THE MOST IMPORTANT element of a real estate agent’s business is without doubt their ability to list a property. If we all recognise the importance of a professional and competent listing presentation, why do we totally ignore this when we recruit or head-hunt experienced agents?
When was the last time you asked a prospective team member to do a role play of their listing presentation before being offered a position? The biggest database, the most effective generating, marketing and farming processes don’t account for a hill of beans if you blow it at the listing presentation.
The listing table is where it all happens. It doesn’t make sense to put on a team member without knowing how they perform in the role. Why put them in your brand, load them up with your marketing material and place them in front of clients if you don’t actually know how they will present the most critical function of their position?
The salesperson recruiting process usually follows a familiar path. Telephone call for a coffee, then a few catch-ups prior to presenting a proposal, followed by the usual horse-trading regarding commission splits, office space and car parking spots. The candidate often shows us a printout of the past 12 months’ commission payments as proof that they can make money, but unfortunately that is where our due diligence stops. So just how good are they?
While their track record and GCI are significant, the most important factor is how successful the candidate is when measured against the competition. In other words, can they beat the other agents and get the business?
We have worked with clients who have recruited salespeople based on reputation and charisma, only to discover that their past success was a result of handouts from the boss, or being part of a two-person team where the heavy lifting had been done by the other guy.
There should be no short cuts when recruiting experienced team members for sales roles or BDMs for property management. Put a process around your due diligence; make sure that you’re getting what you’re paying for and that your agency standards will be maintained or exceeded.
Ensure that a listing presentation role play is an essential element of your recruitment process. Explain to candidates that you need a benchmark so that you can best integrate your company image and procedures into their presentation while retaining their natural style.
Observe how they handle tough questions and how they validate their fee for service. You will also get a clear understanding of how they present their marketing material and discuss their VPA packages with the clients. If they can’t be with you in person, then do it via Skype or Google. It will also help to identify where they may need to upgrade or tweak their presentation to comply with your standards and increase their chances of success.
It is true that some candidates will be more comfortable with role play than others, but if you make it the ‘non-negotiable’ of your recruiting standards you will be more confident in your decision-making and invariably recruit the best candidate. The benefit to the candidate is that when they are accepted for the position they know that they are equipped for the job and have the faith of the principal.
When we assist principals with recruiting, we conduct a one-hour listing presentation role play that is recorded for both the principal and the candidate. This allows for accurate and validated assessment of their performance and provides a benchmark for future assistance and development.
When a business owner buys a new car they rarely walk into a car yard and say ‘I’ll take that one’. They first do the research and before making any purchasing decision they will take the car for a test drive to see if it performs to their expectations. Handling, brakes, comfort levels all come into play and are assessed as to whether the car does what they want it to do.
If we do this to buy a $50,000 car, then why don’t we mirror the process when recruiting a $500,000 salesperson?
