Keith Robertson recently published an article highlighting the two ways to be successful as an agent.
The Grind: Gary Ashton and Debra Beagle built the #1 RE/MAX team in the world by creating a machine that generates leads, and then follows-up with them 38 times (on average) before a lead converts to an appointment.
The Garden: Charlie Wills built a successful business by focusing his attention on just 100 prospects and repeat customers. He uses this priority contact pyramid: Top 10–touched daily. Top 25–weekly. Next 25–weekly. Business circle–monthly.
According to Keith, the Grind is wide, fast, and relentless; the Garden is narrow, deep, and human.
Can the same framework be applied to experienced agent recruiting?
Absolutely.
In the Recruiting Grind, leads are generated via cold calls, and it takes about 70 outbound calls to schedule one appointment.
The grinders are looking for agents in crisis or someone who will respond to a very specific, promotional type of value proposition.
In the Recruiting Garden, leads are generated through referral, and it takes about 12 outbound touches to schedule one appointment.
After a lead is generated, the gardeners are pseudo-managing, offering customized value, and doing the things their own managers are too busy to do.
Both approaches work, and neither is easy.
In both arenas, successful hiring managers show up every day, stick to the plan, do the work consistently, and execute better than their competitors.
Those who fail usually try a little bit of both models hoping to find a shortcut.
That never works.
