Note: I’ve asked several people to share their thoughts and experiences about what Real Estate Connect has meant to them with our FOREM readers. Look for these special “Connect Stories” here on FOREM leading up to Real Estate Connect San Francisco, July 27-29, 2011. Our seventh Connect guest post is from our friend Krisstina Wise, Principal, The GoodLife Team (@krisstinawise on Twitter). Thank you Krisstina! – Katie

@InmanConnect #ICSF

If I could only choose one real estate conference to attend, it would be Inman Connect.

Why?

Well, if you haven’t noticed, the marketplace as we’ve known it has shifted. And, that means the real estate industry, too, is changing. The future does not look like the past as far as our careers are concerned — which means we must prepare for a different future.

Connect is the ONLY conference I know that brings the future to the present
As agents and brokers, there are countless conferences and educational events we can attend. Yet, out of all of them, Connect is the ONLY conference I know of that looks into the future and then brings it back to our industry so that we can prepare for the future of real estate NOW!  Since it’s imperative to our future success to know of the imminent changes quickly approaching our industry and careers,  I can’t imagine another conference that is as important to attend than Connect.

The GoodLife Team’s secret is: Inman Connect
The GoodLife Team is known to be technologically advanced for the industry and is also recognized as being an early-adopter and innovator. People ask how we continue to do this? Here is our secret … we attend Connect!

Inman Connect offers us a glimpse into the future by bringing together the most advanced and brightest thought leaders from around the globe that bring first to the industry the emerging tools, technologies, and trends that are on the horizon. The entire conference is oriented around what the future of the marketplace looks like, what changes are coming and what we, as real estate agents and brokers, need to know in terms of technologies, tools and people in order to prepare ourselves and our businesses for the future of real estate. At The GoodLife Team, we take full advantage of this opportunity to foresee what’s forthcoming and then put the competitive knowledge into practice by innovating, adopting and/or reinventing our operations in order to be on the cutting-edge of real estate brokerage.

Connect is Unconventional, Untraditional and Unstereotypical
It goes without saying that Connect is uncommon, untraditional and unstereotypical. Those characteristics are a given for any conference delivering the future to us now. But, what really makes Connect unique, and my favorite conference, is the people!

I love Connect because it attracts and brings together the most innovative, passionate and knowledgeable thought leaders and actors in real estate! From the great keynote speakers from companies like Google and The New York Times, to each and every session speaker and panelist — you will meet and learn from the true leaders of change. Combine these people with the  entrepreneurs you’ll meet at Start-up Alley and you have the BEST line up you will find at any conference. You will meet the most inspiring, passionate and knowledgeable innovators, entrepreneurs and practitioners who, no doubt, become new friends and colleagues.

The New Reality of Realty
So, sign up for Connect today and I look forward to seeing you there. Please drop by my session on the 28th at 9:25 where we will be discussing the new Realities of Realty.

Do you have a Connect Story you’d like to share? Did coming to Connect profoundly change you, your outlook, your team or your business? All of the above? If so, I want to hear from you and possibly feature you here on FOREM. Leave me a comment below or email me katie (at) inman (dot) com.

Join the Connect conversation on Facebook and Twitter (#ICSF)

Katie Lance, Social Media Director, Inman News, @katielance

Share on Facebook

Note: I’ve asked several people to share their thoughts and experiences about what Real Estate Connect has meant to them with our FOREM readers. Look for these special “Connect Stories” here on FOREM leading up to Real Estate Connect San Francisco, July 27-29, 2011. Our fifth Connect guest post is from our friend Jay Thompson, the Broker and Co-Owner of Thompson’s Realty in Phoenix (@phxREguy on Twitter). Thank you Jay! – Katie

@InmanConnect #ICSF

I’ve attended a half-dozen or so Real Estate Connect events, in both New York City and San Francisco. It’s been an honor to speak at a few of these events, but that isn’t why I attend.

Connecting is the Key

I am admittedly somewhat of a conference junkie. Having attended the National Association of Realtors Annual and Midyear Conferences several times, RE Tech South (a *killer* conference), many local, regional and state conferences, RE Bar Camps, and more, I keep coming back to Real Estate Connect.

