Long & Foster Real Estate (L&F) previously contracted with an industry training organization to deliver a four-day sales training a few times a year. But in 2021, the real estate brokerage decided to develop a new proprietary, multi-day, relationship-based, immersive selling skills workshop that would deliver excellent learner experiences and results while lowering costs and increasing flexibility. The resulting Ex$ellence Experience! is designed for experienced agents, with a focus on taking their personal lives and careers to new levels.
Program Details
L&F’s Learning and Development (L&D) team sourced an excellent partner who is also a master instructor to develop customized content and teach the Ex$ellence Experience! Workshops, as well as monthly Webinars for attendees to reinforce learning and increase engagement. The team worked for more than nine months with the author/facilitator on the instructional design and collaborated with other departments to develop materials and promote The Ex$ellence Experience! workshops. Bringing the program in-house made it possible to increase capacity, number of offerings, and control content all while reducing delivery costs per workshop.
The resulting four-day in-person workshop guides learners through exercises and activities to take a deep look at who they are and what they want (“You, Incorporated”) to create a foundation for Ex$ellence. It includes using L&F tools, activities, exercises such as gap analysis, and fieldwork with other participants. Core Services partners host and sponsor fun games and social events throughout. Attendees learn, share, practice, and implement The Habits of Ex$ellence that create success consistently in business and life. There’s experiential learning, networking, practicing, games, terrific food, and enormous personal connection.
Principles taught during the Ex$ellence Experience! include:
- Stop chasing success and attract it with the Power of Clarity, Priority, and Consistency.
- Differentiate yourself and show your worth by adding high levels of Value before, during, and after the transaction.
- Know yourself and serve others with Ex$ellence with the No BS Platinum Principle.
- Eliminate doubt and uncertainty as you customize your Ideal Life and Business Blueprint.
- Build rapport faster, creating stronger relationships and endless referrals.
- Become a master negotiator, bringing more value and expertise to the table for your clients when it matters most.
For reinforcement and to further strengthen and build new skills, learners attend 12 monthly, by-invitation-only, follow-up Webinars on topics such as customized prospecting strategies, finding the right customers, database organization, and mental toughness. Having the master instructor provide these reinforcement Webinars for attendees instead of hiring a series of trainers for “one-and-done” events each year strengthens relationships and continuity.
Results
L&F held two, four-day workshops in 2021, the inaugural year. Attendees increased production on average by 15 percent, more than double the goal, and L&F saved 37.5 percent annually.
