When we coach and work with teams of all models and sizes, the topic of how to really leverage their time and capacity always comes up.
Teams that are set up as two agent partners especially feel they have to do all aspects of the business together. To really grow and expand your reach, it is better to delegate administrative duties while you each go on as many dollar-producing appointments as possible. If you are leading a team of agents, this also applies to you.
How are you leveraging your time for the highest return on investment? Follow these strategies to dramatically increase your reach, delegate, divide and conquer, utilizing all of your talents and skills so that everyone is maximizing their time and not only going on more appointments every week, but also closing more business in new listings, sales and income for your team and yourself.
Partner for real growth.
Deciding to partner with another agent has to be for the right reasons—I am assuming that you both want to significantly grow your business, which is why you are doing it in the first place. A lot of partner teams (two agents joining forces to become a team, and usually splitting income and expenses 50/50) come together and make the mistake of thinking that together they will now do the combined of each of their previous annual sales—which, let’s be honest, is not growing. It’s doing what you did last year and now splitting it 50/50.
Ideally, you want to join and double or triple what you used to do as a standalone individual agent. So, look at your individual sales history and realize that in order to partner up and make more money, you have to at least double it to make it a real growth strategy for both of you. Otherwise, you are going to get so caught up in becoming a team and marketing your team that you lose sight of the fact that together, you really are going to create massive growth, and on purpose.
Divide and conquer.
Go on some appointments together, but not every one. The whole idea is that you are both out on twice as many appointments. When needed, take the other with you—but, again, you are trying to find ways to “clone yourself.” Going on every appointment as the team leader or as a partner team means fewer total appointments for you in the week. If you are each going on twice as many appointments month after month, you will not only have a much larger pipeline of buyer and seller clients, but also list and sell more houses because you are dividing your time and able to meet and speak with more people. This is why teams work so well, and dramatically increase sales for a team leader. When you are a partner team, you will think you need to do everything together. This is actually not a good use of your time. Divide and conquer and create amazing value and watch your sales grow!
Time-block and schedule your sales calls as ‘money hours.’
Your calendars must be time-blocked to ensure you are on-purpose and intentional about your calls and meetings. Schedule your calls and put them on your calendar as appointments with yourself. All members of your team should be doing this as well.
Also schedule your personal commitments. You will start to control your day and realize you are so much more effective in every area of your life. Remember, if an appointment to show a house or negotiate an offer happens, you must reschedule your sales calls. You must, or they won’t happen—and you cannot afford to let prospecting go, not even for one day or week! It’s your pipeline of business. Without it, you have no business.
Have weekly strategy meetings with your partner or team.
Schedule weekly team strategy meetings to communicate new clients, listings, sales and what’s happening. This is also a great time for you to all strategize your prospecting efforts, plan your big open houses and hold each other accountable. You must lead these as the team leader, and if you are a partner team you have to have these meetings to stay organized, focused and on-track. Overcommunicate, but make the meetings productive, and set goals with due dates so you have a completion date in place before the meeting is over. You can discuss your personal coaching program with respect to how many calls you made or need to make, how many listings and listing appointments you need and how many new buyers or buyer appointments you have or need to go on. You will be crushing your goals together, or, if you’re a team leader, leading your sales team to success!
For a free copy of my exclusive How to Grow Your Team Guide, please click here.
Sherri Johnson is CEO and founder of Sherri Johnson Coaching & Consulting. With 20 years of experience in real estate, Johnson offers coaching, consulting and keynotes, and is a national speaker for the Homes.com Secrets of Top Selling Agents tour. For more information, please contact coaching@sherrijohnson.com or 844-989-2600 (toll-free) or visit www.sherrijohnson.com.
