Attracting agents

Wayne Kouf, managing broker with @properties, is systematic in his approach and sets a daily goal of reaching out to two prospective recruits every day. Having a regular schedule makes the task of recruiting manageable.

“I’ve learned over the years that if I have a goal of calling 10 people every week, if I wait until Friday afternoon to make those calls, it’s going to become overwhelming and I won’t do it,” Kouf says. “Agents are the same way. What I teach agents and what I practice is to chip away at it.”

Karen Arenson, managing broker with Coldwell Banker’s Winnetka office, takes a relationship-building approach to recruiting. She goes out with her agents two mornings each week to tour properties that they have listed so that can show her support. Often, it gives her an opportunity to meet other agents and begin developing relationships with them that sometimes will lead to her bringing them on board when they decide they’re ready for a change.

“I’m not out there trying to pick off agents from another brokerage,” Arenson says. “My strategy is not to plant the seed of questioning their current situation. It’s to let them know that we have a phenomenal situation here and if they’re ever unhappy, they should choose us. I guess that’s a passive approach, but it’s also pretty aggressive in terms of believing in building those relationships.”