Freak Talent

Every agency wants to have freak talent on board – those sales “artists” who just have a feel for the business and can write phenomenal numbers all the time. The question is, do you have to go out and find them, or can you grow them yourself?

Finding agents with that talent and getting them into your agency is going to be rare and difficult. Plus, they may not have enough investment in your brand to stay with you, and if they leave they will take that part of your business with them. What you should know is that talent can be produced and replicated within your company if you have the right system in place and the dedication to help your people grow to their full potential.

Think in terms of scaling: If you are scaling to find and employ freak talent then you are scaling from outside of your business inward, and that is the wrong direction. However, if you are set up to employ good people and make them great by using sound infrastructure and a proven system, then you are scaling from the inside outward. Consider that each sales representative has an assistant that they share their soundboard and transactions with. That assistant can eventually become a sales rep. Basically every 2 to 3 years you will have new sales reps that have grown within your agency. These people will have a real investment with you and a core understanding of how you run your business.

Of course, growing your own talent takes planning, commitment and consistency. What usually happens in most agencies is that someone leaves and they are left desperately needing to hire a replacement. Then when they bring someone new in, they may not have clarity on exactly how to assimilate them quickly and fully. You want to have a system in place so that each sales rep has a categorised database to work from, a set number of people they need to contact each day, protocols for how to conduct prospecting successfully, a schedule for newsletters and marketing campaigns, and clear expectations around what you need them to do.

In order to grow great talent inside of your business you need to be a great leader. Know your business and be in control. Have a set system for how you expect your business to run and what you want to accomplish. If you simply hire the best agents you can find and let them do everything their own way with no plan or oversight, then it’s not really your business and they won’t be representing your brand. Know how you want your business to scale and grow the talent you need to carry your vision forward.

I hope you’ve enjoyed this month’s Growth, Leadership and Management Tip, and I look forward to seeing you here again next month.