How Twitter Changed My Plans

I was seriously considering booking a ticket to New Orleans and going to The National Association of REALTORS® annual convention the first week of November. I have been up and back about this because my plan for the last quarter of this year is to stay focused on listing and selling. Do I really want to be away in those last precious weeks of making it happen?

I have been following the #NARdiGras hashtag on Twitter. So many people I follow and engage with are going to be speaking. As I went through the speaker directory I realized something. Through social media and other venues, these great people are part of my education day in and day out. The majority of them share on twitter on a daily basis. Some host or are guest on webinars and blog talk radio. All write great posts and create videos. Many of these people I have spoken to on the phone or met them in real life at local events.

Social networking has created an environment that establishes virtual connections on an ongoing basis and turns many of those connections into IRL relationships. The venues in which we meet are just not the traditional association conventions. There are newer more current venues like Inman’s Agent Reboot and ReBARCamp. Being local, they are easier to manage my schedule around. The same superstars show up in my neighborhood virtually and physically. Think of the economics.

Oh, the virtual platforms. I am a big fan of Blog Talk Radio.  Two shows I always try to listen in on are Michael McClure’s(@ProfessionalOne)  Raise the BAR #RTB and Ken Cook & Jason Crouch’s Social Media Edge with Mike Mueller which is playing while I am writing this post.  I can have it running in the background of my laptop or on my phone while doing other work or running around on appointments. I can join the chat and ask questions.

I am a big fan of webinars for both meetings and learning opportunities. I can always listen in and/or follow on my computer, but am anxiously awaiting the day when Go To Meeting releases their iPad application. Mike Bowler of PRETEC, a REALTOR® and trainer in Lansing Michigan has been hosting weekly webinars about tools real estate professionals should know about and how to use.

Stefan Swanepoel, the industry leader regarding trends in both brokerage and tools, makes himself and his information accessible through all of these platforms. I buy the book.

The virtual mixed with the local IRL events seem to be giving me the knowledge that have given me the tools to grow my business. Since I am not longer a Board of Director for the REALTOR® association, I look at what do I get out of an event from a different perspective. I am not required to be there, so the question is do I choose to be there?

From an agent’s perspective, if I am going to take the time out from my daily business, travel to an event and spend the money, is the National Association of  REALTORS® Annual Convention as relevant to me and my business as say an Inman Connect?

Sorry Regis. I guess we won’t be seeing each other in New Orleans:)