My 5 Favorite Inman Connect New York Quotes and Why They Matter

About two weeks ago, I went to New York with the HouseLens executive team to attend Inman Connect. This was my third Inman conference, and it was fantastic.

Each conference has had some standout feature that made it special. This time, the roster was what really appealed to me. It was packed many levels deep with smart, insightful panelists and speakers. Among all the amazing presentations, however, certain remarks rose to the top. Here are my favorite 5 quotes from the sessions, and why they matter.

“If you don’t adopt disruptive technology, you will be disrupted.” –Brad Inman

Brad opened the conference with a big, booming shot across the real estate industry’s bow. He’s right: today’s marketplace is full of disruptive technology. And if you aren’t ready to learn it and adopt it, then guess what? You’re going to become obsolete.

Aside from the issue of job security, why does this matter? Because disruptive technology has amazing potential to enhance your real estate business. Brad mentioned three specific possibilities: on-demand and virtual showing tools, predictive analytics, and smart-contract software. The first two will qualify your leads, so you and your sellers don’t waste time and money on Lookie Lous. And the third will streamline transactions so you can sell more houses in the same amount of time. What’s not to like about that?

“They saw what was possible. I didn’t.” / “Don’t be the person who is given a mile but only takes an inch.” –Seth Godin

I admit: I am a Seth Godin fangirl. And his presentation did not disappoint. I actually have a whole list of quotes from him, but these two jumped out at me for a reason. Too many times, I have seen real estate agents miss out on amazing opportunities because they didn’t come in the guise of “the way we’ve always done it.”

We live an age of unprecedented technology and access. It’s an old phrase, but the world really is your oyster. So if you’ve been mulling over doing something new and different with your real estate business, go for it. With all the tools of modern marketing and business available to you, the potential for success is high. And if you don’t go for it? See Brad’s quote – someone else will.

“Don’t be the guy that shows up at the potluck with just a fork.” –Dave Liniger to Spencer Rascoff

Proof that successful agents love to give: Inman ambassadors organized a morning service project at the Bowery Mission. (That’s me in the green sweater.)

Rascoff shared this gem on Wednesday morning. I think it’s a perfect word-picture of what the ideal agent doesn’t do. Every time a wildly successful agent or broker took the stage at Connect, I heard a common theme: successful agents and brokers give. And give. And give. To their clients, to their team members, to their businesses, to their families, to their communities.

I saw this giving spirit in action on Tuesday morning, when 18 brokers and agents woke up before dawn for a service project. Led by Inman ambassadors Billy Ekofo and Nikki Beauchamp, they cheerfully trekked to the 137-year-old Bowery Mission to clean the kitchen, sort donations, and serve breakfast to 185 people in need.

Successful agents and brokers also care about the end result of their work. They believe deeply in the American dream of homeownership and truly want to see buyers and sellers find their perfect home-match. In short, a successful broker or agent is not the one who shows up at the potluck with just a fork – he or she is the one who shows up with the best dish, and enough to spare.

“If you have not made a change in your organization to ensure you have technical competency, you are way behind.” –Elizabeth Mendenhall

Mendenhall made several insightful observations, but this one topped the list for me. Note that she didn’t say, “You need to catch up as soon as possible.” She said, “You’re already behind.” She captured a sense of urgency that many agents and brokers haven’t quite grasped. But she also made an important point: there is more than one way to develop technical competency. So don’t feel like you have to “tech up” the same way your colleagues do.

You probably need to meet a minimum standard of proficiency – keep up with your email, get comfortable with texting your Millennial clients, and at least be aware of the options that are available. But if you prefer to hire out the rest, go ahead. Pay a freelance social media manager to set up and manage your Facebook page and Instagram account. Hire a tech to install new software and keep the office computers updated. Get a basic mobile-first website through Placester or BoomTownROI, or hire a local designer to build one for you. The point is just to make it happen.

My notes are filled with a host of other thought-provoking quotes, but I’ll leave you with these. If you attended ICNY, what were your favorites?