How to Recruit & Retain Killer Agents...And Say Goodbye to Non-Producers Gino Blefari, Founder, President and CEO Intero Real Estate Services

1. Gino Blefari President & CEO Intero Real Estate Services, Inc.

2. “Out of Nowhere” Realtor Magazine

4. #1 Residential Real Estate Brokerage in Silicon Valley

7. Client focused blog - http://interoreblog.com

8. Agent focused blog - http://interomojo.com

9. Franchise focused blog - http://interofranchise.com

10. Intero Foundation blog – http://www.interofoundation.org

11. www.facebook.com/InteroRE

12. Twitter page - @InteroRE

13. “ Guided by principles of trust, respect and integrity, we empower people to achieve their dreams.” Vision Statement

16. Recruit by Script

17. DIALOG: Gino: Q1: Hello Brian [prospect name] ~ this is Gino Blefari with Intero Real Estate Services. I am calling to congratulate you on your new (listing, sale, closing) at 818 Ocean Avenue. Brian’s Answer: Thank you.

18. PURPOSE: This provides a soft opening and strokes the agents ego.

19. DIALOG: Gino: Q2: Brian [prospect name] ~ one of the goals I have set in 2010 is to meet every great agent that does business in our marketplace. I have heard a lot of nice things about you (name, if any) and would love to get together for a cup of coffee or tea with you. Are you available this week or next? Brian’s Answer: I am pretty busy with my new listing, but next week looks good.

20. Non-threatening, flattering way to set up a meeting with the agent/potential prospect. It also subconsciously lets them know that you set goals. PURPOSE:

21. DIALOG: What if the answer is a “no”? ~ Bonus Q3 Brian’s Answer: Thank you for the call but I am really not interested. Gino: Q3: I know the great producing agents never are. You are busy listing and selling, aren’t you? Brian’s Answer: Yes. Gino: Well that’s exactly why I am calling. I am concerned about how much money you are leaving on the table.

22. PURPOSE: In sales and influence, you must create a gap or establish pain if you want a prospect to move forward and take action.

23. The Inner-view

28. THE 2nd INTERVIEW

29. DIALOG: Gino: Q3: Hello Brian [prospect name] , this is Gino from Intero Real Estate Services. It was good getting to know you last week. Thanks for meeting with me. Brian’s Answer: Yes, it was very nice to get to know you as well. And thanks for not trying to recruit me right off the bat, in fact it made meeting with you again a lot easier because I feel very comfortable right now.

30. PURPOSE: After someone becomes your friend, they are much more open to discuss their career, future, etc.

31. DIALOG: Gino: Q3: Brian [prospect name] , do you still have an open mind about your real estate career? Brian’s Answer: Yes.

32. PURPOSE: (Note: Assumptive Close, do you still have. . .) Most people like to think of themselves as open minded and this is a great, non-threatening way to start the interview. If you get off script just be sure to ask as many “YES” questions as possible to build YES MOMENTUM.

33. DIALOG: Gino: Q4: Brian [prospect name] , what percentage of your income do you attribute to XYZ Real Estate? Brian’s Answer: 0%

34. PURPOSE: Most agents convince themselves that their company has little or no effect on their business; therefore, the typical agent is now better prepared to discuss a change since they themselves have quantified the insignificance of the role their present company plays in them acquiring business.

35. DIALOG Gino: Q5: So tell me, if they don’t help you create income, what do you like about XYZ Real Estate [company name] why do you stay. . .tell me, what keeps you there? (use voice inflection) Brian’s Answer: Things are fine. I like my manager or location of my office or am too busy right now to leave, etc.

36. PURPOSE: By asking, “Why do you stay?”, you do the opposite of trying to determine why they will leave, which agents are initially more reluctant to share. The question also informs you of what major issues you need to effectively relate to.

37. DIALOG: Gino: Q6: Brian [prospect name] , thank you for sharing that and let me ask you what is more important to you, how much money you make or your manager? (manager, location, etc.) Brian’s Answer: Making more money.

38. PURPOSE: This question begins to bring an objective perspective into an understandably subjective situation. Most agents will quickly counter with more money. This now gives you permission to proceed rather that trying to unsuccessfully devalue what they hold to be valuable ~ what typically happens in an interview.

39. DIALOG: Gino: Q7: Speaking of making more money, approximately how much did you net last year? Brian [prospect name] , just a ballpark figure and, of course, this is confidential. Brian’s Answer: About $200,000.

