What do agents hear during your interview? We all love to be sold. We love to hear that wea��re special, that we dona��t have to do much to get rich. The more wea��ve been beaten down, the more susceptible we are to this kind of sales presentation. (Think about the last few years and the real estate professional’s state of mind and self-esteem).’
But, you say, you dona��t sell like that. Herea��s the problem: You dona��t have to. The recruit hears what he wants to hear. Just by hiring that recruit, the recruit tends to put his future in your hands. Youa��d better deliver.
For Some, The Bigger the Promise the Better
What kind of recruits go for those big promises? The ones who dona��t want to work very hard. In fact, in my experience, the more the candidate is taken in by those promises, the less successful he/she will be selling real estate. But, the more he/she will blame the person who promised for his failure.
Question: Is that the kind of people you’re recruiting? If so, you have a revolving door, don’t you?
Disgruntled Agents: The Backlash Becomes Public
Agents arena��t as successful as they were in an a�?on firea�� market. Neither the commissions nor the residuals are rolling in. So, what and who is the problem? According to these disgruntled agents, the problem is that
Recruiters made promises that werena��t delivered.
Whether you believe that or not, that is their perception. Not only that, theya��ve gone virtual and viral with their sharp criticism of their former companies. Just read some of the posts and comments on blogs like Active Rain. Boy, will you get an a�?earfula��!
What the backlash costs. Ita��s not just a group of disgruntled agents telling their friends. Theya��re telling the worlda��potential agents and clients. What does a damaged image cost you?
Re-Examining How You Recruit
Having been a recruiter for a long time, I know the temptation of creating some a�?whoppera�� recruiting claims just to keep those recruiting numbers up. (And to recruit against those who are masterful at a�?whoppersa��). Now, those a�?whopper claimsa�� are coming back to haunt us. Ita��s time to retool those stories. As the marketers say,
Under-promise and over-deliver.
Since I work with owners and managers a lot, I know the difficulties of gaining a�?tell the truth attractivelya�� skills. Ita��s much easier to promise the sky and worry about the rest later. Thata��s why Ia��ve created a subscription series called 365 Leadership. 
Each month, I provide a specific leadership strategy via webinar and teleconference to help managers create those compelling reasonsa��those magnetsa��that cause an agent to join. Marcha��s offering is specifically on recruiting. Find out more at 365 Leadership.
In my next blogs, I’ll share how to do a ‘new reality’ recruiting presentation.
