RE/MAX Growth Leader Takes the Virtual Stage to Help Brokers Set Business Goals in 2023

December marks a time where real estate professionals gear up for another productive year ahead by setting goals and finding new ways to measure success.

Ben Fairfield, Vice President of Region Development for the RE/MAX West Region, recently appeared on the virtual stage of Inman’s December Connect Now event to discuss what brokers can focus on in the new year to further grow and scale their business. Inman Connect Now events are part of a fully digital series aiming to bring together members of the real estate community to learn from one another.

The panel titled What Brokers Should Focus on to Grow and Scale Their Business in the New Year was moderated by Amy Somerville, Vice President of Professional Development at Buffini & Company. Fairfield was joined by co-panelist Chris Lim, President of Christie’s International Real Estate.

Somerville kicked off the panel asking Fairfield and Lim to reflect on 2022 and the lessons from this year they hope to bring into 2023.

Fairfield shared his perspective – generated from countless conversations with brokers located all over the U.S. – noting that a staple piece of advice he’s shared with all types of brokerages is the need for responsive leadership.

“When things change, a lot of times the safest thing for people to do is to do nothing and just be frozen and kind of stopped in their tracks,” he said. “Opportunity is never lost. It can always be found, but a lot of people are going to miss it if they aren’t prepared.”

Building on the topic of responsive leadership and agility, especially when discussing what challenges may be ahead for real estate professionals in 2023, Somerville asked the panelists to share some of the goals they are recommending affiliated brokers set heading into the new year.

Fairfield encourages brokers to think outside the box – beyond sales and volume related goals.

At the foundation of a well-oiled brokerage, he says, is a supportive and positive office culture. He advised brokers to be asking themselves questions like “who are we?” and “what do we stand for?”

Fairfield’S OTher piece Of advice fOr brOker/OWnerS? COnducT a SWOT analySiS reflecTing On Their brOkerage’S STrengThS, WeakneSSeS, OppOrTuniTieS and ThreaTS.

“Don’t get lost in a sea of sameness. Really try to understand who you are and how you can get stronger,” he advises.

With 2022 winding down, the conversation expanded to the importance of reviewing and assessing not only individual and team performance, but also the tools and resources integral to running a brokerage.

Year-end is the optimal time, Fairfield believes, to review technology and marketing strategies.

Noting the RE/MAX philosophy to “lean in” rather than “hunker down,” he shared his excitement about the rollout of MAX/TechSM powered by kvCORE, calling the new RE/MAX technology system “an absolute game changer.”

In an article from Inman highlighting the Connect Now session, Fairfield continued, “We know it’s going to take longer to convert a lead. You’re going to need better systems to stay in touch with that lead over time. A lot of agents don’t know what it is to go through a market like this, and we need to ensure we’re arming them with the best tech possible. So that’s a big one.”

During the panel, Fairfield also pointed to the recently announced Teams initiative from RE/MAX as an example of how the franchisor is looking at ways to double down in a shifting market, not pull back.

“Teams and technology are the two areas we’re really leaning into,” he said. “Oftentimes, we know that when the market turns, there are going to be a lot of single agents who may be looking toward Teams for the structure and the leads and some of the things a team provides, and so we’re really wanting to make sure we’re meeting all of our agents, Teams and individuals right where they’re at with what they need.”

It wouldn’t be a conversation in December without anticipating what lies ahead in real estate. Fairfield shared one thing he knows to be true for RE/MAX heading into the new year: “We have a huge opportunity to come alongside agents and really help them level up. And in doing so, increase their service to their clients and also help them grow their business at the same time.”

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