Poll: Should real estate investor clubs allow speakers to market their products during meetings?

Question

We were interested in getting your thoughts about how many real estate clubs (REIAs) profit off the products of their speakers, so we put a poll together.

Please follow the link and vote on your thoughts, as well as leaving your more complete thoughts in the discussion below.

Should Real Estate Clubs let speakers market their products during meetings?

Bill Gulley · Answer

Someone needs to vote for me since I'm not on Facebook.

NO! But that depends on what it is too. A local CPA speaking and seeking clients? An Attorney doing the same thing? A lender who is explaining and promoting a loan program? These types of promotions are common in real estate company sales meetings and usually informative. But someone seeling a book and programs....I would think not.

Mark Yuschak · Answer

I am 100% with the majority here (and I voted).  I find it very rude for the meeting host or hostess to plop a "guru" on stage in front of a captive audience.  It's almost like we were sold a bill of goods....we're there to learn and network, not be upsold on some junk from the host/hostess friends.

It's down-right rude.  I've walked out in the middle of the guru's sales pitches more than once.  And I'll continue to do so.  The lack of professionalism is monumental, in my opinion.

Ryan Pyle · Answer

No. I think that the guru pitch gives the meetings a "made for newbies" feel. Adding to what FinanceExaminer said, I would love to hear a talk given by a local expert on pertinent subject matter. But I can't stand the sales pitches. I stopped going because of them.

Mike Jakobczak · Answer

NOPE! I stop going to some clubs because 65% of the meeting is promoting new programs etc.

good poll, looking forward to the reponses

James Hiddle · Answer

No. If I go to these meetings I don't want upsells at all. You go to these meetings to learn and interact not buy some gurus merchandise.

Account Closed · Answer

My first inclination was to say no. However, I think it depends upon the club's agenda.

The clubs here are pitch fests.  The speakers are informative but information is in support of the agenda, which is to sell you their product. So ultimately these clubs are either famously overt pitch fests or clever pitch fests in disguise.  That said, you also get to meet liked minded people. Newbies get their faces out there and they receive some education. So with an agenda of education and networking it seems OK for speakers to market their products.

If the pitch fest clubs were branded as mastermind groups then I vote "No". However, If the clubs were mastermind groups why would they let newbies who bring nothing to the table in?

James Vermillion · Answer

I say yes, it is entirely up to the individual club as to what they present and how the present it.  Would I attend a club that focused on it, absolutley not!

Different real estate clubs exist to serve different purposes, and different members.  I believe that they success of the club will let them know if what they are doing is working well or if they should stop and try something else.

Mathew A. · Answer

I voted No, but I haven't attended one yet. I'm pretty young and I've grown up in a very advertisement-everywhere environment, so I've become pretty desensitized to a lot of advertising and sales pitches. Having said that, I can see how the selling can grow tiring and investors eventually stop going. There must be really high turnover for these REIA, huh?

Jeff S. · Answer

I hate to say it, but I donâ€™t think a survey is going to make a difference.  People vote with their wallet and to a lesser degree, their shoes.   There are a number of pitch-fest based real estate clubs in LA that have been attracting hundreds of attendees for years.  Why? I donâ€™t know, but many must feel they are getting value for their time spent and are willing to put up with the sales.  Plus, I suppose sales bother some more than others.

Steve Loveâ€™s club is very sales oriented yet is free to attend and he occasionally gets some great speakers.  He also attracts a huge crowd.  Phyllis Rockowerâ€™s pitch-fest (now managed by Steve Love I believe) charges nearly $30 per meeting.  Her attendance is down recently but she can also attract hundreds with the right speaker.

There are clubs in LA that specifically advertise themselves as no-sales-allowed events (see FIBI on Meetup.com).  Some are great and some lousy.   Others, like the most of the Orange county clubs, claim they donâ€™t allow sales, but seem to tolerate some anyway.  These are well attended as well.  I think that depending on the aggressiveness of the pitch, like it or not, many people will attend a real estate meeting even when they know they must endure the inevitable sales presentation.

Account Closed · Answer

No,  I quit going to one that the speakers always had something to sell.

Poll: Should real estate investor clubs allow speakers to market their products during meetings?

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