Real Estate Recruiting Do's & Don'ts

SmartSetter has teamed up with the world renowned recruiting coach, Judy LaDeur, to create a foundational course for recruiting real estate agents.
With over 30 years of experience, Coach Judy brings the knowledge and skills to help you hit your recruiting goals, no matter how big or small they may be. Especially when utilizing SmartSetter to assist with your initial outreach to agents in your market.
The first course in our four-part Best Recruiter Bootcamp series focuses on Coach Judy’s Recruiting Do’s & Don’ts.
Keep reading or watch the recording from our live webinar for essential tips to help you become a recruiting superstar, especially when utilizing the SmartSetter team for your cold calls!
How SmartSetter Helps You
With SmartSetter’s three step approach, recruiting agents is simplified.
- We call thousands of prospects for you.
- We provide the first screening of potential candidates.
- We book qualified candidates on your calendar.
Once you connect with the candidate, you can quickly determine which reason the potential prospect took the call in the first place. Either they are very unhappy with their current position, they are mildly unsatisfied with where they work or they are content where they are right now but are open to hearing what else is out there.

Don’t: Pitch On The First Call
Since the goal of the first discussion is to set the meeting, don’t try to explain your systems, talk about commission or money, or pitch your company at that time. Instead, always make sure that you ask the right questions to set the in-person meeting.
Do: Keep It Short
Shorter calls are more likely to end in a set meeting. Create interest with the potential candidate by not revealing too much while still creating interest, leading to setting the faceto-face meeting up for them to get the answers they need.
Don’t: Stray From The Script
Think about what you do really well that impacts an agent’s career, that saves an agent’s time or improves their business. Use those ideas to create a list of 3-5 questions around those opportunities or qualities, like:
- Are you utilizing the various technologies that are available to generate new business? (use if you have new technology)
- How many listing appointments do you go on each month that you do not get for any reason? What if we could help you convert some of those into secured listings? (if the answer is yes, then confirm 2nd answer without explaining how)
- Is your current CRM connected to a platform that connects your tools and saves you time? (use if yours is effective)
- Who is helping you with your business plan, and do they keep it moving?(use if your office does well)
- What does your current marketing campaign look like? What does your marketing support look like? (use if your brokerage can offer this value)

Don’t: End Call Without Setting Up A Meeting
Thank the agent for sharing information about their business and let them know you want to meet in person to talk about what they are missing out on in their own business.
Do: Follow Up Religiously
Rebook quickly if meeting gets canceled. Research shows us that 50% of agents who join an office do so because of effective follow-up after a recruiting meeting. If they came into the meeting not intending to move at all but heard interesting, compelling information, strong follow-up might encourage them to consider your offer, including:
- Frequent check-ins based on perceived interest
- Sending out video and other marketing efforts to show what you do well
- Engagement on social media with agents
- Social event invitations
- Ongoing outreach
Don’t: Give Up on No Shows
If the agent just forgets, they may be really busy or totally focused on their work. Sometimes no shows happen because they have second thoughts but don’t cancel. Always try to rebook no shows quickly after determining why they didn’t show.
Q & A:
“How do I handle agents who want to discuss money before I book the meeting?”
Since some agents need the data to decide, don’t dismiss this inquiry. Address the question with an acknowledgment that they are looking for a solid number and note that you will discuss it in person. Compare that question to a potential client asking upfront exact details on their own home sale (knowing that agents can’t predict that exactly before meeting the client and seeing the home.)
Don’t Miss: Course 2
Our following session focuses on understanding agent personality types and learning how to work well with each type.