STOP Using the Word Recruit

Posted on August 24, 2017August 28, 2017 by The Profitable Recruiter

24 Aug

Four Powerful Insights from the Talented Craig Witt

Recently Judy spent some time with a great team of brokers from EXIT Realty. So we thought this the perfect time to do re-share a great interview we had with Craig Witt, President of the U.S. Division of EXIT Realty. He is strong, impassioned, and has some incredible insights that brokers today really need to hear.

Here’s what we learned…

Q: Hi Craig – thanks so much for joining our Broker Success Series of articles! Can you start by telling us a little about yourself?

A: I currently serve as a Divisional President for the North Central Division of the United States for EXIT Realty. I have been with EXIT for over 13 years; first starting as a franchisee in Northern Michigan, then purchasing the Regional rights for Michigan, and ultimately becoming a Divisional President. My background is quite entrepreneurial as I have owned several companies prior to EXIT, mostly in the land development and construction industry.

Q: What trends are you seeing in our industry right now that you think brokers should really get in front of BEFORE the beginning of the new year and why?

A: In my opinion, and fortunately for our industry, Real Estate is largely and will continue to be a people business. As such, so is brokerage. Real Estate agents should be treated as the assets of the corporation and it all begins with strong leadership. In order to thrive in brokerage today, attracting the best talent with the right attitude, welding them into your office through a retention mechanism, then training them to be successful is key. The idea of a “body shop” mentality and more is better in my opinion really affects our industry in that many good agents slip through the cracks, burnout, and experience failure. By creating an environment where agents want to work, get the attention and the systems they need and are making a great living in an industry they are proud of is key to a successful brokerage. Quite simply, brokers should focus on getting, keeping and growing great agents.

Q: Brokers come in all shapes and sizes — so we know there aren’t any one-size-fits-all solutions, but there are some tried-and-true strategies for building a great team, can you share your top few with us?

A: There are in fact several ways to build a strong team but it all starts with the ultimate goal of the agent interested in forming one. Why? Why do you want a team, can you lead other people, and ultimately, what is your goal? By answering the tough questions in the beginning and setting a plan in place, you will either choose to build or stay on your own with perhaps a licensed assistant. Leverage is the key to creating wealth and if agents desire to have flexibility in their schedule, growth opportunity, unlimited earning potential and ultimately an exit strategy to their careers, a properly structured team can provide much of that. I see a lot of really good agents that are strong in sales and weak in admin or marketing so by picking good talent and plugging them into these areas can help them focus on their strength. Pay structure is always an interesting component, and if not handled properly, agents will outgrow the team and either leave to go on their own or be hired away by a competitor. My advice is to start with the end in mind; make a plan, do a SWOT analysis on yourself, pick the right talent with personality, then skill (you can teach skill), then pay them well and review the team structure annually.

Q: What would be your best advice to a brand new recruiter?

A: This is easy for me. First off, we should stop using the word recruit; it can have a negative connotation and I believe we have evolved away from that term. No one wants to be recruited, but we all want to be invited and welcomed. In my opinion, you cannot sell until you have been sold. What I mean is if you are going to have a recruiter represent you, it is imperative you get them passionate about your company vision and goals. At EXIT, we share our story and the impact our model can have to improve others’ lives and their own; we paint the picture for them where they can see they can be part of something bigger. First impressions mean everything and nobody wants to be sold…or recruited, they want to be exposed to something better for themselves and their family. Changing companies is extremely personal and emotional and often takes time to build the relationship. Nobody cares how much you know until they know how much you care. This person is a direct reflection of your company when they are talking to others. Role-play with them so you are confident you know what they are saying on the phone. Also, ensure they understand what you are trying to build in your office with regards to personality and culture, and make sure they are paid well. You don’t want a recruiter recruiting out of desperation, just as we don’t want our agents selling out of desperation. Keep them focused on the mission of the office and building a great place to work with great talent, and the money will come. Good recruiters are hard to find and harder to keep, weld them in and don’t be cheap.

Q: I love that line! Best advice to those who’ve ‘been around the block’ but aren’t quite at the level they want yet?

