Why did we call it Freeze Frame 2004 anyway?

he trick to a successful convention is a good theme. And I think we have a doozy set for MAR’s convention and expo this September.

Somewhere between Co-Mission: Possible; 2004, A Real Estate Odyssey and Lord of the Sale: Return of the REALTOR®, the Michigan Association of REALTORS’® communication staff came up with Freeze Frame 2004: REALTORS® are the Fashion!
I know. I know. They’re all great, aren’t they? You’re probably sitting there, scratching your head and trying to figure out how we chose Freeze Frame, especially when the other finalist was Open House Party 2004: Sell, Sell, Sell.

Well, it’s time to let you in on a little secret: It chose us. Or rather, it chose me. You see, after years of planning holiday parties at work and having to come up with three straight years of princess-themed parties for my oldest daughter, I decided it was time to try something different with this year’s convention theme — something very different.
Themes are a host’s way of setting the tone for an event. Provide a theme for guests and they’ll know how to act and, in the case of a princess party, how to dress. Or at least they are supposed to. If that little April Smith thinks that she can come dressed as Cinderella, when she knows darned well that Cinderella is my daughter’s favorite princess, then, well then—

Uh, oh yeah. Sorry about that. I digress.

Themes for conventions aren’t much different. Instead of attendees bringing a gift, a theme sets the stage for how the host plans to add a little sizzle. Savvy? If MAR comes out and says, “It’s a three-day business meeting, plan on wearing suits and watching PowerPoints until the sun sets,” then it’s just not an attractive occasion.

Throw in a few networking functions, a catwalk, fashion show, Countrywide Grand Assembly, keynote speaker Kate White (author and editor-in-chief of Cosmopolitan), and all of a sudden you have an event.

A very big event.

Attend Freeze Frame and you’ll be deliciously dipped into a world of real estate stars and fashion flavors designed to turn you into an A-list professional. It doesn’t matter if you’re a commercial or residential REALTOR®, an appraiser, or just a fan of real estate — you will benefit from this event and everyone is welcome.

Think Queer Eye for the Straight Guy meets real estate. Think extreme makeovers for selling techniques. Think of every room, gussied up and packed full of your real estate peers with speakers sharing secrets. There will be bright lights, hip music, education opportunities, famous stars and plenty of real estate celebrities to gawk at and watch.
It’s a theme for the ages. But don’t believe me. See for yourself on page 24. We have all the information you need to see what kind of convention we’re hosting.

After taking more than four rolls of pictures of my daughter’s party, which I didn’t develop until three months after the party, I laid them all out on the table in front of me and realized that each shot was a still frame of my child’s life. I saw my family from different perspectives — smiling, laughing, and, in the case of my two daughters, throwing cake at one another.

And here’s where the theme hit me. What if I could take that picture and change it? Not just using Photoshop to remove red eye or wrinkles, but really change the way that moment in the Kissman family life went and set us on a different path beyond our wildest dream.

That’s what I hope members take away from Freeze Frame. Take a chance and register today, then take that snapshot of your professional life and see how you can make changes. Who knows? You might make some great memories along the way, too.

Then there’s that shot of April Smith and her well-to-do princess costume. One-up the birthday kid, huh? We’ll let that memory slip right on by.