Blog / Prospecting
First National and Lee Woodward, A New Direction
Professional development is a subject that inspires passionate debate amongst our readership.
When you ask any agent who belongs to a network about their reasons for joining, sales, property management and leadership training is usually high on the list of priorities.
This is where the approach of Australia’s major network brands varies considerably. However, so too do the expectations of the thousands of agents to whose businesses they must add value.
First National Real Estate is one of Australia’s largest cooperative networks and its 450 offices expect high levels of consultation in the approach to professional development.
The network adopts a combination of local training, live online training broadcast nationally, and on-demand, pre-recorded sessions on general topics that every agency needs when staff turnover.
In an expansion of this regime, First National entered a professional development partnership with Lee Woodward in February this year. First National’s Competitive Edge with Lee Woodward is an initiative designed to connect each office’s entire team to a better way of thinking, making it operate as a closer business unit.
“Our members are operating in a tough market and we recognise the challenges they face cannot be addressed by a traditional approach to professional development in 2012 and the years ahead” says Chief Executive, Ray Ellis.
The network has worked with Lee to tailor a multimedia based programme with the aim of driving greater unity between sales, property management and management functions of every First National agency.
“The programme will target each department’s needs specifically but, uniquely, it also references the many products and solutions that First National members already have at their fingertips, but perhaps aren’t fully exploiting” says Mr Ellis.
“This creates a holistic approach that is a first for any network in Australia. Lee brings cutting edge expertise, practical advice and fresh thinking to real estate practice, but he also understands how to align that to First National’s service and professional development strategy.”
First National Real Estate has experienced a renaissance since a complete change of strategy in 2004 says Mr Ellis. The subsequent speed of innovation has increased exponentially each year, necessitating a highly targeted approach to staff education and development.
“The entire real estate industry is struggling to keep up with the demands of changing consumer trends, technological evolution, and the new Australian property marketplace. First National has introduced a raft of measures to reduce days on market, improve customer service perceptions, lift skills and engage local communities with their First National member.
“We have invested in an initiative that would typically cost each individual office many thousands of dollars a year, if they didn’t belong to First National,” says Mr Ellis, “and that’s in addition to our normal professional development schedule which is delivered comprehensively throughout metro and regional Australia.”
“My objective through The Competitive Edge is to deliver training, with the same strategy and theme across the business. Interviews with great agents, trainers and coaches in their area of expertise are augmented by multimedia resources that clearly explain the real estate journey, process, systems and strategies that are needed to be effective,” says Lee Woodward
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