CULTURE: What It Is and Why It Matters

Posted on June 16, 2016June 16, 2016 by The Profitable Recruiter

16 Jun

Evaluating the Health of Your Company

By Real Estate Recruiting Coach Judy LaDeur

Whenever we evaluate the relative health of a company, the first element we examine is the company’s culture. Cultural strength may well be the most critical factor in a company’s success.

What is culture? A company’s culture refers to how well the members of an organization agree about the importance of shared values. In simple terms, it’s “the way things are done”. Yet, culture is often overlooked or dismissed as “fluff”. Subsequently, in many companies, culture is derived accidentally, verses by design.

Culture is everything we do, including the way we answer the phone, greet clients, resolve disputes, communicate, dress, and process information. It’s also our performance standards, the appearance of our offices and yard signs, our marketing message, and the perceived image of the agents. Culture should be created by a specific set of core values, and implemented on a daily basis. Do you view the growth of your agents as the pathway to increasing your profit? Ultimately, culture is how well a company collectively “walks the talk”—not simply an eloquent mission statement in the foyer.

Why does culture matter? There is overwhelming evidence that companies that intentionally develop and manage their cultures outperform similar companies that don’t and by a wide margin! Real estate companies with strong cultures attract more clients, have a higher percentage of repeat and referral business, attract and retain the most productive salespeople, and have the most positive environments. You can literally feel it when you walk in the door.

What does a strong culture look like?

An atmosphere of trust, transparency, and fairness permeating the organization.
A prevailing sense that the whole of the company is important to all.
A commitment to continuous improvement.

What is the leader’s role? There is no more important job for leadership than to develop, articulate and model an intentional culture. Ultimately, every culture and sub-culture in any organization is a reflection of its leader. Changing culture is complex. The process can begin by identifying:

3 values that are important to you, the leader
3 values that are important to your team: agents and support staff
3 values that are important to your clients
3 values that are important to the success of your brokerage

Once you have identified the shared core values, you should begin developing a comprehensive plan for implementing those core values in everything you do. Are you recruiting agents who support your values? Do your clients know your core values and how that benefits them? Does every member of your team adhere to those values on a daily basis? It does not happen overnight, but you can start today to build your office of tomorrow.

A great tool to get your message to your potential recruits and your clients is our Profitable Recruiter Motivational messages. We create a motivational message each week for you to send to your agents, your recruits and your agents clients. You can personalize each message with one of your core values. To view each of the tools on our Profitable Recruiter platform, go to www.TheProfitableRecruiter.com.

Having the right systems and strategies in place takes some of the guess-work out of your success. We are happy to be a resource to help you develop a strong, supportive culture in your office, stay top of mind with the recruits you want to hire, and give you the scripts and dialogues you need to close even the savviest of agents to join your team. Want to learn more about how to become a more profitable recruiter? Check out our Membership Benefits and enroll today.

Take advantage of our special offer! Make any Profitable Recruiter Pro Membership part of your business plan, and take 30% off with the promo code 30OFF — PLUS, have the ability to add up to 10 managers or admins to your account at no extra cost! That’s 30% off everything you need to be in the right place at the right time when the agents you want are ready to make a move – including SEVEN HOURS of recruiting audio training, more than 30 webinars on demand, scripts, letters, social media tools and more! What are you waiting for? Register today!

How to Keep Great Agents from Leaving

Posted on April 6, 2016 by The Profitable Recruiter

06 Apr

It All Starts With YOU

By Real Estate Coach and Speaker Judy LaDeur

The top two reasons people leave their jobs are lack of recognition and poor working environment. It’s that simple.

Negative agents can scare off every customer they speak with-for good, which means that how your agents feel about the company has a direct impact on your profitability.

65% of Americans received no recognition in the workplace last year.
9 out of 10 people say they are more productive when they’re around positive people.

There is a great quote in the book: Open Your Big, Bold, Beautiful Mouth by Alphonso Belin and A.J.Polizzi. “The highest achievable level of service comes from the heart, so the company that reached its people’s hearts will provide the very best service.”

Happy agents are productive agents. When agents feel good about their company, and their life is in balance, they produce more – and they are less likely to be recruited away.

In a recent study of more than 1,500 employees in scores of work settings by Dr. Gerald H. Graham, professor of management at Wichita State University, the most powerful motivator was personalized, instant recognition from their managers.

Graham’s study determined the top motivating techniques were:

The manager / owner personally congratulates those who do a good job.
The manager / owner writes personal notes about good performances.
The organization used performance as the basis for promotion.
The manager / owner holds morale-building meetings to celebrate successes.

When employees at Douglas Aircraft in Long Beach, California, hit their goals, they ring a large brass bell. I know of several real estate companies who put a bell in the office and let the agents ring the bell when they get a listing or sale. It motivates the whole team to want to ring the bell – and it brings them together to support each other’s successes.

