The Bulls Were Off and Running!
IBC - DAY 1 RECAP
The 2009 Coldwell Banker International Business Conference opened Sunday night with a Welcome Reception to honor the 2008 Coldwell Banker Award Winners.
The mood was upbeat as many sales professionals started their three days of networking opportunity by sharing stories about market conditions and how they are working to get sellers to price correctly and get buyers "off the fence."
Yesterday began with a General Session where Jim Gillespie, president and chief executive officer of Coldwell Banker Real Estate LLC, kicked off the meeting with his traditional, rousing "Hellooooooo Coldwell Banker!" welcome.
In his address, Gillespie challenged attendees to do what they could to improve consumer confidence. He told the audience that it is not enough to say that now is a smart time to buy, we have to show why by knowing the facts and explaining them in concise and simple to understand ways.
He said, "While outsiders have been trying to re-cast homeownership as the American Nightmare, we must remind Americans that this is not true. Homeownership is, and will always be, the American Dream!"
Gillespie, while explaining the $8000 tax credit and efforts to help those mired in financial distress is a good start, he also challenged the United States government to do more to stimulate home sales. He said, "It is a shame that our representatives all talk about the need to fix housing but then missed out on the opportunity to help housing which would help our economy by creating jobs - housing does account for approximately 20% of the Gross Domestic Product in our country."
He ended his 20-minute remarks by again challenging attendees. "It is a smart time to buy; we just have to convince them!"
Gillespie then introduced Rick Davidson, president and chief executive officer of Coldwell Banker Commercial, who now also serves as the Chief Operating Officer for Coldwell Banker Real Estate. Davidson reminded the audience that it is essential for them to become their client's most trusted advisor.
Michael Fischer, senior vice president, marketing for Coldwell Banker Real Estate, then presented a robust 2009 marketing plan that included two new commercials to be used on television and the Web, receiving a strong ovation for both.
Fischer revealed that last year's Founder's campaign worked on many levels, including the signature line, "Coldwell...Yes, Banker," clearly separated the brand from the competition. He also admitted that research showed the spots did not fare as well in explaining why Coldwell Banker is the most innovative brand in real estate. He vowed to correct that and debuted the commercials to a welcoming crowd.
The first recognizes that the American Dream of Homeownership is still alive and that a home "is part of who we are." The optimistic commercial concludes, "For 103 years, our agents have helped people find the houses they'll call home. And now, more than ever, it's important that we never stop moving."
The second commercial employs Coldwell and Banker to showcase the brand's "listings anytime, anywhere" mantra by focusing on the brand's innovate use of home listings on Smartphones.
One of the day's highlights was the Sales Associate/Representative panel - "Running with the Bulls" - moderated by Ashleigh Banfield. Karen Bernardi with Coldwell Banker Residential Brokerage in Boulder, Colorado, Chris Shupe with Coldwell Banker Upchurch Realty in Athens, Georgia, Sandi Pressley with Coldwell Banker Legacy in Albuquerque, New Mexico and Andrew Hilt, with Coldwell Banker Excel Realty in Casa Grande, Arizona, discussed the habits, skills and activities that have principally contributed to their success. The audience found the session both insightful and entertaining.
The General Session was shortened this year to allow for an extra education period and attendees choose from a wide variety of courses including hot topics like understanding the Stimulus package, foreclosures and short sales. The overwhelming majority of attendees took advantage of all four sessions.
The MarketPlace was busy. Attendees lined up at the Coldwell Banker booth to shoot their first YouTube video as they explained why consumers should consider living in their market. They also experienced the latest Coldwell Banker innovation - the use of MicroSoft Surface technology. All attendees received a bar scan that, when placed on the interactive screen, automatically called up their profile page and listings. Surface was a huge hit as many remarked, "It is just like how CNN used their map to cover the elections."
On deck for today, Day 2, another shortened General Session featuring sales professional and broker panels along with an event at Sunset Station.
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