Why?

The connections and networking opportunities are amazing. In attendance you will find agents, brokers, Association executives, MLS executives, real estate startup companies, developers and everything from the worker bees to the CEO’s of some of biggest companies inside, and outside, the real estate space.

How valuable is it to meet, speak with and be able to call VP’s, COO’s, CFO’s and CEO’s of companies like Roost, Trulia, Zillow, Move, and Realogy your friend? That’s a difficult ROI to calculate, but believe me, it is significant. How about connecting with visionaries outside of the real estate space like Social Media Megastar and best-selling author Gary Vaynerchuck, Craig Newmark (the Craig in Craig’s List), exec’s from little know sites like Google and minor media players such as the New York Times?

That’s cool stuff. And if you take the time to meet these people, to make a connection with them (and they are all very willing to spend time with the little guys like us), you are just about guaranteed to walk away with all sorts of nuggets of wisdom spinning around your head.

If nothing else, one cannot help but get a swift jolt of energy and motivation to come back home and start kicking butt.

Oh, there are sessions too

You’ll wish you could be three places at once. Picking and choosing which session to attend is not an easy thing to do. The nice thing is you can’t go wrong with whatever session you wind up in. Connect provides a ridiculous variety of speakers and topics.

An aside

San Francisco is one of my favorite cities on the planet. I get to leave the 900 degree heat of Phoenix in July and spend a couple of days in a remarkably diverse city with all sorts of attractions. Connect is held right smack in the middle of downtown San Francisco at a time of year where the weather is perfect.  It’s hard to tear yourself away from the event, but take some time to explore San Francisco, you won’t regret it.

I hope to connect with you at Real Estate Connect!

(Here is a video Jay filmed about Real Estate Connect)

Do you have a Connect Story you’d like to share? Did coming to Connect profoundly change you, your outlook, your team or your business? All of the above? If so, I want to hear from you and possibly feature you here on FOREM. Leave me a comment below or email me katie (at) inman (dot) com.

Join the Connect conversation on Facebook and Twitter (#ICSF)

Katie Lance, Social Media Director, Inman News, @katielance

Share on Facebook

Note: I’ve asked several people to share their thoughts and experiences about what Real Estate Connect has meant to them with our FOREM readers. Look for these special “Connect Stories” here on FOREM leading up to Real Estate Connect San Francisco, July 27-29, 2011. Our fourth Connect guest post is from our friend Brian Boero, the Co-Founder and Partner of 1000Watt Consulting (@1000wattbrian on Twitter). Thank you Brian! – Katie

@InmanConnect #ICSF

Real Estate Connect in San Francisco is the highlight of my professional year.

I get more networking value out of these three days then the 362 that follow. And I come home with a dozen ideas I’m excited to act on.

That may sound over the top. But it’s been a matter of fact for me for years.

I go to a lot of real estate events. Some are for brokers, some are for agents, some are for MLS folks. Many of them are valuable.

But Connect remains unique because everyone’s there.

The tech people. Brokers. Agents. Brand executives. MLS leaders. Entrepreneurs with designs on disrupting our big, complicated industry.

They are together, at Connect, mixing it up.

It makes for great conversations – in the sessions and in the halls – and knocks people out of their comfort zones. That’s a good thing in my book.

I am severely and proudly biased here. I started working at Inman two months before the first Real Estate Connect event in July of 1997 and left in 2005 after producing a bunch of them. This event is in my veins.

But trust me – I’m putting my time and money where my mouth is. I’ll be San Francisco this July, learning, meeting, re-connecting and squeezing every last moment out of this very special event.

I hope to see you there.

(Here is a video from Brian at Real Estate Connect sharing more of his thoughts about Connect)

Do you have a Connect Story you’d like to share? Did coming to Connect profoundly change you, your outlook, your team or your business? All of the above? If so, I want to hear from you and possibly feature you here on FOREM. Leave me a comment below or email me katie (at) inman (dot) com.

