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The Trade Show - Halloween for Realtors®

If you noticed me missing after Day 4, it was because I ended up sick.  I rarely get sick so I'm calling it the New Orleans Flu. I spent Saturday Nite multi-tasking in the bathroom.  Returning home, I was thrilled to walk out of the Airport in Providence and breathe the fresh air.  Ahhhhhh.   I hate hotels with windows that don't open.  (Since my room also had a mouse, you can probably get the idea, I didn't like the hotel.)  But that's all the complaining, I'm going to do.  The people of New Orleans were thrilled to see us and they all had amazing stories to tell. 

 

The good news is that I didn't get sick until Saturday Nite after the Trade Show.  A number of Active Rainers met at 8:00AM.  I think others have told the story but it was great seeing some of our most active bloggers including Bill French, Mary McKnight, Sharon Simms, Angus Woodbury and Teri Isner as well as some potential new members like Bunny Mostad, Les Sulgrove, and Deb Alderson.  King Matt (In the blue shirt) of Active Rain was even younger than I thought!  A very soft spoken and impressive young man!  

Trade ShowThen it was off to the Trade Show. I think there were fewer vendors than normal but I'm not quite sure of that. I do know that the giveaways were quite impressive including this cool little thing from Google which looked like a mini lava lamp.  Unfortunately, the cool thing from google had liquid in it and when we arrived at the airport on Sunday, they had already confiscated one and had it on display.  Something tells me they will have a whole collection of them by the time the show is over!   We also got tons of cool pens, calculators, rulers, toys. pads, key chains, tool kits and gizmos - things that blink, light up and make noises too!  I ended up shipping home a box of stuff.  My agents always love getting this crap (a common term for it) when I return from the convention.   Everyone was giving out beads so we were all decked out with bead bling as well as blinking lights before the end of the day.  Here is my convention tip:   If you like the coolest giveaways check out the Title Companies.  They give out the best stuff.  Some of the bigger companies like Avery and Google also hand out impressive junk. Blackberry gave away the most clever pen.....it opened up to display a billboard of Blackberry products.  Can you tell I love the Trade Show???? - It really is like Halloween!!!

My winner of most interactive booth had to be Wells Fargo as they had several contests going on and seemed to attract a great following.  Their party is always a big event as agents scramble to find tickets.  One thing that surprised me was the large number of 1031 Exchange booths.  They seemed to be everywhere.  Overall, I didn't think there was much new stuff.  The one new product I found (and bought) was Announce My Move.   It's a little hard to explain so you can visit there and they can explain it for you.  It was featured as a Cool Tool by Realtor Magazine.  It was my largest purchase of the day.    I did also buy "Realty Blogging" by Richard Nacht and Paul Chaney.   I'm about 1/2 way through and enjoying it a lot - an easy read with plenty of good advice!!!  

There were some obnoxious booth vendors, most notably a couple of pen guys who I won't name even if Bill French said it was ok to call someone a moron if it was true.  (He might not have said that exactly but that is what I heard anyway.)   Les Sulgrove was looking for a business card scanner but the one being demo'd there was unimpressive.  If you have a recommendation for a business card scanner be sure to comment. 

Besides the Halloween aspect, the NAR Trade Show really is the place to see all the current technology and new real estate products all under one roof.  It is also fun to meet the people behind the products I use.  I was able to meet the great folks of Custom House Publishing, Howard Brinton Systems, Ron from HomeFeedback.com, Agency Logic,  ToolKitCMA, Melco Marketing and more! 

I had a great time despite the mouse in my room and the New Orleans Flu.  I'll be there in Las Vegas next year, for sure!

 

 

30 Comments on NAR Convention Final Report - The Trade Show!

NOV
13
2006

I am glad you are back, even though you brought the N.O flu with you, I am very glad you did not bring home any cajun mice!

I want to know more about the obnoxious pen guys! 

