Top Training Topics for Realtors

In late 2015, we conducted about 120 interviews with brokers from all over the country about their priorities and goals for the coming year. One of the major things we discussed and asked these brokers was what they were planning on training and educating their about agents in this year. Not only does this indicate what skills they're looking for in agents they're recruiting, but it gives you a good idea of what brokerages' priorities are when it comes to what they want their agents working on.

Some of these top priorities included Contracts, Sales/Leads/Referral generating strategies, and New Media. While training in something like how to handle contracts may seem like a no brainer, the other two may come as a bit more of a surprise—because what's "New Media" considered to be anyway? We'll break it all down for you.

2016 Top Training Topics for Realtors

Two of these skills are near and dear to our heart: understanding new media and lead generation and referral strategies. If these sound like something outside of the normal realm of what agents do, then read on. We can assure you that having a better understanding of these areas not only makes agents more profitable, but also more attractive to brokerages looking to recruit.

Sales/Leads/Referral Generating Strategies:

Real estate agents are expecting 49% of their leads this year to come from referrals. That's nearly half! And it's one of many reasons why getting training in how to generate those leads and referrals is such a hot training topic. Plus, making sales is no longer an in-person game; so much of it now lives online and understanding how to leverage the online platforms into growing real-life business relationships with potential clients is now a necessary skill.

We're going well beyond the famous billboard or Realtor headshot on the bus stop bench here. Generating qualified leads is no mean feat and when the competition is all online and fighting to grab prospective leads, things can get a little bit scrappy. So what's the training all about then? Well to start, understanding what a qualified leads looks like for you and your brokerage is big part of those lead generating strategies.

Without that knowledge, you're left grasping at folks who may not quite fit the bill or, worse, aren't interested at all. While it's always a good idea to have folks in your sales pipeline, filling your pipeline with leads that won't pan out is never the best use of your time or energy. Instead, be scrupulous and organized in managing your leads and referrals and don't hesitate to share the love by referring a potential client to a fellow agent who may be better suited to assist them with their needs.

New Media:

Otherwise known as online resources and tools, we're surprised that this is one of the lower priorities on the list despite all the signs pointing towards our online lifestyles. In a world where at least 80% of all potential home buyers are doing their research online as they search for homes, it shows that a greater understanding of what goes into optimizing your online presence is all the more important.

Across the board, we found that, more often than not, the brokers we spoke to were looking for their agents to have as good an understanding of Facebook as possible. You may be shocked, but Facebook can be a great source for inbound leads. Establishing a presence on the platform as a Realtor is key in making yourself discoverable to those who are searching online for their next agent.

Think about it this way—how often have you begun an online research journey after you've been recommended someone or something by a friend? Whether it's a service, a new restaurant or a product, chances are that you searched a bit online about it first. If you were recommended to someone like a Realtor and you couldn't find any mention of them online, wouldn't you be a bit skeptical?

Understanding the importance of social media strategies for platforms like Facebook and Twitter and how to leverage them is a key step in conquering the world of 'new media' as an agent.

Looking for more insights to further understand what brokerages are looking for this year and what their priorities will be moving forward?

Download our Real Estate Brokerage Priorities Guide

To view the original article, visit the Contactually blog.