Big Ask and Small Ask Options

by | Jan 14, 2026

Much of the real estate industry is transaction-based. And transactions are either “go” or “no-go.”

You either get the listing, or you don’t.

Your client’s offer is accepted, or it’s not.

If you don’t close the deal, the opportunity evaporates.

But recruiting operates at a different cadence and treating it like a transaction diminishes results.

It often takes several months for an experienced agent to leave their broker, and there are usually fits and starts along the way.

When you’re concluding a recruiting appointment, it’s important to close (big ask), but have some options prepared (small asks) in case your prospect is not ready to move forward.

Big Ask:  Based on what we discussed today, can we get the paperwork started to get your license transferred?

If the prospect says no:

Small Asks:  I understand this is a big decision, and you may need to think about it some more. Would you be open to attending our sales meeting next week, so you can get a better feel for our culture?

Or:

We have our circle prospecting training on Friday. You could join online and see how we train our agents to get more listings. Are you available?

If a prospect says “yes” to the big ask, you scored a hire.

If they say “no” to the big ask, they’re much more likely to say “yes” to one of the small asks because they want to alleviate the discomfort the first rejection caused.

For you, it’s a double win. You get to find out if the prospect is ready to move and keep the opportunity alive if they’re not.

 

The Simple Psychology of Real Estate Recruiting [2nd Edition]

Unlock the secrets of effective real estate recruiting. Revised to include actionable frameworks for sharper execution and to help you turn psychological theory into a repeatable recruiting system.

The Library Effect

The Library Effect

The Library Effect is something you can easily apply to recruiting, and it’s one of the reasons that accountability groups are so effective.

Just getting together with other hiring managers and recruiting for a set period of time each week will short-circuit many of your recruiting excuses.