Category Archives: Real Estate Retention

The Power of an Accountability Partner

Posted on by The Profitable Recruiter
18 Dec

A Common Denominator for Staying ON-TRACK

By Real Estate Recruiting Coach Judy LaDeur

Here’s a big question for you:  Who is holding you accountable to your recruiting program? Do you have a coach, a support person within your organization or someone in your real estate network that you are answering to in terms of staying on track? As I look at many of the most successful recruiters and brokers around the world, the one thing that many of them have in common is “someone who holds them accountable.”

Top agents, top athletes and top brokers will all tell you the value of having that outside person or industry expert hold you accountable weekly.  Coaches hold us accountable to do what it is that we already know we should do, but don’t.  We are all guilty of putting off those tasks which are not quite as much fun. A coach is the person who will keep asking you, week after week, “Did you get (task) completed yet?”  They nudge us in the direction that we have said that we want to go. They listen, and give feedback, then remind you of the goal.  Coaching is not designed to be training.  Training teaches you what to do. Coaching gives you the support needed to stay on track and get it done.  Accountability is not a bad thing, but it can certainly cause you to feel the pressure as that accountability call approaches. Most brokers say that it is the most important piece of their success. Without it, it’s easy to come up with a bunch of creative reasons of why you didn’t get make the calls.  Didn’t set the appointments. Didn’t create the new hit list.  Didn’t do whatever you SAID you were going to do for the week.

Your coach or accountability partner is someone who you respect the opinion of, who you know will tell you truth when you’re on or off track. They are the person you can turn to who can review both successes and failures of each of your interviews. Coaches, especially, can provide you with various ways to overcome objections and stalls. Knowing someone is going to hold you accountable for what you said you are going to do, is a powerful motivator. If what you want is to lead in your market, build the best possible team, and keep the great agents that you already have and you are serious about growing your company then I challenge you to do three things starting sooner rather than later.

  1. Commit to training.  To learning the skills you need to be at the top of your game. To investing the time, money and effort into learning the objection handling tools, the dialogues, scripts, interview and phone skills, and mindset to push past any fear or limitations you might currently feel to truly finish this year strong and set yourself up for an incredible new year.
  2. Commit to consistency.  That one and done marketing approach never works. You would say the same to your agents when they try it, so why would you attempt a shotgun approach to your recruiting?  Consistent, effective, powerful messaging and marketing every month is the key to building those relationships that will lead agents to your door.  If you’re not reaching out to your hit lists week after week with topical, timely content that doesn’t push but does present you as a trusted leader and resource you’re leaving opportunities to recruit and money on the table.
  3. Commit to an accountability partner.  Whether you are ready to hire a coach or know of an industry professional that you can partner with to keep each other on track, don’t head into the new year without putting this vital business component in place.  It’s a game-changer.

Fair warning, it’s not comfortable to be accountable for your actions if you’re not willing to commit. It’s not comfortable to have to say to a coach or partner, “I didn’t do what I said I was going to do.”  It’s not supposed to be. Here’s the flip side of that coin – when you DO what you commit to doing, boy does that feel great. You can’t WAIT for that call.  And once the habit takes hold and you are walking the walk not just talking the talk each month not only will you appreciate those calls that keep you on track, but your office will be thriving and you’ll be sharing this strategy with your agents.  Pretty soon you’ll have integrity partnerships all over your organization!  And when THAT happens – your business and theirs will grow exponentially.  Everyone wins.  What are you waiting for? Start today!

If you’re not sure how to be consistent and what messages and marketing you should be using to connect with your current agents and your prospects each month, then take a good long look at The Profitable Recruiter.  It has been a differentiator for brokers.  Why? Because it’s done for them, takes the guess work out of recruiting and they can put their marketing on auto-pilot and focus on follow up. Systems are powerful because they keep us from getting in our own way!

With your membership you get powerful, content-rich weekly emails to send to your agents and prospects.  It’s the perfect way to stay positioned and top of mind as the broker who cares and is committed to helping them create better lives and careers.  You also get seasonal letters and “lumpy letters” each month which are perfect for sending to your top-tier recruiting prospects. They get opened, get agent attention, and create quite the buzz in your market as agents tell their colleagues, “Did you see what I got from (your name)?”  You also get social media tips each month and weekly broker recruiting and retention plans. The icing on the cake is our training – each month we feature a top broker or industry expert from around the world to discuss what they are doing that is making an impact and allowing them to build their best team.  We also host an agent webinar that features a top agent – you should invite every member of your team to attend as well as your prospective agents.   And lastly, you’ll get seven hours of audio training that cover everything from scripting and dialogues to objection handling and interview skills. 

All of that for just $197 per month. In fact, register today and take 50% off your order with promo code 50OFF any 6-month or annual plan. AND as a special bonus offer, RENEW OR JOIN BEFORE JANUARY 1ST, and you’ll automatically get three months of The Profitable Sales Agent weekly newsletters (January-March) to share with your agents at NO COST. These weekly newsletters are consumer friendly so they are the perfect way for your agents to stay top of mind with their sphere. 

