If you're an established Real Estate Agent already, and the thought has crossed your mind about moving to another Real Estate Agency, then you might be ready for something new, but when is a good time to move?
The reality is, there will never be a good time to move once you're in the grind, but if your stuck doing the same thing over and over and expecting something to change...then it might be that time for you to look around! Something has to give right?
Like all sales roles, there is an enormous amount of prospecting & marketing that goes on and most Real Estate Agents are terrified of walking away, especially if they have paid for it themselves.
On the other hand, staying put could hurt your earning potential far more in the long run.. so how do you know when to go?
It usually goes something a bit like this...
1) You consider moving Agencies, then all of a sudden you get a listing...and you go into sell mode...and the thought of leaving dissipates...
2) You eventually have a win, sell a property or 2... and make a few grand. Life is good for a few months, but like clockwork, the Boss get's pushy again, then the panic set's in. You face the reality that you need to do another deal or 2 or you could find yourself broke!
3) Prospecting kicks in again, more marketing, more phone calls...and it's the usual grind. You wonder how others are doing it so easily...
4) You see your competitors doing super well, maybe even beating you at listing appointments all the time, with polished presentations and sharp data, and you're wondering where they find the time to go to that level...
5) After slogging it out and almost packing it in, you eventually get another listing...and, it starts all over again...but your just surviving not thriving and your starting to wear out...
Sound about right?
Let's focus on items 3 & 4 above. These are the steps that have the potential to explode your GCI and catapult you from the 7 - 20 sales a year up to 30, 40, 50 or more if taken care of properly.
Can different Agencies effect your GCI?
The simple answer is, absolutely!
Why is it that some Agents can double their GCI in the first 12 Months from moving to a new Agency? The answer is simple! Team Culture, Motivation, Process and Support and it's something good Agencies work on constantly!
Good Agencies understand their value proposition to the Agents...and pick-up the slack for Agents in step 3 & 4. They have their systems honed in around the Agents prospecting efforts, and make sure they have the right support team in place to help an Agent capitalise on the data they are generating from their prospecting...
They have smart re-targeting campaigns in place that run on auto-pilot, so you can start generating qualified Leads instead of chasing your tail all day...
They constantly create important content targeted toward the right people at the right time of their buy cycle...
Some Agencies even prepare your Listing Presentations for you, with all the key data, statistics of the area and examples of why they are the best choice for the seller. You simply pick it up of your desk before the presentation meeting...
When an Agency understands what good data is, then learns how to put it to work for the Agents, it almost seems as if your competitors have some magic formula that they use to beat you to the punch every time...and the reality is..they do!
If your Agency doesn't have the capacity or infrastructure to back you up in step 3 & 4, it's probably time to leave and find one that does!
How do you know if you're in a good Agency or not?
If you're sharing a good chunk of your commission with an Agency, simply for a desk and a business card, then you could be in the wrong place. Anyone can get a desk somewhere...you can even work from home these days!
Good Agencies invest in their Agents through attracting awesome support staff, treating them well through constant development, making sure their putting the right training and mentoring in place and spending money on filtering data. This is what your commission split should be catering for right?
Good Agencies are not afraid to sit you in front of any one of their Agents so you can ask the hard questions and look at where they were before they started and compare it with where they are now.
You might argue that you're on a high comm split (80 - 93%) but like the saying, 93% of not much is not much... You need the machine to work!
Every Agency has their shining stars, but an Agency with entire teams doing well is a great indicator that they have their value proposition right!
If everything at your current Agency is left to you to run and you're trying to do it all on your own, then you're already behind!
We see candidates that were high-performers in big Agency brands decide to step-out on their own, attracted by the DIY Agency models at super-high commission splits, who all of a sudden start to crumble and their GCI plummets as a result.
Good Agencies have specialist teams in place to support their Agents, so how can you expect to send your GCI on a self perpetuating curve upward if your doing it all on your own?
The reality is, no one can do it all on their own for the long term. You will always eventually max out on time and never really achieve the big results you're chasing. Good Agencies know they have this covered for you...and can demonstrate it.
Look at the other Agents in your current office. Are they killing it?
If they are, what are they doing differently to you? You also have to be ready face the fact that it could just be you not doing the right things often enough to be consistent, and changing Agencies won't do you much good at all!
No one is going to do the work for you... A good Agent is just as important as a good Agency. A good Agency simply makes the hard tasks more streamlined and easier through brand recognition and the right support, but the rest is all you!
Who's running the show?
Chat with your Agency Principal and listen to their background story. Did they start their Agency/Franchise because they were the top performer in their past Roles and it was a natural progression for them to start an Agency, or, did they start-up because they did't believe in how the rest of the market was doing Real Estate and they wanted to do it their way?
Very important things to consider right?
What Top Performers Say...
When speaking with Queensland's Best Real Estate Agents ($1m + GCI + writers), you soon realise moving around the Real Estate industry is nothing new to them! Everyone has either done it, doing it or thinking of doing it...
When we ask them how they doubled or tripled their GCI...a few clear indicators start to appear that we can share with you...
1) They have access to good coach & a strong team under a good brand
2) They align themselves with a company culture that's a breeding ground for success
3) No need to discount commissions to win business - In fact, their more expensive
4) They have support teams in place to help (good Sales Associate and Back Office)
5) They understand their competition & who's out there beating them & why
6) They identify quickly where they are weakest and work on it (or get someone else to do it)
7) They found an Agency that was the "right fit" for where they were in their career (at the time)
8) They weren't afraid to move to get the next "right fit" Agency when the offer presented itself
9) They consistently work harder at it than their competitors
10) They visualise where they want to be and set targets for themselves
Moving around the Real Estate Industry can be a minefield. Any Agent with more than 15 sales a year will get offered a commission only Job in just about any Agency they want...
There are quiet a few factors you need to consider to ensure your not just moving for a change of scenery. Your aim is to improve right? You want to explode your GCI...not just make a move to something the same as you have now...
Its important to note: Not one of Queensland's Top 50 Agents work in a DIY Model. All of them work at reputable Agency Brands under a solid structure. Take from that what you will.
Be careful... Any Agency Principal will tell what you want to hear to get you onboard... Its fine if they can back it up...but you have to make each move better than the last to progress.
A good recruiter will provide extremely valuable insight across different Agency structures and can get you in front of the right people so you can make an informed decision. We recruit for just about everyone on the QLD top 50 list!
Its Your Move
If you're ready to move, simply reach out to the Team @ Placed Australia anytime for a chat. Check our website for more hints and tips www.PlacedAustralia.com.au We're here to help...
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