Thereโ€™s always something to howl about.

BarCamps — Trust Us — It’ll Be Worth Trashin’ Your Day?

First of all, I generally like and support the concept of RE BarCamps. I attended the first one, held in San Francisco a few years ago. Before making plans to attend, I knew about who would teach what, in loose terms. If memory serves, Brad Coy and Andy Kaufman set up and hosted that first BarCamp.

When the NAR national convention was here in San Diego last year, I went to that one, more to see folks from around the country than anything else. Recently, I attended one in Orange County. There were a lotta ‘names’ there, some who taught classes, some just attending like me.

The concept from where I stand is taken directly from where Dad was educated his first several grades in school — the one room schoolhouse. (And yes, he said it was red. ๐Ÿ™‚ ) What sets BarCamp apart from the ‘one room’ concept is that there’s no one teacher in charge, with full authority to control what goes on. What makes it much like the OldSchool approach is the dynamic of students teaching students. In this case, real estate agents teaching their peers.

A Minor Criticism

C.A.R. Expo is in Orange County the week of October 4th, just a 90 minute jaunt up I-5 from me. The day before it begins in earnest, there’s a BarCamp. I have no idea whatsoever who’s gonna be teaching, or, no kiddin’, even what’s gonna be taught.

Not makin’ that up. I’ve always known at least the roughed out list of topics to be taught, and who was gonna be leading those time blocks.

I’m willin’ to be part of the OldFart Brigade, as at 59 I’m certain to be hugely above the median age of attendees. But seriously, this ain’t my first rodeo — and I’m not some dinosaur who’s refused to adapt to the online world. It’s not as if Tony Gwynn was puttin’ on a baseball BarCamp without any details.

If I was a major leaguer and Tony was hosting/teaching at a baseball BarCamp, what the hell else would I need to know in order to attend?

Look, if Tom Ferry was gonna be leading a class on cold calling, I’d be there, in the first row. If Greg Swann was ticketed to teach a block on how he markets his listings? I’m there. Dan Kennedy gonna show us how to better use direct mail? Who wouldn’t be there?

But just show up? Not even a hint of what’s to be taught? I was recently on a panel with two other agents, talkin’ about what we do to generate business. It was on a Tuesday night for Heaven’s sake, and over 150 or so agents showed up. Wonder how many woulda been there if the marketing for it merely said, ‘Some guys, you know, agents, will be talkin’ about how to make money as a real estate agent.” Fortunately, the other two guys’ names were a pretty healthy draw.

So tell me: Why would anyone in the great Orange County/L.A. area block out an entire Monday to attend a day of 45-50 minutes classes on who knows what topics, with whoever teachin’ ’em — much less drive up from San Diego?

Just askin’.