Our members are recruiting both new and experienced agents as well as entire teams using this system.  If you recruiting just ONE, you’d more than pay for the entire system for years!  Give it try.  Got questions? Give us a call at 813-957-2989. 

Happy holidays!

How to Retain Your Best Agents

Posted on by The Profitable Recruiter
05 Oct

And Attract New OnesGood Job

By Real Estate Recruiting Coach Judy LaDeur

The top two reasons people leave their jobs is NOT money.  In fact, the two reasons people cite the most are lack of recognition and poor working environment. Is it time to do a “checkup” of how your company fares?

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. “

The Keys to Retaining Your Best People

Having a good time is the best motivator there is.  When people feel good about a company, they produce more.

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.  “Managers have found,” Graham adds, “that simply asking for employee involvement is motivational in itself.”

Graham’s study determined the top motivating techniques:

1. The manager/ owner personally congratulates those who do a good job.

2.  The manager/owner writes personal notes about good performances.

3.  The organization used performance as the basis for promotion.

4.  The manager /owner holds morale-building meetings to celebrate successes.

Here a few great ideas from other industry leaders and some things you could try in your organization as well:

  1. When employees at Douglas Aircraft in Long Beach, California, hit their goals, they ring a large brass bell.  Why not put a bell in the office and let the agents ring it when they get a listing or sale?
  1. 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.
  1. Mary Kay Ash, founder of Mary Kay Cosmetics said, “Every single person you meet has a sign around his or her neck that says, ‘Make me feel important.’  If you can do that, you’ll be a success not only in business but in life as well.” She was known for the way she made people feel. Did you know that when she was talking to people, she kept eye contact with them the entire time, even though people around her were always trying to get her attention?   Give your undivided attention to your agents when you are speaking to one another.  No distractions, no excuses. It’s not only a great way to make them feel important enough to pay attention – it’s a great example to set as a standard for communication.
  1. People today are looking for much more than a pay-check.  They want to be treated like human beings.  That may sound obvious, but a lot of employers 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.  Maybe make this a practice once a month in your office, or host a round-table breakfast just to catch up?
  1. 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.  Ask around your office, speak to every one of your agents.  A simple, “Is there anything I can help you with today?” can mean a lot.
  1. 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 thank-you note on the agent’s phone.
  • 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.
  • 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.

In the book, The Leadership Pill, Blanchard and Muchnick explain profit this way:

“Profit is the applause you get for taking care of your customers and creating a motivating environment for people.”  Remember this, that your agents ARE your customers.  Going the extra mile to make them feel appreciated and respected will not only ensure that they remain loyal to your organization long term, but your culture for caring will resonate with other like-minded agents throughout your market, making it easier for you to recruit top producers who might not be getting the recognition they need elsewhere.

COACHING TIP OF THE WEEK:  Put at least ONE of these strategies in place

There are lots of ideas here.  Take some time this week to determine which one or more of these ideas would work for your family of agents. Then don’t delay! Put them in place for the next three months and see what takes off.  If you’ve got a management team in place, make this topic a priority and have everyone come up with additional ways you can make your agents feel appreciated, then make them a daily, weekly, or monthly practice.

For more great ideas on retaining your best agents and recruiting new ones, Join The Profitable Recruiter.  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.    

5 Questions to Ask Every Recruiting Prospect NOW

Posted on by The Profitable Recruiter
02 Jun

Getting Positioned for Success

By Real Estate Recruiting Coach Judy LaDeur

Brokers and recruiters all across America are saying the same thing. “What’s up with the recruiting market this year? I am doing everything I have always done, but nothing seems to be working!” I have been talking to a lot of brokers who remember those days well.  Ten years ago, when the market was really hot, brokers had the same frustrations. The best agents did not move until after the spring market. Of course, then they went on vacation, and spend some of their hard earned money. Those days have returned. The good news is the real market is back. What that means for brokers is that once again, they need to spend the summer getting positioned for the agent movement that will occur in August and September. There are lots of ways to stay positioned, but as we mentioned in last week’s article, it should be passive. Agents don’t want to feel the pressure right now. Since we know what their next eight weeks looks like, let’s give them what they want. A little time to relax, recoup and regenerate for the full court press in the fall.

I have been talking to many of the recruiters that I coach, and they are all saying the same thing. The agents are willing to get together but most want to wait until August. So let’s start booking interviews for August! Don’t get me wrong. I think that you always have to ask the agents if they are willing to come in for an interview, but if you can not get the interview, use these questions at the end of he call to book your August interviews.

