This month, I’m focusing on recruiting and selecting. And, I have some blazing ‘deals’ on my recruiting resources to help you get a great plan and implement it right away!
Isna��t it amazing the number of things a new manager is supposed to be able to doa��from day onea��even though he or she isna��t trained to do those tasks? Take recruiting, for example.A� As a new manager, I was expected to prospect, get appointments, ask great questions, and select agents who would be successful. But, did I have the skills to perform those tasks with competence? You can bet not!
Even though I was a top-producing agent, I didna��t take the time to think through, and didna��t know how to, apply the sales skills I had used to attain high sales volume to the recruiting tasks at hand. So, I, like thousands of other new managers, just did it a�?by eara��. Along the way, I had some a�?winsa�� and lots of a�?lossesa��. Through my observations of myself and others, Ia��ve created a list of ten top mistakes, so that you can avoid the pitfalls Ia��and others without traininga��have fallen into.
In this blog, we’ll look at the first five. Also, I’ll add some advice I learned from all those mistakes!
1. Charge ahead to hire
It should occur to us that we need to sit in a quiet place and think about the kind of people we want to hirea��before we dive in. But, we are so thrilled that someone is in front of us that it doesna��t occur to us that they bring with them their values and ethics. So, if we havena��t thought out our values, our beliefs, and our perspectives first, we run the risk of hiring people who will then dictate what the company values become. Before you start interviewing, decide what you will and what you wona��t stand for. Write out your values and your beliefs. Then, when you interview, check to be sure that agent carries those same values and beliefs into your office. Someonea��s got to be the leader, and it better be you!
2. Recruiting to old-style management strategies
I know, I know. Just go make those calls and you will get some recruits. Yes, thata��s true. But, wouldna��t it be better if you built a company that stood apart from the others because of its a�?attractorsa��? The greatest attractors today to a company are twofold:
a.A� Does the company have values and beliefs that the agent can live bya��and agree with?
b. Does the company focus its energy on the success of the agenta��or on itself/
If you are still trying to recruit to an old-style dictatorship, or, if youa��ve given up leadershipa��get a clue. Find out what participative management is all about. Find out how to build a team. Figure out how to help each agent reach his/her goals. Now, youa��re on the right track. Re-tool your business structure so youa��re attractive to the entrepreneur of today and tomorrow.
3. Trying to recruit on the company features
a�?Our company is the largest around.a�? Well, guess what? If youa��re a branch manager, and all your branch managers say the same thing, youa��re not going to differentiate yourself that way! You must make yourself a magnet. What about your background provides a benefit to a new agent? To an experienced agent? For example, I was a musical performer and teacher. That taught me performance skills, and how to teach others performance skills. You can see the benefits to agents. Ia��m able to help an agent reach his goals through greater skills.
4. Not differentiating the feature from all the other companies that have the same thing
a�?We have a great training program.a�? So says every company out there. Whata��s so great about your program? Youa��d better be able to tell a�?em and show a�?em. a�?Our training program has a 90% rate in our agents making a sale in the first thirty days theya��re with us.a�? No one else in the area has success figures like that. Herea��s the brochure about our program. It spells out the comprehensive five-step program for new agents. Do you want a program that assures you make money fast?a�?
5. Trying to attract agents through a�?price warsa��A�A�A�
We in the real estate industry just love to hire agents through the bidding wars. We either provide a lower desk fee, better commission splits, or more trinkets and trash. Guess what? Thata��s the chickena��s way out. In reality, price is never the best recruiter. But, if you dona��t have a great company organization, if you dona��t help agents meet their goals, youa��re going to have to compete on price. Ita��s all youa��ve got. Now, work hard to provide real value. After all, consumers pay 10% more for products and services they believe are of quality.
Recommendation: Read Drive–The Surprising Truth about What Motivates Us, by Daniel Pink. The motivators have changed, but no one has told real estate professionals!
So far, what have I left out?
Blazing ‘Deal’ On My Complete Recruiting Systems this Month
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The Complete Recruiter provides you the scripts and dialogues you need, the recruiting planner you dona��t have (!), and dozens of tips to recruit the winners you want. Your Blueprint for Selecting Winners gives you an 11-step interview process to assure you interview those you wanta��without unpleasant surprises.A� Recruiting Objection Busters shows you scripts and dialogues to counter any recruiting objection with grace, logic, and attractiveness.
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