Agent recruitment can be one of the most rewarding responsibilities a broker takes on. The process helps brokers clearly define their business goals and strengthens their understanding of local market conditions. Better still, if done properly, recruiting the right agent can offer the competitive advantage needed to reach a higher level of business success.
We help brokers discover the right agents in their markets. Based on feedback we’ve received from brokers who have successfully identified and attracted the right agents for their needs, we’ve compiled five tips for identifying and recruiting agents.
1. Know your needs. Agent recruitment can only be as effective as the strategy used to guide it. Before beginning the process, it’s important to first understand the needs the agent you seek would fill. It’s not enough to simply seek out an agent who demonstrates a high level of sales; it’s also important to consider other factors, like familiarity with growing neighborhoods in the market, leadership skills and a complementary personality that would fit well with an office’s other agents.
2. Don’t put down a prospective recruit’s current employer. It should go without saying, but it still comes up enough to bear repeating: Never denigrate a prospective recruit’s current employer when speaking with them, regardless of how far along in the process. While it may seem like an easy way to gain a prospective recruit’s favor, speaking poorly about another office gives a negative, unprofessional impression. Instead of focusing on a recruit’s current employer, use recruitment discussions to highlight positive factors of your own business and how they can elevate the agent’s career, based on their own goals and needs.
3. Factor in existing agents’ professional development needs as well. A veteran recruit can bring a breadth of knowledge, insight and leadership skills to your business that can be every bit as beneficial to it as their addition can have on your bottom line. Given that, it’s prudent to also take in consideration mentorship opportunities when considering a recruit. Think about the ways in which your current agents can grow their skills and seek an agent whose own skill set would be a good fit to aid in their development.
4. Personalize prospective agent outreach. Have you ever received a sales email that implies a personal connection with a sender, but which ultimately reads like a generic pitch that could be sent to anyone? Annoying, isn’t it? Beyond being ineffective, outreach like that can harm the reputation of the sender’s business. Keep this in mind when considering your own outreach messaging and make sure your communication is tailored to each prospect. Do your research and reference recent, specific accomplishments each recruit is responsible for.
5. Show your work. When it comes time to make your formal pitch to a recruit, being prepared to support an offer with meaningful metrics about your brokerage’s own success can be the deciding factor when it comes to sealing the deal. But instead of telling prospects of your success, show it. Leverage your recent activity data to build visually appealing, easily readable charts that you can include in a concise report that highlights the advantage of your brokerage.
Agent recruitment takes effort. But by committing to best practices in how you find and engage with a prospective recruit, you’re making an investment in your business that will pay dividends for years to come.
Looking to enhance your recruiting efforts even further? Try a free trial of MarketView Broker, ShowingTime’s web-based tool to identify talent, analyze the market and advance your business.
Learn more at www.showingtime.com/marketstats/marketview-broker/.