The Pinellas County, FL public school administrative offices have designated a small area where employees can drop off clothing for dry cleaning in the morning. A local dry cleaner picks it up and returns it by the end of the workday. Many real estate offices offer this service to their agents as well. It does not cost you anything but offers a great service to busy agents.

People today are looking for much more than a paycheck. They want to be treated like human beings. That may sound obvious, but a lot of companies still don’t get it. During the busiest times of the year, executives at the Cigna Group, personally push coffee carts around the office, serving drinks and refreshments to their frontline partners. As they serve, the executives coach and encourage their colleagues as well as hear about real consumer issues from those who know customer concerns the best.

Herb Kelleher, CEO and co-founder of Southwest Airlines, has discovered that by becoming personally involved in the workplace, and in the jobs that his employees do, he can unleash a tremendous amount of energy among his workers. For example, Kelleher often helps flight attendants serve beverages to customers when he flies on his airline.

At Hewitt Associates, new employees are made to feel special. “I joined the firm about six months ago as a writer/consultant in New Jersey,” said a new-hire. “I was surprised at the level of detail that had gone into the preparation for my arrival. One of the more experienced writers left a welcome note on my desk, along with a ‘survival kit’ (including a candy bar) and everybody came by my office to personally welcome me to the team. For the first two weeks or so, every day somebody made a point to stop by and ask me to lunch.”

What type of reception do your new agents get when they join?

Some great “non-cash” ways to show you care:

Call an agent into your office just to thank him or her; don’t discuss any other issue.
Post a congrats note on the agent’s phone when they get a new listing.
Volunteer to do an agent’s least desirable work task for a day.
Have the President of the company or the regional manager call an agent to thank him or her for a job well done.
Have someone wash the agents’ cars in the parking lot during lunch. Stuart Thomas, a great Broker in California, does this on a regular basis, and his agents love it!
Carry a supply of your cards with you and as you ‘catch people doing something right,’ immediately write ‘thanks,’ ‘good job,’ ‘keep it up’ and what they specifically did in two to three words. Put the person’s name on the card and sign it.
Have lunch or coffee with a group of agents that you don’t normally see. You can announce over the office intercom; I’m buying lunch today. Who wants to join me?

In the book, The Leadership Pill, Blanchard and Muchnick explain profit this way: “Profit is the applause you get for taking care of your people and creating a motivating environment for people.”

As a broker and manager, your top priorities are recruiting and ensuring that your team of agents have not only what they need to succeed, but that feeling that they are where they belong in terms of their business “home”. A lot of that comes down to those little things that you can do as a business leader to make people feel appreciated, cared for, and valued. We’d love to hear what YOU do to help agents feel special in YOUR office!

Want to learn more about hiring the best agents for your team, and keeping your team happy and productive? Join The Profitable Recruiter and gain access to 7 hours of training via downloadable links including interview skills, scripts, objection handlers, and more. PLUS, you’ll have access to entire libraries of recruiting letters and notes, emails, social media content, training webinars for recruiting and retention, and opportunities to network with the best of the best. Join today and take advantage of our special 25% off with the promo code 25OFF any pro membership.

Scripts and Strategies Webinar On Demand

Posted on January 28, 2016January 28, 2016 by The Profitable Recruiter

Everything You Ever Wanted to Know About The Profitable Recruiter But Were Afraid to Ask

We had a great turnout for our monthly Profitable Recruiter Members’ webinar. This month we did something a little different. Normally our monthly webinars include a guest speaker from the industry, but we had so many brokers who really are eager to hit the ground running and make this their best recruiting year ever and wanted to learn more about how to use their platform more effectively. So that’s what we covered. The A-Z of how to use The Profitable Recruiter Membership platform to recruit the agents you want and need this year. At the end of the session Coach Judy LaDeur also shared great scripts and strategies for handling some of the biggest recruiting objections that our listeners were facing. So don’t miss out on those!

Thanks to all of our members who shared their questions, and of course to Judy for always delivering great content and answers!

If you’re ready to recruit your dream team and have YOUR best year ever as well – become a member today. Why? Because creating is hard. Knowing what to send and say to recruit the experienced and new agents you’re looking for to continuously grow your powerful team of agents isn’t easy when you’re going it alone.

Using the tools that others have built for you that will position you for the success and growth that you want for your business is simple and affordable! If you are a Profitable Recruiter Member – make sure you are taking full advantage of your membership platform by actively using everything in your platform.

If you are NOT a member of The Profitable Recruiter but would like to start using these powerful done-for-you content training and tools, then register here and you too can use the promo code 25OFF to save 25% on any pro membership. Don’t forget — you can add up to TEN (10) managers or administrators to your account. That way everyone on your management team is on the same page and working together to grow your company. Not a big organization? That’s all right too! We can add your admin assistant and help you have as much recruiting power as possible. To access the Audio downloads, register for either the 6- month or annual memberships. Got questions? Email us! We’d love to help! Make it a great year!

