Call it “old school” if you want, a real estate agent recruiting letter is one of the most effective methods of candidate sourcing. With a well-crafted recruiting letter, you can potentially hire the best of the best agents into your brokerage. If you aren’t getting the results you want or expect, it’s probably because you haven’t gotten the technique of writing recruiting letters down pat.
Read More: 4 Sample Email Templates For Recruiting Top Real Estate Agents
To help you out, here are some tips in crafting the best real estate agent recruiting letter you’ve ever written.
1. Do Your Research
Research is a huge part of your sourcing strategy. It only makes sense to also include it in your “writing a recruiting letter” strategy. Luckily, it’s now easier to know more about your pool of candidates. Thanks to social media, you can gather publicly available information about them. Make sure to check LinkedIn and other jobs- or career-oriented platforms, since these will have the most relevant details available.
If you have an employee referral program (and you should!), ask your people to share something more in-depth about their referred candidate. (Of course, make sure that the potential candidate has expressly consented.)
Doing your research about candidates will go a long way in personalising your recruiting letter. Job seekers know that they’re one among many applicants, and being treated in a highly personalised manner can help you stand out among other companies.
2. Keep The Meat At The Beginning & In The End
The human brain is like a powerful computer, capable of processing a lot of information. However, it does have its own quirks. This is why people tend to remember the first and last words or numbers in a series. Following this logic, you should put the most important details at the beginning and the end of your recruiting letter.
Develop a powerful opening statement to get candidates interested. Make them trust you and your real estate company. Then, in the end, include a call to action. All the other details should go in the middle. If the candidate is truly interested in the position, they’ll go back to the body of the letter to know more.
3. Make Your CTA Clear
Speaking of calls to action, make the one in your letter as clear as you possibly can. If you want them to call, tell them to call and give your number. Moreover, don’t use terms such as “perhaps” or other words that sound indecisive. Indicate a time and date right off the bat. Those who are serious about working with you will make time or else negotiate a more amenable schedule.
You may also add other calls to action, such as asking for a copy of their resume or CV, at the end of your letter. However, do note that asking a candidate to do too many things can be exasperating. Keep things simple with one, possibly two calls to action. The other details can be discussed over a phone call.
4. Distinguish Between Required and Preferred Skills
Sometimes, a highly qualified candidate may be interested in applying to your real estate company but get discouraged because they lack a certain skill. As a result, you miss out on hiring a high-performing agent or broker. The case can also be the reverse, in that you’re getting plenty of under-qualified applicants.
If you find yourself in either of the two above-mentioned situations, check the way you write the job requirements. Make sure that you have a clear distinction between required and preferred skills. Prioritize the required qualifications to make sure that the right candidates will respond to your letters.
5. Promote Your Company, Not Just the Job
When you’re writing a recruiting letter, it’s logical to highlight the job and how it’s a great career opportunity for the candidate. However, a recruiting letter is also an excellent platform for promoting your company. Introducing both the job and the company can, in fact, increase the likelihood of applications. This is because the candidate will also have a clearer idea about the organization they’ll be working for.
Make sure to describe the company culture in your recruiting letter, as well as the company’s philosophy. If you can, add some details about promotion opportunities and training. These can attract top-performing candidates who are looking to upskill and advance their career.
6. Prepare A Follow-Up Letter
There will definitely be times when you won’t get a reply to a recruiting letter. In fact, you may not even receive responses to all your letters at some point. The key is to not stop at the first touchpoint. You need to follow up, especially if you’re interested in the candidate.
Have at least two or three templates for follow-up recruiting letters and customize them accordingly. You’ll be surprised at how many candidates respond only at the second or even third letter.
The most important thing to remember about writing real estate recruiting letters is that there’s no secret formula. These tips can help guide you but ultimately, you need to send letter after letter and figure out which combination of format and content works the best.