A: Re-evaluate your career, where you work and your life. Are you where you want to be? Sometimes great agents are working somewhere that is preventing them from excelling. I believe agents can be a product of the environment where they work. For example, lack of leadership, training or sense of belonging can affect the performance of most agents. At EXIT, our model provides an “arm-in-arm” culture where we work collectively to get the most and the best out of each other like a good family would. By providing the right leadership and culture, agents feel like they belong. A little peer pressure goes a long way as well within an office; not ego and strong competition but peer pressure.

I am a firm believer in hiring a coach, not a friend, a coach. Someone that is removed from you personally and emotionally. In order for a coach-student relationship to work, there needs to be accountability and mutual respect. Most people don’t want a coach because they don’t want to be told what to do. This is a major mistake in that coaches don’t necessarily tell you what to do, they hold you accountable to what you told them you were going to do. Effective coaching is helping you determine where you want to go, then guiding you to accomplish these goals through consistent and sometimes painful accountability. Broker/owners of offices are not exempt here; in order to build and sustain a successful brokerage, owners should have a coach as well or at a minimum a focus group that can help identify concerns and trends and keeps them being a focused leader for the agents. Oh, and don’t be cheap, a good coach will increase your production and make you more effective.

Q: Thanks so much again for your insights. If readers want to connect with you or learn more about your organization – where is the best place to find you?

A: To connect with me or for more information about EXIT Realty, you can email me at cwitt@exitrealty.com, connect at www.craigwitt.com, or visit www.exitrealty.com,

If you’re ready to move your team or organization in a new direction, put systems in place that position you to build the team you really want, or learn more strategies for working smarter, not harder, bookmark our blog, and join The Profitable Recruiter today. We have a full spectrum of membership benefits with all the tools, strategies and solutions you need to position yourself to win this year and every year. Our goal is for you to become the “turn-to” broker in your area for every agent.

Join today and take advantage of our special offer of 35% off with the promo code PLAN35 any pro membership. 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 – 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.

Webinar On Demand: Recruiting Strategies with Keith Pike

Posted on April 21, 2017April 21, 2017 by The Profitable Recruiter

21 Apr

We had so much fun with this month’s guest, award-winning recruiter Keith Pike, that we decided to break our own member-only rules and share this powerful, insightful and just fun interview with our entire newsletter list. Keith owns RE/MAX Elite in Little Rock, Conway, and Bryant, Arkansas, and RE/MAX Infinity in Overland Park, Kansas and was kind enough to share the strategies and tools he uses to knock it out of the park!

We loved every minute and know you will too!

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! Make any Profitable Recruiter Pro Membership part of your 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 – 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!

The Most Important Ingredient

Posted on July 7, 2016 by The Profitable Recruiter

07 Jul

Attracting the Agents You Want in Today’s Market

By Judy LaDeur

What is the secret to attracting the agents that you want in today’s market? Preparation is the most important ingredient. Most brokers tell me that they do not spend time preparing for the interview. They just show up at their office in time to conduct the appointment. Not taking the time to prepare for the interview is a lot like showing up for a listing appointment unprepared. When you take the time to do your research, you will be better prepared for certain objections, know which tools and systems to present, understand how they make their decisions and what’s important to that agent.

I always suggest spending 15-30 minutes preparing for the interview. Some things to do are:

Google the agent to see what you can discover about them
Go to their Facebook page to see what is happening in their life at this time
Look them up on Linked In. What are they saying? Are there testimonials?
What do you know about their company?
What do you know about the agent?
Have they sold any of your listings? Who did they work with?
What is their behavior pattern?
Based on their behavior pattern, what tools or systems are they most likely to want?
Check MLS records to see what their production was the past 12 months.
What is their company’s policy with regard to listings being released?
What will be the best questions to ask this agent, based on what you have discovered?

Whenever a broker or recruiter takes the time to be prepared for the interview, they will always have a better outcome.

You would never show up for a listing appointment or buyer without the proper preparation.

NAR has shown that an agent will stay with your firm for an average of 7 years. If your profit per agent is just $10,000 per year, that agent represents $70,000 to you. Since most interviews last about an hour, that means that the return on your one-hour investment is $70,000, if you know what to do and what to say when that agent comes in to meet with you. It seems like a good investment to me!

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!

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.