Twelve Ways to Use Done for You Tools to Recruit & Retain

Posted on January 20, 2016January 28, 2016 by The Profitable Recruiter

As a Profitable Recruiter

By Real Estate Recruiting Coach Judy LaDeur

Creating is hard right? But crafting a marketing plan from already done for you tools is not only easy, it’s smart marketing – and savvy time management. This week, let’s look at twelve powerful ways you can use your Profitable Recruiter Membership tools to recruit the agents you want, brand your company in your marketplace as the one to work for – and do business with, and lighten your daily to do list!

Stay positioned the RIGHT way. The number one thing you can do to recruit your dream team and retain the great agents you have is to stay in front of them at least monthly, if not weekly, with valuable information, inspiration, and a reminder that you are there when they need you. Our most successful members log into their platform just before the first of every month (or have their admin do this for them) and click on Weekly eNewsletters. They then copy and paste these weekly eNewsletters into their own email platform (we recommend a platform that allows you to track opens, click through rates, etc.) and then schedule them to go out every Monday morning before 7:00 am. Not only will you get tons of positive feedback, this week alone, we had several brokers tell us that agents are asking if they can add OTHER agent friends to the weekly campaigns. You’ll be staying top-of-mind, growing your hit list, and put yourself in the position of being the number one broker to call when those agents are ready to make a move.
Work the challenges. Each week, we share a challenge and action step that you, the broker and recruiter, can take to further your recruiting goals and grow a stronger business. The brokers that do, are full speed ahead and on track to surpass their goals.
Pro Members Use Lumpy Letters. Each month you’ll get these new attention grabbing letters which are meant for the top 10-20% of your recruiting prospect list. Sent monthly, they not only put you front and center on the radar of those top agents, they will help make you the talk of the real estate town with chatter about how creative you are, how you went the extra step, and how they can’t wait to see what you’ll send next. They make follow up fun and easy – and they’ll make picking up the phone because the agents are CALLING YOU with a thank you, a welcome relief from cold calls! Top brokers simply copy these (or have their admin copy), order the ‘lumpy’ part of the mail (we offer links so you can find these items easily), and have their admin assistants put them in bubble mailers and send out the first week of every month.
Pro Members Use Seasonal Recruiting Letters. Each month we add 2-3 seasonal and timely recruiting letters that you can copy and paste onto your letterhead, hand sign, and send to the top 100 prospects on your recruiting list. We also offer retention letters that you can use to do the same and send or hand deliver to your current agents to make sure they feel special. There is power in receiving something in the mail in today’s electronic world. Use it to your advantage. The first or second week of every month simply copy, print, sign, and send. (Three of those activities you can even delegate – how cool is that?)
Social Media Tips. Every month we deliver enough content and ideas to keep you visible (without stressing you out or taking up too much time) as well as strategies to brand you and build a strong, positive online presence. It’s an easy, breezy way of kicking up your social media without having to reinvent any wheels. You can even use great tools like SproutSocial.com to copy and paste some of these into a platform and schedule your posts.
Webinar Invites. Every month we host TWO webinars. One for brokers in which we spotlight top recruiters and coaches with timely topics and strategies on what works – and even what doesn’t (common pitfalls) to keep you on track for your recruiting goals. Secondly, we host an agent webinar with top agents and coaches who deliver powerful strategies to help your agents (and prospects) rise to the top of their field and stay there. Our top brokers open the invite tab at the first of the month, register for their own webinar, then copy and paste the agent registration link into one email that goes out to all of their existing agents, and a second email inviting all their prospective recruits (use a platform, bcc options, or email individually for confidentiality) to attend.
Blog. Bookmark the blog for powerful interviews, scripts, dialogues, broker spotlights, etc.
Learn at your own pace. Click on the Webinars on Demand tab in your platform to watch a wide spectrum of past webinars at your own pace. There are agent and broker webinars here so you can use some as training opportunities for your sales team. Preview a topic, pick one each month and invite your agents in to watch on demand and workshop what they’ve learned. This is a GREAT tool if you have an in house trainer. (Ask us about how to give them access of their own to this popular section of the membership platform.)
Archives. We archive several months of tools at a time so you can peruse other lumpy letters, eNewsletters and tools if you want to switch things up a little!
Recruiting Scripts for our Pro Members. We add new scripts and dialogues for even the toughest recruiting and prospecting calls and interviews here each month. Top members print these out and practice, drill, and rehearse so that they are ready for ANYTHING an agent might through their way!
6 Month and Annual Members access over SEVEN HOURS of audio training for recruiters. These audio files run the gamut of what brokers face each day and teach you how to master your trade as a broker, recruiter, and business professional.
Help your agents do the same. Through April 15th, brokers can register for The Profitable Sales Agent for 25% off the membership fee and share THAT content with their agents so they have the vital tools THEY need to stay top of mind, build a strong referral base and sphere and capture the respect, trust, and BUSINESS of the consumers in your community. In this platform they will get:

Weekly eNewsletters designed to be sent to home buyers and sellers complete with DIY home tips, real estate tips, a motivational message, and calls to action
Free collateral material and fair trade items such as staging tips, listing tips and more
Access to their OWN webinar training spotlighting top agents and coaches each month
Agent challenges and weekly action items to keep them motivated and on track
Webinars on Demand so they can learn at their own pace
Archived tools so they can peruse past success strategies
Social Media Tips and Strategies so they can build a strong online presence themselves and connect with their sphere

Creating is hard. Using the tools that others have built for you that will position you for the success and growth that you want for your business? Is simple and affordable! If you are a Profitable Recruiter Member – make sure you are taking full advantage of your membership platform by following the twelve tips above. If you want to register YOUR Company for The Profitable Sales Agent and deliver the tools above to them – click here and use Promo Code 25OFF to save 25% on your membership through April 15^th.

