Share
Yes, we know; fourth quarters happen at the end of the year when everyone is exhausted from working hard all year long and when your agents are distracted by seemingly endless family and holiday commitments. But you can use that exhaustion and distraction to your firm and your agents’ advantage. Because every agent is exhausted and distracted, not just those at your company.
Research shows that the average number of days agents work from now until the end of the year is between 40 and 43. This reduced number of working days means that your agents will have less competition on the days they work than they had in the previous three quarters.
Use those reduced working days to your advantage and buy a large calendar that has a lot of room to write on each remaining day. Post that calendar in your office where every agent and staff member can see it easily. Ask your agents to write their name under the dates they intend to work so they and everyone else can see their own schedules.
Two pieces of good news here: Your agents will see with their own eyes that they are giving themselves specific days away from work to focus on family, friends, parties, entertaining, and shopping. And your agents will see the reason to focus on “working” at work, not allowing themselves to be distracted.
Next, give your agents a fourth-quarter fact sheet with a compilation of local sales statistics. Feel free to also share the following information:
- All the overpriced homes that didn’t sell in late summer and early fall are going into the expired listings bin. Because there are fewer agents working fewer hours, competition to get those expired listings is less.
- Eighty percent of an agent’s business comes from 20 percent of an agent’s top clients. Your agents should take this time to call their top clients for repeat and referral business.
Then, make and post a list of your firm’s fourth-quarter goals near the giant calendar you’ve posted so they’re easily visible. Then everyone will choose for themselves how much they can contribute to accomplishing those goals and, therefore, feel good about themselves for helping to accomplish those group or brokerage goals.
Goals can be the…
- Number of leads contacted
- Number of leads generated
- Number of qualified leads
- Number of pending deals
- Number of closed deals
Make sure there is space for everyone to record the number of leads they contact, leads they generate, leads they qualify, and pending and closed deals for which they are responsible. This record-keeping (or scorecard, if you will) is an easy way for everyone to be accountable to themselves and the group in helping to accomplish the brokerage goals.
As the broker-owner or manager, be Santa every day and bring in great, wholesome munchies or lunches so people can graze while they work. (Avoid cookies and candy as everyone’s eating too much of those things at parties already.) They’ll appreciate your thoughtfulness and won’t have to go out to eat.
Invite your agents to join you in cohosting a Thanksgiving food drive for a neighborhood shelter or a holiday toy drive for a local charity or child care center. This is a great time of the year to embody the holiday spirit by being generous with your time and energy. Plus, you, your agents, and your brand will develop a reputation for giving back and being part of your community in a proactive way. Any organization will welcome your generous actions and, perhaps, may even publicize your efforts and refer clients to your firm.
Lastly, know that everything you and your agents do now to make this fourth quarter your firm’s best will set the stage for next year. Help sharpen the focus of your team by sharing specific facts (fact sheet), lists (goals), accountability tools (calendar, scorecard), and by being generous.
“Do onto others…” and create your company’s best fourth quarter yet.
