Finding and retaining real estate agents is critical to building a successful brokerage—and every broker wants to have a dream team. But how do you attract top talent and keep them thriving in your firm? Recruiting correctly means building relationships to attract suitable agents with similar business goals. I’ll explore strategies for recruiting real estate agents, handling objections, and retaining agents in your brokerage. Let’s dive in!
Why You Should Recruit Real Estate Agents
Real estate agent recruiting isn’t just about filling the vacancies in your office—it’s about building a powerhouse team that will make your brokerage succeed. Besides real estate skills, a successful recruitment strategy focuses on building relationships, earning trust, and creating a supportive work environment. Here’s why effective recruitment is essential for every brokerage:
Strategies for Recruiting Real Estate Agents
Let’s look at real estate recruiting strategies for seasoned agents and those new to the industry.
1. Create a Fool-proof Realtor Recruiting Elevator Pitch
Before you make a recruiting call or send an email, make a plan for how you will support your prospective agents. While agents in different phases of their careers have different needs, your elevator pitch should be concise and tailored to answer one question: “Why should I join your brokerage?”
As with all other elevator pitches, keep it short and sweet (about 30 seconds to a minute), but don’t skimp on personality. Let your prospects know how they can thrive in your brokerage and master that pitch with confidence.
2. Attend or Host Networking Events
New and top-producing agents make it a point to attend networking events, making these gatherings a prime opportunity if you’re learning how to recruit agents for real estate. You’ll meet your prospects in a casual setting at these industry events.
Another option besides attending is hosting meet-and-greets featuring veteran agents from your brokerage. If you hit it off, email or call them after the event, invite them to dinner or at your office, and tell them about working at your firm. Don’t forget to bring your business cards!
3. Leverage Social Media & Job Boards
Everyone’s chronically online today, and real estate agents are no exception. Share engaging posts showcasing your brokerage’s wins—whether it’s a million-dollar property sale or your fun team-building activities over the weekend.
Use platforms like Indeed, Glassdoor, LinkedIn, Career Builder, Craigslist, and ZipRecruiter. Post detailed job listing descriptions that focus on career growth opportunities at your firm. Don’t forget to ask your agents to spread the word!
To recruit agents efficiently and effectively, use Agent Image to create a customized website or landing page for recruiting top talents. A dedicated recruitment page on your website can showcase your brokerage’s testimonials, awards, and career opportunities. Agent Image offers features like custom website designs, IDX integration, and digital marketing services.
4. Establish Affiliations With Real Estate Schools & Local Associations
Partnering with real estate schools is a strategic move if you’re looking for effective ways on how to recruit realtors before they even hit the market. Offer to host lectures or workshops at local real estate schools where you can share insights and showcase your brokerage’s success.
And don’t stop there—connect with local associations to become a well-known name and resource for fellow agents. This way, you’ll get your firm’s name out there while becoming a potential career destination for seasoned professionals.
5. Showcase Your Brokerage’s Cutting-edge Marketing & Tech Tools
If you want to recruit more agents and be one of the best real estate companies they work for, show off your brokerage’s software and tools that will make their jobs easier. Whether you’ve got the best real estate CRM, AI lead generation tools, or social media marketing apps, it’s essential to highlight your brokerage’s investment and how you want agents to be armed with these tools.
These resources are not just perks; they’re necessities that will boost agents’ productivity. Here are some of the must-have tools agents will love:
- Personal real estate website: To attract clients, each team member should have a personal brand and solid online presence.
- CRM system: An excellent CRM system allows agents to manage their leads and transactions easily.
- Social media marketing templates: Subscribe to an app where agents can create polished and professional social media templates.
- Real estate business cards: Sleek and custom business cards make a lasting impression and help agents work more confidently and efficiently.
- Mobile phones, tablets, and laptops: Keep your team connected and ready to work anytime.
Market Leader is one of the best CRM and marketing tools you can provide your agents. It can help your agents manage their transactions, generate marketing materials, and generate monthly exclusive buyer and seller leads.
6. Promote Mentorship Programs
New agents often think, “What’s in it for me?” when considering a brokerage. Some feel like they’re diving headfirst into a strange new team without a life jacket. To make it easy for new agents, promote a mentorship program they can rely on as they navigate their careers.
Emphasize how expert agents provide one-on-one guidance and answer new agents’ questions. Highlight success stories where your mentorship program has helped rookie agents close their first deals. It’s all about showing potential recruits how they’ll succeed with the right support system.
