Why training is vital in an ever-changing industry

by Steph Rady

Today’s agents are faced with the need to differentiate in order to compete and survive in this challenging market. At a critical time where every enquiry and listing counts, having a recognised qualification with post-nominals (letters after their name), not only helps your business to stand out, but also ensures you employ and develop the highest performers in your area.

Investing in people has never been more vital to estate agency, especially with recruitment becoming tougher across all industries and businesses looking at alternative solutions to full time employees, such as virtual assistants or the self-employed model.

We spoke to industry renowned trainer Charlotte Jeffrey-Campbell at The Able Agent about the importance and benefits of training and development in estate agency, here’s what they had to say…

“A well-trained lister will be able to guide customers through the entire listing process. From prospecting and the very first conversation with a customer to objection handling, lister training is designed to help agents to identify any potential problems early on, in order to significantly reduce fall-through rates and increase the number of properties that go to completion.

By truly understanding the needs of their clients, a successful agent can talk in an advisory capacity and become a trusted partner in the transaction; earning this reputation also gives them preferred agent status in their local area.”

Marketing and lead generation play a pivotal role in the success and growth of any business, but how your team handles your leads is paramount to the success of not only your marketing campaigns, but your business as a whole.

Are you confident your leads are being followed up in a timely manner? Have you listened to your team on the phone? Could their pitch be improved? How about follow up? Are they going for the low hanging fruit and binning leads that aren’t immediately ready to convert?

Charlotte adds:

“Today’s leads may not be quite as ‘hot’ as agents have previously been accustomed to, but I’d argue they are equally important. Agents should demonstrate the ability to develop a lead as quickly as possible, and to then nurture that lead over a longer, more sustained period of time. Those demonstrating this level of tenacity will reap the rewards. In today’s market, it’s about understanding that leads are unlikely to convert immediately, but agents must demonstrate that they can and will keep in touch.

We’re constantly coming across agents keen to upskill into different areas, and now – more than ever – having the ability to do so has never been so important. At a time when many agents have reduced headcount, and we are seeing an overall skills shortage, it has become vital for agency owners and managers to train their teams to succeed and to meet the changing customer expectations. We’re hearing time and again about the true value that is being placed on training.”

If you’re interested in learning more about the courses available for developing and upskilling estate agents, click here for an exclusive special offer.

For any further information on marketing, lead generation, and converting and nurturing leads, get in touch with the team today for a no obligation chat: 0208 663 4930 or email team@valpal.co.uk