What Makes a Successful Inside Sales Agent (ISA)?

WizeFacts:

• ISA’s marry the behavioral style of the hunter/gatherer salesperson to the consultative salesperson.
• Top performing ISA’s prefer to be in charge of the sale and have their compensation tied directly to performance.

When lead real estate agents start running a million miles an hour, they begin to realize they can’t do everything themselves. One of the first hires mega-agents will make is for inside sales agents who will ‘dial-for-dollars’ on their behalf and help them keep their business growing. It takes a special kind of person to make that thousandth dial. How you do you know you’re hiring someone who can do that with a smile? Ready to hire an ISA? Over a period of 6 months, we administered DISC and Values profiles to 8,791 real estate agents. We were evaluating the personalities of top performers in a variety of real estate positions. Based on our findings, here are the traits that correlated with top performing Inside Sales Agents: DISC (Behavior) – Mid to high Decisive, super Interactive, moderate Stabilizing and low Cautious

• Pros – The D being slightly higher than that of a Buyer’s agent’s brings back “some” of the aggressiveness in prospecting and closing. Along with it is a higher sense of urgency that benefits the very short period of time they have on the phone. The Super I benefits their ability to connect, influence and persuade. The slightly higher S, being unlike the traditional hunter/gatherer, softens the blow of being in-house, repeating a large number of calls and being more predictable. The Low C frees them up to be more flexible.

• Cons – The moderate D may not be strong enough to overcome stauncher objections. The Super I brings with it the same type of I problems. They can suffer from talking too much (on the phone and in the office). Higher S slows their sense of urgency down some. Their low C causes detail issues.

Values (Motivations) – Sales Motivational Cluster (Super Economic, Individualistic, Political) A good ISA is a hybrid role: they marry the outgoing and influencing skills of a hunter/gatherer salesperson, with the more patient and stable approach of a consultative salesperson. They are comfortable making cold calls and tolerate the more repetitive environment. Like their counterparts in outside sales, ISAs prefer a role where rewards are tied directly to performance. They also prefer freedom and naturally like to be in charge of the sale. If you want to continue on your path to Mega-Agent Stardom, hire someone who loves to do what you loathe to do… your bottom line will thank you! Need an ISA?