This week, Five for Friday features David Gilmore, CCIM, CAI, AARE, Managing Director at Sperry Van Ness/Gilmore Auction& Realty in Kenner, LA.
1. What is your geographic market and product specialty?
Product specialty: Accelerated marketing which includes open outcry auctions, dual bid events (sealed bid + auction), online auctions and sealed bids. Geographic market: Much of my auction business takes place in our home state of Louisiana, however, in the last 18 months my team has handled auctions in Arkansas, Louisiana, Mississippi, Alabama, Florida, Iowa, Nebraska, Michigan, California and Washington.
2. What’s your latest best practice tip that you can share?
Using www.1hour2plan.com , which is an inexpensive platform that can quickly help you create an annual plan to include mission, vision, values, objectives, strategies and priorities.
3. What’s been the biggest change over on how you run your business in the past decade?
Technology, Technology, Technology: Ten years ago we were sending 5 pound paper PIP’s (property information packages) to auction bidders. Now it can be downloaded or e-mailed in seconds. We used to register auction bidders by hand. Now we scan your driver’s license in less than a second and it’s in our database. In 2002, bidders were required to be at the auction to bid. Now you can bid from your laptop, iPad or smartphone from anywhere in the world. On some platforms the system can bid for you up to a pre-set limit so you don’t even have to be at your computer. Paperless transactions are already here. Sign the purchase agreement on an iPad or tablet and it is e-mailed to all parties within seconds. Cloud computing, Dropbox. All Technology.
4. What business book do you like to recommend to your colleagues?
“You Can’t Teach a Kid to Ride a Bike at a Seminar” by David Sandler, founder of the Sandler Sales Institute. An effective but unconventional sales training book.
5. What’s a fun fact that not everyone knows about you?
Played inside linebacker at Nicholls State University many years ago. Also, have always wanted to be a drummer in a rock and roll band. I don’t think drums are practical at 52 so I just bought a guitar but can’t play a lick, yet!
*All Sperry Van Ness® offices are independently owned and operated.