Almost everybody on the team knows what they have to do – Property Managers, Receptionists, Secretaries, BDMs; etc.
The reason they know what they have to do is because these roles have clear job descriptions. The people in these roles know what they have to do and they know that any competent leader will not accept paying salaries to people who do not perform their roles competently.
But what about salespeople? It is clear that many either do not know what is required of their roles, or if they do, they are refusing to do the actions required of their roles.
Could the problem be that leaders do not give their salespeople clear job descriptions? Have you ever seen a job description for a salesperson?
How often have you heard salespeople say, “I know what I’m supposed to do – I’m just not doing it“? I have heard this many times, and always the salespeople who said it did so in a tone that indicated they thought this was acceptable. It was as though they wanted you to feel sorry for them.
Since when did Sales become a democracy?
Salespeople enjoy a lot of autonomy. But this does not exempt them from performing duties specific to their roles. Since when does an employee get to decide what tasks in their job description they won’t do? I bet you they didn’t tell you that in their interview!
You pay for action. Every person in your agency is expected to do what they are paid to do. This must include salespeople.
Smart real estate agency leadership gives salespeople two options only:
- Do the actions you are paid to do, or…
- Resign
You run a real estate business. Are you serious about results? If so, then you will be serious about actions. Salespeople must:
- Prospect – talk to people. Look for new business every day.
- List – competently and honestly.
- Coach sellers so they come to understand the market, and price their properties accordingly.
- Show properties priced to sell in today’s market to qualified buyers.
- Negotiate and close sales.
To salespeople who say, “I know what I’m supposed to do, but I’m just not doing it“. I say, “Do what you are paid to do, or leave“.
I regularly poll leaders during my real estate agency profit webinars. Almost always, eighty percent of responding leaders said they would like their salespeople to do more prospecting. Often this figure is 100 percent.
Some leaders have said that I’m too radical by insisting that salespeople do what they are paid to do. But recently I saw two offices close their doors because the leaders of those offices were too weak to fire people who did not do what they were paid to do.
Going broke is pretty radical too, wouldn’t you say?