Archive for Career Success
Are You Committing These Four Recruiter Sins?
Posted by: | CommentsAre you committing any (or all) of these four recruiter sins? Have you hired ‘abundantly’? Unhappy with your production and retention rates? Most brokers are. Yet, it’s so easy to see why they have low retention rates. They’re creating them with their selection practices! And, in this ‘new normal’ market, we can’t hire so ‘abundantly’ and expect our agents to hack it in the real world.
The Four Recruiter Sins
Here are four of the most common “sins”, with recommendations about how to avoid them.
Sin # 1: Not considering a potential recruit a ‘candidate’
What do you call your potential recruits? I’ll bet you call them ‘leads’ or you say that you’re trying to recruit this person. Stop acting ‘needy’.
To become a ‘saint’: Call those potentials ‘candidates’. After all, you are screening, qualifying, and selecting them to your unique culture, your company. Shouldn’t they consider themselves lucky to get chosen by you?
Sin #2: Selling too much and too soon in the selecting process
The first part of the selection process consists of questions, questions, questions. Why then, do agents tell me they were asked very few questions, but were sold, sold, sold?
To become a ‘saint’: In your first interview, or first part of the selection process, ask questions and listen 75% of the time. Your candidate will tell you exactly what she is looking for, so, you can arrange your ‘tell’ (presentation) portion to fill her needs.
Sin #3: Not using a planned selection process
We teach our agents to use a planned presentation for buyers and sellers. Yet, we selectors just ‘wing it’. We have no system in place. What do you think we look like to the candidate who is interviewing for a position in a ‘real business’?
To become a ‘saint’: Create and master an effective selecting system. Know your steps. Follow your steps. Have your whole system written down. Use it with each candidate.
Sin #4: Asking questions that don’t tell us what we need to know
Most brokers have their favorite interview questions. However, it’s not connected to their agent job description or to the qualities they are looking for in real estate agents. It’s just a question they like.
To become a ‘saint’: Design your questions to reveal the skills, traits, and qualities you’re looking for in that real estate agent who represents your unique culture.
SAVE in March: $70+ off Recruiting Resources
For in-depth how tos in these four sins to saint status, see Your Blueprint for Selecting Winners. 
A $40 value, the Blueprint is FREE to those recruiters who purchase The Complete Recruiter. Plus, get The Complete Recuiter at $30 off (regularly $129.95, now $99.95) AND my new eBook on recruiting, From Romance to Reality. Order now and save $70+. This offer expires Mar. 31, 2012.
Another Leadership ‘Whack: Quit Calling your Agents your ‘Customers’
Posted by: | CommentsWhack: Toss the mantra ‘our agents are our customers’. The real customer is demanding we pay attention to them—or else.
Many brokers call their agents their ‘customers’. We thought that, by calling our agents our customers, we would please them, create loyalty and forge recruiting tools. This trend of calling agents ‘customers’ was a reaction to the old-style ‘father knows best’ management. Not a bad thought, but, unfortunately, too limiting. We assumed that, if we provided the services agents wanted, everything would be wonderful.
That thought process has sure gotten us into trouble. Why? Because we forgot that the person who actually pays commissions is called a ‘buyer’ or a ‘seller’—the end user. If the end user is unhappy, they vote with their feet. The result of our lack of focusing on the end user is plummeting commissions and alternative ‘agent-lite’ companies, relying much more on technology than personal service.
The bigger business world got it long ago. When is the last time you were asked about the level of service in a business you were using? I’ll bet you are asked at least once a week. The bigger world of business discovered long ago that they had to satisfy the needs of the consumer-and that those needs were escalating by the minute.
How do we put the real consumer first, providing the services that make them so happy they would never leave us?
Recommendations:
- Quit hiring non-committed agents. They simply will not do the work, create a business, and serve consumer needs to warrant a ‘generous’ commission
- Establish standards of production for your agents. What do you expect of them—and when?
- Accept that a low-producing agent cannot and does not provide excellent service—and the consumer knows that
- Pretend you are a consumer. Which of your agents would you want to work with? Which of your agents wouldn’t you want to buy a home from?
If your agents aren’t your customers, what are they? Perhaps partners, as one very successful franchise has termed them. You decide.
