Sellsius real estate marketing blog

I stepped out of the blogosphere and into the “real world” where I attended the Home and Backyard show at the Ontario Convention Center in Ontario, California on Cinco De Mayo. Unlike some of the Real Estate Conferences I have attended in the past, this Home show did not have the crowds I expected. Maybe the 2 other Home shows in the area had something to do with it. Overall, I had a great time talking with vendors about themselves and their unique businesses.

I quickly came to the realization that many vendors at this show were small to medium-sized family owned businesses. That’s great right? But, what really surprised me was how many of them did not have a website or blog to promote their business or expertise. They relied mostly on word of mouth and referral business from past clients. They also counted on shows like these to provide them with leads. Many were open to starting a website or blog for their company but just did not know where to begin. So, being the nice guy that I am :), I gave them my card and said they could call me anytime for help.

Here’s the funny sad part, aside from the wonderful people and companies that I highlighted, there were just as many that did not want me to take their picture or video, yet alone talk to me. Why? Because I was not a homeowner who was interested in buying their product or service. I was a little taken aback by some of their answers why they would not want free publicity on my blog. Some answers included, What’s a blog?”, “We have enough business already” (then why are you at this trade show?), “You have to ask my boss first”, “You can’t take a picture of my booth for copyright reasons”, etc… It’s one thing to say no thank you nicely, which I respected in a couple of instances, but some were just so unprofessional. I guess not everyone has the people skills to make the right connections with consumers or bloggers. Oh well.

I left thinking that there is some work to be done to help these “real world/ non-internet” businesses promote themselves online. I’m looking forward to the challenge.

You can now have Tiki Time in your backyard everyday. They run between $4,000-5,000.

I had a wonderful conversation with Cecilia Durbin, President of A Pitch Above Roofing company. They are a family company that specializes in all types of composition roofs, residential or commercial.

Betsy from Advanced Home Inspection Services was too shy to get in from of the camera but was very pleasant to speak with. They offer a free seminar on how to become a home inspector.

Maria from Alfred Design, Consulting Engineers and Designers, informed me about the differences between light-gauge steel framing vs. wood framing. They appeared on season 1 of Extreme Home Makeover and have been serving southern California since 1994.

Maria was kind enough to give me a lovely t-shirt and was one of my favorite people at the show. Thanks Maria!

Andy Than, owner of Andy’s Draperies and Decor. Andy specializes in custom cost efficient high-end draperies, interior design and decor. They are a small family business that focuses quality rather than quantity. Andy’s company, like many at the show, did not have a company website and did not follow blogs. I tried to help them by explaining the power of blogging as a cost effective tool to get his business and his expertise online. I will follow up with them and hopefully help them set up a blog.

Cheri from Natural Energy, offered 3 solar products for electricity, hot water or your pool. They specialize in the west coast states such as Nevada, Arizona and California.

Sharon Shetler from Handyman Matters talks with an interested customer.

Ronald Woodbeck, aka “The Granite Master”, is from HRC - Home Remodeling Concepts. They specialize in granite and tile. When I say specialize, I mean specialize. Ron was kind enough to spend some time with me explaining what makes a good piece of granite. I was amazed about what is happening behind the scenes in the granite business. Apparently, there are a few grades of granite. Ron told me stories about how some companies bamboozle you into paying more for granite that they say is top grade when in reality these are lower grades of granite that in many instances are not 100% pure - they are epoxied together.

Ron does not have a website nor did he know about blogs. With his wealth of knowledge and expertise about granite, I encouraged him to look into getting a blog. Most of his business is referral based and comes through word of mouth. He believes in customers for life. He has his own 10,000 sf factory in Fontana, California. If you want to know anything about granite, please call him at 909-355-4325. Thanks Ron, talk to you soon.

Joe Fallah is a chemical engineer from LifeSource. They are the whole-house water systems specialists. Deuce Bigalow himself, actor Rob Shcneider has one of these water systems in his home as does “Newman” from Seinfeld.

Lana from CDW - California Deluxe Windows, showed me some of their double and triple pane windows. They’re slogan is,”Beautifying Your Home One Window at a Time.”

Bill Cole from Mann Mortgage.

Medi-Rub massagers. I had a demo of their product and it was so relaxing, I almost fell asleep.

I met with Scott Geisel from MyContractor.com. They offer a complete suite of services that seeks to make the remodeling process a pleasant experience for the homeowner.

I met with Scott Carr of Empire Softub. They offer a softer alternative to traditional hot tubs.

I spoke with Jerome Winn, a cool dude from Nu-Lite Company and authorized Solatube installer. They offer an alternative to traditional skylights - more efficient light at an affordable price. Prices range between $525-635 installed.

Erik and Zack chillin on their Tempur-pedic beds.

Technorati Tags: Home and Garden Show, Home Show, Ontario, Real Estate, Home Improvement, A Pitch Above Roofing, Advanced Home Inspection Services, Alfred Design, Andy’s Draperies and Decor, Natural Energy, Handymanmatters.com, Home Remodeling Concepts, Ronald Woodbeck, Lifesource, California Deluxe Windows, Mann Mortgage, Medi-Rub, MyContractor.com, Empire Softub, Solatube, Nu-Lite Company, Tempur-Pedic

Tweet This Post