Finding-and Keeping-the Best Agents

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By Maria Patterson

RISMEDIA, May 22, 2007-When it comes to recruiting, it’s a whole new ballgame for today’s
brokers. Shifting markets are changing the chemistry of the agent pool as many leave the business and many others enter for the first time. To grow and maintain a winning team, brokers need to reconsider their recruiting strategies.

According to Buffini & Company’s 100 Days to Greatness® Trainer and former broker, J’aime Sans Souci, several factors have changed the recruiting landscape. “Number one, the market has shifted and normalized,” she explains. “There is a smaller pool of candidates to choose from.”

And those who are entering the industry are cut from a different cloth, adds Sans Souci: “Today’s recruits are looking for specific direction, systems and support from a brokerage firm. They’re looking for someone to show them exactly how to launch their career because many of them need to replace income quickly.”

Why Recruiting Begins at Home

While there’s no magic bullet in terms of where to find the best recruits, Sans Souci recommends focusing on those with real estate experience: “If I were recruiting today, I would be looking to build relationships with experienced Realtors first. But first, we need to take the best possible care of the agents we already have in place.”

Retention, in fact, should be prioritized in front of recruiting, according to Sans Souci. Building a strong foundation with your current team is critical in order to prevent the revolving-door effect.

There are several ways brokers can create this winning environment, says Sans Souci, “First, make sure agents feel valued and appreciated; write them personal notes of thanks and/or encouragement. Second, check in personally with agents-walk around and ask if there’s anything you can help with. And third, run a business that has boundaries, such as a start and stop time, to show you encourage agents to lead a fulfilling, balanced life.”

The Ripple Effect: Recruiting by Referral

By creating a great working environment for current agents, brokers also create a built-in recruiting system.

“If we’ve made a difference in the lives of our agents, then they will help us grow. Agents are out there in the marketplace in front of other agents all day long,” says Sans Souci.

Next, brokers need to focus on building systems that will generate a consistent stream of recruiting leads. Sans Souci emphasizes that brokers should look to build relationships with successful agents from other firms, not necessarily to recruit them, but rather to enlarge their referral circle.

“The number-one way I grew my office was by referral,” Sans Souci explains. “The second-largest number of referrals I received was from Realtors at other companies.”
“The quest is to build relationships with these agents so you can ask them for referrals of others like them who have a high level of professionalism and character,” she adds. “They might not ever leave their company, but they can help you grow.”

Know Your Value Proposition

In order to attract and retain the best caliber of agents, brokers must first be clear on the objective and mission of their company.

One of the ways brokers can demonstrate that value is by offering new recruits proven and successful training programs. These programs must help them develop successful lead-generation habits in order to ensure their future success.

It is also critical for brokers to incorporate a wide range of developmental opportunities suited to agents of all experience levels, whether this is in the form of outside speakers, other experienced agents, or brokers themselves, she says.

“Realtors are paying their hard-earned money to a broker and they’re looking for value in return, someone to take an interest in their life,” says Sans Souci. “We get much further when we can work together. We need to lean on each other-the community approach can make us all much more productive and profitable.”

For more information, visit www.BuffiniandCompany.com.

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