Join the Connect conversation on Facebook and Twitter (#ICSF)

Katie Lance, Social Media Director, Inman News, @katielance

Share on Facebook

Note: I’ve asked several people to share their thoughts and experiences about what Real Estate Connect has meant to them with our FOREM readers. Look for these special “Connect Stories” here on FOREM leading up to Real Estate Connect San Francisco, July 27-29, 2011. Our third Connect guest post is from our friend Michael McClure, the President & CEO of Professional One Franchising, LLC (@ProfessionalOne on Twitter). Thank you Michael! – Katie

@InmanConnect #ICSF

What do LL Cool J and I have in common? We’re going back to Cali.

I DO think so!

Last July, I had the privilege of being asked to speak at Inman Real Estate Connect San Francisco (ICSF). It was my first experience at a national conference, and I had an amazing time.

I forged crucial relationships those few days by the Bay, and made key connections that benefit me greatly today. As I love to say it, everything good happening in my business right now is Social Media-based, and “ground zero” for it all was ICSF last year.

And the good people at Inman News were kind enough to invite back to speak again at this year’s conference.

But here’s the thing: I would be going back to Cali – specifically, to Real Estate Connect San Francisco – no matter what.

I had such a great time last year, there’s simply no way that I would miss it this year. Or next year. Or the year after that. Or the year after that. Okay, I’m sure you’re getting my point, right?

Oh, and before I forget, let me add this: I never had any interest in attending industry events before I went to ICSF last year. Now? I attend every one I can. I went to a number of Agent Reboots last year, and I also attended Real Estate Connect New York this past January.

So, why am I so bullish on ICSF? More importantly, why do I consider ICSF
the “can’t miss” event of the year?

Here are my top five reasons why you need to be at ICSF this year:

• Connecting: OK, this is obvious, given the name – “Real Estate Connect” – but it is still worth noting. For the people who live and move in the space that is of most interest to me – the swirling vortex of the “real estate/tech/Social Media” mashup – ICSF is the place to connect with the people who are moving the needle in that space. Chris Smith. Nicole Nicolay. Matthew Shadbolt. The 1000Watt crew. Reggie Nicolay. The list goes on.

• Learning: With seemingly EVERYTHING being turned on its head these days in real estate, and with technology morphing and changing and iterating at such an incredible pace, we simply must stay as current as possible to stay competitive. ICSF is THE PLACE to learn from the brightest minds in the game, the very people who are creating and leveraging all these changes. I participated in a broker breakout session led by Marc Davison, and what I learned in just that one session – about lead generation at the broker level and how top brokerages were handling that process – was truly invaluable to me.

• Visiting: San Francisco is simply magical. If you’ve never been, you must come and see it for yourself. And if you have been, then you already know how amazing that city is. The combination of dining, sight-seeing, shopping and people watching, combined with the overall vibe and ambience, make this a city like no other. It’s an enchanted place, for sure.

• Socializing: What’s really cool about these events is how they transition from serious learning to serious socializing so seamlessly. As much as I learn at these conferences, it’s the potential for meeting people and getting to know them on a personal level that really makes them special. The highlight of ICSF for me last year was the evening spent at an eclectic bar called Swig. It was a true happening.

• Energizing: The combination of the aforementioned factors – connecting, learning, visiting and socializing – all adds up to this last point, which is that you simply cannot attend ICSF and not come away jazzed, stoked, geeked and all jacked up on Inman Dew. For me, last year’s ICSF was where I confirmed that I was on the right track in terms of tech and Social Media, and that alone was worth ten times the price of admission. Seeing what I saw and learning what I learned has fueled me all these months since.

I would implore you to check out ICSF. And,if you attend, I certainly hope to meet you personally. Let’s Connect!

(Here is a video Mike filmed about Real Estate Connect)

Do you have a Connect Story you’d like to share? Did coming to Connect profoundly change you, your outlook, your team or your business? All of the above? If so, I want to hear from you and possibly feature you here on FOREM. Leave me a comment below or email me katie (at) inman (dot) com.