40. PURPOSE: A highly sensitive and highly personal area like one’s earning requires that the question provide breathing room for the many people who need to exaggerate their financial status. (Note: approximately and ballpark). Otherwise, they might be forced to lie and resent the process or avoid you ever finding out they lied by not joining your office/company.

41. DIALOG: Gino: Q8: I assume if you’re like most great agents. . .you want to make more money with equal or less work. . . Am I correct? If that’s the case, you’re probably the type of person that wants to at least explore and be open to new opportunities that could potentially be a step up career wise. Brian [prospect name] , is that true in your case? Brian’s Answer: Yes

42. PURPOSE: Self-explanatory and yet, by the agent agreeing, it gives you additional permission to continue moving in this direction and continuing this process.

43. DIALOG: Gino: Q9: You know Brian [prospect name] , we would all love to earn millions of dollars a year, but realistically, how much would you like to make this year? Brian’s Answer: $300,000

44. PURPOSE: At this point in time, not one word has been about you (the manager), your office or Intero and not one negative thing about the agent’s company, office, etc. It is all about the agent’s desire to improve.

45. DIALOG: Gino: Q10: Brian [prospect name] , would you settle for $275,000 this year? Brian’s Answer: Yes, I guess. Gino: Well Brian [prospect name] , you are probably not going to make $300,000.

46. By pointing out how goals and human nature work through explaining to the agents how he/she will be compensated more in terms of what he/she is willing to settle for than what their goal is truly hits a nerve. It also provides you (the manager) with control. They now see you to be the guru regarding the laws of compensation; their compensation coach or mentor. PURPOSE

47. DIALOG: Gino: Q11: So, tell me what’s important to you about earning more money? Brian’s Answer: My kids, retirement, financial independence (“the why”)

48. PURPOSE: You are establishing “the why” about why making money is critical to them (so shut up and really listen). What they are telling you now you can use later in your close.

49. DIALOG: Gino: Q12: Brian [prospect name] , if you want to go from making $200,000 to $300,000, you don’t need to change companies. XYZ Real Estate [company name] , Intero Real Estate, etc. are great companies, aren’t they? Brian’s Answer: Yes.

50. PURPOSE: You just got the prospective agent to agree with you that Intero is a great company without making them feel like they are disrespecting the company they are currently with.

51. Gino: Q13: And you know Brian [prospect name] , both companies have agents making $300,000 and many agents making even more. I guess it makes sense then that the thing we need to change is you, Brian. Would you agree? Brian’s Answer: I guess that makes sense. . .Yes. DIALOG:

52. PURPOSE: Most agents that we interview expect a major part of our premise for encouraging them to join our company/office to be that we are a better company, office, etc. They are prepared for this, even defensive, in some cases. You show a program (Agent Achieve), the agent says that they have something similar and call it something else. They remain defensive because we are implying that the company they work for is not as good as ours. Cont’d . . .

53. PURPOSE: By pointing out that it is THEY who need to change, it demonstrates: ~ Reality. It encourages self-improvement, continuous growth and empowerment (culture) ~ It prevents the agent from feeling that we are criticizing their company and them for still working there. ~ It avoids us coming across with the very childish strategy of showing how “OUR COMPANY IS BETTER THAN YOUR COMPANY.” Rather than asking them to “DISCOVER OUR DIFFERENCES” we show how our company wants them to “DISCOVER THEIR DIFFERENCES” first.

54. DIALOG: Gino: Q14: Great Brian [prospect name] ! Then the real issue is. . .do you feel I can help you? Does that make sense? Brian’s Answer: I never thought of it that way.

55. PURPOSE Agents are much more interested in how we can help them improve, not how they can improve our company. The agent now becomes very curious as to how we can help them. This explains why agents are more likely to pay and attend self-improvement seminars (Mike Ferry, Brian Buffini, Tom Ferry, etc.) than sometimes attending “company programs” for free!

56. DIALOG: Gino: Q15: Brian, have you ever heard the phrase “LEARN TO EARN”? Brian’s Answer: Yes. Gino: So, my question to you is what do you have to learn in order to achieve your income goal? Brian’s Answer: I don’t know. (time management, accountability, listing & buyer presentations, contracts, etc.)

57. PURPOSE This will flush out what they need to be coached on.

58. DIALOG: Gino: Q16: What do you think you need to learn? (If they answer, you say “Tell me more” ~ look for opportunities to fill in the holes) In the first 90 days I am going to (hold you accountable, work on your listing and buyers presentations, work on your prospecting skills, etc.) Would that be of any value to you [YES] . . .what do you feel that would be worth to you in dollars? Brian’s Answer: $100,000 Gino: Okay, so you joining me is worth $100,000 to you.

