Hey brokers! If you want to run a kick-a** real estate brokerage, you’ve got to nail the recruitment game. There are a zillion ways to find real estate talent and connect with them. But beware! We’ve rounded up the top traps you must dodge while recruiting agents.
Don’t say we didn’t warn you!
1. Pursuing Unqualified Leads
To qualify agents, you’ve got to be a subtle detective! You need to understand their business needs and see how your company can swoop in and save the day. That means identifying what’s not working for them and whether they’re ready to make a career move or office change (or at least open to it). A good indication of a successful qualification strategy is when your prospecting funnel looks like a true funnel – getting narrower as you zero in on the best prospects. Of course, sometimes your pipeline might look a bit wacky. The key is to ask qualifying questions right from the start so you can pinpoint their pains, and focus on the best-qualified leads.
2. Failing to Follow Up
Once you’ve screened a potential agent, it’s time to keep the conversation going with regular check-ins! Don’t be bummed if they’re not ready to join immediately – change takes time, baby! But since you know they’re open to mixing things up, it’s your job to keep them thinking of you when they finally shout, “I’m ready for a switcheroo!”. We recommend using multiple communication channels when following up. If an agent gives you a heads up that they’ll be looking for a change in a certain number of days or months, stay on their radar with powerful personalized touches like calls, drop-bys, or event invites! Don’t let an easy-peasy opportunity slip away, otherwise, you’ll be singing the FOMO blues!
3. Neglecting Referrals
You know what they say – it’s not just what you know, it’s who you know! That’s why asking for referrals from your own real estate agents is a total game-changer. Your agents are in the know and have all the juicy connections, from other agents to mortgage brokers to title companies and beyond. By tapping into their networking efforts, you can score some sweet leads and expand your roster with agents who can contribute to the office culture. When an agent recommends you, they are giving you a seal of approval, which can help you build trust. So don’t be shy – ask for those referrals and watch your business soar!
4. Blasting Your Brand
Recruiting is not a game of “throw spaghetti at the wall and see what sticks!” Sure, there are tons of tools out there promising to help you blast your message out to every person, woman, man, camera, and TV. But at LeadUp, we know “blasting” the same message to everyone can do more harm than good when attracting top talent. Think about it – those techniques were designed for brands to reach their existing customers with content they’re interested in, not for randomly targeting people you’ve never even spoken to before. And let’s be honest, these tactics probably leave prospects feeling less than special. They might even think you’re willing to hire any licensed body with a pulse! So instead of damaging your brokerage’s reputation with spammy generic marketing, why not focus on building relationships and finding the right fit for your team?