Show and sell your value to attract agents for mutual growth
If you are a broker or manager, you have a lot on your plate right now, from managing new social distancing policies, to training agents and staff on virtual tools, to inspiring hope and action in your offices.
One particular area—recruiting established agents—may find even more success than usual in today’s environment. Many agents are facing new and uncertain business activity, so they may be open to joining a company more conducive to their immediate and long-term success. Smart owners and managers are taking advantage of that dynamic and are purposefully making efforts right now to attract these agents to their teams. Here are a few tips on how to do that successfully:
Show them your value—right now. Reach out to every co-broke agent that you want to attract, and promote all of the support and tools that you offer. Programs, training, leads…whatever you are doing, be sure to communicate what you have and what you will provide to them when they join your company. Ask them what support they are currently receiving, and contrast that with your capabilities. Most agents are not truly receiving enough support, so by confidently promoting your support system, you are telling them that they will enjoy better success with you. One specific idea is to actually include them in your virtual meetings or webinars so that not only will you be training and inspiring your agents, you will be actually showing your co-broke a concrete example of how you help your agents list and sell more homes.
Focus on more than splits. Strong companies, brokers and managers have a lot more to offer co-broke recruits than merely a high split. Specifically focus on all that you will offer in order to make an existing agent’s business and life more successful. Write it all down, then roughly monetize each type of support you provide to recalculate the “effective split” based on that agent’s production. Knowing your overall value and communicating it effectively will often overcome an agent’s initial reluctance over a simplistic comparison of commission structures.
Make them feel special. Changing company affiliations is not only about splits or money; it also often includes a sense of belonging. If an agent’s current broker or manager has not been engaging them during this time, your attention may be more welcome than ever. Use this opportunity to express your personal interest in having them as part of your team, and personally commit to ensuring their successful transition through whatever specific support their business needs. Ideas include one-on-one training, lead support, marketing support. Whatever the case, your personal interest and engagement will be especially effective now. Also, enlist support in your outreach; have several members of your team also follow up with the agent to tell them how welcome they would be and that they would love to work with them. Transitions will be much easier for co-brokes if they already feel a connection and sense of inclusion.
Encourage the change now. You may hear from a co-broke recruit that now is not a good time to make a change. Nothing could be further from the truth. Now is an ideal time to make a change because there is a partial “pause” going on for many agents, freeing up time to embrace a more supporting and positive opportunity. Whatever administrative efforts are needed to make a change happen, now is the best time to do them. Also, a change now would be a fantastic reason to connect with their database and share their great news! Reinforce the urgency of maximizing this opportunity, and to make a change now that is in their best financial and personal interest.
With all of the extraordinary challenges we are facing, co-broke recruiting is one area that currently presents a time-sensitive opportunity for unusual success. Don’t let this time pass without making your best efforts, and you will be rewarded with an expanded team and be positioned for incredible growth for years to come!
For a free copy of my exclusive “Recruiting Skills Assessment” to maximize your recruiting acumen, click here.
Sherri Johnson is CEO and founder of Sherri Johnson Coaching & Consulting. With 20 years of experience in real estate, Johnson offers coaching, consulting and keynotes, and is a national speaker for the Homes.com Secrets of Top Selling Agents tour and the Official Real Estate Coach for McKissock Learning and Real Estate Express. She is also an RISMedia 2020 Real Estate Newsmaker as an industry Influencer. Sign up for a free 30-minute coaching strategy session or visit www.sherrijohnson.com for more information.
