What makes the biggest difference in a real estate agent’s success? I believe it lies with the sales leader of that agent’s office. Agents will join a company or brand because of that brand and company’s reputation and even join because of the manager of that office. For over 25 years, I maintain that the three factors that impact an agent’s success are: 1.) broker brand affiliation, 2.) the location of their office and, 3.) the manager’s role in ongoing strategic business planning and development for the agent’s success. Yet, often these are sadly overlooked by both agents and sales leaders and even broker/owners.
When looking at the fundamental traits and attributes of top performing sales managers, regionals, team leaders or broker owners, these nine come to mind. Take a quick spot check inventory of your strengths and weaknesses and look for the opportunities that you can up your game in coaching and developing your agent’s success, increasing the volume and frequency of your communication, and literally dialing it up to create the successful ‘fly-wheel’ for contagious success. Your agents will love it (and you) and they will thrive in any market.
Here are nine traits of top-performing sales managers and leaders:
- Proactive, problem-solver. Top performing sales leaders solve problems and don’t add fuel to crisis situations, but rather proactively diffuse them. These leaders don’t throw ‘corporate’ under the bus or mortgage and title partners. They roll their sleeves up and get in the solution mode. Instilling a proactive mindset in your agents will help everyone and destress all involved. Be a proactive, problem solver when you lead your agents to success.
- Lead by example. The best sales leaders lead by example and are displaying the activities and actions they are requesting of their agents. Your agents will follow your lead, or they won’t. When you create followers that are bought into your example you are creating an army of successful leaders that are agents. You are the example that everyone is going to follow. Connecting with your sphere, using video to help promote your office and recruit or using video to communicate with your agents is a great way to lead by example. Also, you personally generating new business for the office is another way to set the tone and show your agents how to be successful. How can you increase your “lead by example” activities?
- High energy, enthusiasm and positivity every day. Top-performing real estate offices have sales leaders that are high energy and enthusiastic. Your office is a direct reflection of you, the sales leader. If you’re not on your game, neither are your agents. If you’re off, they’re off. High energy and enthusiasm drive your agents to want to show up, do the work and create positive results. Your tone of voice, body language and energy will literally make the difference in building the culture of your office. How can you increase your energy and enthusiasm in a way that will drive wildly successful results for your team?
- Focused 150% on agents. High-performing sales leaders are truly 150% invested in their agent’s success and development. Investing your efforts in helping your agents at all production levels succeed will pay off huge both for your agents and for your office. Meet with them regularly. Offer business planning year-round. Challenge them and help push them to new heights. Don’t wait for them to come to you. Have reasons to have everyone come to the office and personally invite them when necessary. Holding your agents accountable is just having conversations with them to ask if they did the thing they were supposed to do. This is leading people to the success they want and you can be front and center for that to happen! Step up your focus with your agents and see what happens.
- Highly responsive and resourceful. Top sales leaders of real estate offices are highly responsive and resourceful. Agents need help and usually it is in the moment and time sensitive. Answering your phone, responding to a text or email quickly ranks amongst the highest in agent’s priorities of the traits of their manager. Being responsive and having resourceful advice and in-the-moment coaching will dramatically increase your agent’s ability to put and keep deals together and creates value that cannot be matched. Agents rely on and are grateful to their leaders and this creates long term trust and loyalty for great retention and ability to grow your agents and office to great heights. How quickly do you respond to your agents?
- Communicates constantly. It is true that people need to hear things seven times, seven different ways before it is fully retained. Top-performing real estate leaders communicate and over communicate all things that will keep your agents up to date and in the know. It is also the most effective way to gain adoption of your company tools and marketing systems. Lack of continuous communication is the reason companies cannot gain traction or high adoption on the technology or marketing tools that you have invested hundreds of thousands of dollars on. Communicate on purpose with intention seven times, seven different ways. Your sales meeting, a specific email, text, video messages from you and so many more great ways to communicate will up your game and have everyone following your great lead.
- Has high attendance at weekly sales meetings. All top real estate sales leaders will have high attendance at their weekly sales meetings. Weekly sales meetings are a way to effectively lead your agents to massive increased success. Your sales meetings are the best way to communicate a consistent, high-energy message every week. It drives the listings and sales of your team and builds incredible teamwork.
- Coach and train agents on how to use company tools to generate more sales and income. The sales leaders that show agents how to use the tools to increase productivity and income can purposefully coach their agents to massive increases and successful results. Coaching your agents weekly will bring dramatic results and increases your value add to your agents. When you increase your value, you will attract and keep agents.
- Build the culture of the team through inclusion. I can tell that sales leaders that have the greatest success build culture in their offices. It is number one. It makes or breaks an office. It is either thriving or dying. It is created and cultivated by the sales leader and is so important. Everything hinges on this one thing. Being inclusive and building camaraderie in your team creates mutual respect and a friendly competition that is not cut throat but rather one of sharing, caring and winning. Everyone wins and everyone wants to join and be a part of a winning team. How do you create culture and include your entire team to participate and belong?
You can adopt these nine success attributes to lead your team to greatness! I am positive you will be providing amazing value and helping your agents achieve the goals they so desire to achieve. Your ‘fly-wheel’ will begin to gain momentum and great things will happen before you know it as you implement these winning behaviors for success. Best to you as you continue to grow your business with great purpose and intention!
Download Johnson’s Exclusive GoldMine Pipeline™ Strategy to get your agents closing more leads into listings, sales and ultimately income. This system can double their production, fast! Go to www.goldminepipeline.com for Johnson’s Free eBook and the worksheet. These are just a few of Sherri’s proven and exclusive leadership and development strategies that produce amazing results quickly. For more information about Johnson’s exclusive turnkey, team solutions to scale your team, contact Sherri Johnson at www.sherrijohnson.com/onetoone for coaching plans.
Sherri Johnson offers her exclusive and proven methods through custom, one to one coaching and tailored consulting services. Sherri is a highly sought-after keynote speaker delivering high energy and real solutions audiences love. Sherri has been named a RISMedia Real Estate Newsmaker in 2020 and 2021 as an Industry Influencer and Thought Leader. She is the author of the Sherri Johnson Academy, an on-demand learning platform as well as the 90-Boot Camp. Sherri is a preferred coach, consultant and speaker for top 10 international brands and brokerages and can dramatically increase your company’s revenue and profits. Visit www.sherrijohnson.com for more information.
