Archive for Real Estate
Turn your Training Upside Down and Increase Results 4+
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Struggling to create or refine that course? Join our Trainers’ Masterminds, where we work on presentation skills and polish your course. This includes live and online deliveries. We meet via Zoom once a week for 8 weeks. This is a small, participative work group that gets results. Carla is your coach.
Call 425-392-6914 or email carla at carla@carlacross.com to learn more.
Be Prepared! Five Questions Every Candidate Should Ask
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Here are the questions I think are most important for a would-be or transferring agent should ask their interviewers.
Unfortunately, the interview process is not as practiced or prepared by either party as it could be. So, the interviewer doesn’t find out critical information from the candidate, and the candidate asks a few general questions. I hate to say this, but some interviewers spend most of the time selling the candidate on the benefits of that particular company. Candidates get excited and join–and then find out there’s more to the story.
Any Surprises Should be Good Ones
It’s very dis-enheartening when the agent new to an office finds out that something he heard–or assumed–was not exactly what he found after being hired. Guard against that by fully informing that would-be agent prior to hiring. The only surprises the agent should get are good ones!
It’s a Retention Issue
I don’t think we in real estate appreciate how important our approach to interviewing and onboarding is to retention. According to a recent business onboarding survey, the majority of those new to companies (all companies, not just real estate), decide in the first 30 days whether they want to stay with the company. It pays to be fully transparent and consistent, from that first interview, through onboarding, and into training.
Those Questions Candidates Should Ask
Here are the questions, excerpted from my new eBook, Launching Right in Real Estate: What They Won’t Teach You in Pre-LIcense School.
Figure_9.6_The_Five_Critical_Questions_to_Ask_croppedWhat do you think I’ve missed with this critical list of questions?
P. S. Launching Right in Real Estate has 77 questions or categories for candidates to choose from, to assure they get the information they need to make the right choices for them.
Launching Right in Real Estate: What They Won’t Teach You in Pre-License School.
New! For Your Career Nights
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Here’s something to put new energy and interest into your Career Nights.
In my new book, Launching Right in Real Estate: What They Won’t Teach You in Pre-License School, I provide several self-analysis tools so people can make the decision that’s right for them. Unfortunately, often would-be agents are not informed. Instead, they’re sold. They get excited about real estate as a career, see the ‘easy money’, and think it’s for them. Not so fast. Selling real estate can be a wonderful career for the right person. And, it’s the wrong career for some people, too.
Put the Selling Aside and Let Attendees Discover
Unfortunately, Career Nights can dissolve into sales pitches. Instead, give some time to helping attendees discover whether they are right for real estate.
Use this quick questionnaire help attendees rate themselves in the qualities that make agents successful.
Take the Questionnaire Yourself. How Many Threes Did You Give Yourself?
You can rate yourself from “3”, which means you rate yourself as having lots of that quality, to a “1”, meaning you have not so much.
Congratulations! Every ‘3’ represents a quality that successful agents exhibit. Here’s what I mean.
#1. Successful agents get up in the morning and start their day in a productive way. They have a great deal of self-discipline. No one has to kick them out of bed or tell them to get to work.
#2. Successful agents finish the job, even if it takes them 12 hours that day. Unsuccessful agents great selling real estate like a 9-5 job. Doesn’t work with clients!
#3. Successful agents don’t shy away from challenges. They’re always learning and striving.
#4. Successful agents don’t wait for someone to invite them. They organize, motivate, and inspire!
#5. Successful agents have a great belief in their abilities to succeed, even when others don’t.
#6. Successful agents always keep their promises; clients can count on them.
#7. Successful agents are ‘learning based’. They don’t believe their training is over after that initial office training!
#8. Successful agents love accomplishing things. That’s their motivation–not just the money.
#9. Successful agents learn to handle the great deal of rejection we get in this business. They’re very tough-minded.
#10. Successful agents are willing to jump off the high diving board without gathering every bit of information available anytime.
What’s a Trait of Successful Agents I didn’t mention?
Let me know what I missed. There are a myriad of qualities and traits successful agents exhibit each day. Also, let me know how this energizes and changes your Career Nights so they stand out from the others.
Training Video: How to Help Your Agents Get to ‘Yes’
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No means no, right? No, it doesn’t. Watch this short video to find out who it takes several ‘nos’ to get to ‘yes’. How many more deals could you and your agents complete if you could help them graciously get past the ‘nos’ to ‘yes’?
