If you are going to “blog for business”, you are at some point going to have to toe the “self promotion” line.
I’m not a fan, at all, of the hard sell or being pushy. It’s just not how I roll. You can read all about me on these very pages, and across the Internet. In fact, you can probably learn more about me than you really want to know.
Hard sell aside, there is (and always will be) some level of self promotion when ones primary method of securing clients is based on their internet presence.
Last week, I had the pleasure of speaking at and attending the Inman News Real Estate Connect Conference in New York City. And while it’s unlikely (though not unheard of) that I will directly sell an attendee a home in Phoenix, the fact of the matter is a significant portion of an agent’s business comes from other agents.
So I decided to do a little promotion of the Phoenix Real Estate Guy while I was in New York. I donned a couple of versions of my “TPREG” t-shirt and wandered about. I must admit it was kind of cool (and yes, good for the ego) when people would come up to me and say, “Oh, you’re the Phoenix Real Estate Guy!”
However, I am not an attractive man. Let’s be honest. Pretty people tend to garner more attention than us average Joe’s. I was fortunate that my new friend from London, Poppy Dinsey with Globrix, won the contest here for a pass and travel to Connect. As part of that, she was obliged to wear a TPREG t-shirt. And wear it she did!
While Poppy and I were looking over her shirt options, one Sarah Bandy who writes on the Colts Neck, NJ TylerTalkALot blog stopped by. She saw the other shirt I had and said, “I’d wear that!”
Well who am I to say no to that offer?
Now I know exactly what some of you are thinking — “Jay’s a hound. He picks nice looking ladies to wear his t-shirt”.
I can understand that, but I didn’t pick Poppy, my daughter did. Randomly I might add. Sarah happened to be in the right place at the right time. Heck, I gave Dale Chumbley a t-shirt for his birthday. As soon as he sends me a picture in it, I’ll post that too!
I don’t care who wears them. Far as I’m concerned the whole damn planet can order one. I’m a shameless self promoter, I’ll post them all!
Thanks Poppy and Sarah (and the other Sarah — yep, she’s cute too! — who was the first non-Thompson to sport a TPREG shirt) for being such great representatives of The Phoenix Real Estate Guy! 
See my Flickr Group for more photos from Inman Real Estate Connect NYC 2009.
Email This Post 
Print This Post
Previous post: [ Phoenix Population Declining? ]
Next post: [ Phoenix Real Estate Guy TV – Blogsperiment #973 ]
Thanks for reading! We value your thoughts and opinions, so please feel free to leave a comment. Please contact us if you have any questions or need help. You can also get automatic updates for this blog free via:
{ 27 comments… read them below or add one }
I have a birthday soon. Just sayin’.
What a fun idea with the shirts at the conference!
**Meg Zoller-Houston Realtor´s last blog post..Houston Realtor Defined!
Hey Jay,
Ugly guys like us have to take all the help we can get. I say good job getting someone who people would actually want to look at to wear your shirts. If only I could learn your charm. JK
**James Wheelock´s last blog post..Villages Of Tour 18 On The Tour 18 Golf Course
You mean hound-dog right? Beautiful trio of ladies and of course we all know that because your daughter picked “Poppy” you’re off the hook. Yeah right! Anyway Jay, nice post! Is there a link to any of the information from the Inman News Real Estate Connect Conference?
Jay – Thanks again for everything! Wearing your shirt was an honour, I even wore it out on the town that night and on the plane home…think of the exposure! Lol. Will definitely wear it out and about in London
You’re a marketing genius and a super, super guy.
Drat! I never even thought about getting our pics taken together in our TPREG shirts. We could have been two average Joes rockin’ some cool promo wear.
Thanks again for the shirt! (I’ll make sure & send you a pic) What a wonderful birthday I had & amazing time meeting everyone. It was a real honor meeting you f2f IRL Jay. You are a real class act.
**Dale Chumbley´s last blog post..Measuring Up 2008…
Jay – You do shameless promotion so well! BTW – You’re looking good – maybe it is shirt:)
**Paula Henry´s last blog post..No Carpet, No Kitchen, No Loan!
Well, looks I will have to get to Inman connect next time around. I like the shirt and the shameless self-promotion. I can do that!
Great idea with the t-shirts. You certainly got the right people to advertise them as well.
Keep up the good work, I am sure you are generating more than a few leads with your online efforts in Phoenix.