Kerry

12:52pm • #1
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I could probably do a whole blog called "The Obnoxious Pen Guys" from California.  I'd probably get more comments than anyone in the history of Active Rain.  You know the guys - the ones that call and first talk about the weather.  They give salesmen a bad name - they are soooo pushy.
12:58pm • #2
316,805 Points 45 Featured Posts Outside Blog

Hi Linda,

Thanks for the update on the convention and the trade show. I, too, love the trade show and look forward every year to seeing what's new.  It doesn't sound like too much was new this year, from your post and Jim Lee's post.  Oh well, maybe next year we'll see some new things since it's been a couple years or so with the same old same old.

Sorry to hear you ended up sick......hope you're all better now!

Ann Cummings

12:59pm • #3
316,805 Points 45 Featured Posts Outside Blog

The "obnoxious pen guys from CA" are just that, totally OBNOXIOUS!!!  They call here, get one of our staff who answers the phones to think they're friends of whoever they're asking for so they increase their odds of actually being put through to that agent, and they just don't stop.  They'll call back here time after time, asking for a different agent each time, and many times, it's mere minutes after the last call they just made here.

AAAARRRRRGGGGGGHHHHHHHHH!!!!

Ann Cummings

1:02pm • #4
316,404 Points 64 Featured Posts Localism Sponsor Outside Blog
Felt like I had a trip to New Orleans just by reading this, Linda..thanks
2:38pm • #5
521,255 Points 35 Featured Posts Localism Sponsor Outside Blog
Tough break getting sick with all of the unique cuisine they have there. Sounds like you made some great contacts and picked up some good ideas to carry into 2007. I'll be at the Las Vegas show.
6:02pm • #6
400,473 Points 72 Featured Posts Outside Blog

"The Lovely Linda"

I offered to come and shoot the mouse...BAM...That critter is probably how you got sick. I mean really, a mouse running from room to room is not a good thing. I wish we could have been there. I would have loved to meet all The Rainers and guess? Give up? Okay...I would have told them my name...LOL.

TLW "The Lovely Wife"...Shhhh...No Names...ROAR!

7:06pm • #7
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I expect (and hope) to see you in Las Vegas next year!!  About the mouse....shhhhh....I suspect there was more than one, probably a freeking family of them!!!   And yes, I imagine the combination of mouse poop, bad air and mold may have done me in.
7:11pm • #8
103,877 Points
Welcome home.  It sounds like you will need a few days to get back to whatever we call normal in SE CT.  Can't wait to hear your stories and ideas for this coming year.  I am glad that I have never heard from the "Pen Guys".   
7:23pm • #9
Oh Linda, so sorry. I missed the lunch too...Doing Stewart Title Training session with J.L. Winn and Carol Pease. Glad to hear that you are faring much better now. CP was so wonderful...can't wait till May...Wynne
Wynne From Michigan
7:35pm • #10
400,473 Points 72 Featured Posts Outside Blog
Vegas...Now we're talking...Shhhh...Mouse poop...That was gross. Mouse poop...God you crack me up...Hope you feel better...TLW...ROAR!
7:42pm • #11

I'm curious if you have had a chance to read any of Realty Blogger?  I just ordered it off Amazon. 

I'm sad I missed the convention this year.  It's always great to catch up on all the latest gadgets, etc.  However I also usually spend a bunch of money on gadgets that I don't need or werent' in my business plan (that binge buying thing) so my bank account thanks me.

What was the best "gadget" at the convention this year?  Anything really new or really exciting?

8:14pm • #12
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Ginger,

I thought the Realty Blogger was excellent!!!.... A very good resource.  Surprisingly there were very few new gadgets.  And certainly none that I HAD to have.

8:18pm • #13
Being sick is bad enough...being sick while out of town is a double bummer.  I hope that you got a little enjoyment out the convention.  Better luck next year.
9:29pm • #14
110,035 Points 26 Featured Posts Localism Sponsor Outside Blog
The help me with my move thingy was kinda cool.  But the lava lamp! I would have had to ship it home at the post office before I left.  PS: In Vegas you won't have to worry about mice, just tarantulas!  : - )
9:38pm • #15
239,255 Points 56 Featured Posts Localism Sponsor Outside Blog

Did you use the Ritz cracker thing? So sorry that you got sick, though. With that many people and the plane ride it is difficult to avoid. Hope you had a chance to eat the best food in the world while you were still feeling ok.

