Do you know what your new agents thought of your ‘start’ program? That is, your orientation, mentors, training, and coaching in their first 6 months in the business? Most brokers have some type of what I call a ‘career development’ program. But, hardly anyone ever asks the 6-month agent what they thought of it? If you don’t know, as a broker, how can you keep improving it?
The Secret to Retention: The First Month in the Business is Critical to Success
I just read an excellent booklet on the importance of a spectacular orientation system to the retention of ‘workers’. It stated that studies showed that people who experienced a very strong orientation process were retained for the long haul. And, those that didn’t have a good orientation process were quickly gone. Did you ever think about how you impact that agent in the first month? The first three months? The first six months?
Time to Polish your Orientation/Career Development System
I’m working on the 5th (!) edition of Up and Running in 30 Days, the new agent’s start-up plan, and I’m updating technologies, trends,and statistics. In addition, I want to include advice to new agents from successful agents who’ve been in the business 1-3 years. Why? Because this advice will be pertinent, up to date, and I think new agents will listen to someone who’s been there–and succeeded. It occurred to me that you can ask the same questions to your 6 months to 12 month agents to get feedback to polish your orientation/career development system. Below are the questions.
I Need Your Help
Do you have an agent in the business 1-3 years, and did at least 15 transactions their first year (not given to them as a team member)? If so, your agent could be featured in my new edition, due out in January 2017. A�I will be featuring 5-7 quotes in various places of my book, and it would be great PR for your agent (and you). Your agent will receive a copy of the 5th edition, of course.
Here are the questions I’m asking:
- What are 1-3 things you did as a new agent to successfully launch your career?
- What do you wish you had done differently?
- What advice would you give to new agents?
- What technology is absolutely critical for the new agents to incorporate? Why?
5. What specific orientation start-up procedures were most helpful to you? What do you wish you had (actions, training, coaching, etc.) in your first 3 months that would have increased your quick success?
Other comments:
Thanks so much. Please include your name as you want it used, your company name, your email and phone (for contact information so you can get referrals).
Name:
Company:
Phone:
Email:
Specialties:
Number of transactions completed your first year in the business:
Please return this to me by 4.30 so I can include it! Thanks again. Let me know how/if I can help you! You’re doing a great service to those going into the business!
Getting Back to Me
You can forward this to your agent (s) and your agent can write answers as comments. Or,A�here’s the link to the questionnaire. A�Just forward the link to your agent.
In my next blog, I’ll be asking you for your advice to new agents. I’m going to add this to the new edition. It should be very telling, and interesting to see the commonalities of managers’ advice to new agents.
Here’s the link again to the questionnaire. Your agent’s advice will help the industry and certainly help determined new agents!
Let me know what you discovered when you used that questionnaire to polish your orientation/career development program.
