Lyons says:
Thank you so much everyone for inviting me, allowing me to present and be apart of the group. Carlos and I thoroughly enjoyed the event and both of us took a lot away from it. Solid stuff! Thank You!
November 13, 2011 — 4:11 pm
Don Reedy says:
Does great pitching always beat great hitting? Makes for good sports bar talk, but here’s my take. I love great pitching. I love great hitting.
This year’s Bloodhound gathering was a pinnacle gathering. Great pitching and hitting. Great presentations from Greg, Scott, Mark, Tony, Eric and Brian. Better yet, a few new (always welcome) presentations on some new and innovative software solutions. And….some new faces, new friends and a few new pitches and batting tips along the way.
This was a special meeting for me. I think that Greg Swann has reached a tipping point in creating a gathering of all that is best in Real Estate. I also, along with just about everybody attending, thank Brian Summerfield. I live in San Diego, and along with Brian Brady, Sean Purcell, Jeff Brown and a few others, we’d love to sit and become better acquainted. It can be whiskey or cola, whatever you want. (Just no Kool-Aid) :
It’s my hope that we’ll really be able to start writing and reasoning about the best real estate practices in Realtor.com’s site. The boots and dawgs on the ground know, really know and understand, everything required to bring out the best in the housing market, our clients and our businesses.
Listen…….the paws are moving in harmony, and the noise is about to become deafening!
November 13, 2011 — 4:43 pm
Rob Thiessen says:
Greg and Gang…
I am still recovering from hanging out with the pack animals I have followed for years via this blog. My brain still hurts. My biggest take away is seeing the respect for each others tactics towards the same goal. There is not just one or two ways to do anything.
I also want to say that Summerfield has gargantuan balls for showing up and hopefully took away something to share and effect his peers.
Where do I go from here? I don’t know but I am refreshed enough start and kick some butt!
Thanks everyone for answering all my questions.
November 13, 2011 — 6:23 pm
Scott Cowan says:
Another great event. So glad that I made the effort to attend. I am looking forward to the next one already.
That being said, it was a special event for me as during a conversation with Eric Blackwell I realized that something I have very casually been working on actually has the potential to be a insanely great project. With the information that Greg, Scott and Mark shared I will be going back to my lab and mixing the ingredients into my own special sauce. I fully expect that within the next six months I will be seeing results (cat skins on the wall) directly related to the presentations.
The after party was enjoyable. It was great to be sitting in a hotel room with some wicked smart people who are so passionate about what they do. Thanks to Sean, Brian, Mark,Jeff and Don for being so damn entertaining and informative. I know that the rest of us in the room enjoyed ourselves and learned a little something along the way.
Each time I spend time with the people from Unchained I learn so much that if I would just implement a little bit I would be just killing it in my market. If anyone is reading this that has not been to Unchained you need no you MUST go to one. Your career will thank you.
November 13, 2011 — 10:46 pm
Teri Lussier says:
Brian Summerfield- you are now a legend. Good for you. 😉
I was prepared for Eric’s fire hose, but Scott, Mark, and Tony did amazing jobs of showing how they got stellar results from planned implementation- really great information guys. Like everyone else who was there- I see how I can use what you shared. Thanks for your time and willingness to share.
November 14, 2011 — 7:53 am
Al Lorenz says:
I haven’t even had the time yet to get through my notes and form my implementation plans for all the new arrows in my quiver from this event.
The first few minutes of the event paid for it in what I’ll be able to generate in new business. Thanks to everyone who was there.
November 14, 2011 — 5:13 pm
Jim Wagoner says:
Sounds like a great conference. I wish I could have attended.
November 19, 2011 — 1:16 pm