Boomin, the new portal being set up by the founders of Purplebricks, is holding a series of confidential webinars next week to woo agents.
The events, on September 29 and 30, are described as being a “confidential early preview” of what Boomin can do for agents and their businesses.
Those agents who wish to attend the webinars have to agree to a 950-word set of terms and conditions imposed by Boomin, largely focussed on the confidentiality aspect of the previews.
Boomin has not itself publicised the webinars on its Twitter feed, but the Say No To Rightmove campaign yesterday tweeted an invitation to agents to sign up.
SNTRM’s tweet links to a Mailchimp website that urges attendees not to disclose any of the content of the presentation, and to have only senior management or full time employees attending.
“The same provisions have been accepted by everyone who has had a preview” says the Mailchimp message.
Michael and Kenny Bruce, the Purplebricks founders now behind Boomin, have revealed few explicit details about the new portal; earlier this week it was revealed that the original choice for Boomin chief executive - ex-Reapit founder Gary Barker - was unable to take up the role for personal reasons.
This is not the first time that Say No To Rightmove has publicised Boomin.
A month ago the campaign’s lead agency - The Acorn Group, led by Rob Sergeant - wrote to its members to say: “SNTRM have had a sneak peek behind the Boomin curtain and - save for the industry’s reservations about the Bruce Brothers and their former Purple incarnation - we can report the proposition is exciting, exceedingly well-funded, and has potential to be a game changer.
“We had reservations about a new Bruce Brothers business model before meeting them, but it does appear they are wedded to a concept that is focused on Boomin being the professional full service estate agent’s friend, delivering a raft of technology that will create new transactions and offer agents additional income.
“Thus far, we are also aware that they have had engagement with a number of the country’s leading agents and have had an overwhelmingly positive response …From an Acorn Group perspective we are very seriously considering committing our support.”
SNTRM's Twitter feed has a relatively modest number of followers - only 440 as of this morning - but these include Michael Bruce. You can see the Mailchimp page that the SNTRM tweet links to here.
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All I can say is, when Michael Bruce showed me the presentation himself, my jaw dropped, the juices started flowing and I realised that agents and the public alike are in for a real treat with Boomin, which takes the whole concept of "portal" (and it's much more than that) to an extraordinary level. This is very much a space to watch in the coming weeks and months.
Sure.
I can't tell if you're being serious or not?
First Openbix then homesearch and now Booming they want to make their BLOOMING minds up.
Will it all end in tears like Purplebricks? I fear it will.
For me, Boomin has been given far too easy a ride, and the support from SNTR is bizarre when PB have done more than Rightmove to trash the reputation of independent agents in the last few years.
Wow. What a lot of options estate agents can spend their hard earned money on these days...
I think Rawlins is not an an estate agent ?
Paid mouth-piece perhaps?
I really understand that as traditional estate agents (I’ve been one for over 35 years!) we may have little to thank the Bruce brothers for.
That said, they had the concept of Purplebricks and built a very strong brand in short time. It’s undeniably now one of the most prominent national brands in the UK. Over the years we all have to adjust and deal with competition - to our company Purplebricks was, and is, treated as just another competitor.
Whether the concept behind Purplebricks actually works, or has any further mileage, the jury is still out. We all have our views on the money spent so far and it’s ‘profitability’...or lack of it.
But here’s the point regarding Boomin - and I’ve also seen the presentation. The Bruce brothers will undoubtably promote and build this brand quickly in the publics mind. They have the knowledge and experience of building the Purplebricks brand behind them. They also appear to be extremely well financed.
Boomin itself isn’t ‘just another portal’ - the innovation is very evident.
Sorry Richard, my jaw didn’t drop ... but I was very impressed and could see huge advantages on using Boomin both to our company and the public at large.
On the Boomin name itself - where it came from goodness knows, but didn’t we all say the same when Purplebricks was launched?! A daft name which won’t gain traction in the public’s mind?
I suspect (hope) Boomin is the genuine and serious competition to the existing property portals many agents have been waiting for.
As always, time will tell. If I’m wrong it won’t be the first time!
There is only one use for Boomin; a battering ram to bring down Rightmove. Use it solely for this purpose (unless they try to include the high monthly subscription/long contract trick) then dump it for the independent portals which offer agent-ownership, more control and lower subs.
Agreed
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