5 Pitfalls to Avoid When Recruiting Real Estate Agents
The real estate industry is highly competitive, with the success of each brokerage relying heavily on the efforts of its top agents. That’s why many brokerages are always on the lookout for the best real estate agents to join their teams. It’s also one of the reasons why real estate agent recruitment can be quite challenging.
Fortunately, there are plenty of resources recruiters can use—such as the ones from getbrokerkit.com—to ensure they have a steady stream of recruitment and are always ahead of the game.
Alongside knowing the best practices in real estate agent recruitment, it’s also beneficial to understand the common mistakes that recruiters make when searching for potential candidates.
From selecting your target audience to sending an ineffective message, here are some common pitfalls you need to avoid when recruiting real estate agents (and how to recruit real estate agents the right way).
1. Focusing Solely on a Certain Experience Level
When recruiting real estate agents, you need to cast a wide net and avoid singling out individuals with a specific experience level. Doing the latter will only limit the pool of agents you can recruit. It can also stunt the growth of your team if every member has a similar background.
Instead, be open to recruiting agents of varying experiences. Remember, the most effective agents aren’t only those who have years in the industry. Many newly-licensed agents are just as competent.
If you want an up-and-coming real estate professional to join your team, mention how your company has a positive corporate culture through support and mentorship. Offering help with brand-building can also be very attractive to agents who are still starting out in the real estate business.
On the other hand, you can impress an experienced real estate agent with your brokerage’s professional environment and give them access to the latest software. If you can, offer office space that can accommodate their productivity and inspire a sense of pride for being a more seasoned agent.
2. Dismissing Passive Candidates
Similar to giving a diverse group of real estate agents a chance, you must also keep an open mind when it comes to reaching out to passive candidates. While they may not be currently looking for a new job, they may reconsider if they see your brokerage has better opportunities. It’s important to stay open-minded no matter what the situation is! There are conditions to change realtors that buyers and sellers can encounter. That’s why you want to surround yourself with a great team of colleagues as a realtor. You can all learn from each other and grow.
Also, taking the time to target passive candidates keeps your brokerage company at the top of their minds. This way, when they’re ready for a change, they’ll contact you first.
Make sure to create separate marketing content and campaigns specifically for passive candidates. In addition, make it a point to cultivate a relationship both offline and online. Being open to non-commital conversations and answering questions they have can boost your chances of recruiting them in the long term.
3. Sending Generic Recruitment Messages
Many recruiters send emails when contacting potential candidates. If you’re like most recruiters, you have a templated message that’s ready to send. Such emails often include information about joining your brokerage and the potential benefits an agent can receive when they become part of your team.
While templated emails provide the essential details about why you’re contacting them, they may not always be effective in convincing the reader. Like many job seekers, real estate agents want to feel special when a recruiter reaches out. They want to feel like you’re truly interested in them and not just looking for someone to fill a vacant post.
So, it’s best to send personalized emails. Before you reach out to a candidate, do some research about the prospective agent and find out something specific about them. Then, make sure to include this in your message.
For example, you could mention something about the university they’ve attended or a recent recognition they’ve received. While personalizing each message according to the recipient can take time, it’s worth it. You’ll likely get more responses than if you are simply pinging off generic messages.
4. Underutilizing Available Resources
As a real estate agent recruiter, you need to utilize various methods when finding effective agents. This means going beyond a website or word of mouth, and exploring your social media connections to find potential candidates.
If you’re using your brand channels, make sure to include social media advertisements and video-based marketing in your efforts. It can help you reach more people as well as individuals who have the experience and background you’re looking for.
5. Failing to Send a Follow-Up
Just like real estate agents follow up with their clients to close a sale, you must follow up with potential candidates you want to hire. It will help you get the response you want, especially from those who haven’t gotten back to you yet.
It’s possible that candidates simply forgot to reply and your follow-up message can be just the reminder they need. When crafting a follow-up message, make sure to personalize it.
If you’ve previously communicated, you may want to pick up where you last left off. If they haven’t responded to your previous message at all yet, kindly ask the candidate if they have received it.
How to Recruit Real Estate Agents: Summary
Real estate agent recruitment can be challenging, with various brokers always vying for the top-performing agents’ attention. Avoiding these pitfalls is the best way how to recruit real estate agents. By practicing the above methods instead, your efforts will be maximized and you can successfully maintain a steady recruitment of skilled and efficient agents.
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