Join the Connect conversation on Facebook and Twitter (#ICSF)

Katie Lance, Social Media Director, Inman News, @katielance

Share on Facebook

Note: I’ve asked several people to share their thoughts and experiences about what Real Estate Connect has meant to them with our FOREM readers. Look for these special “Connect Stories” here on FOREM leading up to Real Estate Connect San Francisco, July 27-29, 2011. Our second Connect guest post is from our friend Steve Weiss, Broker, Patterson Realty. Thank you Steve! – Katie

@InmanConnect #ICSF

Inman Connect is indeed where Real Estate and Technology Connect.

When it comes to a real estate symposium, Connect is THE most unique and captivating program I have had ever attended and believe me, in my 26 year career, I’ve attended my share of real estate conferences. From listening to the basic motivational speakers to the franchise spectaculars and everything in between, nothing compares to Connect. The chief distinction between any typical real estate conference and Inman Connect is the variety of subject matter, the format in which it is presented but most of all, your desire to return each and ever year.

Connect is the “crack” of real estate conferences, once you attend, you’ll be hooked for life. Connect continues to improve annually and is without any doubt, the premier source for real estate news and technology.

My primary goal for attending Inman Connect was to become more familiar with today’s real estate tools and technology. My goals were not only met, but succeeded all expectations.  Additionally, the personal relationships I developed during the Breakaway Sessions and throughout the hallways are truly invaluable and have helped expand my referral network.

By attending Connect, you will have the privilege to listen to the most innovative marketing strategists with the most unique ideas that are changing the way we do business today and setting the stage for how we will do business in the future.

When attending any real estate event, I’m usually looking for that one nugget of information that will allow me to excel in my marketplace. Most of conferences I’ve attended will spotlight large markets. The information I’ve assembled from Connect can be easily integrated into any marketplace. For example, in 2007, my brokerage spent close to $9,000 per month on print advertising.  Attending Connect NYC in 2008, I “connected” with a website consultant skilled on how to retool our web presence and suggested adding Search Engine Optimization. After implementing her ideas, we delivered a website that produces numerous leads and have nearly cut print advertising out of our annual budget. In 2010, Connect NYC shared the need to demonstrate transparency in our market by adding market data to our website. With the help from one of the vendors showcased at Connect, we are able to produce very useful information to our customers and set ourselves apart from the others.

Connect is appropriate for those who are establishing their real estate career to the most polished real estate veteran. Connect offers a variety of material that is informative and is presented in entertaining approach.  The agenda continues to improve with each year and have yet to be disappointed.

Finally, I would like to thank those of you at Inman News for what you have done for me and my real estate career. The Inman News Team responsible for producing Connect has my deepest and sincerest appreciation for seeking out the best presenters and the most innovative tools available to the real estate community. The material offered at Connect keeps me on the cutting edge of real estate news and technology. Each year I take away several nuggets that have indeed turned my business around. I highly recommend to my fellow associates that they attend either Inman Connect New York or San Francisco as the experience will absolutely change your career forever.

(Here is a video of Steve we filmed at this past Connect NYC.)

Do you have a Connect Story you’d like to share? Did coming to Connect profoundly change you, your outlook, your team or your business? All of the above? If so, I want to hear from you and possibly feature you here on FOREM. Leave me a comment below or email me katie (at) inman (dot) com.

Katie Lance, Social Media Director, Inman News, @katielance

Share on Facebook

Note: I’ve asked several people to share their thoughts and experiences about what Real Estate Connect has meant to them with our FOREM readers. Look for these special “Connect Stories” here on FOREM leading up to Real Estate Connect San Francisco, July 27-29, 2011. Our first Connect guest post is from our friend Matthew Shadbolt, Director of Interactive Product & Marketing from The Corcoran Group @corcoran_group. Thank you Matthew! – Katie

I’ve never been to ReTechSouth, NAR’s annual gathering, or any kind of BarCamp, BeerCamp, or BeerBootBar camp.