Get Real Leadership Strategies
Do you want to step into a better leadership style? Be more effective? Recruit more and better? I’ve created a very special, unique program for managers and owners: Once a month I share a specific leadershp strategy to recruit, choose, train, coach, and retain winners. These are proven strategies to get you out of a rut, take you past crisis management, and energize and inspire your team. See more at 365 Leadership. This new series closes for enrollment March 15. Find out more here.
Turning your Leadership Style Upside Down for more Effectiveness
Posted by: | CommentsThis January and February, I’m featuring the topic ‘leadership’. Why? Because it’s one of the biggest real estate industry trends (and probably world trends) of 2012 and beyond. Look for leadership strategies and trends (not just in the real estate industry), plus ready-to-use documents to go from ‘maintenance management’ to leadership. And, check out my complimentary recorded webinar for leadership. See more below, too.
Is your leadership style ‘tell them what to do and expect them to do it’? It seems so easy. You’re the chairperson or manager. Just take charge, tell people what to do, and they’ll do it. NOT. It’s just not that simple. At least, it’s not that simple unless systems are already in place and people on the committee know what their tasks are.
Seven Truisms about Effective Participative Leadership
It’s not enough today to be good at a traditional leadershp style. In fact, you have to really ‘turn your leadership style’ upside down to become effective. You must become a ‘participative’ leader. Here are seven truisms to help you flex your natural style toward more participation from your team members.
Truism #1: New chairpeople don’t know what’s expected of them
Just because people accept the title it doesn’t mean they know how to proceed with the job. Most people have never chaired a committee, so they don’t have the skills. It’s especially challenging when it’s a new task. They need to have clear direction, a job description, job responsibilities, and exactly who to go to when the job doesn’t get done.
Truism #2: People don’t know HOW to get it done
Even when people know what to do, they don’t usually have checklists, systems, deadlines, and assignments to get it done; it doesn’t work to leave it to a person (95% of the time, the other 5% will figure it out on their own) to decide how to get the job done.
Truism #3: Myth: “Leaders are the “idea people” and aren’t supposed to get into implementation (someone else will figure out how to get the work done)
When leaders say that, they immediately put others into the “secretary” mode. Their mentality is, someone else beneath them should be able to figure out how to get that done. That’s a secretarial or assistant’s job, isn’t it? But, your committee members don’t work for you. They work with you. You can’t expect someone to raise his hand and offer to be your assistant because you came up with the idea.
Truism #4: Verbal-type people resist processes and systems
There is a natural resistance in us (maybe especially in we verbal-type people) to organizing processes and systems. We love to talk about the idea. We don’t like to clarify exactly how that idea gets into process.
Truism #5: We ‘big idea’ people think we can delegate systemization to an assistant
Having worked with assistants for over 15 years, I have found that not true. Assistants need help in systemizing any process that YOU want done. They are good at systemizing their own processes–but not good at all at systemizing ours!
Truism #6: Leaders know committees take most of their time REPORTING to the larger group, not deciding on issues or processes
A mistake that committees make is to try to design processes within the large committee meeting. Instead, create task forces to report back quickly to you.
Truism #7: When accountability factors aren’t built in, things don’t get done.
This is a dicey issue, because you’re working with volunteers. Or, in the case of a real estate company, with independent contractors. At the same time, your association or business also expects the services and programs you promised. There’s a great difference between “do it the way you want” and expecting results and “do it the way you want” and let’s check how it’s going regularly.
Sharpening Your Participative Leadership Skills
What truisms do you want to add from your experiences in leadership? What do you see of yourself in these truisms? How can these help you lead? What needs to be done in your leadership position to gain greater skills? These skills are learned over time, and the pay-off is an association or business that is ‘owned’ by all those involved, with empowerment assured.
Leadership Strategies By the Month
Do you want to step into a better leadership style? Be more effecctive? Recruit more and better? I’ve created a very special, unique program for managers and owners: Once a month I share a specific leadershp strategy to recruit, choose, train, coach, and retain winners. These are proven strategies to get you out of a rut, take you past crisis management, and energize and inspire your team. See more at 365 Leadership. This new series closes for enrollment March 15. Find out more here.
