Help Your New Agent Become a Productive Part of Your Business
If you’re a veteran real estate agent or own a real estate office, you’ve seen the new agents come in and they all seem to follow a pattern, let’s call it ‘new agent syndrome’. New agent syndrome has the following symptoms which lead to some common mistakes but with a little time and effort can be overcome to make this new agent a productive, producing part of your business. These tips can even help your veteran agents become even more productive. Teaching Time Management: In the real estate business as in any business, good time management is the key to obtaining and maintaining a good flow of prospect and sales. The most valuable commodity an agent has is their time. Unfortunately, time management is not something learned or studied for the real estate exam, and can only be learned in the field or office. Time management is definitely a case of practice makes perfect. The new agent needs help juggling the many responsibilities of a real estate career. Appointments, meetings, both internal and external, prospecting and inspections all take time and sometimes can seem a little overwhelming and hard to organize effectively. Teaching your agents the art of prioritizing is a good start and will work wonders as well as the following habits. • New agents start their careers full of energy and enthusiasm, and will often work seven days a week if not monitored. Encourage your agents to take at least one day off a week, to unwind and recharge. It might seem counterintuitive to work less but over time, the increased productivity during the workdays will become apparent.
Make sure their day off is a day off, meaning no work phone, computer, email or social networking contact. This is a time to rest and renew by spending time with friends and family or indulging in a favorite hobby. Many agents choose Sunday for this, as it will also give them time to attend church if they are religiously inclined.
• Teach your agents to set goals the right way. Goals should act as both a goad and a reward. As the pundits say, goals are just a dream with a deadline. Teach your agents to set the bar high enough to stretch but not discourage. Set the deadlines tight with no buffers or ‘fudge factor’ to use the goal to help with productivity. • Plan your work and work your plan: we’ve all heard that but seldom do we actually do it. Real estate is a prime example of where that old advice is vital. Just as an agent should have a set day off, they should have a set amount of hours they work. Encouraging your agents to work in a timely manner will result in a more productive agent. Tools of the Trade: Your agents’ productivity will kick into high gear if they are properly equipped for the job. Below are a few tools your agents can use to succeed:
• A laptop or tablet computer with internet access. This is necessary in today’s internet driven society and allow your agents to make the most of their time in the field. • A good contact management system, such as Sage ACT!, Goldmine or Salesforce to help your agents build and maintain a good relationship with prospects and clients. • A good social media presence: Facebook, Twitter, and the like, can help your agents build credibility, build relationships and establish them as the local real estate expert. • A quality company website: most buyers, more that 91 percent, use the internet to search for real estate, so it behooves you to have your business where the buyers are. New real estate agents are like neophytes in any business but with a little time and teaching, ‘new agent syndrome can be overcome and they can become valuable parts of your business. As stated above these tips apply to the veterans as well and a periodic revisiting of these tips can boost productivity in agents both new and old. Even with the evolving real estate landscape, these tips can help your agents and your business make money so make them a priority for you and your team.
