When transaction volume was cut in half in 2023, we all got to see peoples true colors.
Team leaders figured out which agents were really winners, people who they could continue to elevate and grow.
They figured out who of their staff is cut out for the job, and who is not.
From my vantage point, I got a really clear picture of which of those team leaders are really serious about this business.
And I've seen some incredible things. Leaders stepping up, doing all the right things, persevering because they have a vision and they're committed to it.
One of the coolest stories is someone you maybe haven't heard of (or maybe you have, recently, because we've all wanted to hear from him on stage), but Steven Myers is absolutely dominating in his business over in Wichita, Kansas.
Look at these year over year growth numbers. In THIS market!
I've got dozens of other stories I could share from the clients I work with closely. It's just fun to watch. There's nothing that gets me more excited than winning in business.
And success leaves clues.
Fundamentals, fundamentals, fundamentals
One of the things we do over here at Sisu is constantly pour over the numbers, looking at who is winning, figuring out what the clues are (we call them fundamentals) and help other teams we work with to execute on those same fundamentals.
We focus on fundamentals because they are simple. Bite sized. Things you can do today. They're not rocket science. Which is funny, because Steven from the story above is an actual rocket scientist. That's what he did before real estate.
But one of his super powers is keeping things simple. Bite sized. Fundamentals.
You see it all over in his numbers and processes.
One trend sticks out above them all
It's the people in your business who determine how far you go.
If you get the Who right, the How typically follows.
And attracting the right people comes down to a couple really important leadership traits that these excellent team leaders possess.
They are not afraid to hold anyone accountable, starting with themselves
Lots of team leaders in this industry are too afraid to hold their agents accountable. They're afraid people will leave them, and they're not attracting enough people to fill their seats if they do.
But what they don't realize is that accountability is the answer to agent attraction. It is the secret to leadership.
The right people, the people you really want to attract into your business—these are the people who want a fire lit under them. They want someone to hold them accountable. They want Hard. They want to grow.
So when your recruiting pitches revolve around splits, lead gen, and operational services... well, you actually push these people away. They want to be led. And there are few team leaders in any given market who will lead somebody by holding them accountable.
They get people What They Want
You can't make someone want something, but you can find people who want things that align with what you want.
This is how individuals with strong personalities become unstoppable teams.
Being able to figure out what somebody wants is a huge strength. Knowing how to actually get it for them is a superpower.
I've found a way to set the bar for this from the very first time I meet with an agent (I've now coached multiple cohorts of agents, all of whom become team/pod leaders).
- When you first meet with them, you ask how much money they want to make. What's a number that gets them excited? What is a number that they are not willing to fall below?
- Why do they want that? What will it do for them in their life?
- I think it's a great goal. I've built this business from the ground up to help people like you hit those same goals, and we're having tremendous success. You can see it in our dashboards here. So the only question is... how bad do you want it? Do you kind of want to make 200k this year, or do you really want to make 200k this year?"
"Great. So do I have permission to hold you accountable, even be a little tough on you, so that you can hit your goal?"You communicate expectations properly about how you will help them hit that goal.
- I think it's a great goal. I've built this business from the ground up to help people like you hit those same goals, and we're having tremendous success. You can see it in our dashboards here. So the only question is... how bad do you want it? Do you kind of want to make 200k this year, or do you really want to make 200k this year?"
This little exercise makes a huge difference. It resets expectations. It allows me to speak truth to them 24/7, even when it's the hard truth, because they know that this accountability comes from a place of Love and wanting them to get What They Want.
They are relentless and loud in proving that they get people What They Want
These team owners are LOUD!
And it's easy to be loud when they have a lot to be excited about, when they are dominating their markets.
But even if you're in a tough spot, you can be loud about the little wins. Internally to help with retention and culture, externally to help with attraction.
Their social media profiles celebrate agents who are dominating. Those who are executing on the Fundamentals at scale.
When they role out a new lead source, they are loud as soon as somebody sets an appointment or has a buyer go UC in that new lead source.
They have all the data that they need to know exactly who is winning and exactly how they are winning (most team leaders have this massive blindspot, but not them).
It's not boastful. It's celebrating success, celebrating the agents on your team who are out there winning.
And it inspires people who want to win, too.
A few ways to start today
- Take a few minutes in your next agent one on ones (or, your next meeting with your sales manager if you have someone else doing one on ones). Use 10-20 minutes to reset on what they want, and recommit to helping them get that. You'll unlock the key to accountability.
- Get your numbers right. If you can't tell me how many appointments were set last week, and how many of those have held, you just don't have enough information to help people get What They Want.
- In addition to conversion between stages, you should have an overall picture of conversion. Metrics like conversation>appointment, or conversation>signed, or conversation>closed. The answer to improving those numbers is usually intuitive—once you're grounded in a reality of what's actually happening.
- Make your data visually appealing, so it's easy to share. Numbers create credibility. If your numbers are good and aesthetically pleasing, you'll be able to celebrate success much more effectively.
Getting your numbers right should be effortless. If it's something you're banging your head against...
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