What Leaders Do Differently from Managers
Posted by: | CommentsThis January, I’m featuring the topic ‘leadership’. Why? Because it’s one of the biggest real estate industry trends (and probably world trends) of 2012 and beyond. Look for leadership strategies and trends (not just in the real estate industry), plus ready-to-use documents to go from ‘maintenance management’ to leadership. And, check out my complimentary webinar on Jan. 30 on leadership, trends, and what you should do about it! See more at the end of this blog.
In my last post, we talked about the differences in management–specifically maintenance management–and leadership. Now, let’s look at the specific things leaders do to move offices ahead. After I list them, ask yourself, “Would I describe myself as a leader–or a manager?”
What Leaders Do
It’s easy to say you are a leader. But, how do you know you really are? Here are several actions leaders take. After all, we can’t judge people from what they say. We must judge them from what they do.
1. Leaders initiate new programs that move them closer to their vision.
2. Leaders enlist others prior to starting a new program, to assure the whole team has input, judgement, and ‘buy in’.
3. Leaders look at their planners, and evaluate whether they started something new that week or month. Did they start something that was innovative, creative, fun, and team-enlisting? Was it connected to their vision and goals?
4. Leaders do specific actions that solve problems. For example, in my new series, 365 Leadership, I will provide specific strategies, with all the guidance and documents to implement them–one strategy per month. One of these strategies is the Listing Presentation Play-offs. What problem does this solve? The problem of unskilled agents taking over-priced listings. It also changes the culture of the company from ‘we take anything’ to ‘we are professionals who act in the best interests of sellers’.
5. Leaders don’t rest on their laurels. They don’t believe they ever ‘have it made’.
Look at 365 Leadership to see the topics that we address. There’s still time to become a part of this group. I’m excited to provide 12 new, immediately doable strategies for you. It’s low-cost (both the series and the strategies) and it will move you into leadership and toward profitability.
What do you think the difference between management and leadership is? How do you know you’re a leader?
Complimentary Leadership/Management Webinar
Join me on Jan. 30, from 1-2 PM PST for Leverage the Top Trends for Profits in 2012. We will explore the top real estate business trends for 2012 and beyond–and I will provide you specific strategies to not only manage to those trends, but to thrive because of them. This is a complimentary webinar. Space is limited, so register today.
Jan. 30
Time: 1-2 PM PST
To register: https://www3.gotomeeting.com/register/306755846
Change Leaders Do These Three Things to Impact the Industry
Posted by: | CommentsThis January, I’m featuring the topic ‘leadership’. Why? Because it’s one of the biggest real estate industry trends (and probably world trends) of 2012 and beyond. Look for leadership strategies and trends (not just in the real estate industry), plus ready-to-use documents to go from ‘maintenance management’ to leadership. And, check out my complimentary webinar on Jan. 30 on leadership, trends, and what you should do about it! See more at the end of this blog.
Check at the end of these blogs for those ready-to-use documents and checklists to put these ideas to work.
Look Outside our Industry for Leadership Examples
No one in the real estate industry would argue that we’re in turbulent, changing times. In this climate, many real estate owners and managers are looking to others inside the industry for the “answers”. Unfortunately, in times of great change, this may not be the best place to look for smart business moves that ensure a bright future. Instead, it may be more valuable to look outside our industry for adaptable strategies. Not only must we look for these strategies, we must identify the kind of leaders who have the personal initiative, commitment, and courage to lead the change–and, perhaps in some cases, the charge.
The leaders, the strategies, and the real estate examples. I decided to do just that–look outside the industry for leadership examples. I found several commonalities. Then, I related these leadership actions to real estate and found examples of that leadership in the industry.
Proven ‘Change Leadership’ Strategies
Here are three of the most important strategies that are assuring long-term profitability–and stability–in businesses. These strategies solve many of the critical problems in our industry, including low customer satisfaction levels, management disillusionment, and lack of common focus. Bottom line, these strategies have been proven to deliver long-term, unassailable profits through change:
1. Leading from your vision.Businesses today have found that It’s not enough to strive only for profits. Today, to be profitable, the values of the firm and its real purpose must guide business decisions. According to a recent study, firms who had a firmly company-held vision earned twelve times the profits of other companies! (Nordstrom was one). This means, for many real estate companies, it’s time to look at the behaviors of the “team” members and ask whether these behaviors reflect the values the firm says it has.
Disparities? If there’s a difference between stated values and real behaviors, change leaders must have the fortitude (that’s guts, in real language) to do something about it. Why? Leading with your values allows a company to project the kind of image the consumer trusts–and the agent values most highly. That’s money in the bank for recruitment and customer retention.
