By Karen Dumond
I’m sure you’ve heard of the adage, “what’s old is new again.” And it’s true; we see it every day. New car models that look identical to those 20 years ago; music remixed off an old song; and don’t forget clothing styles (why did I throw away those beautiful blue suede clogs?).

I think we can say the same applies to the real estate industry, at least in some respects. Old tried-and-true methods resurface in challenging times. Basic selling techniques never die; they are just reinvented using a twist or turn for current times. But the fact remains that times have changed from way back when, so unless there’s an update to the old tried and true, you might not be “hip.”

We had some fun with this concept as we chose a theme for this year’s MAR Conference & Tradeshow. We sort of went “retro” and thought about how different today’s market is than in years past, and how REALTORS® need to adjust and take on the possibilities that today has to offer in order to be successful. And to do that we must hang up the old dial up phones and fax machines for today’s technologies. Perhaps put away the Polaroid camera for a digital camera or iPad for a presentation.

But change is never that easy. The monumental progressions made in technology and business practices over the last couple of decades truly boggle the mind. And often times we don’t realize how much has changed in our lives by using these innovations until we go without them and lose a sale or miss an important deal because we didn’t have them.

Therefore, when you come to the Conference & Tradeshow this October, you’ll see some examples of old and new. But rest assured, the courses scheduled and products you will see are nothing close to old. You’ll have the advantage of hearing from current leading-edge instructors on hot topics facing the industry and you’ll see just-launched products and services to help you streamline your business for success. See all the Conference details here.

Technology tools and social media are huge pieces, but not all that bring us to a “new day with new possibilities.” See all that the Conference & Tradeshow has to offer and leap into this new market with all its challenges but remember where and how it all began.