This article was published on: 03/01/2002 FOR MANAGERS: Companies to Watch Putting it all together Progressive incentives and smart promotions spice up traditional company. George Russell Realty, Worcester, Mass. Web site: www.listingbroker.com E-mail: masshomes@aol.com Why eye it: George Russell harnessed together a few progressive plans about compensation with a few promotional ideas on how George Russell Realty could make a difference in the Worcester, Mass., community. As a result, company sales jumped more than 40 percent last year. Background: Russell, a real estate pro since the mid-1980s, was an eight-year veteran in advertising and public relations in this Boston suburb. He couldn't wait to inject a little imagination into his new chosen field. "Very little imagination," jokes Russell. "My critics point out that I didn't use a lot of imagination in naming the company or in naming the George Russell Realty School. But my name is well known in the community, so I have good branding. Why change it?" What he did: Russell positioned his company to deal with the steady flow of immigrants coming into the area. "We want to extend the welcome mat," he says. "We have one salesperson who speaks Vietnamese, three speak Spanish, and one speaks Greek. We also have translators on call for Lithuanian and Arabic." He gets the word out in a full-page ad in the local monthly homes magazine, promoting not only listings but also the company's language capabilities, written in the appropriate language. He does the same in bilingual TV advertising. Incentives: Russell borrowed from the best compensation plans he could find and tailored them to his salespeople. To the traditional commission split arrangement—50 to 70 percent—he added recruitment bonuses in which salespeople get a percentage of a recruit's productivity; a series of four-step raises for those who earn commissions above a set figure; and a unique "loyalty" bonus program to reward productive salespeople for staying with the company. Results: Last year, his recruitment bonus program brought in four new salespeople, raising the total from 14 to 18. In 2001, the company closed 150 sides for $21 million, a jump from 106 sides and about $15 million in 2000. Average sales price in the market is $140,000. But what have you done for me lately: "We give our salespeople customers. We handle all the advertising; that's where we put most of our money. We direct the inquiries to our salespeople. We also pay for the office space, office machines, voice mail, and PCs. Our salespeople need Internet skills to access our MLS, so we offer that training." Environment: Russell bought an old library building in 1994 and renovated it to look like a library. Then he capitalized on the location with the pitch: "Our office is in a library; maybe that's why our salespeople are so smart!" The main floor is set up for real estate offices and the basement for the realty school. What's next: "We're opening a new office in Oxford this spring and bringing on more salespeople. As we expand, I'll do more coaching and training." Advice to brokers: "I tell my salespeople, 'We don't sell houses. Sellers sell houses. We sell knowledge and information.'"