The new book, Game Plan: How Real Estate Professionals Can Thrive in Uncertain Times , names leadership as one of the huge trends for 2012 and beyond. The authors, Ian Morris and Steve Murray, urge real estate leadership to lead from vision–from their recruiting to their retention practices.
2. Getting everyone in the firm “into management.” Businesses internationally are switching their management styles from autocratic to participative. They know that, with the radically-different profile of today’s worker, the old “my way or the highway” just doesn’t work (and neither does the ‘leave them alone’ school). The most successful businesses have created structures to share accountability and rewards. Real estate companies have been struggling with adversarial relationships which result in a tug-a-war on commission dollars. The answer lies in mutual accountability and sharing the management decisions. When all involved are focused on mutual goals, everyone profits. Change leaders must be willing to go through the challenging process of a management paradigm switch–from autocratic to participative. The pay-offs are in the ability to recruit real winners, and retain proven producers.
3. Marketing paradigm switch: From getting new business to keeping old business. Businesses internationally have discovered that chasing new business is a way to spend money they don’t have. To maximize marketing dollars, they’ve developed programs to keep the customer enthusiastically happy for a long-term, mutually-productive relationships. Real estate agencies need to switch their emphasis from getting, getting, getting, to keeping, keeping, keeping. This means more mutual profits, better customer satisfaction, and a more pleasant consumer-agent relationship.
We Realtors wish our theme song were “On A Clear Day, You Can See Forever”. In truth, our approach today must be closer to “Whole Lotta Shakin’ Goin’ On”. Applying change leadership in this turbulent, “shakin’” climate while adapting proven innovative strategies to our business assures we lead the industry through change with confidence and success.
Want to know more about change leadership? See this blog.
Do you have the attributes and actions of a ‘change leader’? Take the questionnaire I created for you. Click here.
Complimentary Leadership/Management Webinar
Join me on Jan. 30, from 1-2 PM PST for Leverage the Top Trends for Profits in 2012. We will explore the top real estate business trends for 2012 and beyond–and I will provide you specific strategies to not only manage to those trends, but to thrive because of them. This is a complimentary webinar. Space is limited, so register today.
Jan. 30
Time: 1-2 PM PST
To register: https://www3.gotomeeting.com/register/306755846
Do You Have a Job Description for your Agents?
Posted by: | Comments 
Do you have a job description for your agents? Most agents tell me they did not receive a job description when they started in the business (or in the interview). If not, why not? In my last blog, I discussed the fallacy that agents should start out as ‘independent’ business people. Now, I don’t mean they shouldn’t take responsibility for their actions and success. I mean that we shouldn’t abdicate our responsibility to teach, train, and coach them so they become great salespeople (so they can become independnet). Besides not having skills they need to succeed, they usually don’t even know what the job is!
Poor Job Descriptions Abound
As I teach management courses nationally, and speak nationally, I see many examples of poorly thought-out job descriptions and activity plans. What do you think is a poor job description? Take a look here. 
( a preview is to the right).
Why do you think I regard it as a poor job description? It’s not:
Prioritized
Some of the activities don’t result in success
My conclusion: This job description was written by an academic who had never been successful in real estate!
Abdicating our Leadership Responsibilities
Part of that abdication of management responsibility, I believe, is not providing a prioritized job description to your agents. Notice I said ‘prioritized’. Which activities should the agent start with? Which are important to be successful? Which are less important?
Before I share my job description with you, please write the job description you believe is the one you expect agents to follow.
When do you share that job description? In the interview? I hope so.
My Prioritized Job Description
Now, take a look at the prioritized job description I developed as a foundation for the new agent’s start-up plan, Up and Running in 30 Days. How does yours differ? What does your job description say about what you think is important? Are you gaining as much success for your new agents as you should? What does your job description and start-up plan have to do with those results?
For a printable copy, click here.
Get that job description refined. Talk to some of your agents to assure it’s the job description that reflects how you hire, train, and retain. Start using it in your interviews. Now, you’re getting much more effective and efficient.
