The desire to succeed in real estate may be an agents best incentive to pursue advanced education.
By Regina Ludes
My goal is to have every agent I hire earn the CRS Designation within two years of joining our firm, says Freddy Rodriguez, CRS, a broker with RE/MAX Inner Loop in Houston.
Since converting his brokerage to the RE/MAX franchise a year ago, Rodriguez oversees agent recruitment, retention and training for the growing agency. When hiring new agents, he pays close attention to the way they present themselves in interviews and considers their potential as future CRSs.
I tell them that there are 16,000 agents in our local market, and they are your competition. CRS education can help you differentiate yourself because only 3 percent of REALTORS® have earned the designation, Rodriguez says.
According to a 2013 survey by the National Association of REALTORS®, the median income of a REALTOR® with at least one designation was $61,100 while an agent without a designation earned only $35,500. Furthermore, 8 out of 10 real estate firms hire agents with professional certifications or designations. With so much to gain financially and professionally, why arent more agents pursuing advanced education?
CRSs like Rodriguez are working to change that. Whether offering financial incentives for taking CRS courses or providing career guidance and mentoring, CRSs who have invested time or money in an agents professional development say their efforts have paid dividends in increased agent confidence, better client relationships and improved productivity factors that can boost a companys bottom line for many years to come.
Incentive to Succeed
Rodriguez encourages newly hired agents to take CRS courses and pay for the courses upfront. Agents need to show me they are willing to invest in their education and continue growing in their careers. After showing me their completion certificate, I reimburse them 50 percent of their costs, he explains.
He also emphasizes the quality information they receive with CRS education, especially the Listings (CRS 201) and Buyers (CRS 202) courses, which he believes are the backbone of any agents business. So far, three of his 17 agents have signed up for classes, and one has earned the CRS Designation. Since the program has been in place only one year, its too soon to note any impact its had on the companys profitability. But Rodriguez says he has noticed a difference in the way agents conduct themselves. They are more engaged in the sales process and with their clients. And they are applying what they learn in their daily activities.
But Rodriguez says its still up to the individual, not the company, to develop their careers. Agents have to want to get better. Those who do will succeed, he says.
Inspire Action
Many young agents recognize that education is the key to developing profitable careers, says Gary Rogers, CRS, with RE/MAX on the Charles in Waltham, Massachusetts. The quality of education is enough to motivate agents to get started on the path to the CRS Designation. Sometimes, however, they just need a little encouragement.
Rogers, who organizes special events for the Massachusetts CRS chapter, often encourages his agents to attend chapter meetings and programs to become familiar with the organization. After attending the New England regional CRS conference in 2012, several of his agents went on to pursue the CRS Designation. The one-and-a-half-day event featured high-profile CRSs who discussed topics such as referrals, listings and team building. With the assistance of several sponsors, the event was offered for $99, which enticed many new agents to attend. Once they experienced the CRS knowledge-sharing in action, it was easy for these agents to take the next step. So far, six of Rogers 12 agents have earned the CRS Designation, and his goal is to have all of them designated eventually.
Rogers also touts the CRS referral network as a benefit and encourages his agents to use his print CRS Referral directory. After showing one particular agent in his office how to use the directory for a referral, Rogers told him afterward, You value the agents in this book because they are some of the best, right? Wouldnt you want some agent somewhere to see your name in it and think the same thing? By repeatedly showing the benefits of CRS education and referrals, Rogers believes most agents will take the next step toward the designation on their own.
Career Counselor
You dont have to supervise agents in your firm to make a difference in an agents career development. Donna Clayton Lloyd, CRS, with Townsend Real Estate in Fayetteville, North Carolina, currently counsels three people through her companys mentoring program, and she frequently meets new agents when working trade shows for the North Carolina CRS chapter.
I have never met anyone who had a clue about how to build a real estate business, develop a database or build client relationships, Lloyd says.
At trade shows, she hands out copies of the CRS Designation handbook and recommends developing a career plan for meeting all the requirements. Most people dont understand where to start. I often suggest they attend a class in person because the networking there is so invaluable, Lloyd says.
Seeing their success gives Lloyd great satisfaction, too. Giving back is hugely important to me. I want to be there for other agents in the same way that other people were there for me in my career, she says. Besides, it makes me want to be a better CRS agent, knowing that newer agents are watching me.
While offering financial incentives and career guidance can persuade novice agents to pursue advanced education, sometimes just being an example of CRS professionalism can motivate them to follow your lead.
For information about CRS classroom courses, eLearning courses and webinars, visit the CRS website.
