Use Workshops to Teach Current Tools, Drive Sales, and Reinforce Your Value
In an ever-changing real estate world, agents are constantly looking to their brokers for guidance on how to get things done and how to grow their businesses.
The good news is that there is an amazing array of technological tools being created and adopted in our industry every year to make selling real estate more interesting, informative, efficient, productive and profitable. The trick for agents, and for management, is to wade through all of the available resources and actually put them to use.
The best way for managers to help them become modern agents is by actually demonstrating how to implement new tools into their everyday businesses, and then reinforcing a culture of implementation and effective use. Here are three key steps to make that happen:
Host tech workshops. Agents learn by doing, so schedule training sessions that introduce a technological tool, show how to set it up and then actually use it during the session. For instance, to show your agents how to use video messaging to engage prospective clients, you could choose a product like BombBomb or YouTube or Vimeo and then hold a workshop to set your agents up on accounts, record a message and distribute it to prospects or post it on social media. Whatever tool you choose, allow sufficient time for both instruction and implementation (e.g., two hours), and have your agents come prepared with any information, materials, attire, etc. needed to actually use whatever you are demonstrating in each workshop. Lastly, hold these on a monthly basis, and focus most of the workshops focus on tools that will help drive or convert more new business.
Reinforce an effective tech culture. Talking about a new tool or strategy once is not enough; you must circle back with your agents for their experiences, success stories and suggestions or improvements. Discuss actual results in your sales meetings and one-on-ones, and incorporate each newly adopted tool into each individual agent’s business planning. For instance, if you host a workshop on using a CRM to create long-term campaigns for agents’ spheres and past clients, you can discuss who has successfully launched their program, how many contacts they have and what their new business goals are from this activity. Using new technologies can be daunting at times, but once they are learned and implemented, they become easier, and are powerful ways to reach more clients and create more listings and sales.
Be aware and strategic. One of the benefits of focusing on creating modern agents in your office is that you stay aware of technological and overall trends in the industry. Some of these are opportunities for you and your agents (CRMs, social media tools, lead generation, etc.), but some of them may also be competition for your business model. Being aware of what’s out there and introducing the best tools to your agents, while also knowing what they or you need to compete with in the market, is imperative for staying relevant to your agents and their clients.
Closing the gap between awareness of technology and effective implementation of technology will drive more sales for your agents and increase the value that you bring to your business relationship. Using technology workshops and creating an effective tech culture, while strategically staying aware of industry landscape, are a proven strategy to effectively and consistently create…and retain…modern agents.
To learn how Sherri Johnson Coaching and Consulting can help your management team and agents create more sales immediately with our proven tools and strategies, click here.
Sherri Johnson is CEO and founder of Sherri Johnson Coaching & Consulting. With 25 years of experience in real estate as an agent, broker and executive, Johnson now shares her proven methods through coaching, consulting and keynote speaking services nationwide. She is a national speaker for the Homes.com Secrets of Top Selling Agents tour and is the Official Real Estate Coach for McKissock Learning and Real Estate Express. Johnson has also been named an RISMedia Real Estate Newsmaker in 2020 and 2021 as an Influencer and Thought Leader. Schedule a free 30-minute coaching strategy session or visit www.sherrijohnson.com for more information.