59. PURPOSE Once again, you are playing the role as the Intero manager/coach/mentor in helping the agent reach their goal.

60. DIALOG: Gino: Q17: Brian [prospect name] , if I am going to commit to help you make the necessary changes, I need to really know how you are running your business now. Does that make sense? Brian’s Answer: Absolutely!

61. PURPOSE: We think agents will enjoy how intensely we are dedicated toward making our recruiting interview our first coaching meeting with them. This long question leads to the self-explanatory self-assessment survey.

62. DIALOG: Gino: Q18: Great Brian [prospect name] , because if all you want to do is make essentially the same amount of money, you should not leave XYZ Real Estate [company name] . You should not make a lateral move. It does not make sense to make a lateral move. So by choosing not to join me and receive the coaching and mentoring that I can provide, if you are saying no to that. . .you are actually choosing a lateral move. . .The first thing I’d like to do is get a sense of what you perceive your strengths and weaknesses to be. I need to know more about you and how you work so I can help you get to the next level. Can we discuss that? Brian’s Answer: Sure.

63. PURPOSE: How often has a top agent in other companies told you that they do not want to make a lateral move. This often times was the preface to a question regarding their desire to become a manager. Why not use their language of choice, “lateral move”, by suggesting how only by you helping them become more effective, it’s a lateral move if they do not change . If they stay with their company it’s a lateral move, if they come with us and we help (coach, mentor) get them to the next level it is not a lateral move. We’ve moved them to another level. We’ve always found that great agents are the most willing to want to make personal improvement changes.

64. DIALOG: Gino: Q19: So before we end, lets recap: 1. You are with XYZ Real Estate but not because you make more money 2. You make $200K and you want to make $300K 3. What you need to learn is __________. (time management, listing presentation, etc.) 4. Currently you have no plan in place to make that happen. 5. The reason you want to learn is _____. (kids, “the why”) 6. It is clear you don’t have to make a change unless you want to make more money. Cont’d

65. Gino: 7. On a scale of 1 to 10, 1 meaning you’re not too interested in discussing this opportunity and 10 being you want to get started right away, where do you currently stand? DIALOG: Brian’s Answer: Probably a 7. . .

66. PURPOSE: In every good selling situation you need to summarize the points to make sure your customer clearly understands them. Summing up #7 on the scale of 1 to 10, you know where they really stand and you can ask more questions to get to the bottom of their concerns.

67. DIALOG: If they decide not to move forward immediately. . . Brian’s Answer: Okay. Gino: Q20: Before we decide where we’re going to go from here, I would like to quickly take you through this self-assessment questionnaire.

68. Present Self-Assessment Questionnaire at this time.

69. Self-Assessment Questionnaire Being a coach 1 2 3 4 Being prompt for meetings & appointments 1 2 3 4 Being accessible 1 2 3 4 Really listings to my problems 1 2 3 4 Keeping current & informed 1 2 3 4 Keeping my morale high 1 2 3 4 Respecting my individuality 1 2 3 4 Using authority wisely 1 2 3 4

70. Self-Assessment Questionnaire cont’d Settling disputes fairly 1 2 3 4 Creating a productive atmosphere 1 2 3 4 Showing no favoritism 1 2 3 4 Being totally honest 1 2 3 4 Teaching me what I need to know 1 2 3 4 Managing time 1 2 3 4 Being available when I have needs 1 2 3 4 Asking if I need help 1 2 3 4 Being a technological tutor 1 2 3 4

71. Self-Assessment Questionnaire cont’d Picking me up when I am down 1 2 3 4 Holding helpful “one-on-one” meetings 1 2 3 4 Explaining what’s expected of me 1 2 3 4 Being aware of my problem listings 1 2 3 4 Knowing when I have problem buyers 1 2 3 4 Showing me how to generate business 1 2 3 4 Sharing knowledge & ideas 1 2 3 4 Adhering to strict ethical principles 1 2 3 4

72. DIALOG: Gino: Q21: Thank you for completing that. That helps me establish what is important to you. I truly feel I can do my job now and help you get to the next level. When would you like to start working at Intero Real Estate Services? Brian’s Answer: IMMEDIATELY!!

73. It’s all about Accountability

74. "WHEN PERFORMANCE IS MEASURED, PERFORMANCE IMPROVES. WHEN PERFORMANCE IS MEASURED AND REPORTED BACK, THE RATE OF IMPROVEMENT ACCELERATES."

75. Recruiting

76. THE END