how do you all handle cost of printing business cards for your agents? Do you pay for them? Have the agent pay for them?? What about letterhead/envelopes, etc. for mailings? I have set things up as a traditional commission split- not on the 100% plans, etc. I am thinking for the new agents that have limited to no experience telling them they have to pay the upfront cost for the cards, etc. but then once they close their first deal i will basically give it back to them via the commission check (normal split plus give them the cost of the cards).

Thoughts?

Why?

That is a personal cost of doing business. I wouldn't reimburse. Remember, new agents with your company are a risk. Some will succeed. Some will fail. I don't subsidize initial costs of business. I do provide lots of training/coaching opportunities.

When I first started in the business my sponsoring broker bought the first 1000 business card order, after that agents were on their own. His thinking at the time was that it is hard enough for a new person to get started with a lot of expense for board dues, MLS access, etc. and often several months before they have any commission income. A few years later he changed to requiring them to buy their own cards right from the start. He said there were just too many agents that didn't make it through the first year to keep funding that benefit.

I agree- it should be a business expense of the new agents. However, like Mr. Foreclosure, my broker when i started paid for my cards and I remember how much I appreciated that. At the same time though I produced over $4.5m in sales for him my very first year so what's a few hundred $$ in cards. But...I'm not so sure the agents I have are going that route as quickly, though I am doing lots of training. I am thinking maybe let the agent pay for them upfront and then I pay them back at the first closing. If they produce I'll pay, if not, their loss, not mine.

If you don't mind me asking, how do you all handle cost of signage? We're typically doing 4x4 signs for commercial properties so sign and install can run a couple hundred a listing.

We pay for residential signs. Split cost of commercial signs.

Where I was first sponsored the company sign and post were at company expense, name riders and installation at agent expense.

Now that I am on my own, and working alone, its all my expense!

When starting out at a C-21 many years ago (I also took the pre-license classes there), the first box of cards was purchased by the company, subsequent boxes of cards I had to buy. Company signs were supplied, name riders were the agents responsibility.

I think this would depend on what the split is. The brokerage that I work with starts out on a low split, but business cards, signs, name strips, letterhead, envelopes, etc. are all paid for by the brokerage.

Agreed, and it is relative to it. When I started, I looked for a company that paid for a lot of the perks, however my split started at 55%.

I can see giving a set amount for free periodically, say 500-1000. But if an agents wants 8,000 cards a month so he can go blitz the entire neighborhood, then they should have to pay for those themself.

We pay for the agent's first set of 1000 personalized business cards, as well as the first 25 personalized for sale signs. We know it's not necessarily a lot, but we do try to help with the transfer costs and timelines.

sunshine shanon

I as an agent pay for mine. I asked and the Broker agreed, but I had to use his approved opions. I did not like the options so I paid myself, still do. I could likely get the brokerage to pay for my cards during negotiations. In the same breath, they can get me to pay for my own cards (and did). I'm confident I could go to him and ask and he would pay now for my cards, I bring in enough business. 60 dollars is not worth fighting for, its a cost of doing business.

I can call and order cards and it is billed to the brokerage, then it is billed to their account and I am billed for it next month. So the brokerage actually pays for it, but I am billed and reimburse the cost. There are agents who negotiatied free cards in their IC contract as well. It's all negotiable.