Fun way to promote yourself …and maybe even create some referral business…. and since I am from the Valley (my Dad developed The Lakes in Tempe) I would be happy to wear one too!
Jay, maybe next year you should co-brand it with Inman. They could put their logo on the back and hand one out to every participant.
**Tina Fountain´s last blog post..Over 8400 Metro Atlanta Foreclosures Set For Auction
Hmm…..didn’t notice any ugly girls wearing your shirts.
Sounds like you had a great time and made new friends. You can’t ask for more than that!
I think self promotion at an event like that is great. You standout and will stand to get business from it someday. It is all adds up.
Also, nothing like pretty woman showing off your wears.
I would send you anyone I get for Phoenix.
Richard
Jay, who does your printing?
Your post had me cracking up; that was great self promotion and I love the link on your post so we can all order shirts! Genius!
**Linda Craft-Raleigh Realtor´s last blog post..Raleigh Real Estate is Full of Great Deals
I’ve had the good fortune to meet and work with your wife (Francy,) so tell us “average Jay” – did you get her to model one of those t-shirts?
By the way don’t let my wife Patty know I think the redhead wears the t-shirt nicely! (Patty is a redhead also, lol).
Looks like you had fun in the big apple!
Looks like you had a great time! I am excited to hear your take on the convention and the speakers!
**Leon Blenky-One Bal Harbour´s last blog post..The Palace at Bal Harbour – Classic Luxury
Jay,
I think your being disingenuous trying to pretend that you aren’t strikingly beautiful. However, I was able to see through that and recognize the dilemma you reveal in your story of needing to market yourself but not being comfortable promoting yourself.
To me this is similar to the “I’m not a Salesman” talk. How great would it be if there was a way for Buyers and Sellers to understand how intelligent, competent, compassionate and top-notch we were, without us having to subtley reveal the facts!
I, somewhere along the course of my life, became passionate about helping people with real estate decisions. But you know what? If I say that– I sure look like a chump!
Eventually, there will be a mind reading machine. When someone is interested in buying or selling they can just read my mind and realize that I am a great resource and will actually apply a huge amount of effort, skill and care to make sure they have the best real estate experience possible. Is that too much to hope for?
Anyway, I’m off on a tangent, Nice T-shirt!
-Bob Maiocco
**Bob Maiocco´s last blog post..To Organic or not to Organic
Jay, it was great seeing you out in NYC. I wish I would have had time to grab a beer with you. The truth is I was really, really sick and as a result very low energy. The shirts did put a smile on my face:) NYC in the winter time is hardly t-shirt weather. It was freakin cold! Anyways, congrats on the creative t-shirt idea and getting some cute lady friends to wear it. That always helps.
Jay: I’m not sure who had more fun, you or Sarah. Great Meeting you. Let us know when you are back in town so the Jersey Girls can show you our side of the Hudson!
Perri
**Perri K. Feldman´s last blog post..Millburn NJ Kitchen Trends
Michael – Jay has asked me many times to model a TPREG shirt for the blog….I’ve had to use my negotiating skills to get out of it. Maybe I should arrange to get a shirt for Patty to model
well self promotions is not that shameless as i think that it really drag people on your site or items, because of this promotions people talks about the tshirt and whats about it so you all have the topic on how they will be shared and spread to people on what you have
Never a bad idea to have good looking women with you when trying to promote yourself. For some reason they always attract attention, haha.
Robert Eskiw – Home In Edmonton
**Edmonton Condominium´s last blog post..Obama poised to become 44th U.S. president
Hey, I wanted to ask, what did you feel was the number one, best bit of information you gained from the conference that might also help others? Thanks!
**Meg Zoller-Houston Realtor´s last blog post..Houston Real Estate Reaps Benefits of Statewide Population Growth
Good stuff man. I am also shameless when it comes to that and refuse the hard sell. Real Estate shouldn’t be that way and it takes away from the integrity when you use the “used car salesman approach”
**Scott Allan´s last blog post..Jan 28 Fed meeting & Rates
Babes are essential to a good presence at a tradeshow. And I agree, self promotion should never be seen as shameful. You’d be wasting your money and time if you weren’t getting noticed!
Ryan
**Edmonton Real Estate Blog´s last blog post..Report predicts busy 2009 for Edmonton Real Estate landlords