In Episode 36 of the Wandering But Not Lost Podcast, co-hosts Matt Emerson and Jan O’Brien continue their series on Team Building with Strategy #5 – 6 Creative Ways to Attract Agents to Your Team and Matt concludes his 5-part series on Olympic National Park. Today, part 5 – Food, Lodging, & Extras.
Key Points/Takeaways
WBNL 52 – Real Estate Team Building Strategy #5: 6 Creative Ways to Attract Agents to Your Team
Your Sphere of Influence/Database Both your initial and ongoing success in attracting agents to join your team/company will be rooted in the relationships you already have with agents in your market place.
- Who do you know in your local real estate market?
- Who are agents you have done business with in the past?
- Who knows you personally or by your business reputation?
- Ask your database for referrals to licensees they know. Send a letter or email about opportunities in joining your team/company.
Co-op Agents
Agents who have done business with your office/team will be a great resource for potential recruits.
- First call your agent to congratulate them and ask about the co-op agent. Call and thank the agent for co-operating on a sale.
- Send a personal note
- Send a closing gift – balloon bouquet, edible arrangement, etc. sent to their office
Visit Open Houses
Whenever you see a competitor’s open house sign, stop by and visit the open house and the agent. Bring water, business cards, and brochure on your company/team. Close for an appointment or at least get their card and okay to send them info about your team.
Career Landing Page
- This is a must for teams with ongoing recruiting
- Integrate an online application (Google forms is a good option)
- At a minimum, add a page on your Website or stand-alone site
- Some examples of a career (recruiting) landing page:
Advertising/Marketing
Advertising can be effective as well and can be either in print medium or Internet based. A consistent campaign over time will bring the best results rather than a one shot attempt. Some of the resources for print will include local newspapers, professional organizations, state publications of new licensees, purchased mailing lists and cooperating agents that your office has done business with.
Send an email flyer to your local Realtor Association list
Run ongoing ads on Craigslist, local online newspapers and other classified sites.
Post agent career ads on sites like:
- Indeed.com
- Glassdoor.com
- LinkedIn.com
LinkedIn Search
Use the powerful LinkedIn search to identify potential candidates based on specific niches, criteria or an area you may have in common.
TIP – You must have an All-Star Profile! Check out our free training tutorial and download here: http://wbnlcoaching.com/11-power-tips-to-an-all-star-linkedin-profile/
Wandering Zen – Olympic National Park: Food, Lodging, & Extras
In this 5-part series, we explore Olympic National Park. We’ll share our travel log, the hits, the misses, the missed, and the reasons we can’t wait to go back again. PART 5 – Food, Lodging, & Extras
We wrap up our visit to the Pacific Northwest with some info that will hopefully help you plan your stay with regard to lodging as well as some thoughts on where you can grab some grub. We planned our trip more than a year out so we had pretty much an open field as far as reservations go. We love to stay at the lodges in and around the parks and had our eye on several in Olympic NP. The reservation system was cumbersome and as we continued our search, let’s just say that we became weary of the process. That coupled with the fact that the park was so spread out we became a bit immobilized when making a decision. We didn’t have any first-hand references and simply just couldn’t make up our minds. This was an odd state of affairs. In the end, we opted for a small bed and breakfast just outside of Port Angeles and stayed there during our entire trip. It was a fantastic choice and we’ll stay there again, however, now that we have a better lay of the land and have visited the major lodges in the area we’ll spread out during our next trip. Of course, there are Air B&B, VRBO, and a variety of motels in the area, not to mention a plethora of camping options as well. Here are some of our thoughts:
Lake Crescent Lodge
Probably the most well-known place in the area is the Lake Crescent Lodge, It’s location is stunning and sit right on the lake. It was built in 1915 and boasts a variety of room types and sizes. The main lodge is rustic and comfy. There is a bar in the main lobby area and the lodge’s restaurant bustles with a very nice menu that features a bounty of local options. We made reservations one night and thoroughly enjoyed our meal. Because we didn’t plan too far ahead our timing options were limited to an early or late seating. We chose to go early and we are so glad that we did. Not only did we get a table alongside the row of windows facing the lake, but the restaurant was peaceful – an atmosphere that completely dissipated as the evening went on. The noise levels rose quickly primarily because of the low ceiling height in the room, I guess you could say that it became high-energy! The service was excellent and the food and wine delicious. I’d recommend stopping in for a bite if your schedule allows. We actually stopped at the lodge a few times as we drove through the area. The sunsets on the lake are beautiful and this would be a great place to spend time with the family along the beach, swimming in the lake and jumping off the pier and dock that juts out into the water from the lodge. Learn more – Lake Crescent Lodge
Lake Quinault Lodge