Checked out the announcement email thing that you purchased. You'll have to tell us how that works for you, later.

If you have any more pictures, be sure and post them...we'd love to see more.

9:53pm • #16
154,164 Points 4 Featured Posts Localism Sponsor Outside Blog

Linda,

Thanks for all the convention info!

I look forward to finally making a national next year in Vegas!

Great pix, and thanks again!

Lucky

10:00pm • #17
260,760 Points 67 Featured Posts Localism Sponsor Outside Blog
What great info!! I can't wait until next year!!
10:03pm • #18
3 Featured Posts
Great post, Linda. I love trade shows.   Sorry about the sickies.  Multi-tasking in the bathroom?  That sounds like food poisoning, not the flu.  Anyway, there's no place like home, right?    I just watched the Wizard of Oz again last night.  Can you tell?  I love that movie.  My husband thought it was so sweet, me and him watching the Oz together.  
10:15pm • #19
2 Featured Posts Outside Blog
You brought the NO Flu to Connecticut?!! Make sure you stay down in that SouthEastern Corner!! Thanks for the report on the Trade Show - great to hear since I was unable to attend!
10:54pm • #20
3 Featured Posts
Does anyone know when they will have hotel booking info out for next years convention in Vegas?  Seems like it would be good to book early.  We should reserve an entire floor or two or three for the Rainers!
11:05pm • #21
NOV
14
2006
533,295 Points 45 Featured Posts Outside Blog

My google pen got transferred into my checked luggage as soon as I arrived at the airport, along with the mini bottle of liquor from Panama.

Remember my son, Rob, from the last Orlando NAR? You and he should go together through the trade shows. That was his first one, and he collected so many of the giveaways that he had to check about four shopping bags! I think somewhere I have a photo of everything he put out on the table when we all had lunch together.

For Les's business card scanner, I recommend using what earned me the first HS award  -  the Fujitsu Scansnap. Just move the "edge slides" in to that size and use the business card scanner software that came with it. One year I bought a specific business card scanner but don't even know where it is now. Just use Scansnap. 

5:40am • #22

I think I only gave the HS award to one other product, my Bowflex Extreme XL

Any other products get that coveted designation?

Here's the scan snap in action

BerkeleyBlogCast.com

BerkeleyHomes.com 

Ira Serkes, Berkeley CA USA North America
8:07am • #23
Hi Linda.  I'm sorry to hear you were ill.  I did miss you.  Fortunately we never saw the mouse.  I guess the 11th floor was a little too high for him.  As for all the goodies - I came home with 25 pound more than I left home with - and I only bought a couple of books.  Sharon, I think I could give your son a good run for his money.
Debra Alderson
9:02pm • #24
NOV
15
2006
21 Featured Posts

The tech stuff didn't really grab me this year. I don't really need to know that many 1031 companies.... I didn't really have any HS award candidates. Some good ideas that maybe later I'll say Holy Sh** to.

I'm with Sharon on using the scan snap for business cards...

Moo

12:05am • #25
9 Featured Posts

Trade shows can be a lot of fun. Sometimes they are all about the little trinkets and memories you walk away with. 

+ I am glad to hear you are enjoying Realty Blogging. If you have any questions or insights zip me an e-mail and pass them along. Richard and Paul are always happy to have a conversation on what we do at Blogging Systems.

 

1:02am • #26
Linda - Did we have a winner of the HS award?
9:03am • #27
Linda - thanks for the nice comment about our book Realty Blogging. Much appreciated! I hope it serves you well. 
Paul Chaney
10:37am • #28
NOV
16
2006
203,144 Points 6 Featured Posts Outside Blog
Linda wow 27 comments..after being sick and heaven knows if the mice had anything to do with it...home sweet home takes on a whole new meaning.
6:24pm • #29
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Thanks Teri,

Now I just need to unpack.  Plus my box of trade show crap arrived yesterday!   Can't wait to go through it.

6:28pm • #30

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Linda Davis

Gales Ferry, CT

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