If you are NOT a member of The Profitable Recruiter but would like to start using these powerful done-for-you content training and tools, then register here and you too can use the promo code 25OFF to save 25% on any pro membership. To access the Audio downloads, register for either the 6 month or annual memberships. Got questions? Email us! We’d love to help! Make it a great year!

When Agents Won’t Return Your Calls

Posted on January 11, 2016January 12, 2016 by The Profitable Recruiter

What YOU May Be Doing Wrong

By Real Estate Recruiting Coach Judy LaDeur

“What am I doing WRONG?” If you could only imagine how many times I’ve heard THAT question. Most brokers and recruiters immediately think the worse if their prospective recruits are not returning their calls, emails or texts. It’s not always bad news, but it can be. One way to help decipher that is by determining their behavior patterns.

Let’s say you met with an agent and it went well but you did not get the commitment. You follow up a week later, but still — you are not getting a response.

The right side, the expressive or driver, knows what you want and they are not shy. When those on the right are not responding to your calls, it’s not always a bad sign. Since they know what you want, if the answer is no, they will easily reply with something to the effect of “I will call you when I am ready,” or “It’s not the right time,” or “I have decided to stay put for now”.

They move at a fast pace and return calls on a priority basis. They are not worried about telling you that they are not ready to move yet, but at the same time, when they don’t call you or return your email, text, etc. it sometimes means that since they know what you want, it does not make sense to call you until they can give you a definitive answer. Maybe they are finishing up some closings, getting a listing sold or even getting some personal stuff in order. For the best agents, the timing has to make sense. When they do respond, that answer is more likely to be a yes, so stay comfortably in touch with various methods of communication and don’t worry too much.

When those on the left are not responding to your calls, it’s not as good. They also know what you want, but they are shy. If they are amiable, they also have a desire to please. Both the left side personalities, Amiable and Analytical, like to avoid conflict or confrontation. Think about it. If their answer is no, they know that you will try to change their mind, apply pressure, etc. –meaning they will naturally avoid contact if the answer is not what you want to hear. They are the ones that hide.

But sometimes the highly emotional ones will also avoid conflict, especially if they are going to feel bad telling you. Maybe they indicated they would join, really like you, but for whatever reason, the answer is going to be “no”, they might also avoid calling you back. If the answer is yes, their desire to please and the fact that they are great at follow up, means that they will return your message in a timelier manner.

Drivers also prefer texting, so it’s always the best way to get a fast response. If they aren’t ready to make a move, the goal is to stay comfortably in touch until they are ready and the best tool to do that is The Profitable Recruiter Motivational enewsletters.

Need to know more about defining the personality types of your recruiting prospects so that you can best match your recruiting strategies? Profitable Recruiter Members, click on the Audio Downloads link in your member platform and look to the Audio 3 Section of your 7+ hours of audio recruiting training for ELEVEN segments that deal with this specific need!

Not a member? Join today and you too can have access to all of our recruiting tools, eNewsletters, monthly webinars – and the 7+ hours of audio training, including the eleven segments on agent personality types. Start your New Year off with what many brokers are saying is the best tool they have when it comes to recruiting, a membership to The Profitable Recruiter! Use 25OFF to get 25% off any PRO membership.

One Powerful Script to Inject Some Energy into Your Recruiting

Posted on January 5, 2016January 7, 2016 by The Profitable Recruiter

And Get Your Team Involved

By Real Estate Recruiting Coach Judy LaDeur

I’m often asked about my ‘favorite’ scripts for recruiters. Which ones to use when. How can I get better (or less afraid) at making recruiting calls? How do I know which agents in the market place would be a GREAT fit for our office?

Have I got a quick script for you that engages your current team in a positive way, and gets them to help line up new recruiting prospects FOR YOU, also in a powerfully positive way! I call it my “One Desk Left” script. Here’s how it goes:

First, task your agents to give you a business card and write the name of the agent they would like to see you hire if there was only one desk left in the office. Have them write the name on the back of their card. Then use this dialog to follow up with agents:

Only One Desk Left Dialog

Hello (their name), this is (your name and company name). Did I get you at a good time?

