Every now and then, something strikes me absolutely the wrong way. Okay, maybe more than every now and then. Maybe more like every few minutes. Some things roll on by, some truly stick in my craw – and I mean, “private jets to Washington to beg for money” kind of annoying.
While I could be missing the point, I always had assumed that Inman’s Real Estate Connect conferences were geared in large part to real estate agents and brokers. I’m crazy that way. Put the words in the title and sure enough, I’ll think that’s the actual meaning.
Which is why I really confused by this almost certainly well-intentioned offer …
In the spirit of keeping our community strong, we want to extend a special opportunity to any industry professional that has recently lost their job to attend Connect and take advantage of this unique networking opportunity.
Clearly, this offer is meant for those who are connected to the real estate industry – just not on the sales side. Because those of us on the sales side don’t “lose” our jobs. We either opt to remain in business or to not remain in business. Unless the person in question is a part-timer who lost their gig working at Wendy’s that allowed them the financial freedom to list their cousin’s house in the MLS.
This strikes me as awfully similar to the “Slow Day Specials” I keep seeing at the local car wash. My own translation … “Business sucks, so we’ll knock $3 off the price if you’ll stop your car here.” Look around at the advertising these days and tell me how often you see that type of theme.
But back to Inman RE Connect.
Since real estate agents and brokers presumably are a large portion of the target audience, and since we don’t have the ability to lose our jobs and thus take advantage of this offer, maybe the folks at Inman ought to have some other, more real-estate specific, possibilities …
We understand it’s tough being a real estate agent. So if you’re one of the 400,000 members of the National Association of Realtors who did not and will not receive a commission check this year, we’re here to help.
That’s not a bad start. Maybe even throw in a line that says you’ll make up for the cost of the conference, the airfare and the reasonably priced NYC hotel room on the first transaction you close based on what you learn and the networking you do at Connect. Agents LOVE that line. Hell, we’ll buy almost anything when that kind of logic is presented to us.
It could just be that I’m cynical. Or maybe it’s that the sheer number of agents unable to put food on their families’ table has risen exponentially but, given the nature of commission sales, there’s no government bailout – or even an Inman discount – in sight for us 1099ers. “Can’t cut it? Go get a real job.”
Not that a real estate agent bailout is a good idea in any way, shape or form. Quite the opposite, at least for those who want to see higher standards and to see those who maintain those standards thrive with less of the onesy-twosy competition out there.
The barrier for entry is low. The watermark for survival is much, much higher.
In case anyone’s interested …