Training tip: Use this video to start a discussion on how to keep the relationship going, and how to avoid that final ‘no’. You will be amazed at the increased number of transactions your agents will complete.
Are You Prepared for those 77 Interview Questions?
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Are you prepared for those 77 interview questions?
You’re interviewing a would-be agent. But, you quickly find out these aren’t interviews. These are Q and A. And, the would-be agent is asking all the questions. You, ever gracious, are taking hours with each person. Unfortunately, you never see most of them again.
I just finished my new eBook Launching Right in Real Estate: What They Won’t Teach You in Pre-License School. Of course, to write the book, I contacted dozens of newer agents. I also drew on my experience of having interviewed thousands of eager, enthusiastic–and naive–people who thought they would love selling real estate.
They Have More Questions than You have Time to Give
When I was a new manager, I graciously spent hours answering these many questions. I found out, though, that I didn’t get to know the candidate at all. Why? Because they just weren’t far enough along in the ‘gathering information’ process to answer my candidate questions. They were just hungry to get information.
Would-Be Agents Get Lots of Dis-Information
I found out that these would-be agents thought:
- They would make $100,000 their first year in the business
- They could work 20 hours a week.
- The business consisted of looking at pretty houses and selling them to clients that magically appeared.
- Somehow, the client would find the agent.
- Armed with business cards and a good company name, the agent would provide great service, were ‘honest’, ‘worked hard’, and would ‘go the extra route’. (Heard those claims before?)
- Someone (manager, company, relo, websites) would provide them leads–all people ready and willing to buy from that agent.
- Their training program would give them all the answers and they would be educated to deal with any client.
Where Did the Would-be Agent Get These Fantasy Ideas?
From affiliates, friends, reading, and, unfortunately, some interviewers. Oh, I almost forgot. They also get it from agents who write those ‘how I made a gazillion dollars selling real estate in a half year in my spare time’.
How Do You Set the Record Straight?
I tried to solve that problem by handing the would-be agent lots of information. Finally, one of my new agents said, “Why don’t you put that in a book?” So, I did. I found providing the book early on in the relationship saved both the would-be agent and I time, and gave the would-be agent better information with which to interview.
Back to those 77 Interview Questions
Get ready to answer ANY of these 77 interview questions…..
Download those interview questions and topics below.
Save time and give those eager would-be agents good, straightforward, realistic information. The easy way to do that is to get Launching Right in Real Estate and provide it to your would-be agents. Pre-order now and get it at half price (regularly $24.95, now $12.95). Available June 1, 2021.
The Five Most Important Questions Would-be Agents Should Ask You
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What do you think are the five most important questions the would-be agent should ask you? I know. You have your favorite interview questions. At the same time, the prospective agent has questions for you. I’m just publishing my new book, Launching Right in Real Estate: What They Won’t Teach You in Pre-License School.
In this new eBook, I answer the myriad of questions the new agent candidate has. In addition, I provide advice on whether real estate may be for them (a series of self-analyses), a look at a day in the life, so they know what to expect, and the business start-up plan to assure they make a sale fast.
Thousands of “Interviews” have Taught me a Lot
The other day, I figured the number of interviews I had done with would-be agents. I was astounded to find it was in the thousands. Did I ever learn a lot from holding these interviews. At first, I interviewed them–well, I thought I interviewed them. But, in reality, it wasn’t an interview, it was a Q and A–and they were asking all the questions. So, I started putting all those questions and answers in handouts. Finally, one of my newer agents said, ‘You should put that in a book.” So, I did. Then, when a prospective agent wanted an “interview”, I provided them the book. When they were into the pre-license course, I would schedule an interview. What I found was that I could really do an interview. I could spend most of the time asking questions and deciding for myself whether that person would be successful in real estate, and whether she would be a ‘fit’ with my company.
A Question for You First
Before I show you the questions that I advise readers to ask, let me ask you:
Those Five Important Questions
Your Turn: What Do You Think Prospective Agents Should Ask?
Save Time! Get More from your Interview.
You can pre-order this eBook now here.
How to Absolutely Predict if They Will be Successful Selling Real Estate
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Here’s how to absolutely predict they will be successful selling real estate.