The reason for my call is to pay you a compliment. (Let them respond.) This week I walked around and asked each of my agents this question: If we only had one desk open and we could only hire one agent, who would you most like to see sitting in that desk? I am sitting here holding (number) cards with your name on the back! I was impressed, especially with the number of agents here in our marketplace. When my agents feel that way about an agent, I make it a goal to call and not only pass on the information, but to also see if we can get together. I would like to know more about how you do your business but would also like the opportunity to tell you more about the way we do business here at (Company Name).

If they say No:

I understand, and I respect that you are happy at your present company, but sometimes things change. I have always found that it is nice to at least know that the competition has to offer if that day ever comes.

Let me ask you this: If you were to make a move today, what would you be looking for in another company?

What training is most important to agents in today’s market?

If I could help you increase your business by $ __ per year, would it be worth an hour of your time to see how?

Great, I have time available today or we could meet first thing tomorrow. Which time would be best?

Taking the fear and frustration out of recruiting calls starts with preparation. With setting the stage consistently in your market place so that when you do have the opportunity to speak with the agents you most want on your team, they (a) know who you are, (b) know what makes your organization unique, and (c) are comfortable talking to you because you’ve made them a priority to connect with again and again. That’s one of the reasons The Profitable Recruiter system works so well. It gives you a low-key way to stay positioned with agents that would be good team members for your company. Oh- and there’s a bonus to this approach as well! RETENTION. Your current agents will appreciate that you involve them, want to know their opinion, and are eager to choose new team members who THEY would work well with. (How’s that for a win-win-win!?)

Scripts, and practice also remove fear and increase your confidence to go after even the highest producers, because you have a track to run on once you pick up that phone. This month we’ve made it even easier to find the recruiting scripts in our platform by putting them as downloadable pdf’s in a navigation tab all their own! Once you’ve logged into your membership site, simply click on the tab that says recruiting scripts. Choose the ones that work best for you – print them and keep them in front of you when you’re on the phone. Many of our members even make several copies for their phone sessions, so they can add the recruiting prospect’s name to the top, and keep notes on their conversation. They can then transfer those notes into their CRM or database, or even go ‘old school’ and put them in a ‘follow up’ binder.

Do you want to hire more agents in 2016? Learning to handle whatever objection comes your way with ease are both important parts of the puzzle! Not only will you learn many of these vital tools in the 7+ hours of audio training that you get as part of your Profitable Recruiter Pro membership – you have the advantage of learning on demand – individually or as a leadership team.

And if you HAVEN’T put systems in place to ALWAYS have the tools you need to grow your team with less headaches and more results – consider joining The Profitable Recruiter today. From now until February 5th make any Profitable Recruiter Pro Membership part of your 2016 business plan, and take 25% off with the promo code 25OFF— PLUS, have the ability to add up to 10 managers or admins to your account at no extra cost! That’s 25% off everything you need to be in the right place at the right time when the agents you want are ready to make a move – AND includes the SEVEN HOURS of recruiting audio training, more than 30 webinars on demand, scripts, letters, social media tools and more! What are you waiting for? Register today and hit the ground running for next year!

It’s NOT About the MONEY

Posted on December 16, 2015December 17, 2015 by The Profitable Recruiter

It’s About the Relationship!

We are all bombarded with the message REALTORS® are now conveying to prospective and current Brokers…

I can’t afford to…

Pay Fees…
Change Companies…
Stay in the business…

The honest truth is…they can’t afford not to.

What we have to acknowledge and embrace in the world or recruiting and retention is that what they are saying is not what they mean. In today’s market, we are hearing the voice of fear rather than the voice of reason. When we encounter these responses, remember the key to objection handling.

As our coaching members know, the key to objection handling is to remain logical. When we hear money as the objection as listed above, logically consider these questions as a response…

“I can’t afford to pay fees”…What are they currently paying to their Broker? When multiplied as a monthly or annual fee, what is the total? How does this reduction in compensation compare to a monthly investment (not fee!)
“I can’t afford to change companies in this market”…What does your current company offer as support and value to increase their business (revenue)? How is that working for them? What is the result of these perceived benefits? Are they satisfied (financially and emotionally) with these results? Compare their current results to the “value added” benefit of associating with your organization. What is the “potential” increased income based on the opportunity of being with joining you today
“I can’t afford to stay in this business”…What opportunities do they have available to them as another stream of income? If their alternative it to attempt to earn an hourly income…do the math (with them). This is an exercise we frequently use in our coaching program where we multiple the potential hourly income by the number of hours worked. Compare their potential income resulting from one transaction resulting from investing those same hours (monthly) into their real estate career. You will quickly see, the highest and best use of their time is to invest in their real estate career.

In the current market, we cannot stress enough the value of investing in the relationship vs. focusing on the money. For recruiting and retention, pull the focus away from the dollars and into the relationship and you will reap greater rewards in both areas of your business.

Do you want to hire more agents in 2016? Mastering the development of relationships with prospective agents and learning to handle whatever objection comes your way with ease are both important parts of the puzzle! Not only will you learn many of these vital tools in the 7+ hours of audio training that you get as part of your Profitable Recruiter Pro membership – you have the advantage of learning on demand – individually or as a leadership team.