They appeal to me, but I’m often simply too occupied by the projects we’re working on at Corcoran to attend. With great interest, I ‘attend’ virtually and follow along with the conversations and hashtags on Twitter. It’s great fun, and the perfect virtual substitute for nonattendance.

As part of Real Estate Connect 2009, I was invited by 1000Watt Consulting’s Brian Boero to participate on a panel about what makes a brokerage’s site successful. I had never attended the New York event, but was honored to be invited. I was curious about what might be asked, but welcomed the discussion. It was so much fun.

I attended some of the main sessions, most of which I was confused by. I didn’t know anyone there. We don’t have an MLS in New York, and many of the speakers were discussing the intricacies of this in great depth. I was confused and wondered how it all applied to Corcoran. There was a lot of talk about blogging and video, neither of which we did at Corcoran at the time. There were no sessions about social media that year.

By accident, I walked into Gary Vaynerchuk’s keynote presentation. I had never heard of Gary, and wondered who on earth this guy was, using colorful language and advising everyone that digital marketing inaction was a serious, business impacting mistake. Gary’s call to action was for everyone in that room to get up off their collective behinds and in his words ’start crushing it immediately’.

I had no idea what this meant, but it resonated with me. His message was heard loud and clear… and I knew he was right.

My head was spinning after attending Real Estate Connect 2009. There was a massive world of real estate conversations out there that we were simply not part of. It was scary. We had to change this. I’m not a note-taker, but I filled a book in 2 days. Most importantly, we didn’t know who was doing the most interesting work outside of our immediate, isolated, island-driven environment of Manhattan. I took Gary’s challenge and resolved to address this.

We joined Twitter and began chatting with many of the presenters I recognized from the 2009 Connect schedule. I got to virtually know Marc Davison, Rob Hahn, Jay Thompson, Derek Overbey and many others doing incredible work in the real estate space. In time, we learned so much from them, and began to move those relationships offline. We began to grow our social media presence, and our brand began to grow with it.

We returned to Connect New York in 2010, where Christina Lowris-Panos, Corcoran’s Executive Vice President of Marketing and Advertising presented on brokerage branding strategy. We made it a point to meet as many people as possible and attend as many sessions as we could. We wanted to be exhausted.

Energized by the previous year, we had returned hungry for connection, information and inspiration. To say that Connect delivered, is a massive understatement. After the first day, we had notebooks filled with not only thoughts from the sessions, but also concrete action items we planned to implement when we returned to our office.

Foursquare’s Dennis Crowley gave the keynote presentation that year, and I turned to my team and said “there’s something in here for us… I don’t know what it is yet, but this is a great fit for Corcoran”. A year later, we are now one of the biggest brands on Foursquare, and the biggest real estate brand using it worldwide, with over 8,600 followers and an internationally recognized marketing strategy centered around insightful venue tips.

Earlier this year, in the midst of Snowpocalypse ‘11, we attended Connect 2011, where I presented as part of 2 sessions, one on social media strategy for brokerages, and one on mobile marketing. We still considered ourselves rookies in both areas, but understood that one of the key things at Connect is that you get to hear from people actually working on these platforms themselves. Our social media presence had become significantly larger since the 2010 event, and we were excited to meet many of our ‘old friends for the first time’.

As a last minute addition to the social media panel, I was seated next to Michael McClure. We had never met before, or even chatted online, but as the session developed it was apparent that there was much in common. Now we are firm friends and have done many projects together. We met on stage at Connect.

Many will tell you that the real conference happens in the lobby, and that you shouldn’t buy a ticket. That’s nonsense. While the ability to connect in person with people you chat with online at these kinds of events is fantastic, having your brain fed by the sessions themselves is a critical part of attending. And it’s fed with high-quality, grass-fed steak

I would never have been inspired to action by Gary Vaynerchuk or Dennis Crowley if we’d been in the lobby.

I’d have never understood how to work smarter by Chris Smith, or seen the future from Steve Rubel, or understood from Rob Hahn and Bob Hale how fragile the brokerage model really is.

