EVENT HISTORY 

2005: Las Vegas

CRSs of all stripes shared their insights for planning careers and making the right choices, differentiating themselves in their marketplaces and retaining wealth.

Three real estate powerhouses — Howard Brinton, the founder and president of Star Power Systems, Dave Liniger, co-founder and co-owner of RE/MAX International, and Larry Kendall, co-founder and chairman of The Group, Inc. — set the tone at the Opening Session for learning that extended through the next two days general and breakout sessions. The Opening Session was the first time the three men had appeared together in one forum. All three are recipients of the CRS Special Achievement Award, which recognizes their lifelong contributions to the profession in support of CRS.

“This year’s participants were here to learn, not just to attend,” says Brinton, the emcee, moderator of several general sessions and educational strategist for Sell-a-bration® 2005. “Electricity was in the air. During the Opening Session, I was able to dance with two icons of our industry — Dave and Larry. Dave gave the attendees his global viewpoint about the real estate profession’s future. Larry offered such a powerful local viewpoint of ways in which agents can ratchet up the profitability for their businesses.”

Liniger discussed the cyclical nature of the real estate market. He warned the 13-year boom would end during the next two years, and the number of REALTORS® would shrink from 1.1 million to 800,000. For those left in the profession to thrive, they must plan their careers, have goals and become information brokers, not simply sales agents.

From the local view, Kendall showed examples of how REALTORS® can provide value to clients by using statistics to demonstrate their knowledge of the marketplace. From research, he showed that 85 percent of clients are willing to pay a higher fee to agents if they can prove their worth.

“Show your clients how you can help them sell their home for the right price in the market and in the shortest amount of time,” he said. “Create value for your clients by solving their problems and making them feel good.”

For taxes, Chris Bird offered reliable, legal tips for his audience to save more money for themselves and give less to the Internal Revenue Service. He spoke about changes to the SUV write off, increases in retirement plan contributions and health savings accounts.

A former high school guidance counselor, Ron Wunsch, CRS, GRI, who has participated in “hundreds of educational conferences,” attended his first Sell-a-bration® this year in Las Vegas. He was one of 625 first-timers, or 56 percent of all participants at the event. This is higher than past Sell-a-brations®, where first-time attendees average about 37 percent of all registrants. Also unusual in 2005, 27 percent of the attendees were either CRS Candidates or non-CRS members. Traditionally, only CRS Designees have attended Sell-a-brations®.

These two significant changes resulted from allowing for the first time one unit of educational credit toward earning the CRS Designation for attendees who completed an affidavit to attending all the sessions during Sell-a-bration® 2005. More than 300 attendees also completed a one-day course about Web site positioning prior to Sell-a-bration’s® start that gave them another one unit of credit toward earning the CRS Designation.

“Sell-a-bration® was the most energizing and informative conference I’ve ever attended,” says Wunsch, with Coldwell Banker in Fenton, Mo. “I took copious notes, plan to purchase the Sell-a-bration® CD audio package, and most important, set up and accomplish five business goals for 2005 from ideas I learned. I also will benefit from the vast support network of other successful agents who have earned the CRS Designation. I’m so excited that I’ve already signed up for Sell-a-bration® 2006 in San Antonio.”

Another spin on improving your business came from Michael Russer a.k.a. “Mr. Internet.” He focuses on eProductivity, which incorporates using virtual assistants to do tasks that are not suited to sales agents. “An onsite assistant doesn’t work for many agents,” he says. “It requires an innate sense of managing people that most agents are not suited for. Virtual assistants work on a project basis and already have the training required. It’s a whole different paradigm for the real estate profession. I own two companies that are run by virtual assistants, so I’m living proof that it works efficiently and effectively.”

A second-time attendee of Sell-a-brations®, Ann Bishop, CRS, GRI, found new ideas to implement right away. “Sell-a-bration® 2005 was so well organized; there wasn’t a wasted moment,” says Bishop, with Ann and Denny Bishop Realty Group in Wichita Falls, Texas. “Howard Brinton’s ability to gather top producers from across the country was amazing. Chris Bird and Dave Liniger were particularly impressive. Dave has such insight into an agent’s day-to-day activities. He stays in tune with the problems we face. I did not want to miss one breakout session. In one of the breakout sessions, a panelist, Alexis Bolin, CRS, spoke about overcoming objections and was particularly memorable. Sell-a-bration® 2005 had worthwhile information that’s been proven by agents in the field.”

1990: Nashville
Bob Wolf — Achieving optimum value and Peak Performance with use of a Personal Assistant" and Hank Trisler — "No Bull Selling"

1991: Las Vegas
Dave Knox — "Achieving Personal Mastery" and John Clements — "This is the Beginning"

1992: Atlanta
Rick DeLuca — "You Have What it Takes to Be a Superstar!"

1993: Seattle
Roald Marth —"Exploring New Heights with Quality Controlled Productivity" and Dr. Patt Schwab —"Your Secret Shortcut to the Peak"

1994: Memphis
Howard Brinton —"Profit is Good" and David Knox —"The Joy of Risk"

1995: San Antonio
Mark Miscevic — "Tragedy or Triumph: A Choice Of and For a Lifetime" and Dr. Tony Alessandra —"Relationship Strategies"

1996: Nashville
Howard Brinton —"Record Results? Sell Your Points of Difference" and Mark Sanborn — "The Fred Factor: Achieving Record Results Through Personal Leadership"

1997: New Orleans
Dr. Wayne Dyer — "Reaching a Higher Level" and Danielle Kennedy —"Stand Up or Drop Out!"

1998: San Diego
Dr. Denis Waitley — "Empires of the Mind", Daniel Burrus — "Technotrends" and Gerald Coffee — "A Time for Heroes"

1999: Las Vegas
Howard Brinton — "I Never Thought I Could Earn This Much Money Selling Real Estate," Vince Poscente — "Fast Forward: A Journey From Ordinary to Extraordinary"and Laurie Moore-Moore — "Good Grief! What's Happening to Real Estate?"

2000: Honolulu
Jack Canfield — "Self-Esteem and Peak Performance" and John Powers — "Laughing All The Way to the Bank"

2001: Palm Springs
Mike Vance — "Raise the Bar: Creative Strategies to Take Your Business and Personal Life to the Next Level," Jeanne Robertson — "Humor: More a Laughing Matter in Real Estate" and Art Berg — "The Impossible Just Takes a Little Longer™"

2002: Las Vegas
Dave Liniger — "Overcoming Challenging & Difficult Times," Lt. Col. Oliver North — "Freedom, Change, and the Security of our World," and Stefan Swanepoel — "Know Who You Are and The Value You Offer."

2003: Las Vegas
Debut of new CRS 210 Course, "Building an Exceptional Customer Service Referral Business," Dr. Fred Grosse — "Moving to the Next Level and Magnificent Life," Chris Bird — "Keeping The IRS Out Of The Dial," Allan Dalton — "Creating Immediate Income and Lasting Value Through Consumerism," Laurie Moore Moore — "Blessing or Curse? The Empowered, Informed Consumer."

2004: New Orleans
Howard Brinton — "Success and All That Jazz!," Chris Bird — "The New Rules of Tax and Finance," Howard Brinton — "Integrating Lead Systems for Maximum Effectiveness," David Knox — "Dare to Be There - Successfully prospecting FSBOs and Expireds"