When Floyd Wickman started his real estate training crusade, his #1 motivation to help others came directly from personal experience. His first year in real estate was a case study in being allowed to fail, until one morning he awoke with a revelation, "Hey, I'm being allowed to fail, and the truth is, I would have done anything they made me do until it became a habit!"

He looked for and found a new manager, one who was able to remove the option to fail. How? By training, directing and motivating. Floyd's second manager motivated him to become a listing agent. He directed Floyd's activities toward listing. And he taught Floyd the dialogue needed to be an effective listing agent. For the next seven years in a row, Floyd produced an average of 86 listings a year.

A lot has changed since Floyd established that remarkable track record, but there are certain timeless principles that have not changed. Listings are still the name of the game.

So, here's a challenge, if you are a broker, owner or manager. Please take a look at your agent roster, and look at who is and who isn't contributing to your listing inventory. Why are so many of your agents unable to get listings? Why are so many of your agents unable to get listings priced right and for full commission?

Unlike today, Floyd didn't have the luxury of buying listing leads. He cold call prospected and scheduled five listing appointments a week, and usually closed two out of five. Agents today can skip prospecting for leads and just buy them.  The drawbacks to buying leads include the expense, the unpredictable quality and the dependence it creates. But back then, Floyd had more time than money. How many of your agents are in that same boat?

In truth, the biggest difference between then and now, is that today almost every step of the process to get to the Seller's front door has been digitized, automated and outsourced. But once you get in the door, face to face, you need those timeless selling skills and dialogue to be an effective listing agent.

What did Floyd learn from going on 1500 listing appointments? He learned what to say, how to say it and when to say it to the right people to get listings. Successful listing presentations are a lot like show business and the kitchen table is our stage.

If your income and success is determined by the productivity of your agents, by all means equip them with the technology they need. But don't forget selling skills and dialogue. They are the real reason why so few get so many and so many end up with so few.

Floyd Wickman dialogue and selling skills can be delivered to your agents through the all new digital course, the livestream program or the live classroom program. Call us for a free training evaluation. 734-637-4030.

The Floyd Wickman Team blog by Mike Pallin