How effective is the training in your company and/or office? Is it doing the job you want it to do? What, exactly DO you want it to do? Some brokers say they want training for

1. Recruiting

2. Retention

3. Because the competition has it

4. Teach agents the technical aspects of real estate

But, brokers don’t usually pinpoint what I think training should do:

Directly affect the success of an agent who attends the training–and does the work during the training.

Too often, agents simply choose an office because it has ‘training’. They don’t differentiate between training programs. Yet,A�I know all training programs aren’t created equal.A� In fact, unfortunately, a great many of them don’t assure any type of success. How do I know? IA�look at what happens to the people after they ‘graduate’ from those training programs. So, I think, if you’re going to go to training, you have the right–and responsibility to yourself–to expect that training program would directly affect the success of your agents. Otherwise, what is it for?

A�What should you expect fromA�your company/officeA�training program as a manager?

What to Look For: Five Critical Points

A�A�A�A�A�A�A�A�A�A�A� 1. The objective is fast productivity, not just knowledge. WhenA�an agent A�interviews, he/she should ask what the objectives of training are with that company. If ita��s just knowledge, in my opinion, they should run the other way!A�They will know a lot, butA�they wona��t be in business very long!

A�A�A�A�A�A�A�A�A�A�A� 2. The training program has business-producing expectations and goals. A�For example, if the agents expect to make money fast,A�the training program needs to helpA�them learn to set prospecting goals and attain them. That doesna��t mean lecturing in class. That means they get an activity plan and are working in the field during the class duration. That also means thatA�they arena��t in class all day.

A�A�A�A�A�A�A�A�A�A�A� 3. The training program is built around a business start-up plan. In the interview, show the companya��s business start-up plan for the agent. If it isna��t sales-producing, it isna��t a real start-up plan. A�A�A�A�

4. Sales skills are practiced by the students in class. How can we expect agents to be competent with clients if they havena��t gained competency and confidence in the classroom? Clients are very discriminating these days. They expect agents to know what theya��re doing! During the interview, show how students spend class time. This should not be lecture!

5. Expectations for achievement in sales developing and packaging are clear. Is this a college-level training? In college, students are expected to perform during the course. If agents are not expected to practice outside class, and getA� sales packages together (like listing and buyer presentations), then this isna��t a real training. Ita��s just a time-eating event. Wouldna��t your consumer expectA�agents to have a high level of competence, no matter their days/weeks/years in the business? Then, your training program must deliver.

Armed with these 5 critical expectations, you canA�evaluate your training program .

Question: How do you evaluate your training program? What’s working right? What’s not working? What do you think should have been in your training program?

Want to see that kind of program–and a sample of what it looks like? Check out Advantage 2.0.

Click here to see more.