I recently heard from a few brokers that because REO inventory is down, they weren’t planning on attending an upcoming conference. This line of thought got me thinking – that’s exactly why we need to go to conferences. Conferences have so much to offer attendees; it surprises me that some industry professionals overlook the amazing opportunity they present. With the 5 Star Conference coming up, I thought I would share some insights on the importance of attending conferences with you.

Face Time

Conferences give you the chance to meet with your existing clients. For many banks that are in different states, face time with clients is a rare opportunity. With social media and various platforms for instant communication, it’s easy for face-to-face exchanges to be overlooked; but they shouldn’t be. Talking in person is the fastest way to develop trust and confidence and to build the relationship between you and your client. It gives your client a chance to identify with you and your company in a more personal way; and it gives you a similar opportunity to better personalize your approach to that specific client.

Network

This is a big one. Not only will you have time to talk with existing clients, but there are two other important groups of people that you will be able to network with over the course of the conference – prospective clients and other expert industry professionals.

Meeting prospective clients is always a good opportunity. What’s great about meeting them at a conference is that they see your level of passion for and commitment to what you do, just based on where you are. The fact that you are at the conference tells them that working with you means working with someone who is up-to-date on the most important real estate trends, who is committed to being at the top of their game, and who is truly engaged with the work they do. Meeting in this environment easily turns prospective clients into actual clients.

You’ll also get to network with brokers, agents, vendors. You’ll have a chance to meet other professionals in the industry and learn about what they do; and they will get to know you, too. You never know what one connection could lead to, and having connections across the country widens the scope of benefits those connections could deliver.

Exchange ideas

This follows up on the networking idea. What’s great about conferences is how willing people are to share. While local brokers may not want to talk to you about how they are making their business work, tricks of the trade, and hot clients, at conferences you’ll meet brokers from across the country who don’t have the fear of your competition to keep them quiet. It’s a great opportunity to soak up knowledge from others’ shared first-hand experiences.

Demonstrate your ability

The forum of a conference lets you show clients, prospective clients, and industry professionals that you are an expert in your field. It increases confidence and trust in you and your ability to get clients what they want. That leads to prospects becoming clients, and existing clients referring you more prospects. You work hard and have valuable knowledge to share; a conference is the perfect way to make that clear without sounding like your advertising.

Learn

At a conference, you’ll get to hear experts’ takes on the industry, latest topics trending in real estate, and additional revenue streams. Take notes! Conferences pack a lot of knowledge and experience into a short amount of time. It’s a very efficient way to gain real and honest knowledge from experienced people in the industry.

Plan

You’ll also likely find out what to expect in the coming months and year. This gives you the chance to plan accordingly – a big advantage over those who didn’t attend. When you return to work, you can take all that you learned and apply it. You can map out your future plans with confidence thanks to the valuable information you learned at the conference.

IYes, going to a conference requires time and money – most investments do. You are investing in yourself and your career, committing to growing and learning, and giving yourself the opportunity to come back refreshed with new perspectives and ideas. Not to mention it’s a great chance to get out of your office and experience a change of scenery. Have a conference you’ve been thinking of attending? It’s always good to ask your clients and vendors if they have a promo code. Many times, exhibitors and sponsors have discount codes. I hope this list helps you see the real importance of attending conferences and gets you excited about the opportunity.