The #1 Key to a GREAT Recruiting Interview

Posted on December 1, 2015December 1, 2015 by The Profitable Recruiter

Sometimes it’s What You DON’T Say

By Real Estate Recruiting Coach Judy LaDeur

I love a great salesperson; however I have found that most salespeople? Are good perhaps. But not GREAT. To be GREAT? A salesperson has to have the ability to make others feel good making the decision they have already decided to make.

Think about it. If you are going to buy a car, you go to a variety of dealerships with the intention of buying a car. So why is it such a treacherous process most of the time? I recently bought a new car. I literally walked out of FIVE dealerships before I finally took control of the situation. It’s sad that I would have to tell the salesperson how to sell me a car, but that is exactly what I did. What happened at the first five dealerships? They sent the newest, hungriest person to try to sell me a car. They did not ask me any questions, and to make matters worse, they did not LISTEN to anything that I was telling them with regard to what I wanted. They were focused on what THEY wanted, which was a sale.

There’s an old saying that’s SO true, (one your mom or grandmother might have told you!) It goes like this: “We’re given two ears and one mouth for a reason. Why? Because we were meant to listen TWICE as much as we speak.” Unfortunately, many Brokers, Owners and Recruiters also often fall victim to ignoring this design and speak way more than they listen.

An essential element in becoming a master recruiter is to listen to the needs and desires of the prospect and then present your systems and resources to meet these needs. The key is to LISTEN.

When we don’t listen, we OVER present. The better your company, the more tempted you are to present what YOU want (what you are proud of) rather than what the PROSPECT needs to be successful. Keep in mind that all of us on one level or another are tuned into the WIIFM (What’s In It For Me) channel .

Your best bet to recruit top agents? Stop SELLING. Start LISTENING, and asking questions – and listening to the answers. The truth is no one wants to be sold, but if they are sitting there in your office, then to do have an INTEREST and they do have needs that are probably not getting met where they currently are. Your job is to figure those two things out and provide the solutions. Here’s another old saying that’s worth a reminder: “Hearing is one of the five senses, but listening is an ART.” Practice your art. Your listening skills. Your investigative tools. Your prospects will tell you everything you ever wanted to know if you ask the right questions and you listen for the answers.

Profitable Recruiter Members, please login to your platform today to get all of your December recruiting tools, and review last week’s powerful webinar 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 winter offer! 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 – 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 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.

Three Key Priorities for Today’s Recruiters

Posted on June 9, 2015February 5, 2016 by The Profitable Recruiter

An Interview with Power-Broker Michael Coburn

By Julie Escobar

Recruiting is such an intensely hot topic right now, and there’s nothing else quite like learning what other brokers are doing RIGHT to stand out from their competitors and grow their businesses. We caught up with a dynamite broker and recruiter Michael Coburn and asked him to share his insights. Here’s what we learned:

Q: Thanks Michael for your time and willingness to share! First, can you tell our readers a little about yourself?

A: My name is Michael Coburn I am the Broker Owner of RE/MAX Town & Country in Allen, Texas. I have been licensed for 26 years and hold the CRS, GRI, ABR, e-PRO, RFC & CDPE designations. I am married to Debra Coburn who is Co-Owner of RE/MAX Town & Country and is also the Manager, and we have owned the franchise since 2005.

Q: It’s been quite the bumpy road for a lot of brokers over the last few years. What do you think is the key to not only sustainability, but thriving during challenging times?

A: The key is Three Priorities; Recruit, Retain and Develop. We have all heard it before but it’s that simple… You need to do what you love and love what you do, my wife and I absolutely love what we do and that come across to the agents.

Q: Do you believe brokers should have a strategic business and recruiting plan and if so, how often should they review it?

A: Absolutely! You MUST have a Business plan and the Recruiting plan should be a BIG part of it. This should be reviewed at least weekly, if not daily. You need to start with a Mission, Vision, Values and Beliefs and everyone in the company should know your office Mission. Our Mission is: “To help our real estate professionals become and remain intentional & proactive… so they can create the time and money needed to achieve their personal missions in life.”

Q: Great mission statement! Do you have any favorite strategies when it comes to recruiting new agents to your team?

A: The reason agents join your office is simple…it’s because of YOU! You must be the one that gives them a vision and leads them through the bad markets as well as the good markets. One of the ways that we do this is our value proposition and our value proposition revolves around five components: Culture, Development, Technology, Staff & Brand. The BEST thing to do first is develop a Complete Agent Development Program, our program is built around high level business consulting, consistent training and accountability. Then make calls to agents daily, daily, daily, yes that’s right I said daily, and invite them to a conversation to see if there is the opportunity of a win-win relationship by them joining our office.

