Centralize Agent Databases

"I've decided to leave," Beth said in a shaky tone. "It's nothing against you, the company or anything like that. I've just decided to make a change."

Beth wasn't the first agent that I had lost, but was definitely one of my favorites. She was a good producer, took advantage of the classes and training we had to offer and knew the technology better than anyone. After my attempts to dissuade her failed, I had to ask what my competition brought to the table that we didn't.

"They market my database for me," she started. "They upload my contacts into their system and a couple of times each month they send out a well-written email to them branded with my information."

My jaw hit the floor. Didn't she know she was giving away the lifeblood of her business! How could an agent give this responsibility to their company? No agent would ever grant their broker this, right?

Fast forward two years to find me sitting at a desk working for that company in question, formulating a content marketing plan that would take the responsibility of marketing off of our agent population, present them as knowledgeable, consummate professionals and most importantly—manage our company brand in the eyes of hundreds of thousands of consumers. I, much like Beth, now understand the value of a company-managed email marketing program and how this empowered agents to focus on doing real estate and stop trying to market.

I've told this story to hundreds of brokers at conferences and gatherings over the years, and 99 percent of them responded with the same shocked look of disbelief.