Are you getting ready to attend the 2014 NAR Convention and Exhibition in New Orleans? Whether this is your first time at the conference or you are a seasoned REALTOR Conference veteran, I’ve gathered some advice to help you get the most out of the event.
Why Attend the 2014 NAR Annual Convention?
The National Association of Realtors Annual Conference and Expo is expected to draw close to 17,000 attendees this year and is the largest event in the real estate industry. There are over 400 vendors at the event showcasing their products and services and 100 different educational sessions where you can learn new information. It is the largest selection of content-driven sessions, presented by nationally recognized speakers and industry experts. When it comes to conferences for REALTORS, bigger is definitely better!
How to Get the Most out of the REALTOR® Conference
This event can be very overwhelming if you show up without a plan. You are spending a lot of money to get to the conference, so make sure you come ready.
Plan your session schedule in advance using the tools NAR has prepared on their site. Have each day mapped out so you’re not scrambling to find an educational plan as each session ends. You can view the NAR Conference Agenda and create your own custom schedule.
There is a 2014 NAR Convention App available for free. Use your smart phone to guide your days or keep tuned in to what is happening while you’re at the event.
As you sit through the educational sessions make sure you have an open mind. If you listen with the ears of a critic and are counting all of the reasons that the ideas won’t work in your market or in your unique circumstances, you’ll miss the magic. Just take a lot of notes and wait until you get home before analyzing things too deeply.
When you finish a session that was particularly inspiring or useful, share some ideas on Facebook and Twitter for your colleagues who weren’t fortunate enough to attend. They’ll probably want to ask you some follow-up questions when you return, and teaching is the best form of learning.
Once you get back to your office, it is best to only implement a small batch of ideas. Don’t try to revolutionize your business every time you go to a conference. Find some ideas and products that will make you incrementally better and build on the base that you have already established. If you try to do much, you won’t get anything done.
Don’t Make These Mistakes
Here are some important tips for the Annual REALTOR Conference that will help you to avoid some common tradeshow mistakes.
Wear comfortable shoes! You can’t walk with blisters and more importantly you can’t go out and dance with blisters. You are going to do a lot of walking at the NAR Conference so make a very practical choice when it comes to footwear.
Be sure to bring lots of business cards. However many you have packed right now, double or triple that amount. You’ll need these for networking with agents and entering drawings with the vendors. Don’t be that guy who has to write his name on somebody else’s business cards.
Remember that what happens in New Orleans stays on Facebook. Don’t drink so much that you’ll see your picture on Facebook the next morning and be an embarrassment to your co-workers and family. It’s going to happen to a number of good people on this trip… don’t let it be you.
Leave room in your luggage, you will be coming home with books, exhibit hall swag, shirts, and other goodies so don't over pack on the front end.
The 2014 NAR Exposition Hall
Over 400 vendors are going to be in the exhibit hall at NAR, and they all want your hard earned money! There are no magic bullets that will miraculously change your business... the only real change is going to come with hard work.
Before you walk the exhibit hall on Saturday and Sunday, know what you truly need for your business and set a budget that you will abide by at the show. If it doesn’t fit within your budget and it is truly important, you can always make the purchase later.
You will want to create a list of vendors you want to visit to make the most of your time on the exhibit floor. You can do this by doing a quick walk through of the floor on Friday or by looking at the NAR Exhibit Hall Map online. If you stop and speak with every vendor at the NAR Convention it will probably take a full day of your time and you might go bankrupt!
One of the most creative tips I’ve seen is to pretend you are talking on your cell phone while walking the exhibit hall if you don’t want to talk to the exhibitors. You can still look at their booth, grab a flyer, and enter the contest without the obligation of getting a full sales pitch. I know, it’s a bit dirty, but you paid to be at this event so you need to make the most of your time!
When the NAR Sessions Are Out
You are going to be exhausted by the end of the day, but you need to push on and get out for some “networking” in the evenings! A lot of the magic from these events happen well outside the boundaries of the conference.
One of the best things that you can do is to meet up with presenters or panelists from the educational sessions and offer to buy them a drink. Use that time to pick their brain on what they were teaching and to get their advice on how to apply those concepts in your business. You will make some powerful connections for the future.
Twitter is a great way to stay plugged into where people are meeting up in real time. The hashtag for the NAR Annual Convention is #narannual. Be sure to watch for that hashtag and to include in your posts so others can find you.
Make sure you’re ready for a ton of fun on Sunday because the Celebrity Concert Featuring Jennifer Hudson and REALTORS Got Talent Season 5 is that evening!
Now It Is Your Turn to Share
I would love to see your best advice for new attendees at the 2014 NAR Convention in the comments section below. Please share this blog post on Facebook or email it to your office if you feel like it will help them to get more out of the event.
I will see you in New Orleans in just a couple of weeks!
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