By
Success & Broker founder Ruan Burger said brokers looking to grow in 2025 should go back to basics, by gaining clarity on what they are trying to achieve and the resources they will need to get there.
Burger, who offers a one-on-one coaching model for brokers, said recent conversations around AI technology could potentially distract brokers from what really matters to their business growth.
While not against AI if it is used to support the broker proposition, Burger said there was a risk of it being deployed to make things “easier not better” when it came to engaging with clients.
He gave the example of AI being used to send a higher volume of emails, which could end up seeing clients with fuller inboxes, that just make it harder to truly engage and connect with people.
Instead, Burger said he is talking to broker clients about getting the basics right, which first required clarity about what was truly important in running a successful, growing brokerage business.
“If I'm going to achieve certain things, I almost have to visualise it so that I can, at the end of the day, understand clearly. And if it is clear, I need to know, what do I need to make it happen?” he said.
Burger said brokers were often looking for ways to source new to business leads, despite having a pool of existing clients they could be using to source warmer to convert client referrals.
Likewise, brokers were being encouraged to post market content on social media, without much thought going into content relevance or effectiveness compared with gaining client referrals.
Burger said brokers at times were setting high loan volume targets, without a clear understanding of the work these volumes would entail and when they would need to recruit to be prepared for them.
Many were also talking to clients about buying property that will go up in value, while not being clear on their own business value, and ensuring the right things are done to monitor and grow it.
There were also younger rising stars being told to quickly find a niche in the industry, without giving themselves time to explore different areas at early stages of their broking career, he said.
Burger said even great finance brokers were not always as good at the business side of what they did, and gaining clarity on all aspects of what they were doing would help them in 2025.
Brokers who are able to gain clarity also need to ensure they have the resources necessary at the right time to achieve them, whether that is time, staff, technology or other support, Burger said.
“Brokers have aggregators, and they may offer them a lot of things, but the reality is we're all running a race; so when you need something, the question is, is there someone else that can give it to you at that given time and do you understand how to articulate what it is you need.”
Ultimately, Burger said a broker’s biggest KPI should be achieving ‘magnificence’ through engagement and understanding of clients, who are key to helping their businesses grow.
“How do I know that, first, I truly hit the mark for a client to feel a certain way, so that if they are not ready they will deal with me when they are ready. And then, how do I know that I didn't just impress them, but I've impressed them enough that they want to tell others?” he said.