Also once you’re walking the walk and delivering on your value proposition, your agents are the BEST source of recruit leads, because they LOVE YOU and they will pre-sell you all over town. And when you bring agents into the office that they don’t know, they love to talk you up, it’s GREAT!

Q: Love it! Finally, do you have any best advice for new or even experienced brokers and recruiters in today’s competitive market?

A: Yes, sell your office and JOIN ME! (Just kidding-kind of!) Make a plan to recruit and stick to it. Hire a recruiter or a director of development. It’s either you are going to be a good trainer or a good recruiter, you can’t do both and you definitely can’t do both, plus handle agent services and solutions and then on top of that try to sell real estate! That’s just NOT realistic.

The hardest thing to do is let go of selling and commit to building your company FULL TIME, but never look at cost always look at return! And lastly, be CONSISTENT. I tell my agents this too. You can’t do anything once. Momentum doesn’t happen by accident – and it doesn’t stay by accident.

My advice is to follow Judy LaDeur’s lead and system. She gives you an outline, a plan and a guide for WHAT to do. When I started doing THAT? THAT’S when SUCCESS happened.

Michael, what a pleasure working with you on this project. You’re awesome! Thank you so much for sharing with our readers!

If you’d like to connect with Michael you can visit his website here or connect with him on Facebook!

Ready to dial up your recruiting, and position yourself to attract the agents you want sooner rather than later, join top brokers from around the nation who are members of www.TheProfitableRecruiter.com. You’ll get all the tools you need each month to position yourself as the broker to join when agents are ready to make a move. Fine tuning your skills this season? All pro members get access to over SEVEN 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 offer of 25% off with the promo code 25OFF any pro membership. 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!

What to Do BEFORE Recruiting Season Starts

Posted on May 28, 2015May 28, 2015 by The Profitable Recruiter

Fine Tune Those Interview Skills

By Real Estate Recruiting Coach Judy LaDeur

Recruiting season is right around the bend – which mean NOW is the time to fine tune those interview skills. Use the summer to stay in touch with your recruits, and to turn up the heat on your recruiting skills by practicing. While it might not feel natural at first – I challenge you to stick as close to the interview process as possible.

Here is an overview of the interview process:

The set up: This is the time to tell them the goals and agenda for the meeting. Set up the interview by sharing your goals and agenda. Let them know that your job is to give them the information that they need that day to make the best decision for their real estate career, and to better have a feel of whether your company is the right choice for them. You should know if the agent is an emotional decision maker or a logical decision maker within the first 5-10 minutes. You need to mirror your candidate for optimal results. Maintain a businesslike manner for logical agents and a friendly, warm manner for emotional agents.

The questions: The questions are the foundation of your interview. If a broker/recruiter cannot master this component, their presentation will be weak, or even worse, they will find themselves “buying agents through making deals” if they cannot hire on value. Surface questions will not give you what you want to know. They just skim the surface. You must really dig deep and find out what is happening in their professional life, what they have now, how do they feel about what they have, and what do they want. Why, When and Why are how most of your questions should start. You can also say, “Tell me more about that” or “when you say

, what do you mean?”

The goal of asking questions for the new or struggling agent:

Do you want them? Will they make it? What are their past accomplishments? Sales experience? What is their behavior style? What have they been doing to build their career up until now? Number of people in their data base? Number of calls they make daily? Farming? FSBO? Expireds? What are they willing to do to have a successful career? Number of hours they plan to work to achieve goals?

The goal of asking questions for the experienced agent interview:

What do they like where they are? What do they dislike? What is the point of difference between your company and their company? What are their long term goals? Can they achieve them at their current company? What are their expectations of you as their broker? What are they doing to generate business now? What tools would best support them to take their career to the next level?

At the end of the questions, you should know which systems you will present and what it’s going to take to hire them. If you don’t know these things, then you either need to ask more questions or better questions.