As we rolled up to the Lake Quinault Lodge I have to admit that I was a bit underwhelmed. It certainly doesn’t have a grand appearance and seemed small. To be fair, I wasn’t expecting anything like Yosemite’s Majestic Hotel, or Glacier’s Lake McDonald Lodge, but still, my immediate impression was that we dodged a bullet on this one! The interior started to tell a different story. It is every bit as rustic as you’d expect for a lodge built in 1926 but as you walked through and out the other side the lodge expanded into a beautiful piece of architecture that was positioned perfectly above a large sloping grass area that leads down to a dock and the shoreline of Lake Quinault. There was a lot of activity here too, families playing on the lawn, swimming, sunning and all of those great things that are what a summer vacation is supposed to be. The historic Roosevelt Dining Room is a nice space with many window-side tables and looks to be hopping during all hours of operation. We were there in the early afternoon and were lucky enough to grab a late lunch. The food was good, certainly not gourmet but it served its purpose and the experience gave us nice opportunity to soak in the historic feel of the place. Learn more – Lake Quinault Lodge
Kalaloch Lodge
The Kalaloch Lodge looks to be the little gem in the area. It sits right on the Pacific and is an ideal place to stay when discovering the beaches of the area. It is also well-suited for your adventures into the rainforests – both Hoh and Quinault. There are a few room options here. The main lodge, the Seacrest House and the cabins. This was high on our original list and the cabins are absolutely awesome to see in person. They are small but well appointed, most with gorgeous ocean views and each with a carport. They have a nice looking dining room which we had to pass on because we were still full from our lunch at Lake Quinault. There was something about the place that made me feel like we’d definitely be back to stay on our next trip. The location is rather perfect for exploring the western side of the park’s beaches and rainforests. Learn more – Kalaloch Lodge
Colette’s Bed & Breakfast
Sitting on the bluff above the Strait of Juan de Fuca about 10 minutes or so outside of Port Angeles is Colette’s Bed & Breakfast. This place has to be seen to be believed. It is a little piece of heaven and we are so thankful that we happened upon it. There are only 5 rooms here and you feel like you are in another world. The gardens are meticulously landscaped and rival just about any garden I’ve seen, private or public. If you are looking for a place to unwind, look no further. You instantly settle into a state of serenity and you just may never want to leave. As a matter of fact, that was the only thing that we didn’t like about Colette’s, the simple fact that there was so much to see and do around the peninsula kept us away more than we would have liked. The staff is caring and attentive. Anita was the innkeeper during our stay and she was so welcoming, friendly, and helpful. On our initial tour, she noted that we should try our best to carve out some time to enjoy the gardens and relax. Brilliant advice and we did just that. The breakfast each morning was delicious and since the total guest count can only be10 the conversations were a great way to start the day. On one of the mornings, we wanted to head out early so they kindly packed us a breakfast to go, which was a really nice touch. Each suite has a sofa positioned in front of a large picture window, looking out into the garden and the Strait. Pair that with a glass of wine and a good read and you have this wanderer’s downtime nirvana! Learn more at Colettes.com
While You’re in the Area . . .
B & B Family Farm
The Olympic Peninsula, specifically around Port Angeles and Sequim, is home to the largest lavender producing area in the United States. Who knew? Well, probably a lot of people, but I wasn’t one of them and it was a treat to see these beautiful purple flowing fields surrounding you as you drove through. We were directed to a quaint family farm by Anita at Colette’s and it did not disappoint. Family owned and operated, you can see and feel the love that they have for what they do. We started our tour in the gift shop and met Amy, the daughter, who directed us over to tour the barn where the lavender magic happens. We got the how-to’s of lavender growing and harvesting from Bonnie, her mom, She was so freaking cute I could have stayed there and listened to here all day. Bonnie is one of the B’s in B&B Family Farm, the other being Bruce, who we didn’t get to meet that day. We ended our visit by dawning a pair of shears and a basket and heading out in the field to cut our own lavender. It’s not the thing to do if you are the slightest afraid of bees, but it was an awesome way to end our visit to the area. Learn more – B & B Family Farm
The Missed
As I’ve already mentioned too many times over the past 5 podcasts, there is a lot to see and do here and if you have limited time you will have to make some hard decisions. We had an incredible time, however, we did miss the park’s two most popular waterfalls – Marymere and Sol Duc! The photos I’ve seen of both are beautiful and we look forward to our next trip so we can start with these two falls and then hike deeper into the forests in search of others! I mentioned Shi Shi beach in part 4 and that was certainly a miss. The hike down to the beach makes this an adventure from the minute you get out of the car and the sea stacks there just sound amazing. Lastly, not having the time to really get out there on at least one great day hike was a disappointment, however, that too will be conquered on another visit!
Olympic National Park was everything that we had always heard it was and so much more. There really hasn’t been a day that has gone by since we visited that I haven’t thought about it. The images are locked in my memory and I call upon them often. If this one is on your list – move it to the top! You will not regret that decision.
Be forever Wandering But Not Lost!
Lake Quinault Lodge, WA
Kalaloch Lodge, WA
Crescent Lake Lodge, WA
Colette's Bed & Breakfast, Port Angeles, WA
B & B Family Farm, Sequim, WA
Sol duc Falls, WA
Second Beach, WA
No doubt your visit to Olympic NP will include a stop in Seattle – so head on over to our Travel Log on WanderingButNotLost.com for some wandering inspiration!
Mentioned in the Episode (Resources & Links)
- Discover more about Home Connect America: THE Home for Teams
- Learn more about our Real Estate Team Builder Program (Agent Team Building in a Box)
- Join the Wanderers Club for real estate business systems, social media training and more (only $197/year)
- Get travel tips & insights at Wandering But Not Lost
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