And if you HAVEN’T put systems in place to ALWAYS have the tools you need to grow your team with less headaches and more results – consider joining The Profitable Recruiter today. From now until January 2nd, make any Profitable Recruiter Pro Membership part of your 2016 business plan, and take 35% off with the promo code PLAN35 — PLUS, have the ability to add up to 10 managers or admins to your account at no extra cost! That’s 35% off everything you need to be in the right place at the right time when the agents you want are ready to make a move – AND includes the SEVEN HOURS of recruiting audio training, more than 30 webinars on demand, scripts, letters, social media tools and more! What are you waiting for? Register today and write it off as a tax deduction!

Leading a Team and Leveraging Your Strengths

Posted on November 6, 2015 by The Profitable Recruiter

A Spotlight on Top Agent Nikki James

By Coach Judy LaDeur

Recently we hosted a webinar with our gracious guest and top agent and team leader Nikki James. Her insights and ideas were not only spot on for our industry – they were creative, collaborative, and a big part of why she’s taking her team to the top.

Here are some insights from our interview:

Q: Nikki, you started your real estate career in San Diego as an assistant for a top producing RE/MAX Agent in 2009. Today, you are leading a highly productive team at RE/MAX Gold. That’s quite the transition, congratulations on your success! What was it that first made you think, “Hey, I can do this!”?

A: My husband has been in the Real Estate business for 13 years and he always told me how much I’d love it and how it really suited my personality. I was finishing up my business degree at San Diego State and decided to start studying for my license during my last semester as a “back up plan”. Very soon after graduation, much to my husband’s credit, I realized I did not want to work for anyone else. I decided to start as an assistant so I could ensure some cash flow while I learned the business. Things were a lot different in the market back in 2010 and I was scared! The majority of transactions were distressed sales and/or investors purchasing with all cash. Neither of which I had much experience with. I realized after about a year in that role, that I was now the one putting out fires, talking with and meeting his clients, and handling his day to day business. It gave me the confidence to venture out on my own and not feel inexperienced while consulting clients that were my parent’s age on their real estate decisions! Even before I closed my very first transaction on my own, I had assisted on hundreds of other deals and was able to anticipate any hurdles to come. I’m very grateful I started when I did and learned the business during some tough times because when things started to shift, I did not take those easy transactions for granted.

Q: Today, you have a very successful four-member team, whose production will be about 25 million for 2015. That’s amazing! What does it take to run a team, and more importantly, a successful team?

A: Frankly, it takes money. Like any business, it takes startup capital. We had to work hard to get to a point to be able to invest back in our business. Once we got to that point, we made sure to take baby steps. Adding one team member at a time until we made sure we had enough business to sustain that member. We are about quality, not quantity. I’d rather stay at our size and have everyone double their business next year than add more people and have less time or resources to give to each member. I truly only feel successful when my team members individually feel successful and satisfied in their business. It’s always my number one priority.

Q: Can you tell us about your team and the role each one plays?

A: As we all know, there are many different ways to structure team. I’ve seen many agents in our industry have very specific “roles” such as TC, Buyer’s Agents, Listing Agents, Admins, etc. Our philosophy is a bit different. I give my team members the freedom to have their own identities as independent agents and not be overshadowed by a team leader’s “team name.” I’ve found that most agents get into this business because they are entrepreneurial at heart which means agents want the freedom to brand themselves and not work for “someone else.” We don’t have a team name for that very reason. We work closely with each of our team members to help them brand themselves and create their own identity and book of business. I’m trying to create an environment that lasts, and that my team members don’t feel like they need to have an exit strategy one day. We feel that giving our agents full autonomy and behind the scenes support and additional business, they won’t need to go anywhere!

Q: I understand that you place a lot of focus on lead generation and retention activities. Can you share some of those with us please?

A: Of course. Part of our value proposition is that we invest pretty heavily in marketing that drives a significant amount of business that we distribute to our team. A few of the platforms we advertise on include: Realtor.com, Zillow.com, we have a niche condo website we run here for the Sacramento Region that has been very fruitful called SacramentoCondoMania.com. Because internet leads are different than traditional clients, we focused on initially training each of our team members on how to connect with, qualify and convert these leads to clients pretty effectively. The internet lead is typically in the very beginning stages of their home search and possibly may even be years out from making a move. We cultivate long term relationships with these clients, putting them on a drip system and staying front of mind so that when they are ready to make a move, they will have no doubts on who to call.

Q: You are also doing Detailed tracking of all business for all team members, which demonstrates value. Can you tell us about that please?

A: Yes, we use a lead tracking system that allows us to account for every single lead and client we work with, where it is in the buying cycle and track where it came from. The system is advanced enough to alert each agent on when to follow up with the lead, based on the amount of contacts it’s received. Once the lead moves through the system and ultimately closes on a home with our agent, the system is able to calculate conversion ratios as well. It’s a very helpful, organized tool and database to make sure no one falls through the crack and you know exactly how well you are doing at the end of the year.