The prospect that can be most challenging at this stage is the driver. If you are interviewing the driver, keep the questions moving fast, and be very direct. Otherwise, they will start asking you questions and you will lose control of the interview. If you lose control of the interview in the questioning process with a driver, it’s because it’s moving too slow or they are frustrated with the interview and you are not staying on task. This can be a very tough position for any manager or recruiter, but when you find yourself in that position, first realize how you got there and next, regain control as fast as possible. You can listen to the CD’s if you need additional support with regard to asking questions.

Please remember that the purpose of asking questions is to identify the right systems to present to the agent. They usually only need about 5 systems to meet their needs.

The Presentation:

The area that I would like for you each of you to really practice and develop is the 3-step presentation process and the ROI or value close. Failing to present each system in a way that shows value, is the #1 reason that the agent will not join. With regard to presentation skills, please remember that you don’t need to present everything about your company, but you should have visuals and info on everything that is unique about your company and be ready for each interview. What sets you apart and gives you a point of difference? Not only for experienced agents, but for new as well. It can be on a laptop, folders, whatever, as long as it is easy for you to use and it is going to demonstrate what makes your office unique and the results that can occur when they join your team.

This is your 3-step presentation process.

Recap what they said in the questioning process.
Present the tool or system using a visual
Present the results using results from agents at your office or survey results from an organization such as NAR.

Each tool gets presented the same way with the three step process. Then after the presentation, please go back and ask them to give you their opinion as to how many more transactions they can have with each tool. Please remember that they need you to give them results, in order for them to calculate value.

You can then close on the value of joining, which means that you do not have to worry about fees. When you follow the process above, you will see that they can give you the value as perceived and believed by them. It will definitely make recruiting easier.

The RECAP = your ROI

The ROI = your Value Proposition

If you are not using the 3-step process above, and sharing results with your recruit, you will not be able to value close them. After presenting each of your systems, you will recap, which is when you build value.

Dialog to start the recap:

“Let’s review what we have discovered. There were 5 different areas of your real estate career that YOU felt could use some improvement. You said that you definitely need:

More leads
More marketing support
Personalized coaching and broker support
Better tools to compete for listings
More market presence or a strong name in the community.

Is there anything that I missed? Let’s look at each tool/ system and determine what the value is to your career.

With regard to Leads: You said……. As you recall, our agents receive an average of

per year, with most converting 25% of those leads within 6 months. If we gave you the same number of leads each year, how many could you convert?

REPEAT THIS PROCESS FOR EACH TOOL OR SYSTEM WHICH WAS DISCUSSED.

Total all the opportunities and use this dialog:

“If we total up all the opportunities that you believe you could have with our office, the number is

additional sales and or listings sold. If we multiply that number by the average commission received, which is $

__, it looks like you could have an additional $

in income with our company. How does that sound?

More importantly, these are opportunities that do not exist at your current company, so currently, you do not have the opportunity to earn this money at your current firm. You will need to join our team to have these opportunities. When you came in today, I told you that my goal was to give you the information that you needed to make the best decision for your real estate career TODAY. Based on what you are looking at, does it look like a good time to join (your company)? I agree, so let’s take a look at the various compensation plans and determine which one is best for you!

This is called: Closing on VALUE. When you get their commitment, before talking about compensation plans, it’s a lot easier to hire them.

THE CLOSE: You must ask them to join. I like the handshake close. Those who have tried it have found it works great. There are a few people who are shy about trying it. This summer is a great time to master the official Judy LaDeur Hand Shake close.

Stalls and Objections: If you need help handling stalls and objections, please listen to your CD’s. I have all the solutions recorded. Here’s what others have found. When you follow the interview process, as described above, you will have fewer stalls and objections. Have a great summer!

Need help turning up the heat on your recruiting? We’ve got the answers. 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 spring offer of 25% off with the promo code 25OFF any pro membership.

Using Bomb Bomb Videos in Recruiting

Posted on February 24, 2015February 24, 2015 by The Profitable Recruiter

We’re thrilled to share our recent Master Recruiting Call with special guest Kim Rogne. Kim shares her experience using Bomb Bomb Video emails to significantly increase here recruiting results!

Kim is a full time recruiter and has been using this system to consistently stay in touch with here prospects. Listen in!

Have you used Bomb Bomb?

If you want to try it – check out their free trial here!

We’d love to hear from you!