Nope, it’s not about behavioral profiles. Although they are somewhat accurate, there are qualities, traits, and skills that most profiles don’t measure. It’s not the entrancing, rehearsed answers they give you to your equally entrancing questions during the interview. Words are cheap. It’s about measuring activities.
Watch What They Do
Yes, you’re going to ask the right type of questions during your interview (See ‘behavioral predictor questions’ in The Complete Recruiter and Your Blueprint to Select Winners). However, even when their answers are on track, they’re not actions–yet. Instead, watch and measure what they do from the first day in the business.
What New Agents Say They Expect
What does that mean? When do they have to start looking for leads? That first week in the business! Yet, how many of them start lead generating even in the first month?Expecting ‘Dumb Luck’ to Carry them to Success
Inevitably, there is a new agent who has an Aunt Martha in his back pocket. That is, Aunt Martha wants to buy a home, and has told nephew Tommy she’ll wait until he gets his license to purchase from him. Ca-ching. Dumb luck. Tommy concludes that’s how the business goes. You just wait for someone to find you and sell them a home. We know that’s not the norm, though. Unfortunately, Tommy’s going to wait a long time for that next transaction! The ‘dumb luck’ approach to the business results in low results. Since the ‘dumb luck’ agent isn’t doing a business start-up plan, we have no way of predicting results, because we can’t measure business-producing activities. We can only measure other ‘dumb luck’ agent incomes. That’s way too late to actively coach–or to terminate with purpose.
Are You a Pardon the Expression–‘Dumb Luck’ Manager or a Business Start-up Coach?
Dumb luck managers just look at results; sales and listings sold. So, they are not aware that agents may be failing for months. If new agents expect to make a sale in month one, how many months do you think it takes for them to get dis enheartened? 2-3? Not long. So, once they’re mentally and emotionally out of the business, they will resist any help from you. They’ve decided they can’t make it in the business. They’ll stay awhile, though, for ‘dumb luck’ transactions.
Leave Them Alone–They will Leave–and You’ll be Surprised
They’re nice. They are team players. Although they aren’t selling much real estate, they’re not causing problems, so you leave them alone. One day, they come in and tell you they are going to ABC Realty, because they will get ‘support’ there. They have a marketing person to help them, etc., etc., etc. You are surprised and dismayed. You thought they were happy with you, even though they weren’t experiencing much ‘dumb ‘luck–or any kind of luck. That’s the problem with leaving them alone until they fail. It’s too late for them–and you. It’s a huge retention problem.
Tip: Even though they keep rebuffing your efforts at ‘help’, keep trying to put them into a business start-up plan, so they’ll come to the conclusion that you are on their side, and that is the way to create a concrete, predictable business. Then, if they leave, they leave without blaming you, or trying it with another company who provides ‘more support’.
Lead Generating on Purpose
Do you start your new agents in a specific lead generating plan their first week in the office? Is it made up of prioritized lead generating activities? Does it have ratios of activities to results, so the new agent knows whether he is on track to his goals? Here are my activity ratios that will result in 8-12 transactions the first year in the business:
20 contacts to get one buyer or seller lead
8 times of putting people in the car to sell someone a home
3 listing appointments to gain one marketable listing
80% of listings sell
80% of transactions close
What are the ratios in your office? Do you coach your agents to those ratios? Do they know the work it takes to consistently generate the income they want to generate? Or, are they counting on ‘dumb luck’?
Romance vs. Reality: Two Views of the Real Estate Business
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The ‘romantic’ view: I’ve got my license, my business cards, I’m with a wonderful company. People will find me, be really nice to me, never offer objections, never lie to me, and do whatever I tell them. I will make lots of easy money fast, working no more than 30 hours in a hard week.
The ‘reality’: I don’t expect people to find me. I have to go out and find lots of people. I have to use my ingenuity, grit, tenacity, and never give up. I have to be able to say ‘I don’t know but I’ll find out’ a dozen times a day. I have to be able to tolerate clients not showing up, not telling the truth (come on, don’t be tough on me, it’s true….), not buying when they should, and listing with someone else.
How do we present reality? You can help. I’m editing the 6th edition of Up and Running in 30 Days, the internationally-published business-planning/action book for new agents. I’m also finishing a new book for would-be agents, Launching Right in Real Estate: What They Won’t Teach You in Pre-License School.
