net vs gross of the typical top producer. 100+ units per year. On a panel discussion most of these 'mega' agents were netting around 30%. They were all marketing based, branding type agents. Buss benches, trucks etc. However, there was 1 mega agent who had a total expense of 36%. His business was based around prospecting, team prospecting. He had NO branding. He still delegated and had a team.
Why do some of us go the marketing route while others the prospecting route. WHY dont most 100+ a year agents do both?

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Tim and Julie Harris

Most realtors are order takers not salespeople. It's easier to spend money in marketing and hope and wait for the phone to ring. It takes a real salesman to go out and hunt/prospect.

bmanhour

sounds like the type of opnion that will get some real coversation started..THANKS!

Here is my take on this (under the title of 'for what its worth'). I remember many agents who spent zillions of dollars on branding this and marketing that. Personal promotion...you name it. Some of the marketing stuff that they had was simply amazing....TV commercials, really nice personal brochures. But, in a one on one conversation they had NO personality. No energy, no enthusiasm.....and as someone just mentioned NO SALES SKILLS. The idea that you will be flooded with leads and as a result you will become wealthy is nuts. No skills = No sales.

Had they knew the basics they would of been amazing.

Who else has a thought on this??

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Tim and Julie Harris

The best example of my comment is on Bravo.

"Million Dollar Listings". Those realtors are suppose to be tops in their area, but they show no sales skills whatsoever. Even the most obvious, "overcoming objections" is never executed.

This show should be an embarrassment to realtors, but most probably don't see it. Have to know sales to see lack of selling skills!

bmanhour

I watched that as well.......very very painful. NO skills what so ever and HUGE egos. I kept telling myself that the producers probably made them look that bad vs them actually being that bad. I am an optimist.

In THIS market where homes dont sell them selves...agents like that are....well, done. Having sold in the #1 State in the nation for foreclosures (#3 for alcoholisim, we are very proud) I assure you that if you dont have a very high level of sales skills you wont last.

from a coaching perspective the biggest challenge that most agents are dealing with is the idea that you only work with the sellers that HAVE TO sell. The WANT TOs wont.

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Tim and Julie Harris

I believe that everyone does what they personally do for their own reasons...and that doesn't make it right but there is no "real" answer here. Many of the top agents couldn't build their business fast enough by simply prospecting but with success based image marketing they could reach a very broad market faster and they could get the clients calling them instead of the agent calling the client. Either way if you can't sell or close you are going nowhere except out of business.
The more successful agents of today have merged the two together and can do big sales numbers with a fairly low overhead if they are truly a success based team and not an ego based team.

Sam Miller

I started out being marketing based, with a minimal amount of prospecting. I also put myself in front of buyers or sellers at open houses. Marketing worked for me--I would like to think I have a personality and wasn't hiding behind the post card, etc. ha Now, I do both...daily. I think most go to the extreme on one way (referral only, just marketing and no prospecting, or just prospecting (cold calling) and no marketing). Agents need to be diverse in their lead generation sources. First and foremost the best way to get business and keep the business coming in is by building relationships. Main thing is to hold the money you spend accountable. If it's marketing based and costly, yet it really works and generates lots of business, then go for it. Marketing to my sphere or data base has proven to be money well spent.

Jana Caudill