What’s cooking in ’25? Plan your brokerage like a dinner party

As you kickstart the new year, think about your brokerage business growth the same way you might plan the menu for a dinner party. You can either: 

• Do-it-yourself (DIY) and prepare everything from scratch or,
• Buy premade dishes and fill in the blanks on your own or,
• Order-in from a great restaurant 

While all approaches require planning and executional considerations, each one provides a unique list of benefits for your business. Weichert® has the breakdown to help you consider each one as you ponder the impact on your marketing efforts, day-to-day operations, tech stack, agent training, and more. 

The DIY approach: Building from scratch

Imagine that the dinner party is this Saturday night, and you have a million things to do before then. Clearly, DIY is a time-consuming approach, and you’ll need to:

• Source your ingredients, which can correlate to crafting your unique real estate brand; developing a robust marketing strategy, tools, and templates; establishing your own agent development program; and any other aspect of the business that requires time and prep.
• Prepare your kitchen, which can mean setting up your office space, investing in the latest real estate technology, and retaining a strong team to help you dive in and build out your programs.
• Cook the meal, which can include the actual hands-on work to keep your marketing campaigns thriving, your training programs running, and your incoming leads nurtured and growing.

While a DIY approach offers you complete control, and the ultimate reward of “figuring things out on your own”, it demands significant time, effort, and expertise. So, ask yourself:

• Do I have time for this?
• Do I have the right team for this?
• For which parts of the business might a DIY approach work?

The semi-homemade approach: Buying premade 

OK, now imagine that the dinner party is still this Saturday, and you still have a million things to do. How could a semi-homemade approach, which can involve buying into existing resources and tools, help you? You’ll need to:

• Purchase premade dishes, which, in the world of your brokerage, might include pre-designed marketing templates, training programs, a CRM platform, and virtual assistant services.
• Research to make sure everything works together, fits your objectives, and makes sense within your budget. This may include customizing these tools to integrate into your existing tech, workflow, or branding, and then training your team to know how to use everything. 

This approach offers a balance of control and productivity, but it may lack cost efficiencies because you’re purchasing items a la carte. So, ask yourself:

• Do I have time for this?
• Do I have the budget for this?
• Do I have the right team for this?
• What if I buy the wrong thing?
• For which parts of the business might a semi-homemade approach work?

The order-in approach: Leveraging proven success

Saturday is almost here. And that to-do list has doubled. But that’s OK because the order-in approach has you covered. Ordering-in, much like an affiliation with a national real estate brand like Weichert, offers you peace of mind, operational efficiencies, and quality with every step. It’s like having your favorite restaurant on speed dial. You can:

• Get quick delivery because an affiliation means you have all the tools and resources you need, right at your fingertips, for your real estate brokerage operations.
• Enjoy the meal and the party. An affiliation with Weichert means you can focus on closing deals, building client relationships, and growing and coaching your team. You can sink your teeth into the meaty parts of your business because a franchise affiliation provides you with the structure and support needed to grow your business without having to do it all yourself.

While the order-in approach is the most convenient, offering proven strategies and resources you can tap into at any time, it can also require an initial investment. So, ask yourself:

• How can this investment save me time and money in the long run?
• What will this do for my business’ growth?
• How will this impact my ability to attract and retain top talent?
• When is the right time to consider this approach?

As you can see, there are considerations for all three approaches to your business. Ultimately, the best approach depends on your goals as a real estate broker. Contact Weichert to learn more. We’re holding a seat for you at our table.