Tell me what you think. I’ve made 2 surveys, one for agents and one for managers. They each will take you just a few minutes, and you’ll be helping our industry prepare people for the reality of the business, not just the romance.
Here’s the link to the survey for agents.
Here’s the link to the survey for leadership.
Please return the survey to me by Feb. 27. If you’re quoted in either book, you’ll receive a copy, of course, and acknowledgment in the book.
Give Me Your Expert Advice!
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Give me your expert advice!
What are new agents doing that causes them to succeed–or fail? What do you want in a start-up program that will help more of your new agents do well–and do it fast? What’s missing in the training and coaching programs you’ve been using?
I’m editing Up and Running in 30 Days, the new agent’s business start-up plan, for the 6th edition, due to be out in mid-2021. In it, I show the what, how, why, and how much of real estate activities needed to do well quickly. Up and Running is very specific, and is easy to use to coach new agents to productivity fast. It has the specific prioritized weekly schedule and activities that future-exceptional agents do to assure a sale fast.
Many updates: The 6th edition has lots of updates, including a new section on promoting yourself through social media, new tech new agents need, and alternative methods of lead generation.
In the next blog, I’ll share more of what I’m putting into this wildly-successful program and get your input, too.
In my blog for agents, Up and Running in 30 Days, I am asking for their advice too, with a separate questionnaire.
What’s Your Advice?
As one of the new features of the 6th edition, I’m incorporating great managers’ advice to new agents. And, I’m providing dozens of coaching tips to help managers and motivate the new agent and keep him/her in the game.
Here’s what I’m asking:
- What do new successful agents do consistently that agents who fail don’t do?
- What common mistakes do new agents make that cost them time, money–and hinder their success?
- Would you advise a new agent to (why or why not)
–join a team
–have a mentor
–hire a professional coach
- What should a new agent look for in a training program?
- Other advice you provide to a new agent?
Comments: Do you have advice to me about what’s missing in training and coaching programs? Just put that in comments here.
Your name: Email:
Company name: Your Phone:
Number of agents in your office:
How to Get your Advice to Me
You can write comments to this post with answers to these questions.
Or, you can download the questionnaire to your computer, complete the questionnaire, save it, and email it to me at carla@carlacross.com. Here is the questionnaire. You will be assisting thousands of new agents as they begin their careers, and, I think you’ll find that being published will help your ‘street cred’ with those you want to hire!
If I’m able to use your comments in my book, you will receive a complimentary copy of Up and Running, acknowledgment of your comments, AND lots of PR–to help you in your recruiting as an expert in helping new agents.
P. S. Please get your comments to me by Feb. 24, so I can meet the publisher’s deadline for submitting the edited book. Thank you!
When Agents’ Demands are a Good Thing
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Here’s when agents’ demands are a good thing.
As a manager, admit that, when you see certain agents coming toward you, your instinct is to run the other way! I’m not talking about those situations, though. I’m addressing those new agents. They probably won’t make demands. In fact, they may be afraid to approach you.
An Agent Who Seeks You Out Is More Likely to Succeed
. Inversely, agents who hang back, afraid to ask for the manager’s guidance, in my observation, will be less successful. Why? Because it takes intestinal fortitude (guts) to launch a real estate business. It takes jumping in, taking risks, and willingness to fail. It takes the same qualities to be proactive in seeking out the manager’s help.Failing, hiding, and leaving. Over and over, I see agents failing, avoiding their manager (even when he asks to help), and then leaving. Unfortunately, these agents often tell their side of the story–that they didn’t get enough ‘support’. They are right. Secret agents don’t get a lot of support. But, that’s not the fault of the manager.
Confidence in Oneself Is Behind the Action
Agents who come forward to ask for help–or to thank the manager for help–are more confident in their own abilities. They want to succeed. They’re willing to be guided by their managers. These attributes show me, again and again, that they are future success stories.
Advice to agents: If your manager doesn’t come forward to ask to coach you, go to her! I really appreciate new agents who consistently make appointments with me to let me know what they are doing, how they are doing it, and how I can assist them. That’s managing the manager! Obviously, these new agents get more of my attention, concern, and positive strokes—the fuel for motivation.
See more on how new agents can work successfully with their managers in Up and Running in 30 Days.