Impressions from my Midwest speaking tour

I wrapped up my speaking tour of the Midwest today at
the Quicken Loans Arena in Cleveland (I took the shot to the left just before I walked onto the hardwood to speak). The crowds have been large and fantastically open to the ideas of smart
branding and big thinking I cover during my 90-minute presentation.

Some observations:

• Agents here work hard to earn a living; the median home
price is around $200,000

• California agents are soft and spoiled compared to these people

• I’ve seen virtually no Mercedes, Jaguars, or Bentleys
in the parking lots. Nice to see some humility again

• Trains are alive and well in the Midwest. They seem to run through my hotel room at 4:00, 4:30, 5:00 and 5:30

• Lots of brick. Brick homes. Brick shopping centers. No
stucco as far as the eye can see

• Agents here are eager to listen to what this
California-based consultant has to say

• Less than 1% of those in any of my audiences have read
Purple Cow, Trading Up or most of the other business books I reference. I hope they  didn’t think I looked down on them for that.

• Only a handful the thousands I spoke to Blog. Of those who do, one ranks close to the top in Active
Rain and Trulia Voices

• Less than 1% are on Facebook; virtually all remain
unaware and disconnected from social media in general

• About 98% of the attendees were over 40

• Not one attended Inman Connect this year. I’m willing to bet 1/3 of them will next year    

• Overall interest in progressive tools is high

• Nearly all in attendance are still 100% paper
based

• Most if not all the agents I spoke to are full time,
career oriented professionals

• I like Midwesterners. They have been some of the most
respectful and eager to grow groups I have ever spoken too

— Davison