John,

Great advice!!!

Amen!  Well said!

I am a broker at a smaller firm, I get asked on a daily basis, why join us versus the bigger franchises?

All agents that have joined us so far tell me that they are so much happier, because of the personalized attention they get versus drowning in the 80%.

But, like you stated, it has to be in the individual's heart to succeed first and foremost.

Thanks for the great post!

Eveline

John, I strongly agree with you. I'm with the Keyes company and they offer plenty of education. And I can't tell you how many agents don't use that education. I strive to do the best that I can do. Try to compete with the top producers will just drive you insane.

Thanks

I also agree, I have been in the business for 2 years now and currently with a smaller firm. There are 3 agents and our BIC. It is so much easier being a name than just a number. While we are not RE/Mart the job gets done and everyone seems more satisfied.

Good Luck!

John, good comments but while you are on a high emotionally - please be considerate of other agents real estate affiliation decisions.  

One is affiliated with the company that suits their needs.  This world is full of problems and if Ron so chooses to be affiliated with KW, then don't slam him.  There are no rights or wrongs.  It's what fits the needs at the moment.  

I love Broward County and am glad you are in the top 20%.  Every agent's personality is different.  However, some people don't need to be in the top 20% to be successful in their own right.  

Best, Barb Van

John:

Great comments.  It really hits home.

I sit on both sides of the KW fence.  Keller Williams is an enormously successful company in some markets.  Their guiding principles, innovative online and campus training, their seemingly endless array of marketing materials, their singularly customized Top Producer program, and 70/30 commission split with an annual company cap of only 30K (you're on 100% commission after your gross annual commission reaches 100K) - are all right on track.

However, and it's a big however - John hit it on the nose about recruiting.  I was a Team Leader for Keller Williams and it was one of my responsibilities to recruit agents.  I can tell you firsthand that Keller Williams will hire anybody.  They even jokingly referred to it as agents having to pass the 'fog the mirror' test.

Further, when a KW office opens there is a mad rush to get to 60 agents, because by company charter - you HAVE to have at least 60 agents in the 1st year of a franchise to continue to be blessed by corporate.  There is such a rush to "recruit" that it became embarrassing.  I have seen KW agents march into open houses held by competitors and hand out business cards.  I had an agent who accosted a potential new agent outside my office, telling them not to talk to me, because they wanted to "sponsor" them.

We had a "team" of 80 agents.  Of those 80, 5 had the potential to "cap" or reach the 100K mark.  Another 50 percent perhaps sold 1 if not 2 properties a year, and the rest well, they must have had medical problems that didn't allow exposure to sunshine because I never saw them.   I left KW because I didn't even view them as a real estate company.  When you have 80 agents who are collectively selling 10 houses a month, there is something very wrong.

The 80/20 rule?  I would call it the 93/7 rule to be honest.  And through my brief 4 year career in real estate, I wouldnt just pin it on KW either.  Prudential, Coldwell Banker, ERA and the rest seem to afflicted with the same apathy.

A rule that might be followed.  If you're working for a company, and selling a house or property is an actual event, you're in the wrong place.

Well said.

You hit the bulls eye!  So, do you know Bernice Ross?  She has a 93/7 slogan.  

Total agreement.  Thanks for the great summation.

I don't think he was slamming Ron for being with KW, per se.  I think it was intended to be directed at the reply from Ron the other day on Fabiany’s Koski’s post asking for advice on what he could do to improve his level of success.  Ron's advice was to join KW.  :)  I am assuming that was the basis of his comments.  

Marcia

It's a great principle, but if you don't mind me saying it actually goes way beyond just sales ranking.  It deals with "success" in how we do things as well.  80% of the result is acheived by 20% of what we do.  So for example, focusing on education and organization can often result in much higher productivity in business and therefore . . . greater sales results.

Tell it brother!

Amen!

Very cool new pic, Brian. John - you have the insight. A motivational speaker for R/E said only 1% of his audience would do the tasks he was going to tell us to do to be successful. Your pic is cool too.

Hey, Helmer! I see you are in NJ. I also see a builder has created a new web site with a listing and an opportunity to give a handshake to me. How do you handle those - handshakes?

Hey Gregory!  What were the tasks??  I try to be a 1%er!  That might make a great topic for a new thread!!

Hi - I am a broker since 1976 in a small firm of 7 people.  I am the Broker of Record.  I enjoyed this article very much.  Can some fill me in on what a minute firm is? please.

Thank you for sharing your ideas, they are very helpful.  I've worked with many sales people in my years, and find that people who succeed just want to be the best, and they are!

Anna Mae McPhail, Broker of Record

Marcia, I can't remember the guy. It was in the Atlantic City convention prior to the Do Not Call list. The guy was selling his "program" at the back of the room and telling us just how many calls, the time of day to make the calls, how to get over the rejection. I didn't stay for his full sales talk, but I remember how he opened the show! I've been pretty much at the bottom of the top 10 or 20 percent of real estate agents in my area depending if I spent too much time at the water cooler.

Thank you for the compliment Greg!

Brian my boss wants me to update (what she callls) my High School picture. Now, maybe I will.