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Find a Mentor that will teach you One on One

If you are new to real estate and have a burning desire to learn how to be effective and start making money quickly, find a mentor that will teach you one on one. Follow that person around like a puppy dog and listen to all that they say and do. Be their shadow. If a picture is worth a thousand words, how much more effective is teaching when it is on the job instead of in the classroom.

I enjoy teaching my agents like this. I give lots of lecture time but the actual experience of being in the room when a listing presentation is done and the documents are signed is invaluable. It makes all the words make sense and suddenly new agents realize how it is all put together.

The best thing for me is seeing the new agents succeed. I can tell when the lightbulb has come on and they are ready to jump out there alone. They always know they have a safe place to retreat to if they come upon obstacles they cannot handle yet.

A teaching broker is worth much to the new recruit. This can save you years of fumbling and wasted time. Many brokers in large firms do not have the time to train new agents one on one and neither do the trainers in the large franchise offices. An experienced salesperson can do the same for you. Their knowledge may not be as deep or varied but this will help if you are in a large office and the broker cannot teach you individually.

For those of you in small offices, this can be a benefit that can take you far in this business. So, dont feel like you are not getting as much from your office as agents in large offices. You may be getting more!

Ricki Eichler Real Estate, your Texas Hill Country connection www.reretx.com

511 Junction Hwy Kerrville, TX 78028 (830)257-2520

Posted by Ricki Eichler,Broker,GRI,ABR,TAHS,ePRO your Texas Hill Country connection on 02/08/2010 08:10 PM

Comments (61)

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61 Comments on Find a Mentor that will teach you One on One

FEB

2010

Ricki,

This is great advice for seasoned agents as well. It can be easily done by simple observation.

Hi Linda, That's right. We all learn easier this way.

Ricki, You are so right and I know that your agents are impressed with your mentoring program.

So true. As a new agent I wish there was an agent that would allow me this access. For now I will lean on my manager and take the wonderful advice she gives me and run with it.

Thanks Don, I try hard to help them succeed.

Hi Jason, Most agents are too busy and dont want to spend the extra time but your manager may be able to help you a lot. I've always done this for my agents.

It's interesting what you can learn and how quickly you can progress when you have the opportunity to see the best in action.

Ricki, This is wise advice. I had a real estate mentor when I started 14 years ago. She just passed away this last year. I so miss being able to call her for her wise loving advice.

Ricki

There are few substitutes for the mentoring concept. I advise new agents to seek them out.

FEB

2010

Hi Ricki, My Broker does one-on-one training besides weekly workshops. There is no mentoring with other agents. He feels the new agent will be taken advantage of.

Great post. IMO, it is a broker's responsibility to mentor new agents. If a broker isn't prepared to train new agents and provide access for questions, they shouldn't be recruiting new agents. It's a disservice to the agent who doesn't even understand the need for training and to the consumers who need quality service.

I am not in great favor of other agents taking on the responsibility of mentoring new agents. My experience is that the new agent doesn't get the guidance they need to get through their first few transactions with ease and are generally "on their own".

Brokers need to take on this responsibility or pay other agents to provide needed training under the broker's supervision.

Ricki:

Being trained correctly is key to the success of any new agent and working with a mentor is the best way to achieve that. A broker, owner who has brought in a new person should take on the responsibility of their training.

"A teaching broker is worth much to the new recruit."

Well put Ricki and I was so fortunate to have started my career with someone like you describe. It was almost like going to a private school! Nice post and congrats on the feature!

Or you can get them to join Active Rain and have 100,000+ mentors? :)

You should have more than one Mentor for a slew of reasons. Most important, if he dies. Be a mentor too...you teach yourself something.

Being trained properly is so important in any office really. Particularly in real estate for the newbie. I agree with Lenn and her comment above that the broker/manager should be the one doing the mentoring. It shouldn't be a random pick of any agent around that wants to do it. It's not fair to do this. Every broker should put in place a solid training program for every new agent in the house!

Patricia/Seacoast NH&ME

PS I like your post today and have bookmarked it for future reference.

New and seasoned brokers could benefit from online/mentors on the new ARU program and from learning the new technology to adapt to the changing environment of real estate. It is never too late to learn something new.

Ricki,

Great points for newbies. There is no better way to measure your own success than to see someone that you mentored achieve theirs.

Hi David, Seeing and experiencing the listing or the sales process is learning on the fast track.

Hi Marchel, That's sad, no matter how long we are in the business, it is good to have mentors.

Yes Trey, It is a wise idea.

Hi Jackie, Your broker understands and is right about this usually.

Hi Lenn, Thanks, I agree. Brokers should take more responsibility with individual training. Unfortunately, I see the opposite happening. Lots of new recruits are put out there completely unprepared and they do a dissservice to our industry and the community.

Hi Claudette, You are so right.

Thanks Russell, Individual training can be seen in successful people like yourself.