If you’re a busy owner or manager, you’re probably wondering how you possibly implement the leadership you know it takes today to move your company forward. I’ve got the answer. Once a month, I’ll share a new leadership strategy–a strategy you can instantly implement in your company to motivate, energize, and help your agents be more productive (plus, these are great recruiting tools). Take a look at 365 Leadership.
For just $39.95 per month, you’ll get that strategy/action plan, an instructional webinar, a coaching tele-conference call, and all the ready-to-use documents you need to make that strategy a reality. Our new session starts in January, 2012. Don’t worry: You can join through March and get any sessions you may have missed. And, you will have access to all the completed sessions any time you want to view or review them. Check out 365 Leadership today. Let me share with you the specific, creative strategies I used to rebuild 2 real estate offices into exceptional profits.
Is the Real Estate Business an ‘Independent’ or Dependent Business?
Posted by: | Comments
Perhaps you went into real estate because you wanted to be independent. You wanted to be your own boss–name your own hours–work at your own speed. You’re probably hiring agents right now with the same reasons for going into real estate. Not so fast! Even though real estate is considered to be a career where ‘you’re in business for yourself”, taking that thought too far can result in failure: Failure for both you as a manager and your agents.
Why? Because there are many skills required in this business that people new to it just don’t have. Yet, we help them believe that all they have to do is to start in this business and go to our training. They will be successful. Then, when they start failing, they can’t figure out why. In this blog I’ll name 3 qualities and skills your agents need to develop fast. My question to you is: How are you going to help them develop them?
Skill # 1; Time management
Most people go into real estate from a field that required them to show up on time, do specific work, and work for at least eight hours. If they didn’t fulfil the minimum requirements of the job, they were fired. Understandably, many people don’t like to work under those strictures. So, they go into real estate where they can name their own hours, work at their own speed, etc. etc. The problem is, with many, that they don’t understand that working at their own speed many be working at a failure speed.
My question: What program do you have to teach them time management skills, monitor their development, and hold them accountable to a good schedule?
Skill # 2; Being accountable to a plan
When I was regional director for a very large international franchise company, I found, as I screened them, most potential owners and managers had never had anyone hold them accountable. In fact, there was a negative feeling about being held accountable. When you have a ‘boss’, you are accountable to that work plan and to your boss. In real estate, we’re so careful not to step over the boundaries of the independent contractor concept, we rarely hold anyone accountable to anything. The result: Most people never know what the job really is, and whether they are on track to attain their goals.
My question to you is: How are you going to help someone be accountable for their own success and be willing to be coached?
Skill #3: Implement a plan of action.
It is just amazing to me the kablooey plans of action out there. In another blog, I’ll show you why most of them lead to an agent’s failure. Most of the time, in fact, an agent isn’t provided a plan of action. He/she is just told suggestions or 50 ways to do something. The result: The agent has no idea how to prioritize activities and proceed. He has no idea whether what he is doing every day actually is leading him toward a goal.
My question to you is: Do you provide a prioritized plan of action, introduced in the interview, and use that plan of action to coach your agent in executing a successful real estate business?
So, after I’ve given you 3 skills agents need to succeed, what do you think? Is real estate an ‘independent’ or dependent business? I believe it needs to be a ‘dependent’ business at the beginning. That is, I coach the new agent as he/she starts his/her business. I am the leader. The new agent is the follower (or the struggling agent). There is the dependence. Once the agent ‘has it’, I step back, and become more of a consultant.
If you haven’t read the great book, Outliers, get it and read it now. One of the great lessons in the book is that no one succeeds alone. In later blogs, we’ll talk about the ‘community’ it takes to help someone be successful today.
Give me your feedback on the ‘independent’ or ‘dependent’ concept. What do you think?
Why not let me support you with your agents? Take a look at my blog for agents, Up and Running in 30 Days. I’ll motivate them, inform them, and support your point of view. Sign them up today.
If you’re a busy owner or manager, you’re probably wondering how you possibly implement the leadership you know it takes today to move your company forward. I’ve got the answer. Once a month, I’ll share a new leadership strategy–a strategy you can instantly implement in your company to motivate, energize, and help your agents be more productive (plus, these are great recruiting tools). Take a look at 365 Leadership.
For just $39.95 per month, you’ll get that strategy/action plan, an instructional webinar, a coaching tele-conference call, and all the ready-to-use documents you need to make that strategy a reality. Our new session starts in January, 2012. Don’t worry: You can join through March and get any sessions you may have missed. And, you will have access to all the completed sessions any time you want to view or review them. Check out 365 Leadership today. Let me share with you the specific, creative strategies I used to rebuild 2 real estate offices into exceptional profits.
