clockAugust is my Coaches’ and Trainers’ Appreciation month. So, here’s a great question for you trainers. Your agent started in the business Tuesday. You have sent the agent through your orientation process, but your training program doesna��t start for another three weeks. What do you do? Well, herea��s what NOT to do:

  • Tell them to a�?just see the inventory and get acquainteda�� (theya��ll think thata��s the job description and some have been know to inspect the inventory for years before they would talk to a human being prospect!)
  • Give them your own activity sheet that you used upteen years ago–to keep them occupied
  • Give them nothing and see what happensa��the other agents will probably keep them busy with administrative work (!)

Here are two truisms:

Number one: Only about one out of a hundred new agents is a a�?natural, talenteda�� salesperson, who will figure out how to prioritize activities on his/her own–and start them

Number two: In the absence of a precisely, well-thought out prioritized start-up activity plan, most salespeople will create a plan for a a�?slow starta��; theya��ll form hard-to-break bad habits, scheduling easy-to-do, low pay-off activitiesa��because theya��re easier and non-threatening

So, herea��s what you have to do: Use a start-up plan that has the same priorities as the business plan youa��re going to teach and coach them to during their training period. (You are going to start them with a proven start-up plan, arena��t you? And, youa��re going to coach them into doing that plan until it becomes habit, 30-90 days, arena��t you?)

Herea��s what to look for in a preliminary-to-training activity plan:

  • It has the same priorities of business activities as your training start-up plan, so your agent a�?gets the picturea�� of success from day one
  • It gives your agent meaningful activities to complete prior to starting your training program
  • It doesna��t require anyone in the office training that agenta��until your training program starts
  • It forms the basis for first-day coaching, if you want it to
  • It takes advantage of your affiliates (mortgage, title, inspectors, etc.) who want to form relationships with your agentsa��to teach them the basics of the technical aspects of real estate

Sad truth: Most agents dona��t start with a proven start-up plan, much less a preliminary pre-training activity plan. So, they go to training with no idea how to prioritize the information theya��re gettinga��and make a meaningful, proven for dollars, start-up business plan.

Your job as a manager/trainer is to createa��or choosea��a preliminary plan, a start-up plan, and a training program that all present the agenta��s job description in the same manner with the same prioritiesa��so your agent has a clear road map on how to succeed every day. Doing so assures you have to hire less new agents to meet your recruiting goals, youa��ll have more success that you can promote to recruit, and more real dollars will flow to your bottom linesa��and theirs!

logoIt’s All Done for You…….

Why try to re-invent the wheel? It would take you years and waste your time. Take a look at Up and Running in Real Estate. It combines a proven start-up plan, training, and coaching to get those newer agents started to production NOW–and keep them in the business. It frees you up to do what you do best–coaching and counseling agents–not teaching the basics for hours a day!!!!!