I'm a Broker with tools, but the AGENTS have to use them

Your staff should be greatful that you take the time to provide these tools and try to help them get more deals. I wish there was a magic trick to get people set in their ways to listen and take advanatge of the tools they are provided, when all is said and done usually they wish they had done it from the start.

You have my sympathy.  I was a "broker-centric" for years.  I even GAVE my agents free Internet generated leads.  They just didn't focus on how hard it was to get those leads in.  Agents take FREE leads for granted.  I had to struggle to get them to enter case tracking info accurately. 

I've come to the conclusion that agents who would use the tools of good real estate practice will take the initiative to get them and use them themselves. 

 

 

Greg,

I can feel your pain. My Broker doea the same thing. I use a lot of the tools myself and could use more. Sometimes as agents we don't understand the work that goes into these things. I am going to update all my contacts and put them on his new program that is really fantastic. What was I thinking. Thanks for the heads up..

Now for you, here are a few ideas.

Current agents..

Have a meeting, promote your tools and find out who is really backing you. If you have 10 agents and only 2 are using the tools, then throw the new business to them. The others will get the message, espacially if they start getting more clients.

2nd  hire some new agents and train them to do the business your way. After all you are the boss and have the experience.

The others will leave or follow depending on the new successes of the agents using your program.

Ken

I'm a broker with the same issues.  You're not alone I have read a lot of blogs here in Active Rain of brokers with the same problems.  Sometimes I feel like I am offering advice/tools to the wind! I'm looking for a few good men....agents!  I don't think there are many people left with work ethics, there are plenty that want a free ride in life though!  Good luck!

Sounds like you need to rebrand your pitch to your agents...

Maybe since they don't want to be active (I don't know that I would call giving an email active but let's run with this)... let them be passive and wait for the leads...

but.... reintroduce them the way we get leads as mortgage brokers

"Hey!  I've got this great new system that does drip email... people that shop for their homes on the company website and provide their emails get an email from us following up... it sends new listings in their price and area ... and it keeps the company name in front of them...

So...here's what I need from YOU... as these people are emailing in everyday, I'm swamped keeping up with them AND you... so... I want to start passing them along to you.

Here's what we'll do... we'll break you up in your farm areas and as a lead comes in that is in your area, you'll get the lead from me.  If you overlap with someone, it will be on a rotating basis.

Now, as I'm fronting the money for this great technology... I will be offering these leads at a 60/40 split.  As more of them come in, the 40% will keep increasing the marketing ability and technology of our web presence.

So who wants leads??"

they have to realize that SOMETHING is better than nothing... and if they're all at 70/30, do it at 50/50... they obviously don't want the money!

I have one gal, bless her heart, when she first started with us, she said her cel phone wasn't working.  Okayfine.  I buy her a new cel phone and put the monthly bill in my name.  Still she doesn't carry it. 

I finally realize that cel phones, and most all tech gadgetry is completely outside of her frame of reference.  Her clients love her, though, and they stick to her like glue.  So I've worked to adapt to this in my head and think of it as something positive. 

I try now to regard her as a colorful, eccentric, unforgettable personality.  I'll say "Ann, our resident Luddite"  ... or I'll say "Don't let her near the photocopy machine" ....  and I'll remind myself that we have a strong company that allows for alot of diversity in our team.

What is the old saying, "you can led a horse to water......................"  I have the same situation with my loan officers, of course he has only close 1 in 4 months, I think he is working on the I am starving method for leads

My broker provides very little in terms of tools. It would be a major mistake to be that way, after all, why stay put?

Though I have no intention of changing brokers, I am devoting more time and attention to my own sources. I will have even less reason to stay when this is accomplished.

I guess my point is continue to provide the tools, train them in the use of them, do as Ken says and provide support to those who support you.

Hi Greg,

I guess that I am lucky.  I have set up similar tools for my agents and I estimate that 14 out of 19 agnet are using all or at least some of them.  Like you I do not want to compete with my agents.  I will also NOT give a lead to an agent that is not trying because let's face it these leads cost us time and money.  Once the agents with leads start talking the others soon begin to get the idea.

At the next meeting let them know that Suzy Agent is working the leads so she will get the leads.  The others will soon change their ways.  In fact I have agents asking when they will get the next lead.  If an agent has so much business that they don't want to work your leads then fine but I think we all know the real story.

 

HI Greg,

I applaud your efforts in helping your agents with lead generation.  That is an area which is not my broker's strong suit.

Lately, we have been concentrating on print advertising, not locally, but in other nearby metropolitian Cities.  Now, we have a publication that will be distributed throughou the entire east coast.  I personally have not had much luck with any of these ads.  I've had better response with local advertising.  I think that we should concentrate more on our internet presence, especially after hearing the NAR statistics at our convention in Orlando.  Personally, I'm investigating the internet sources for me.

Unfortuneately, my broker competes with us indirectly via spouse.  I applaud all of your efforts and your agents should appreciate you for your tech saviness and willingness to generate leads for them!   

 

This is such an interesting topic. This plays into a lot of what I spend time doing. We also offer many tools for agents. It's interesting to see how those tools are actually used. There are some agents that are just inclined naturally to check out technology offerings, learn about them, get involved and get hooked. Then there are others that just don't want it, don't need it etc. I find a lot of times just a fraction of tools are used. Many are even requested and then not used. It seems to be a lot of perception of availability and repeated training about what is out there, how to use it, different ways to use it, the benefits it has etc. Then once you go through that on one of the features, you repeat it again. We have some programs that have been out for some time and I still run across people who have not heard of it.

Maybe I got this all wrong but it's lead generation and contact management etc the agent's job as opposed to the broker's job?

If your agents are not using the tools you provide for them, replace them with agents that will.