Training & Business Development: The Rose-Colored Glasses Effect

RISMEDIA, December 27, 2006-"In 2007 most small to mid-size real estate brokerage firms expect to actually grow their number of offices and/or agents," reports Bill Shue, President of the RealtyU Group. During an informal poll the company took during December, it was found that over 80% of the brokers they spoke to indicated that they planned on getting bigger during 2007. "All business owners are passionate about their business", says Shue, "but with the recent unprecedented five-year housing expansion, some brokers may have lost touch what negative impact a down-turn could have on their businesses."

"This ‘Rose-Colored Glasses' effect could cause small and medium-size brokerage companies to make potentially harmful business decisions if they're not careful," Shue says. According to Shue brokers will be required to differentiate themselves in the market to attract quality agents, whether they're targeting passionate newbies or seasoned veterans. Shue adds that real estate companies will also need to offer more career enhancing services to keep their existing agents, explaining, "Although recruiting and retention are the two words that brokers wake up to everyday, in a declining market, increased competition requires new and expanded solutions."

Shue goes on to explain that one reason why small to mid-size brokers believe their business will grow in 2007 is because they feel they can get their agents to be more productive than the large brokerage companies, thereby taking market share away from their competitors. "Obviously this is not possible for everyone" says Shue, "but it can and will be possible for the smart ones." The question, of course, is which brokers will be on the positive side and which will be on the negative side of that equation.

As a tool to aid small to mid-size brokerages in meeting this challenge and enable them to foster diversity and healthy competition in the industry, the RealtyU Group recently announced the release of their Online Career Development Center. Operating as an online university, this unique service can be custom-branded for any brokerage company in the United States or Canada, and becomes and extension of the services offered by the broker. In 2007, possessing a comprehensive suite of career-enhancing education and training products and services will be one of the key strategies brokers can deploy to differentiate themselves from other brokerages.

"Imagine all your agents having and understanding their personal business plan, complete with weekly automatic accountability," describes Shue. "Wrap that with hundreds of hours of online skills classes, CE classes and a vault of marketing strategies delivered by over 200 of the industry's top producing agents, and you have a taste of what you could be providing your agents."

To get more information about the Online Career Development Center or to view an online demo, contact Bill Shue at (949) 600-7173 or BShue@RealtyU.com .

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