Getting the 4-1-1 for Effective Recruiting

Posted on September 15, 2014 by The Profitable Recruiter

Insights and Solutions from Top Broker Nick Libert

As we head into the fourth quarter, we wanted to learn some insights on some of the SYSTEMS brokers put in place to help them stay ON TRACK for the long haul, even when days get busy and life gets hectic. We got some wonderful ideas from top broker Nick Libert last week who was kind enough to share his thoughts, experience, and what’s working for his organization!

Here’s what we learned:

Q: First, thank you for participating! Can you tell our readers a little about yourself so they get to know you and your business!

A: Sure! I have been in the business 16 years, 13 of those as a broker/owner. My business is downtown Chicago and all suburbs of Chicago. I started in the business at Coldwell Banker, and after 3 years as a top producer left to start my own company. In 2005, I was bought out by Keller Williams and took over as managing broker of one of their offices in downtown Chicago, growing it from 30 agents to over 140. In 2008, I took the leap to Exit Realty.

At Exit, I first came on board as an agent to ensure I liked it before I bought a franchise. After a year and a half, in October 2009, I purchased my franchise. We started with 8 agents, and today have over 115. Our next step is to begin servicing NW Indiana as well as our current domain in Northern Illinois.

We are the largest and most productive franchise of Exit in Illinois, and I still maintain a healthy sales volume personally, being the #1 agent for Exit Realty in Illinois for 2014.

Q: Brokers and recruiters juggle many hats each week — can you tell us how you prioritize your activity and a tip for our readers on how to best manage their time (especially during a busy recruiting season)?

A: I time block my days from start to finish–I wake up at 6 am most weekday mornings and get my “big rocks” out of the way…my workout puts me in the right mood, and then it’s my social media, prospecting, and appointment setting for agent interviews.

I use a 4-1-1 Goal Setting and Accountability flowchart to ensure I am on track for my weekly, monthly, and yearly goals–I share this with my agents so they know what I am up to and so that I can lead by example.

I get our monthly training calendar done in advance, so I can plan my daily recruiting appointments around that. I use google calendar to share with my staff so they can assist in my scheduling. I have a recruiter who does much of my heavy lifting in terms of appointment setting, so that I can spend more time in the actual interviews themselves. Finally, I ensure that I spend time weekly offering 1 on 1 coaching for my agents, so they feel connected even if it’s been a hectic week overall.

Q: How do you help your agents get on track and stay there so they are more likely to hit their goals?

I encourage my agents to use the 4-1-1, a time-blocked calendar, and a business plan outline and require it for their coaching sessions to be the most effective. I also send out their production to them monthly breaking down income, listings and sales for the month and YTD.

Q: How much training and coaching do you provide to your agents and how important do you feel that is to your recruiting efforts?

A: Training and coaching are vital to creating a healthy ‘ecosystem’ within an office. A beautiful office space with no culture or support is dead space–the agents must feel like the broker is there to help them build their business, not take from them. We have a monthly training calendar packed with events, along with 1 on 1 opportunities to coach with me. We also ask our top agents to train and share.

Q: What do you think sets you apart in your market in terms of positioning yourself as the turn-to broker for those agents who are looking to make a move?

A: First off, experience. Agents know I have been in the industry as a top producer for many years, and in diverse parts of the market. If I don’t have the answer, I can find a resource quickly. Secondly, accessibility. I pride myself on having an open door and an open phone line–in particular, my smart phone is on me 24/7 and my agents know I am there for them. Finally, the Exit formula allows for splits above 100% through the power of residual income–a true 3rd income stream beyond listings and sales. I believe that gives us an advantage.

Q: If you had one piece of FAVORITE advice you could give a fellow recruiter – what would it be?

A: Your goal should not be to recruit, but build a vision so that from day one you are actually RETAINING. Encourage agents to help the company grow, and it becomes a family. Empower their business!

Q: If our readers would like to connect with you – do you have a url or social media address where they can find you?

A: Absolutely! I’m active on all social media @NickLibert

Awesome stuff Nick – thanks SO much for sharing your vision, insights, and ideas with our readers!

Do you want to learn more about staying FOCUSED and building a successful, growing office? Bookmark our blog, and join The Profitable Recruiter today. We have a full spectrum of membership benefits with all the tools, strategies and solutions you need to position yourself to win this year and every year. Our goal is for you to become the “turn-to” broker in your area for every agent.