Are You Making These 5 Planning Mistakes?
Posted by: | CommentsDuring November and December, I’m writing business planning blogs to help you create great plans with your agents. Check these blogs, too, for checklists, processes, and systems ready to use. For your agents: Check out Up and Running in 30 Days, my blog for your associates.
As you make your business plan, avoid the common mistakes that many real estate professionals make. Here they are:
MISTAKE #1
Betting on a business plan that’s only about 1/4 of a plan. Many of us write down our goals. Yet, that’s not a business plan. That’s just one part of the business plan. There are six parts to a real business plan:
a. Your vision-what do you have as an “end in mind”?
b. Your review-what happened last year?
c. Your mission-what are you about?
d. Your goals-expressed in the best terms for profitability today
e. Your action plan in each of 6 areas.
f. A method to measure your results.
Which parts do you include? What would your outcomes be if you thought through your business, covering all the bases?
Click here to see the ‘flow chart’ of a manager’s business planning system (excerpted from The Business Planning System for the Owner, Manager, and Team Builder).
MISTAKE #2
Ignoring the importance of ‘revenue units’ (sales and listings sold). Unfortunately, when we write our goals, we like to use those great million dollar numbers and measurements like market share. Yet, setting goals for revenue units assures that you keep your eye “on the ball”-homes sold, which make you money. There’s another huge benefit to focusing on revenue units: You can then integrate your agents’ plans with your office plan.
MISTAKE #3
Not doing a thorough review (or not doing a review at all). Looking back on your last year is so important, because it gives you the “hints” you need to write your best action plan for the next year. I think it also solves the problem of the manager trying to figure out what to do next.
For example: It’s amazing that brokers don’t know one of their most important numbers for profitability: percent of listings taken to listings sold. You may be wasting many dollars in marketing homes that won’t sell-no matter what you do. Also, your agents become unmotivated and depressed when their listings don’t sell. Knowing this ratio gives you direction for your training and coaching for the coming year. Create a higher ratio and you’ll be able to use it to recruit, too.
MISTAKE #4
Writing the plan ‘in a vacuum.’ Almost always, brokers sit down to torture themselves by writing a business plan in a room with the doors shut and no windows. But, they don’t know yet what their agents want to accomplish for the next year. The right way to plan is this: First, help each of your agents create a business plan. The sum of your agents’ goals should form the foundation for your goals. After all, your agents’ efforts should be reflected in your revenue unit goals, shouldn’t they? Yet, very few brokers even help their agents write business plans. So, they can’t really get good projections of what they think their agents will produce in the next year.
If you do assist your agents in their planning processes, you will have a much better foundation for a realistic business plan of your own. (That also means you should be consulting your agents on their business plans in November, so you’ll have all their plans together as you start creating your office plan).
MISTAKE #5
Not creating specific action plans in each of the action plan areas. Michael Gerber, a spectacular “guru” for small businesses, says “the integration of your systems is your business plan.”
In other words, if you have a real business plan, I should be able to read it, come into your office on any day, and see how you’re carrying out your business plan in recruiting, selecting, training, coaching, and marketing. You would be able to delegate many of your duties, too, because you had specific action plans for each of these areas. You would be able to measure your progress at any given point. Further, if you have created action plans that are systems, someone would be willing to buy your company from you, giving you a very attractive price! (That’s what Gerber terms “franchising.”)
Get Ahead of the Curve
If you don’t have a business plan, there’s still time to get one done. Just by thinking through your business, you’ll be ahead of 95% of your competing brokers! If you want to make more money, gain time, delegate more to others, open another office, or create an office that’s saleable, it all starts with thinking through your business, getting it down on paper, and attaching systems to each of your action plan areas. Now, you’ve got something you can run, you can delegate, and you can sell.
FREE Managers’ Business Planning Webinar
If you’re stumped as to how to get your agents to create business plans, you need to attend this webinar. If you want more teamwork and loyalty, you need to tune in. I’ll show you how I got 100% of my agents to write good business plans, and how I used those plans to coach and consult all year, building my office to #1 in a 19 office company–the strongest company at that time in the Northwest.