Hi Bill, AR is too good! You are so right about the wonderful benefits available here but one on one cannot be replaced either.

Yes, Andrew, Mentoring yourself will teach you more. Teachers are people who love to learn themselves.

Thank you Patricia, The broker is the one that needs to do the training. That way, everyone will be trained alike and the office will actually run smoother too. It is to the broker's advantage as well as the agents.

Yes Emily, I agree with that. It is Never Too Late to learn something new!

Mike you're right. There is nothing more rewarding either.

Ricki, this is close to my heart! I have mentored many agents over the years exactly this way and it is one of my favorite things to do. Sometimes it has been as a broker-in-charge and sometimes simply because I like doing it. It's very easy to complain that new licensees don't know what they are doing but very satisfying to make sure they learn by teaching them. It's also why I like to work with first time homebuyers!

I greatly benefitted from having a mentor in my early years in the business. She is a professional in every way - knowledge, presentation, demeanor and service to her clients. I still try to emulate her, and remind her of how much she taught me, every time I see her. It delights her to hear it.

Hi Sarah, I am like you and I love working with first time homebuyers. Their excitement is contagious. It can be almost like mentoring a new agent.

Millie, you were fortunate, as many of us were to have a great mentor like that. I know she gets enjoyment from seeing your success.

Unfortunately there is not a broker in Oklahoma City that i would consider a mentor. They are good people and honest, but so many brokers are behind the curve. I have had many people I consider mentors like someone like Michael Russer for instance and I think a combination is always good.

You should have many mentors in life & business...Listen more, talk less, be successful.

Ricki,

This is a great post, and it is so true. It is important to follow success, so that you can emulate it.

Very good advice. I've learned more from mentors than from classrooms. Thanks for sharing.

Mentoring is a powerful way to jump start a career. I have also found that by shadowing a top agent I was able to experience their systems and learn at a much faster pace.

Hi Joe, Too bad so many do not see the need for one on one training. Many mentors is good too.

HI Jenna, So right, talk less, listen more! :)

Hi Ron & Alexandra, This is the way! in all areas of life.

Hi Joseph, Me too, me too!

Hey Sam, I have also and that is why I try to provide the same for my agents as well.

Amen,Amen,Amen ! A manager must be willing to take ownership of the new real estate career they're developing by recruiting !

great advice. As an agent starting out, do you feel it's better to seek out a top producer to study under or will an experienced sales person suffice?

This is excellent advice. I spent the first 6 months in the business literally sitting beside an experience loan officer and listening to him on the phone. Put me leap-years ahead of the learning curve.

Great point. It makes a world of difference to have a mentor that is already successful. You know they can do it and if they show you how, you had better listen. That advice is priceless.

Ricki - Its especially important for a new agent to learn from a more experienced agent. I've heard stories about Brokers who do not get involved with training. I don't see how they can't get involved unless they are not looking for their brokerage to succeed. 'Live Training' is so much better than any type of classroom training.

Excellent Post Ricki! I tell everyone that I meet that is new in the business to get with a brokerage with 'one-on-one' training or go to work for someone that is successful and be a SPONGE! Thanks for sharing!

I think it's great you offer one on one mentoring! This is definitely something for me to implement in my own Brokerage. Thanks Ricki!

Ricki, Great advice. I use a great mentor. The hardest part is keeping on track doing exactly what he says.

Great post and I personally believe that this runs over into all different areas of our lives.

A lot of new agents don't understand the need for mentoring in the early stages. Many brokerages just don't care...which is a big problem. They claim to offer training, but its just window dressing and an excuse to extract a high split.

Excellent point!! I was trained first hand by my broker, since we have grown much larger he has created virtual training but he is always around to get any help!!

Great advice, Ricki. That is what I tell anyone who is considering getting in the business. It was not the route I took initially, but I'm now on a great team. My business partners help share their experiences and provide invaluable knowledge. Btw, my family use to own a home in Hunt, TX. I spend many summers around Kerrville. There are few places better in my book! I still shed a tear from time to time thinking of the Tortilla Factory :)

When i started I was supposed to have a mento, well this did not work at all, he told me that he is at the office from 7:30 - 8:00 am so if i had any questions that is when I should ask him. then when i did try he was to busy visiting with another reatlor most of the time. So after a few days of that I just stopped the charade. The broker would show up from 10-12 and was to busy to talk with. So I switched offices there I found other realtors who would answer all my questions but no one to walk beside. Now when a newby asks me questions I always want to walk with them as much as possible. Like all businesses now the bottom line is watched so closely that the people aspect is lost. A mentor on staff would be the best investment a broker could make. i believe it would show in him or her market share in a hurry.

New agents need to be apprentices. Work under an experinced agent until they can go out on their own. Most people are not willing to do that and give most of the commission to the mentor. They don't realize they know nothing.

Hi Michael, Managers and brokers should take that responsibility. Unfortunately, many do not.

