The City of the Big Shoulders is a city that earned its reputation on hard work and the labors of the blue collar worker. From meat packing operations to shipping, Chicago was built on American values like persistence, painstaking effort and determination. The city quickly grew into one of the largest in America and is now recognized as a center of worldwide commerce and trade. Sears, Boeing and Baxter International call this great city their home, and Chicago’s bragging rights continue on through the legacies of their professional sports teams and their culinary arts. Indeed, the City of the Big Shoulders was built on the same extraordinary character and values that built this country.
Julia B. Fee Sotheby’s International Realty traveled to Chicago in September for the annual Sotheby’s International Realty Leadership Forum. The prestigious three-day luxury real estate conference provided our company with a great opportunity to represent our brand and gain insights into the challenges ahead, both locally and globally. Over 220 members of our worldwide affiliate network participated in the event, held at the InterContinental Chicago Magnificent Mile. We were able to develop new connections, share best business practices and network with brokers, owners and managers from companies throughout our network.
We also had the opportunity to participate in exchanges on new marketing initiatives, resources and industry trends. Through presentations delivered by owners and operators from companies in our network all over the world, we brought many key takeaways from the conference. The full power of our network’s referral system was demonstrated to us, as well as the great benefits of our strategic global marketing relationships along with new ideas for providing exceptional service to our clients and creating stronger company cultures. Agent recruiting strategies, the many advantages offered by our unique relationship with Sotheby’s Auction House, and ways to expand our businesses were also key discussions.
Importantly, we learned that in the near future, it is estimated that China will be the number one English speaking country in the world. This fact represents significant opportunities for us in the global marketplace and specifically in the Asian market. In China alone, sales increased from 6% in 2006 to 30% in 2012.
“Sotheby’s International Realty remains a leading force in luxury real estate,” said Vin Socci, Director of Marketing for Julia B. Fee Sotheby’s International Realty. “Backed by the strength of our brand and its strategic partnerships with iconic media companies such as The New York Times and The Wall Street Journal, we are positioned for success both globally and locally in 2013.”
Julia B. Fee Sotheby’s International Realty valued the opportunity to attend this dynamic conference as well as the experience we gained from the event. We look forward to the next leadership forum and another exciting year in real estate.