Q: How important is value proposition as a team leader, and what do you do to instill that value to you team on a regular basis?

A: It’s everything! If there is no value added, you won’t keep team members very long! I am in contact with every one of my team members almost every day, if not every other day, for various reasons. If I don’t hear from a member for a few days, I make it a point to reach out via text or phone call to simply connect and ask if I can assist them in any way. I help a lot with the transaction coordination of our team’s files, so I am constantly behind the scenes assisting my agents. In addition, we try and have quarterly one-on-ones to keep an open line of communication and are always looking for ways to improve their experience on our team.

Q: If you had to describe your leadership style in a few words, what would it be?

A: Because we don’t have admins, TCs, or assistants at this time, I would say I’m more of a resource and support type of leader to my team.

Q: Do you use social media in your business, and if so, how?

A: Yes. I use it as an extension of my database, not to directly advertise on. I use it as a tool to engage my sphere, my colleagues, my past clients, to stay relevant in the industry news, and to share cute pics of my baby. I’ve learned from client feedback that they love seeing some of my personal life and frankly, most people these days are burnt out on constant ads/business posts on the social media arena. We are more relationship centered and make sure all our followers know what we do and how to reach out if they’d like our help.

Q: You also have a strong referral-based business, which requires pop-by’s, calls, letters, etc. What have you found works best with regard to receiving referrals and leads from friends, family and past clients?

A: It seems to be all in the details! As soon as I close on a home, I fill my calender up with reminder’s to follow up on their month anniversary, 6 months, 1 year and every year afterwards. This follow up just says, “How are you loving your home, neighborhood? Need anything from us? I’m here for you, YOUR REALTOR”. Believe it or not, many of my young clients that I help purchase a home don’t know that I actually list homes as well. I make it a point to let them know when/if they ever decide to sell, I would love to represent them again.

Q: If one of our readers is thinking of building a team, what advice would you give them?

A: Most importantly, make sure you are hiring the right people. You want to make sure their work ethic, communication style, personalities mesh well with yours or that you have a full understanding of how to connect with them BEFORE you make the investment in adding them to your team. Secondly, I would say make sure you have enough business to share with them! You can have all the awesome people in the world on your team but if you aren’t adding value or adding fuel to their business, they will likely start to look elsewhere.

Q: Are there any activities that you have found that work well to “jump start” a real Estate career for any new agents who are listening. Something that would give them quick results?

A: Write a letter and make phone calls to your entire sphere of influence, family, extended family, church family, letting them know you are in the business and would love to help them achieve their real estate goals! Talk to everyone you come into contact with about the industry. I can’t tell you how many business cars I’ve handed out in the line at the grocery store. If people don’t know you need and want their business, they’ll assume you don’t!

Q: Nikki, is there anything that you would like to add before we end and let everyone know where they can find you when they have referrals in the Sacramento area?

A: I’d just like to say thank you so much for having me and thank you to my amazing team for partnering with me. We always love referrals! My website is Sachomemarket.com email is nikkijames@remax.net.

Thank you so much Nikki – you’re an incredible asset to our industry and we so appreciate your willingness to share. We invite all our readers to reach out to you and your team with their referrals – and we’re excited to watch your team continue to succeed! To listen to Nikki’s entire interview log in to your Profitable Recruiter platform today and check it out in our webinars on demand!

For more great ideas on giving your agents the best resources possible, while attracting awesome new agents, join The Profitable Recruiter. Take advantage of our special offer of 30% off with the promo code 30OFF any pro membership. That’s 30% off everything you need to be in the right place at the right time when the agents you want are ready to make a move – including SEVEN HOURS of recruiting audio training! What are you waiting for? When you join – you and up to 10 managers can access your account! Try it for a month and see what it can do for you.

Is It Time to Start Building Your Team?

Posted on October 22, 2015January 6, 2016 by The Profitable Recruiter

Where to Start and Why

By Real Estate Coach Judy LaDeur

You may be at a crossroad in your real estate career and not even realize it. Many agents struggle with the lack organization or working too many hours a day before they cave in. Some agents burn out and leave the business, while others take it to the next level. Where are you?

Building a team takes time. It is essential that you take your time in hiring the right people. There is an old adage that goes, Slow to Hire, Fast to Fire. In my experience, truer words were never spoken. I have learned the hard way that it is best to fire an unproductive team member fast.

First, profile the position so you know what type of person you need to fill it. Potential hires should ALWAYS take a DISC Profile or a similar personality profile. Overlay the new hire prospect profile with the job profile to determine the likelihood of success. A common mistake within the industry is that we hire the first warm body that comes along or we hire a family member to fill in the gap. It is delaying the inevitable and will only frustrate you as you try to build your business.

Team building should ALWAYS start with the team’s infrastructure. You need to determine how many hours you are spending on administrative duties. If it’s more than two hours a day, you need help immediately. It is not unusual to think that hiring and training will take too much of our precious time. But keep in mind that if you don’t have an assistant, then you are the assistant. First, create the full job description. Think about tasks that drag you down, identify them by listing what tasks take away precious time from your money producing activities. Write down the personal attributes that would best suit this position. Design a job description around these needs. This will streamline your interviewing process.

