The real competition begins every year when agents pause to assess whether their brokerage is truly contributing to their growth. Not for the list, but for the talent. However, many brokerage leaders still treat recruiting as an optional task rather than a driver of business, culture, and long-term stability.
After talking to hundreds of brokers, there is one consistent pattern. That means the broker with the strongest hiring mindset wins, regardless of market, size, or cycle.
And the biggest barrier isn’t structural. They are internal.
3 Recruiting opposing opinions and how to overcome them
Here are three objections that most brokers resist and how some of our top performers overcome these objections.
Objection 1: “I’m in a small market. There aren’t enough agents and we don’t recruit from each other.”
The most successful small market brokers are not “poaching.” We build visibility and relationships long before agents consider taking action.
Naomi Vogt
“We’re thrilled to have the opportunity to be a part of the community,” said Naomi Voigt, broker-owner of Century 21 Custom Home Realty in Mendon, Massachusetts.
“Outreach needs to be personal, meaning everyone talks to each other, so there’s no need for mass texting. We’ve had success by inviting agents to local events, continuing education classes, happy hours, and town festivals. Basically, all the opportunities to get them in a room and meet our team and see and experience our culture. Small-town recruiting works when you focus on relationships rather than mass texting.”
In other words, just because the market is small doesn’t mean the opportunity is small. It refers to the opportunities created by relationships.
Objection 2: “I already dominate the market, why do I need to grow?
This is a counterargument that feels like confidence, but can often act like complacency. Market leaders have the greatest recruitment advantage. Agents want to work with those leaders. But today’s advantages cannot protect you from tomorrow’s attrition, competition, and changing market conditions.
grant myatt
Grant Myatt, Director of Recruitment at Century 21 Masters in California, said:
“As a dominant player in the market, you should never stop recruiting. First, all the agents who helped you dominate the market may one day leave you. If you are constantly recruiting, even if that production leaves, you can financially withstand that loss.” Second, more money creates more opportunities for you as a broker, giving you the opportunity to invest in new technology or buy that beautiful office you’ve always wanted.Third, if you’re dominating the market, now’s the best time to hire, because who doesn’t want to join the winning team? ”
The brokers that scaled the fastest are not recruiting because they are lagging behind. They are recruiting because they want to protect and expand their leads.
Objection 3: “I’m too busy to hire.”
Every broker is busy. This difference is considered non-negotiable for them. When leaders shift from “whenever I have time” to “every week, every time”, growth becomes predictable.
tracy hutton
Tracy Hutton, broker owner of Century 21 Shares in Indiana, recently revamped her approach and said the biggest change was mental, not tactical.
“The biggest lie we tell ourselves is that we’re too busy to hire. That’s simply not true. The truth is that we’re determined to fill our schedules with things that don’t generate revenue. And for agents, lead generation is a revenue-generating activity. Recruiting is a revenue-generating activity for brokers. As leaders, we cannot outsource the responsibility of hiring talent. We must own it every day. We must talk about it and emulate it. ”
Once leaders make that change, activities will follow. And activity brings business.
What I learned from coaching around 500 companies
When Century 21 Brands launched Goal Getters E3, a 12-week recruitment drive, the intention wasn’t to create a viral brand program. It was about creating a large-scale test kitchen that really helped drive hiring results across diverse markets, models, and leadership styles.
This challenge was meant to bring focus, consistency, camaraderie, and confidence each week.
Throughout the first year, participating brokers logged more than 3,400 lead generation hours, negotiated approximately 8,500 hires, booked 1,700 appointments, closed 1,100 of them, and secured 400 new agent affiliations.
More importantly, this activity revealed a consistent pattern.
Approximately 1 in 5 conversations turns into a promise. Nearly two-thirds of these appointments will take place in person. More than 1 in 3 completed events change to a new affiliation. It takes approximately 5 conversations to generate a booking and 4 bookings to bring in a new agent.
These aren’t just numbers for Century 21. These are important industry insights. They tell us that recruiting isn’t a mystery, it’s a math equation. And once a broker understands that equation, they can plan accordingly.
This is what participating brokers told us over and over again.
“It brought me back to basics.” “It forced me to stay focused every week.” “It energized me and gave me a sense of responsibility.”
And most importantly:
“It reminded me that I’m not doing this work alone.”
Important for any broker
You don’t need a specific market, size, or brand to attract the best agents. What is needed is the mindset that “recruitment is discipline.” Consistency is more important than perfection, and conversations create opportunities.
You can let the naysayers get in your way, and you can accept that in today’s real estate industry, you’re not really competing on inventory, technology, or marketing. You’re competing on the quality of people – the agents you attract, develop and retain.
Now, you might say, why is he sharing the basics of this recruiting strategy? Because like any good plan, you only see results with action. You can share recipes, but you have to get into the kitchen and cook.
The next action is yours.
*Results are based on self-reporting of Century 21 Goal Getters E3 program participants from August 18, 2025 to November 7, 2025.
Mike Miedler is Century 21’s President and CEO.
