Million Dollar Principle #35
Are You Making the Right First ISA Hire?
If I had to start over from scratch,just me, a phone, and a dream to build a 500-unit-a-year team…
I’d do it differently.
My first hire wouldn’t be:
- An agent
- A marketing specialist
- A buyer’s agent
The first two hires I’d make, and I’d make them both simultaneously, would be:
- An Executive Assistant
To manage contract-to-close, listing coordination, and all admin needs. - A full-time ISA
Focused exclusively on outbound seller prospecting.
The EA would oversee the ISA, making sure they had the proper lists to call each day and proper support.
Here’s the problem I see on teams all across the country:
You hire an ISA and hand them inbound leads,chat requests, Zillow pings, and showing inquiries,because you can’t get your agents to work.
That’s not adding value. That’s customer service.
You’ve just created a glorified receptionist.
And they will leave you to become an agent because you taught them how easy it is to get a client.
You want your first ISA to hunt, not wait.
You need someone who can:
- Wake up
- Log in
- Smile and dial for 8 hours a day
Not someone who wants to sell homes themselves,because that person will bolt.
You need someone with:
- Call center experience
- Phone customer service background
- Collections experience
Someone who’s been trained to work a headset and a script.
Their job is clear and simple:
Set listing appointments.
Here’s what their day looks like:
- Morning: Expired, Canceled, FSBO
- Midday: Circle Prospecting and Home Valuation Leads
- Afternoon: Past Clients and Database Homeowners
No inbound.
No distractions.
Just outbound calls to homeowners with one goal: set listing appointments.
When that ISA starts filling your calendar with seller appointments, guess what?
Now you’re too busy taking listings to help buyers…
Which means your next hire is obvious:
A buyer’s agent to take the overflow.
You’ve just built a lead generation machine.
And it starts with getting the first ISA hire right.
Nick McLean
Co-Founder, The Reside Platform