Briddick, Obviously, someone who knows what they are doing is most important but that said, you must have someone who will give you the time you need and the instruction without strings attached. Just picking an agent that has no stake in your success may not be that helpful.

Right RJ, That was not time wasted for sure.

Yes Nicholas, You are right the advice is priceless.

Hi John, Live is always better than classroom!

Hi Stephen, You are giving out some good advice!

Hi Dana, It will be important for you to do this in your own brokerage. It will take your time up but it is so worth it in the end. You will have successful agents and your brokerage will thrive.

Hi Ted, If it wasn't hard, you wouldn't be learning. So hang in there!

I appreciate your commitment to mentorship - so important in this world that we give back. Thank you for your generosity of spirit.

James, I do too, in every area of our lives.

Ruthmarie, You are right. There are training programs and then there is one on one. Nothing takes the place of one on one in my opinion. I talked to a new agent recently that decided to go with a large franchise company. This agent expects to get much more training than they are going to get. I know this for sure. I hated to see them make such a bad mistake, they have real potential.

Ritu, You are fortunate to get such training and having the broker around to ask for help is awesome.

Hi Will, Next time you are in Kerrville, please come by our office. Would love to meet you.

Hi Clark, I think you are right about the market share. Brokers should consider this but many do not. Glad you found a better place and you understand what it feels like for a new agent and you are willing to help. That is commendable.

Hi Nick, Just getting a license is not getting an education. They need to be taught from there on.

Ricki you have certainly put together a wonderful post and very thought provoking. I work with all my newbies for the first week, they take no office calls with out working with me for a day on floor time. We have a team of six and each one goes out with newbies as a buyer and the newbie will then work side by side with a BA for 3 buyer side transactions before going out on their own. Did I mention our Lawyer/ closer teaches each newbie how to write a contract as part of the Lawyer getting our business.

Ricki, I think the concept of mentoring has sadly been forgotten for companies other than real estate as well. A friend of mine, who works at a big corporation, recently told me a story, wherein, he was to give a presentation to a client. The young just-right-out-of-college adults who were assisting my friend, did little homework before the presentation and had no idea what the clients' business was. My friend, who hadn't met these new employees before that day, admitted how fortunate he was to have mentors in the beginning of his career.

I commend you for knowing the difference and appreciate your desire to give back. Says a lot about your character. Keep up the great work! Nice post...

Hi Charles, Some good training going on there and I love the Lawyer teaching the newbies how to write the contracts. Good going!

Hi Carin, Thank you so much for your comments. I appreciate it very much. I am not afraid to teach people what I know, I love to. After all, someone taught me! :)

You sound like a great BROKER. I for one am sick and tired of all this talk about raising the bar for agents. The BROKER is responsible for everything the agent does or does not do. The BROKER hires you to represent his company and it is his duty to make sure you do it correctly. If he or the office manager does not have the time to do the training then they are responsible to compensate the other agents that give their time to "mentor" the new agent. IMHO.

Thank you Gregory, You are absolutely correct. The brokers can raise the bar by teaching their agents and holding them accountable. Other agents should not have to mentor and not be compensated either. I need a few more agents. Anyone need a job in the beautiful Texas Hill Country?

As a rookie agent you are so right. I work in a very small office where the broker owner is doing this for me. AR with all the great people who post and comment has become a great training tool for me.

Hi Tom, Glad you are benefiting from a broker like this and AR is such a big help too!

I think this is a great idea and a great way for boutique brokerages to distinguish themselves from the larger offices.

FEB

2010

I love your header for your blog. Very happy photo when we have been deluged with snow in the DC area for several days!

I enjoy mentoring agents, i love helping them find themselves in the Real Estate world.

Ricki: What an awesome post... and, of course, it was written by an awesome lady. I have always liked your style... and here is another reason why so many others do, as well. Thanks for a great post.

I have always enjoyed "mentoring" other agents... but I do have an advantage. When I lived in the Cleveland area... I actually lived in the city of Mentor for ten years. Which means... I am a mentor from Mentor. :)

We all get to where we are in life because of the generosity of those who "mentored" us (even if we didn't call it that). We don't usually get to thank that person or persons, directly, and so to pass along the gift of "how it's done" is a way to "pay it back". Nice post!

FEB

2010

Hi Christine, Yes, this is one of many reasons to consider going with a smaller office.

Hi Cheryl, So sorry to hear about all that snow and bad weather there. Stay warm!

Hi Andrew, Isn't it a great feeling to know you have helped someone to learn how to be successful!

Hi Karen Anne, "A mentor from Mentor" I love it!!!! :) You are an awesome lady too!

Sea to Sky, Paying it back, so important for all of us on both sides. :)

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Ricki Eichler,Broker,GRI,ABR,TAHS,ePRO your Texas Hill Country connection

Kerrville, TX

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Ricki Eichler Real Estate LLC

Address: 953 Main, Kerrville, TX, 78028

Office Phone: (830) 257-2520

Cell Phone: (830) 329-6951

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