For every one hour of training you provide to someone, you will save ten hours in completing those same tasks. When considering the support you need, determine if you need a licensed or unlicensed assistant. Building a strong staff foundation is critical to the success of expanding your business or improving your quality of life. Working smarter always allows greater opportunities. Maintaining a strong database will also help lead to your greater success. There are many good options out there.

Are you letting inquiries and potential buyers slip through the cracks? This is another common indicator that you need to grow a team. AFTER hiring support staff, the next step would be to hire a buyers’ agent to handle your overflow. This will provide a greater return on your marketing investment and allow you more flexibility to manage your business. Once you’ve done this, you have the freedom to manage your business.

Avoid common mistakes by first gaining a bit of knowledge about team building and team management. Hiring, firing, compensation options, team structure, job duties, referral business, goals, planning, accountability, and team marketing strategies are just a few of the areas that need to be addressed before building a team.

COACHING TIP OF THE WEEK

MANAGE YOUR MESSAGE

One of the most effective ways to manage your time and your day is to change your voice mail message every day and let people know your schedule. While we tend to let our phones run our lives, an hour or two out of the loop won’t ever really kill a deal.

Your message can be something like this: “Hello and thanks for calling. This is Judy LaDeur with XYZ Realty and today is October 22^nd. I am out of the office on appointments all day, but feel free to leave a message here in my voicemail. I will return calls at 11:30 this morning and again at 4:00 this afternoon.

No matter who is calling, they know exactly what the deal is and what to expect. There is nothing worse though, than forgetting to update the message daily!

For more great ideas on giving your agents the best resources possible, while attracting awesome new agents, join The Profitable Recruiter. And if you HAVEN’T put systems in place to ALWAYS have the tools you need to grow your team with less headaches and more results – consider joining The Profitable Recruiter today. From now until February 5th make any Profitable Recruiter Pro Membership part of your 2016 business plan, and take 25% off with the promo code 25OFF— PLUS, have the ability to add up to 10 managers or admins to your account at no extra cost! That’s 35% off everything you need to be in the right place at the right time when the agents you want are ready to make a move – AND includes the SEVEN HOURS of recruiting audio training, more than 30 webinars on demand, scripts, letters, social media tools and more! What are you waiting for? Register today and hit the ground running for next year!

A Trend That Can Make Recruiting TOUGH

Posted on June 10, 2015June 10, 2015 by The Profitable Recruiter

And Why Timing is EVERYTHING

By Real Estate Recruiting Coach Judy LaDeur

We saw a trend this year that we have not seen for a while. The best agents were not moving as easily as they did in years past. Why? The market was the strongest market that we have seen in the states for the past 10 years. For many agents, this was the strongest market of their career, and they were just not willing to make that move until the end of the market. For agents who have been in the business for many years, they know a great market when they see it, and they were making the best of it!

As a recruiter in the 2005/2006 market, I remember these days. It was frustrating for brokers. I remember one broker saying that they wished it would just slow down so that the agents would move. (That’s one of those careful what you wish for moments!)

In a slow market, agents move to increase their opportunities and do more business. In a great market, they move when it’s convenient and their pipeline is low. That time is fast approaching. In years past, when we had a strong market, the agents made their move in August and September. Just after summer holidays.

Are you positioned for the movement that is about to take place in your market? Are your interview skills sharp? Are you talking to agents weekly? Are you staying positioned in a fun, positive way? June and July is your time to get ready. Your job as the broker is to maintain a non-threatening, passive series of contacts until they are ready. The Profitable Recruiter ENews Campaign is a fun marketing piece that’s getting RESULTS. Remember, the best agents take longer, but they are worth it!

We just got another testimonial this week from Bruce in North Carolina. He wrote, “I just hired an agent as a direct result of the Monday Motivational Messages! She sold about $3M last year and is looking to increase her sales to approximately $5M. Keep those messages coming!”

If you’re ready to ramp up your recruiting, stay in touch with the agents you want, without wondering WHAT to do and WHEN to do it – join the www.TheProfitableRecruiter.com. We give you all the tools you need each month to position yourself as the broker to join when agents are ready to make a move. (We also make it a whole lot more fun!) Oh and if you’re fine tuning your skills this summer – remember – all pro members get access to over 7 hours of training via downloadable links including interview skills, scripts, objection handlers, and more. Be sure to listen in on the dialogue and training for bringing agents on board when their current broker won’t let them take their listings! It’s a game-changer! PLUS, you’ll have access to entire libraries of recruiting letters and notes, emails, social media content, training webinars for recruiting and retention, and opportunities to network with the best of the best.

Join today and take advantage of our special summer offer of 30% off with the promo code 30OFF any pro membership. That’s 30% off everything you need to be in the right place at the right time when the agents you want are ready to make a move!