  1. “Stats show that this was the best spring market in 10 years, would you agree with that statement?”
  2. “It also shows that most agents were completely focused on their business and making money, and in fact, many were worried that the market might slow down again. For that reason, most agents were not going to do anything to break their momentum, which includes making a move to a new company. Would you agree with that?”
  3. “Those same agents are planning to take time to relax recoup and regenerate in July before getting back to work for a strong fall market this year. Are you planning to take some time off?  What are your plans?”
  4. “In years past, when the spring market was really strong, the best agents chose August as their time to look at their options and consider a move. It’s the perfect time to make a move, based on lower inventory.  Would you be willing to look at your options in August before the market picks back up? “
  5. “Great! Let’s set a time now and put it on the calendar. What day in the week is the best time for you to meet? Do you prefer morning or afternoons?  Great! I look forward to getting together then.  I will send you some info over the course of the summer, just to stay in touch. No pressure. We have a Motivational email that we send to our agents each week. It’s a great way to start off every week.  Do you mind if I send you a motivational message each Monday morning?  Perfect.”

Once again, always ask them to get together now. Many will. But for those that won’t, let’s start building that pipeline full of prospects for August.

The Profitable Recruiter Marketing Platform has a lot of great ideas to gently stay in touch. If you are a member, check out all the new tools on your Members Only Tools and Marketing materials section. Of course, one of the best tools to stay positioned, is The Profitable Recruiter ENewsletter Campaign. It’s a fun marketing piece for the summer.  Check it out at www.TheProfitableRecruiter.com.

Summer is also the time for retention. Your agents might be looking at their options as well. Over the next eight weeks I will send you ideas and suggestions to retain the ones that you have, while getting positioned for the ones that you want.

If you’re 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 summer? 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 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!

How to Hire and Keep Great Agents

Posted on by The Profitable Recruiter
02 Feb

Recruiting and Retention Attention

By Real Estate Recruiting Coach Judy LaDeur

Right now, lots of brokers are making adjustments to their recruiting campaigns during this important season.  They are considering what to keep? What to change?  So while we are always focused on recruiting – this month, and every month, make sure you are also paying ATTENTION to your RETENTION.  The truth is it’s easier to keep great agents than it is to recruit new ones, so let’s look at why agents move.recruiting call

  • Negative environments:  Emotional agents need to be “happy” or they will consider leaving. What are you doing to maintain a positive atmosphere? How much time is spent on retention?
  • Too much CHANGE.  Change creates vulnerability. If you are contemplating a change, make sure it’s a positive one at this time of year – one which will support their ability to have a more successful career.
  • Not enough MONEY:  Some are not making money because they are just plain lazy, but some just need more supervision, coaching, and direction.

Now is the time to pick up the phone and start calling the agents you want to hire. Not sure what to say?  Here’s a sample script to try:

First, ask your agents to give you a business card and write the name of the agent they most enjoyed co-oping with last year on the back of the card. Then use this dialog to follow up with agents.

Co-op Card Dialog 

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

No?  Great.

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 to give me one of their business cards and to put the name of the person that they most enjoyed working with this week on the back of that card. I am sitting here holding (number of) 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 (your office). .

Their reply is usually: “No, I’ve never really thought about looking at your company,” or “I love my broker”.  To which you reply: I understand, and I respect that you are happy at your present company, but sometimes things change, and I would invite you to consider that, as an independent contractor, it never hurts to know what you are eligible for in your marketplace. We have found that the best time for an agent to check out another company is when they are not even considering a move, because then there’s no pressure. Let’s set up a time to meet. Who knows, you might like what we have to say! Does that sound like a good idea to you? Great. I have time in my schedule tomorrow morning at 10:00, or even this afternoon at 3 to 3:30. Which time would be best for you?

Sometimes the call is cut short before you get to the paragraph above out scheduling an appointment. No matter how brief the conversation, I usually end it like this:

I appreciate you taking a few minutes to talk to me, and I understand that you are not really thinking about looking at other companies right now. If it’s all right with you, I’d like to just mail you my card, in case the day ever comes when you think you would like to check out your options. Would that be okay? Great. Where do you want me to mail my card?

Here’s another tip that came out of our conversations with brokers recently. Watch your WORDS. Those ones that you tell yourself.  Sometimes we get so caught up saying things like, “I hate picking up the phone” or “I’m afraid to make recruiting calls” and we end up creating that reality over and over for ourselves. Instead, remember why you do what you do.  You LOVE CONNECTING with agents.  You love showing them how they can have a better career and life.  You love creating an environment that agents will flock to.  Keep your focus there, practice your craft, and those calls will get easier and easier!

Powerful phone scripts as well as recruiting and retention tools are provide each and every month to our Profitable Recruiter Members.  From lumpy letters, engaging eNewsletters, social media tips, and exciting, insightful training from around the world in live monthly training webinars, plus 7+ hours of audio training and 40 webinars on demand. 

If you’re ready to get your recruiting ON TRACK and keep it there —  join today and take advantage of our Valentine’s Day Offer!  Register before March 1st, and save 40% off your 6-month or annual pro membership using promo code LOVE40.

Not sure if this is the right thing for your company?  Watch this video on demand to learn why brokers of every company size are making it their turn to way to stay positioned for recruiting success in today’s market — and putting the fun back into their recruiting.  We’re taking the guesswork out of recruiting for brokers — and they are loving it.  We can do the same for you! Questions?  Email us today.