7. Highlight Your Referral Incentives & Sign-up Bonuses
Like other corporations, you can turn your brokerage members into the best recruiters by offering thoughtful incentives—an excellent strategy when considering how to recruit real estate agents. For every successful referral, provide bonuses—not just cash but perks like free business cards or tickets to exclusive events. The best part? These referrals often lead to agents who are a perfect fit for your team since your agents already know the people who’d thrive at your company.
Real Estate Recruitment: How to Handle Common Objections
The ultimate guide to recruiting real estate agents would only be complete by addressing the common objections agents present and how to counter them. Remember, you’re playing the long game. It’s important not to burn relationships by being too pushy. If you overuse objection handlers, you can come across as insensitive. The secret to responding to objections is to listen and be empathetic.
Objection 1: I’m too busy to move brokerages at this time.
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How to respond:
Honestly, as a successful, busy agent, there is never a good time to make a move. The good news is we will help make the transition easier. The sooner you can move, the sooner we can implement your new plan.
Objection 2: I am loyal to my broker or office. I’m happy where I am.
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How to respond:
I respect your loyalty. In fact, that is precisely why I am interested in working with you. But let’s be honest: If you got the support you needed, would you even talk with me right now?
Objection 3: I don’t want to leave my colleagues.
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How to respond:
I understand completely. Many busy agents who have already joined us had the same concern. That is why we help you with the process. Let’s go over our brokerage’s transition plan together.
Objection 5: I don’t know how I can support myself without the leads my broker gives me.
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How to respond:
What percentage of your leads are coming from your company? What is your split on those leads? Would you consider joining my team if I could show you how to generate more income without being handed leads?
Objection 6: Your company costs more than I pay now.
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How to respond:
You must increase revenue, not simply cut your expenses to make more money. It doesn’t matter if your expenses are $0 if you’re not generating enough income. I will show you how to make enough money so the additional expenses won’t matter.
Objection 7: I can sell more homes if I stick with a better-known company.
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How to respond:
Statistics show that consumers choose an agent because of the company only 5% of the time. So, if we show you how to increase your business by 20%, would you be OK with a lesser-known company?
Agent Nurturing Plan: How to Retain Producing Agents
According to the National Association of Realtors (NAR), the median tenure of realtors at their present firm is five years. Retaining agents isn’t just about offering competitive splits—it’s also building a rewarding environment they don’t want to leave. A solid agent nurturing plan keeps your team loyal and excited to grow with your brokerage. Here are some ways on how you can make it happen:
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Show appreciation often:
Small gestures make the most significant impact. Attend their open houses, send them birthday cards, and mention their small and big wins during team meetings. These small acts of recognition remind agents that their hard work will never go unnoticed.
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Be generous with performance incentives:
You’ve been where they are, and you know how much effort each agent puts into hitting their numbers. Recognize your team’s efforts and successes beyond patting them on the back. Offer bonus commissions, gift cards, or even tickets to events they would love. When agents feel valued, they’ll be more likely to stay.
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Support underperforming agents:
Of course, there will always be agents who underperform. What matters is how you’ll help them grow. Offer personal coaching sessions or additional productivity tools they can use. Whether they’re struggling with hitting sales numbers, lead generation, or simply time management, showing you’re invested in their success can turn things around.
Agently’s coaching feature is a game-changer for brokers looking to develop their agents’ skills and maximize productivity. Its Virtual Coach offers agents actionable strategies and weekly challenges, ensuring they’re ready to close deals. Agently also allows agents to set their goals, while brokerage leaders can monitor their agents’ progress.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
How do new real estate agents find clients?
New agents usually find clients through referrals, networking, and digital marketing. Your friends and family make excellent new clients. Build a website, advertise your services on social media, and stay consistent. Remember, consistency is key when it comes to offering your agent services. For more tips, check out our guide on how to get clients.
What are the pros and cons of hiring a real estate agent?
Taking on a new agent contributes to the success of your real estate team. Your recruit can be a top-producing agent, which means more recognition and referrals for your brokerage. Of course, the flip side is that hiring the wrong agent or someone who doesn’t fit into your brokerage’s culture can cost you time and money.
How do you get leads on Zillow?
Generating leads on Zillow is all about putting yourself out there. Build a solid Zillow Premier Agent profile, claim your listings, and keep your profile active to access top ad spots and boost your exposure. For more information, read our article on how to advertise on Zillow.
Bringing It All Together
All teams and brokerages face attrition. Losing agents over time means you’ll need a plan for recruiting real estate agents to maintain market share. Ultimately, your success lies in communicating your team or brokerage’s services to agents.Now that you’ve started a brokerage and know how to recruit real estate agents, I hope this guide will help you streamline your recruiting process. What are your secrets to recruiting real estate agents? Let us know in the comments!
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