Complimentary Webinar
Managers: Get Every Agent to Build a Business Plan–and Build a Great office Plan
When: Dec. 1
Time: 1-2 PM, Pacific Standard Time
Space is limited, so register now. Click here to register.
Free webinar for your agents: I’ve got a free webinar, too, for your agents: On Nov. 29, I’ll show your agents how to create a great plan, and how to put the three major trends of next year into their plans. Register your agents now. Space is limited.
What’s your ‘bottom line’ for an ideal start-up plan for a new agent? Many managers tell me they don’t want to hire new agents because they’re too much work–and, too many of them fail. True. Yet, on the other hand, managers find it difficult to recruit seasoned agents who fit their profile, culture, and standards. One answer to this dilemma is to develop a start-up program for new agents that avoids the pitfalls associated with hiring new agents.
The Ideal Porgram Should Assure…
1. The new agent will succeed–fast (not this normal 50% failure rate!)
2. The new agent is directed by the start-up program–not a situation where the manager has to re-invent the wheel with every new agent
3. The manager doesn’t have to invest hundreds of hours in a new agent–only to find that agent fails
4. There’s direction from a ‘trusted advisor’–an outside coach, to save the manager’s time
5. There’s coordination and interaction between the ‘trusted advisor coach’ and the manager, so the manager isn’t left out of the loop
6. The new agent is challenged by meaningful activities leading to a sale, not just unprioritized busy work
What other goals should your ideal program provide you?
Re-Inventing My Start-Up Plan
I’m doing the fourth edition of my best-selling start-up plan for new agents, Up and Running in 30 Days. I want to assure that it fulfills all the goals above–and the goals you have for me. Here are some methods I am using to ‘take the load off’ managers, and still assure the program is effective:
1. I’ll be doing short instructional and motivational videos to teach the agents the best planning strategies AND motivate them. This saves managers so much time, because they won’t have to teach the program. I will.
2. I’ll be providing Internet-based forms that the agent will complete, (both in business-producing and busienss-supporting work), and those forms will always be available to the manager. These forms will tell the agent, too, how he’s doing in comparison with the standards and goals of the program. In other words, using programmed ‘feedback’ on progress, I’ll help the agent stay on track and congratulate him/her on accomplishments.
3. I’ll provide guidance to the manager on how to coach the agent during the good and the rough times, with short videos and forms provided.
What else would you like to see as I update the program?
Thank you for making this program the best-known and most successful program internationally to start new agents on the path to success.
P. S. This program is not meant to be a full-blown training program. It is a business start-up plan–meant to be an immediate start to the business, so the agent doesn’t have ‘down time’ between his hiring/orientation and training. Just think of what the agent could accomplish if he started lead generating on purpose in his week 2, rather than waiting until after that formal training program (about 4-6 weeks!)…….
Managers: What’s Your Ideal Training for New Agents?
Posted by: | CommentsManagers: What’s your ideal training–get started NOW program for new agents? What do you want your new agents to be able to do by the end of their first month in the business? How competent do you want them to be?
I’m working on the fourth edition of Up and Running in 30 Days, the new agent’s start-up plan. The program is designed to get an agent a sale in 30 days. It has a bit of training in it, so the agent gets the ‘how’ along with the ‘what’. In addition to that book, I’ll be doing a ‘version’ of it that will be very interactive, with me as coach. So, I want to know from you, both manages and agents, what you’d like to see in your ideal program for the new agent?
Here are questions I’d love to get feedback on so I can create the program that would work best for you:
1. What’s the major concern you have right now about the program you’re using?
2. Is the program you’re using designed to get the agent a sale in 30 days? If not, what is it designed to do?
3. What’s the best thing about your present training/coaching program?
4. What would you like to see in a start-up/training and coaching program for the new agent?
5. For agents under a year in the business (if you’re reading this as a manager, please ask your agents this question): What do you wish would have been in your training program? How could it have helped you get a sale sooner?
6. Coaching: What do you want that enables you to coach to the agent’s success better?
Please let me know by commenting on this blog. I want to make this program stunningly successful for both new agents and managers.
In my next blog, I’ll tell you some of my ideas about how I can ‘take the load off’ managers, and provide much of the coaching and accountability myself in this new version of this very successful program. Thanks in advance for your comments!\