I wouldn’t be thinking about e-mail differently thanks to Joel Burslem, or see the future of our industry from all the great start-up pitches, or even had my hair blown back by Curbed’s Lockhart Steele ’s incredible presentation on New York’s startup scene – one of the best 10 minutes of any conference ever, and worth the admission price alone

Connect is different. There’s a community of real estate professionals exploring and solving problems there. Outsiders from other industries are invited to provide fresh perspective. You’ll hear what works. People disagree. You’re invited to ask questions. You’ll come away smarter, energized, and with concrete perspective on what is exciting and working.

It is an essential event for taking digital relationships offline, and I’m looking forward to attending my first ever San Francisco event later this summer. This year I’m both moderating and presenting, and I’m curious to understand how what we do here in New York will be received on the West Coast.

I’m excited to meet more old friends for the first time. I’m even more excited to meet new friends for the first time.

I’m looking forward to being challenged, inspired and exhausted.

I’m going to learn a lot about what works.

I’m there.

(Here is a video of Matthew we filmed at this past Connect NYC.)

Do you have a Connect Story you’d like to share? Did coming to Connect profoundly change you, your outlook, your team or your business? All of the above? If so, I want to hear from you and possibly feature you here on FOREM. Leave me a comment below or email me katie (at) inman (dot) com.

Katie Lance, Social Media Director, Inman News, @katielance

Share on Facebook

Senior Vice President, Paul Zweben brings a freshness and energy to New York City real estate. He is always active on his popular blog www.hungrydomaine.com where he discusses real estate and food (including some excellent recipes), he also utilizes Twitter and his real estate Facebook fanpage to keep his friends and clients up to the second on all real estate related news.

Here’s Why I am Going to Real Estate Connect NYC 2011

Not only do I think that the founder of Inman News, Brad Inman is the Michael Jordan of Real Estate, but it is the perfect opportunity to get the following accomplished:

1. Staying ahead of the curve in this business is a must. If you are not on top of new technology and what others are doing, you will feel like that person running after the NYC yellow cab after you realized you left your wallet, iPad, and briefcase in the back seat! Don’t be that guy or gal!

2. Last year at Connect, when I listened to one of the 20 something founders of foursquare, I immediately put its FREE marketing power into our marketing plan for 2010 and on. It has already paid off. What will I learn this year to make us even stronger?

3. Meeting other agents, brokers and techno Geeks at Connect gives me inspiration, ideas, energy and helps me feed my need to learn!

4. Connect is like the high octane fuel that I need in January of every year! It helps me shoot out of the gate and make 2011 even better than 2010 was for our group!!

5. If you are not going to Connect and not following trending subjects regarding Twitter about Connect- you will be left in the dust!!!

I am so fired up!

If you haven’t reserved your spot yet, now’s the time! Register today with code FOREM0109.

See You in New York City!

Share on Facebook

I’m not big into predictions, but think 2011 may be the year of the “specific niche social media” – meaning social media networks that have a specific niche.

As I’m getting ready for Agent Reboot NYC and Real Estate Connect NYC NEXT WEEK (OMG yes it really is next week!!) I came across a new social media tool designed to connect with my fellow airline passengers.

Check out Planely – who asks the question, “Who is on your next plane?”

Personally, I think it’s a pretty cool concept – especially in the case of traveling for a conference.

One of the main reasons to go to a conference is for the networking and the people you meet. At Connect, there never seems to be enough face time with people you can meet.

What if you could start your networking at the airport? As the video below suggests, you can meet up with people who are on your same flight, meet in the terminal, share a cab ride and even sit together if you’d like!

Since I’m a social media junkie, I just signed up. Maybe we’ll be on the same flight! See you at the airport!

Planely from Planely on Vimeo.

Would love your opinion on this – will you sign up for it? Would you use this social network? Leave me a comment below!

Written by: Katie Lance, Senior Marketing Manager, Inman News @katielance

Share on Facebook

UPDATE: I’ve received word from a number of people that they want to participate in the contest, but they didn’t think they could get their story to me by the 6th.  I know how it is, it’s a crazy time of year.  So, I’ve changed the deadline for submissions to the 9th.  That changed all the dates.  The changes are below in red.

