{Broker Best Practices} Leveling the Playing Field
by John Voket
No. 1 tip for getting buyers and sellers to work together: Be proactive, not reactive. Put aside your ego and help clients discover solutions to the problem(s) at hand.
Chris and Alicia Parker Broker/Owners RE/MAX® Incompass West Chester Township, Ohio https://incompass-west-chester-oh.remax.com Region served: Southwestern Ohio Years in business: Chris: 10; Alicia: 10 Number of offices: 2 Number of agents: 17 Best time management tip: Focus on the priorities only you should complete and delegate the rest. Key to running a successful meeting: Determine your goals, have an agenda and take notes to send to everyone afterward with an actionable item if appropriate. And get feedback whenever possible. Most successful recruiting technique: Listen to the agents you’re looking to recruit and learn about their specific hopes, dreams and aspirations so that you can determine a plan to set them up for success.
82 March 2021 RISMedia’s REAL ESTATE
What is the biggest challenge the pandemic presented to you and your team? Our biggest challenge was trying to run a thriving real estate office while being disconnected physically from our sales team and administrative staff. We were able to accomplish this virtually, however, nothing beats interacting in person with your clients and colleagues. Why did you decide to convert to RE/MAX? Operating an independent brokerage helped us appreciate being in business for ourselves, not by ourselves. While we felt that it was going to be difficult to grow our independent brand and keep up with technology, we wanted to focus on what was most important, which was growing our sales team and providing support to set them up for success with the best brand in the industry. On the surface, nobody likes change, but there is comfort in knowing that the RE/MAX brand is predominant across the industry and at the consumer level. What do you find most valuable about being affiliated with RE/MAX? It’s nice to be part of something bigger. As a RE/MAX
“Listen to the agents you’re looking to recruit and learn about their specific hopes, dreams and aspirations so that you can determine a plan to set them up for success.” – CHRIS AND ALICIA PARKER Broker/Owners, RE/MAX® Incompass
franchise, we are not just a local brand, but national and even international. Not only do we appreciate being able to communicate with others in the field who are facing the same challenges, but it’s great to be able to refer a deal to a RE/MAX agent in Seoul, South Korea.
How has the RE/MAX conversion impacted your business overall? It has put us on the same playing field as other big brands. We have a much better chance of competing as a RE/MAX franchise than we did as an independent in regard to recruiting, developing and retaining agents. The RE/MAX brand also helps agents convert prospects into clients because they don’t have to explain who we are anymore.
For more information, please visit www.remax.com.
