How to Hold Sales Meetings Your Agents Will Attend (And Love)
I’m going to take a shot in the dark here and say you wish more of your agents would show up for your sales meetings. That’s assuming, of course, you still hold sales meetings and haven’t already canceled them because of a lack of attendance.
A few weeks back, I wrote about how to get your agents to attend and use your training. One of the most common responses to that article was, “Yes, but what about getting my agents to my sales meetings?”
The question is a good one because the strategies for increasing attendance at sales meetings are different than the strategies for increasing attendance at training classes. And, sales meetings are an important component of retention, so getting agents to show up is crucial.
Feedback Doesn’t Lie
Imagine one of your agents has a listing that isn’t getting any showings or offers. If you were to give that agent advice about how to get the listing sold, you would advise one (or both) of the following:
1.) Change the marketing – price, exposure, photos, etc.
2.) Change the product – recommend updates/upgrades, stage the home, make repairs, etc.
In other words, you’d advise taking action because the market is providing clear feedback that something isn’t right.
When your agents don’t attend your sales meetings, they are providing you clear feedback as well. And, that means you need to take action to adjust your marketing or your product.
Content Matters
Changing how you market your sales meetings won’t help if the content of the meetings is bland, boring, or irrelevant. That’s why you want to start by asking yourself two questions for every agenda item you’re considering:
1.) “How does this benefit my agents?”
2.) “Is a meeting the best way to communicate it?”
Discard any agenda items that don’t have clear and compelling benefits or that would be better communicated in some way other than a meeting. Replace them with items that will stimulate group discussion, help agents make more money in less time, and create buzz in your office.
Meetings Don’t Market Themselves
High-quality meeting content is the first step to improving attendance. But, the “if you build it, they will come” strategy can only take you so far. Don’t make the mistake of assuming you can just announce your meeting and then expect agents to show.
Encourage the agents who already attend your meetings to invite their friends and colleagues. Communicate the benefits of attending instead of just announcing the day and time. Send personal invitations to the influential agents in your office.
The more resources you invest in marketing your meetings, the better attendance you’ll get.
Creativity Counts
What if you could get 70%, 80%, or even 90%, of your agents to attend every sales meeting? There are brokerages doing that right now, but not by sticking to the traditional idea of a meeting. Instead, they’re getting creative by holding meetings:
In the early evening and encouraging agents to bring a bottle of wine or a six-pack of beer to share with the group
At offsite places like the beach, a mini-golf course, Dave & Busters, bowling alley, etc.
With local entertainers, business leaders, or celebrities putting on brief shows or giving short speeches before, during, or after the meeting
Consider how you could get creative with your sales meetings. And, imagine the buzz you would generate both with your agents and recruits by doing so.
P.S. – Be sure your sales meetings match your office culture. For example, if you would describe your office as “social”, the worst thing you can do is hold a meeting where you stand in front of the room and talk for an hour (no matter how good the content). Instead, focus on generating group interaction and consider holding your meeting in a social environment (like a restaurant or bar).
