RE Barcamp is Coming to Australia

The real estate BarCamp movement is about to arrive in Australia.

According to Wikipedia a BarCamp “is an international network of user-generated conferences (or unconferences). They are open, participatory workshop-events, whose content is provided by participants…and [they] rely on the passion and the responsibility of the participants.”

In the US, BarCamps have become popular amongst real estate agents jaded with attending conferences where it’s commonplace for presenters to pitch their book, DVD or coaching programme.

At real estate BarCamps participants are expected to use the rule of two feet. If a presenter starts pitching their product then the attendees use their two feet to walk into another session that’s more valuable.

Most conferences have a pre-arranged agenda and conference presenters. Not RE BarCamps. Presenters are chosen on the day from amongst the attendees. And it’s the attendees who get to choose who they want to speak, not the organisers.

Most RE BarCamps are free. Sponsors are invited to contribute directly towards running costs. Already The Home Page has undertaken to pay for venue hire and the Professionals Queensland are keen to get involved.

At this stage Australia’s first RE BarCamp will be held in Sydney on May 24, 2011. The date dovetails with AREC giving interstate AREC attendees the opportunity to stay on and participate.

There is still lots to organise. Volunteers are needed to assist with registration, logistics supplies and plenty more.

Sponsors are needed for:

• Venue (THP is covering this)
• Wireless internet access
• AV hire
• Coffee van
• Morning tea
• Lunch
• Lanyards (Maverick Strategies supplying these)
• T-shirts (optional)
• Photo booth (branded, optional)
• Notepads
• Promotion
• Drinks (Professionals and THP have both expressed an interest)
• Prize give ways (optional)

More clarity is needed on a sponsorship entails. Broadly sponsors will be businesses who are enthused by the idea of RE BarCamp.

At this stage sponsors will receive

• A logo on an Our Sponsors page on the RE BarCamp website
• Mention on the morning of the event e.g. lunch is kindly provided by XYZ
• Logo on a sponsors’ page on the RE BarCamp Facebook page
• A banner (they organise where/when/how)

The sponsors don’t get:

• An opportunity to promote their product
• A booth
• Front of room promotions
• Naming rights

Finally, here’s a video by Brad Coy. He’s explaining how to get the most from RE BarCamp through active participation.