From having been to Inman Real Estate Connect numerous times, personally, I’ve got plenty of stories stored up from all the awesome people I’ve met, and valuable things I’ve learned.  Chances are, if you’ve been to Connect before, you do, too.

Now we’re going to give you a chance to put those stories to good use, and possibly win a FREE pass to Connect NYC ‘10!

PLUS– If you’ve never been to Connect, but really want the opportunity to attend, now’s your chance to tell us why!

Here’s how it works:

1)  Tell us your best story of your Connect experience.  It could be something that you’ve implemented as a result of things you’ve learned, or a relationship you’ve formed that started at Connect.  Never been to Connect, but want to go?  No problem!  Just tell us why you want to come to Connect!  Tell us the story in 500 words or less, or if you want to do a video, 2 minutes or less.

2)  If you have a blog, you can do the story as a blog post.  If not, just put it in an email.  Then, email the story or a link to your blog post to me at Daniel@Inman.com ENTRIES MUST BE RECEIVED BY 11:59PM (PST) ON SUNDAY, DECEMBER 6TH.  WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 9th

3)  Once I have all of the entries, they will be judged by the staff here at Inman.  We’ll pick the 3 best stories from each group.  3 stories of previous attendees, and 3 stories from people who have never attended.  We’ll post all 6 entries here on the Inman Blog on Wednesday, December 9th.  FRIDAY, DECEMBER 11th

4)  On the 9th, we’ll turn the final voting over to you, our readers.  All you’ll have to do is vote on which story you think is the best.  Voting will be open until 11:59 PM (PST) on Sunday, December 13th. WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 16th

5)  Once all the votes are counted, we’ll announce the winners from each category right here on Wednesday, December 16th.  FRIDAY, DECEMBER 18th.

Here’s what the winners will get. . .

• The first-place vote getter will receive a FULL-ACCESS FREE pass to Connect NYC ‘10 AND a pre-conference workshop.
• The second-place vote getter will receive a FREE pass to Connect NYC ‘10.
• The third-place vote getter will receive a FREE Inman News Premium Membership for a full year.

That’s a grand total of 6 winners!

But, what if. . .

What if I’m already registered for Connect NYC ‘10?  NO PROBLEM.  If you’re already registered, and you win, you can share the wealth! We’ll let you give your pass to anyone else you want.  Connect is even better when you share the experience with someone else!

One last thing. . .

If you choose to participate in the contest by submitting your story to us, you’ll be giving us permission to use your story in part or in whole in future promotions for Connect.  We won’t do anything crazy with your stories, but we’d like to be able to share your experiences with others who might be interested in attending Connect.

So, that’s it.  It’s pretty simple.  Tell us your story, and you could find yourself registered for Connect NYC ‘10 FOR FREE!  If you have any questions, just let me know.

So, what are you waiting for?  Tell us your best Connect story today!

Share on Facebook

Great news. The deadline for early bird registration for next year’s Real Estate Connect conference in New York has been extended for another week.

Plus if you register use the coupon code FOREM and you’ll save an extra $100.

Connect is by far the leading technology conference in Real Estate. There’s always a fantastic line-up of speakers… and next year is no different. Just take a look at the list of some of the folks who will be speaking there.

Dennis Crowley
Co-Founder, Foursquare

Jason Fried
President, 37 Signals

Saul Hansell
Tech Reporter, The New York Times

Max Ventilla
Zoo Director, Aardvark

Chris Pearson
Founder, Personified & DIYThemes

Vanessa Fox
Entrepreneur, Ignition Partners

If you’re serious about real estate technology and you’ve never been to a Connect conference – you don’t know what you’ve been missing. I’ve had the honor of being involved in many of these conferences and I’m hoping I can make it out to New York in January.

Full deets - Inman News Real Estate Connect runs January 13 – 15, 2010 at the Marriott Marquis Times Square in New York. You can check out the entire program here.

Full Disclosure: Real Estate Connect is produced by Inman News, which owns the Future of Real Estate Marketing blog.

Share on Facebook