HAR is thrilled to announce a partial preview of The BIG e speaker program. This year’s conference program includes explorers, storytellers, pioneers and educators, visionaries and thinkers from all parts of the globe. Themed “Educate. Empower. Enlighten,” this event is intended to Educate our members through Exceptional speakers, Empowering workshops and Enlightening lab sessions. The BIG e conference will take place on Thursday, October 25, at the Norris Conference Center in CityCentre.
In the Red Oak Ballroom, there will be a total of seven 45-minute Keynote Sessions with these top-rated national speakers:
Welcome Thom Singer!
Our BIG e Conference Catalyst will be checking in with us throughout the day to motivate attendee interactions. He will be giving out prizes, asking questions and keeping you engaged in the day’s activities. Thom has spent more than 20 years in sales, marketing and business development roles with Fortune 500 corporations, AM LAW 100 law firms and entrepreneurial ventures. He regularly consults with companies and individuals on how to cultivate their personal brands and establish professional connections that will lead to more referral business – and is in demand to teach communication skills and presentation techniques.
Topic: “Some Assembly Required: Putting the pieces together to maximize network”
Thom will share his message of “Cooperative Significance” through speaking at corporate events, training small groups, mentoring and through his nine books on the power of business relationships, networking and public speaking skills.
Welcome Chris Smith!
Chris Smith is the Chief Evangelist for Inman News and a leader in the social media space, with large followings on Facebook and Twitter. His invaluable online marketing advice has earned him recognition as an innovative blogger and influential leader in the real estate industry. Chris emcees Inman News’ Real Estate Connect and Agent Reboot national tours and has also spoken at a host of other industry events. He is a leading contributor to the agent-focused advice and information site InmanNext.
Chris takes a practical, interactive and entertaining approach to presenting. His goal is to empower real estate agents and brokerages with the digital strategies, ideas and tools they need to succeed today and in the future.
Topic: Running Your Business Using Google’s Best Free Tools
Google now does a lot more than just search. Are you really maximizing your use of the amazing options Google offers? With the popularity of Android smartphones, the rapid adoption of the Chrome browser and must-use tools like Analytics and Google Docs, Google should be an integral part of your business. During this advanced session, presented by Chris Smith, you will learn the best-kept secrets that Google has to offer across their amazing (and mostly free) product line.
Welcome Tom Ferry!
Tom Ferry is the founder of TomFerry-YourCoach and has rapidly built a new powerhouse in the coaching industry. His charisma, discipline and flexibility, along with his ability to train coaches to teach powerful activity-based marketing techniques, has made him a sell-out draw at conferences and seminars across the nation. For more than a decade, Tom Ferry has earned a peerless reputation across North America as a top trainer, motivator and personal coach for professionals in the real estate and financial services industries.
Topic: Triple the Number of Your Appointments and Experience the Lead Generation Pivot
This session is for all agents who are ready to create a breakthrough in the number of appointments they’re setting. Learn Top Producer Secrets on how to develop the focus and mindset to set at least one great appointment a day, generate more referrals and sell more homes. Tom will help you unlock the secrets for connecting with hard-to-find prospects, discover a bullet-proof lead follow-up system and learn the mistakes salespeople make in setting appointments.
Welcome Curt Beardsley!
Curt has a 20-year background in technology, most of it real estate industry related. He is currently the Vice President of Customer and Industry Development at Move, Inc., which is responsible for REALTOR.com®, Top Producer® Systems and ListHub, the leading network for listing asset management. In 1994, Curt founded True North Technology, which developed and deployed the U.S.’s first major Internet-based MLS system, as well as the first public real estate website to offer complete MLS listings. He later was Director of Product Development and Strategy at GTE Enterprise Solutions, with responsibility for the real estate vertical market. Prior to joining Move, Inc., Curt was Director of Product Development for a telecommunications company that specialized in systems targeting the real estate and automotive channels.
Topic: Snapshot of the Current Real Estate Market
As Greg Robertson (Vendor Alley) stated in an article he wrote about Curt in 2011, “If you have been in this business a long time, you can get jaded. To actually listen to someone who inspires you is a tall order. Curt’s mix of idealism and creative energy is a beautiful thing to watch and fills that tall order in more ways than one.”
Welcome Amy Smythe Harris!
Amy has been in the real estate industry for 17 years and is still a practicing agent. Some people call her a “geek” or “nerd” or “The Gadget Girl.” She currently serves on the Board of Directors for the Houston Association of REALTORS® and served in 2009 and 2011 as well. Amy has also been a member of the Board of Directors for the Texas Association of REALTORS®. Not only does she serve on local advisory groups for HAR, she also serves on committees for TAR and NAR. She has trained agents for 10 years in the art of utilizing technology and social media in their business practices to become more efficient in their prospecting.
Topic: Video Schmideo, What’s the Big Deal? Why You Need to Take Videos Seriously!
In this session, Amy will cover what you need to about video and how it relates to the real estate industry. She will be giving tips for creative ways to make your own videos, software you can use to edit your videos, as well as the places you should be posting your videos when completed and consumer-ready.
Welcome Max Pigman!
Max Pigman is the Vice President & National Speaker for REALTOR.com® and Top Producer® Systems and has a wealth of experience in real estate, both as an agent and a broker/owner. He has shared marketing and technology ideas with more than 100,000 brokers and agents over the past 15 years and has travelled more than 2 million miles to speak to REALTORS® in every state in America. Having been involved with REALTOR.com® since the days of RIN (REALTORS® Information Network), Max is currently Vice President and is responsible for presenting at numerous marketing and technology workshops as well as several national conventions each year.
Topic: Share Recommendations & Generate Referrals
Attend this session to learn about the new HyperSocial™ Tools from REALTOR.com® that are designed to help REALTORS® gather recommendations to build referral business. These free tools allow agents share success stories from satisfied clients through their profile on REALTOR.com®, the REALTOR.com® mobile apps, and the social networking sites they use every day.
Welcome Bob Hale!
Bob Hale has been the President and Chief Executive Officer of the Houston Association of REALTORS® (HAR) since 1988. Through Bob’s leadership, HAR has grown to become the largest individual dues paying membership association in Houston and second largest local REALTOR® association in the country, with more than 23,000 residential and commercial members. Thanks to his vision, HAR.com is a household brand in the greater Houston area and the most frequently visited Web site for Houston real estate. HAR.com receives 1.5 billion hits from an average of 1.2 million unique visitors every month, viewing REALTOR® listings 12 million times monthly.
According to REALTOR® Magazine, “Hale is widely regarded as a visionary and a leader who puts his members’ business needs first.” Known as the consumer advocate, his speaking topics are consumer centric. Last year at The BIG e, the crowds really appreciated his insight into the industry regarding the consumer. Bob will be sure to do the same this year.
This is your BIGgest opportunity to learn from the best without having to leave Houston. These amazing speakers are all coming to you, so register today!
