Why don’t you have a training calendar? Here’s how to get one now.
This month, we’re focusing on training. Why? Because you can recruit your heart out, but, if you’re not developing each agent to his/her potential, you’re not retaining! (and you have a revolving door……)
Guest Author, by Senior Coach Jodi Sipes
Authored by one of our Senior Career Coaches, Jodi Sipes, M. A., this blog shows you how to create a training calendar youa��re proud of. Jodia��s advanced education in adult learning, plus her years of experience creating and implementing exceptional training for new agents, gives her a unique perspective. Here are invaluable tips as you take action to control your income in these shifting markets. Youa��ll make your training an awesome recruiting tool, while making it effortless to implement training week after week.
Why bother to create your yeara��s training calendar? With managers running in 50 directions at once, time management is a huge issue. Designing a training calendar allows managers to get their systems under control. It allows managers to delegate some training duties. Outcomes: More production, more profits, and better retention!
Your First Step in Creating that Calendar: Get the Rhythm
Before you try to create that calendar, consider the rhythm of your year. When do you hire the most agents, when is the market busiest, what seasonal issues do you want to address? For example, youa��ll want to decide when is a good time to focus on listings, what issues come up at tax time, etc? This will give you a good over-view of how to plan your education and training.
Your Second Step: Decide the Major Issues You want to Train To
Now, ita��s time to decide this:
If there were one thing my agents could do better that would raise productivity more than any other single thing, what would that be?
Answer that question, and youa��ll get the major issues handled in that calendar. For example: If you have an office with many new people, you probably have fewer listings than youa��d like. Or, your listings may be sitting in your shifting market. So, a major part of your calendar will be high-activity training to the listing process, focusing on getting marketable listings. A major mistake managers make in creating calendars is to merely drop in whatever they think agents would like! Dona��t do that. Youa��re in control, and you need to train to the outcomes you needa��and should expect.
Your Third Step: Make a System for New Agents
If you are hiring brand-new agents you will then need to schedule for them:
a�? Recruiting/hiring group informational events
a�? Orientation (Office equipment, your brokerage procedures, meet affiliates, etc.)
a�? New agent education (how to fill in forms, how to complete quarterly taxes, etc.–this should be in sync with MLS and Realtor Association training) At Carla Cross Seminars, Inc., we call this a�?Technical Traininga�?.
a�? New agent start-up plan/coaching sequence so they go to work the first week. Our start-up plan and coaching companion is Up and Running in 30 Days.
a�? New agent skills training and practice/support sessions (how to answer objections, qualify buyers and sellers, etc.) Our complete training/coaching high accountability system for this is Advantage 2.0.
To assure youa��ve covered the right bases, ask yourself about your desired outcome: What do you want your new agents to know, and be able to do in their first year?
Your Fourth Step: Make a System for your Experienced Agents
Here are some of the training issues you will want to consider:
a�? Sequence of business-building training (taking them to the next level)
a�? Yearly planning and Goals (this should be done in November of the prior year)
a�? Keeping them up-to-date on the law and technical issues (required classes, new forms, legal issues, new developments like more condos in the area or re-zoning)
a�? Life-style enhancement (time management, hiring an assistant, etc.)
a�? Train the Trainer class and opportunities to teach if they enjoy giving back to others (this is a great retention tool)
I know–it’s a big commitment. But, when you have your training systems fully in place, and you start measuring results, you’ll see the fruits of this labor.
Click here to grab my sample new agent training calendar.
Why Not Make It Easy On Yourself: Up and Running is Done for You!
It takes me a year+ to write a training program, and I’ve done it several times! How long will it take you to write a program? Why reinvent the wheel? It’s enough to expect you to coach those in a program, not write it, and teach it in addition! Check out my comprehensive, high accountability,A�training/coaching programA�for agents under 2 years in the business. If you want to get them started fast, and are willing to coach them to the program, you’ll love the results. See itA�here.
