In Episode 123 of the Wandering But Not Lost Podcast, cohosts, Jan O’Brien and Matt Emerson chat about Inman Connect Now.  This virtual conference was a departure from the networking of the past but was packed with great stuff and a fantastic addition to their yearly conferences.  Jan walks us through the key take-aways.

KEY THEMES

• Covid-19 as an Accelerator – Technology & Trends
• High Tech – Soft Touch / Humanize the Digital Experience
• Engage meaningfully with people
• Innovations & tech that benefit the consumer
• Relationships are King, Content is Queen.  Authenticity is Everything!
• Migration to the suburbs – small towns vs urban centers
• Providing what the consumer wants and how they want it
• Consumer Demand / Behavior Changes
  • Fast, simple, beautiful, ease of use
  • Space -home requirements
  • Efficient, Integrated – Digital transactions and closings

PIVOTING /ADAPTING BUSINESS in PANDEMIC

The Lean Startup by Eric Ries http://theleanstartup.com/

A crisis has an unintended benefit where it forces you to make a decision about
something that you should have decided a while ago!

• Managing your expenses – making adjustments as needed while also seeing Opportunities to Invest
• Manage Your Mindset
• Importance of SAVINGS for your business – building up CASH RESERVES
• Grow and Focus on PROFITABILITY
• Know your true ROI
• Conduct a self & operational assessment
• Create a collaborative environment – strengthen your culture
• Find better mentors – networking
• Customer Experience
  • People’s concern: Health, Money, and Freedom
  • Don’t sell – listen / serve
  • Personal connections – notes, gifts
• Leveraging time with technology used effectively (Consulting/presenting/communicating)
• Double down on learning and using technology
• Creating evergreen content – More VIDEO! 
• Your competition is YOU Yesterday and anyone working harder than you TODAY

Home Stager HSRA https://www.hsraagent.com/

• Flexible workspace – 1 to 2 zones in a home
• Extra bedroom(s) or bonus space
• De-compress zone
• Resort-style outdoor area – bigger yards
• Grand central kitchen

Gary Keller – KW

1. Fast Tracking of Disruption

            Acceleration – what might have taken 5-10 years is now less than 2 years
            New normal doesn’t mean that it’s worse

Pre-COVID – We were all Physically Based and used Tech to Enhance
Moving to ….. Digitally-Based / Physically-Enhanced

• (Zoom consultation to decide if you will physically show a home)
  
• Physical Based Business says daily -” What’s the least we have to do in the digital space to protect my physical business?”  Barnes & Noble   Nook
• Digital-based business says “What’s the least we have to do in the physical space to kick your digital butt”  Amazon

2. Change in Behavior

            How people use space & technology has changed
            66 days on average to change a behavior

This is not changing back to how it was

3. Strategic Alliances + Mergers/Acquisitions

            This will speed up due to necessity

            Perfect storm – Pandemic > economic & health crisis > moral crisis

Inventory shortage over last 10 years – adds to pent-up demand which helps prices increase – appreciation

Three Winners

1. Tech-enabled consumer – higher quality, consumer experience
2. Tech-enabled agents
3. Tech-enabled brokers

Websites & Resources to Check out

Example of Virtual Open Houses on a Website

• https://www.chamberlaingroup.ca/virtual-open-houses
• Homebot.ai https://homebot.ai/webinars/agents
• T360  https://prepare.t360.com/tactical-tuesdays/
• DOWNLOADS: https://www.t360.com/inman2020/19918630
• Tech 500 Funnel https://www.realestatealmanac.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/03/2020-Tech-500.pdf
• HSRA https://www.hsraagent.com/
•  WomanUp! https://www.iamwomanup.com/2019home
• CAR https://www.car.org/
• CAR Economist Slide Deck – Leslie https://1b93cfc5-7229-48ff-baa9-f68e22586434.filesusr.com/ugd/40dbfa_46f416a3ad80455dac46f6c69068aa16.pdf
• Photography/ VIdeo Tours https://www.boxbrownie.com/
• Clozio https://www.clozio.com/
•  Openhouses.live

Books

• Profit FIrst  https://profitfirstbook.com/
• The Lean Startup  http://theleanstartup.com/
• Simon Sinek books https://simonsinek.com/

Infinite Mindset

ADOPT AN INFINITE MINDSET

Choosing and maintaining an infinite mindset is hard. Very hard. It takes practice and a community of support. It’s a journey best traveled together. Let’s support one another as we learn to be infinite-minded leaders.