The Millionaire Real Estate Agent Podcast

Episode 67: How to Build a Game-Changing Inside Sales Team With Anna Krueger
Host: Jason Abrams
Guest: Anna Krueger
Date: January 27, 2025

Episode Overview

This episode centers on the crucial role of Inside Sales Agents (ISAs) in real estate teams. Host Jason Abrams welcomes Anna Krueger—nationally recognized ISA coach and trainer—to break down every aspect of building, hiring, and leveraging an inside sales team for maximum lead generation, conversion, and business growth. The conversation offers both high-level philosophy and tactical implementation steps, with practical advice for agents and team leaders looking to integrate this game-changing role into their businesses.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Anna Krueger’s Journey to Real Estate and ISAs

• Anna was “found” by real estate; originally a high school teacher drawn to “difficult kids,” she later became a college recruiter—essentially an inside sales job, handling inbound leads and motivating adults to enroll and stay engaged ([02:40]–[07:25]).
• Her recruiting experience taught her motivation is essential: “It wasn’t just enrolling them...I actually need to keep this person engaged and motivated enough that they pass their first class, or all of the work up to this point won’t count for anything.” ([04:20])
• These insights directly informed her approach to ISAs, drawing a parallel between recruiting students and converting real estate leads.

2. Why Hire an ISA?

• ISAs should be the “lifeblood” of a real estate business, handling dedicated lead generation and conversion ([08:42]).
• Anna credits Gary Keller’s Millionaire Real Estate Agent book: “Lead generation and conversion to appointments, that is the first domino in everything else happening. So we need people in that role who are incredibly skilled and that probably means it’s their one thing.” ([08:42])
• The argument: Specialization and time-on-task create top converters; a dedicated ISA multiplies the business’s capacity to generate and nurture leads.

3. ISA vs. OSA—What’s the Difference?

• Anna: “ISA technically means inside sales agent. It means I deal with inbound leads.”
• Most ISAs in real estate handle a mix of inbound and outbound, but the key is full-time dedication to call-based conversion ([10:06]–[10:50]).
• Clarity on roles is critical for hiring and team success.

4. The ISA Hiring Process (Step-by-Step)

A. Define the Role:

• Get crystal clear: What do you want the ISA to do? Which lead sources should they handle? What meetings should they attend (or not)? ([11:48]–[13:21])
• Target: At least 6 hours/day on lead conversion activities, not administrative tasks.

B. Sourcing Candidates:

• Start with your database—people who already know, trust, and fit your team’s culture ([13:33]).
• When outreach isn’t fruitful, supplement with platforms like Indeed and WiseHire. Remember you’ll need to screen more extensively ([15:51]).

C. Recruiting Message:

“Who do you know that may not be looking for an opportunity, they may already be employed, that they are going to have a stellar year next year, because it’s just who they are... They love talking to people and they like a challenge. Like, who fits that description?”
— Anna Krueger [14:21]

D. The Interview Process:

• Early filter: Automate an email asking applicants to call and leave a voicemail about themselves. Screens for initiative, detail orientation, and voice/tone ([16:43]).

“This is a phone sales job. This is not customer service...I’m looking for someone—this is the hallmark part—they feel like a friend over the phone.”
— Anna Krueger [17:13]

• Proceed with formal interviews, using tools like Career Visioning (Keller Williams process), and/or personality assessments ([18:39]–[19:24]).
• Consider hiring two ISAs if financially feasible to build camaraderie and reduce attrition ([20:07]).

5. Onboarding and Training ISAs

A. Activity Focus & Shadowing:

• Clarify “what matters most.” ISAs should focus on lead conversion, not superfluous admin or excessive meetings ([20:59]).
• Have ISAs shadow agents—but also run full simulated buyer/seller consults, including role-play for handoffs, to clarify boundaries and expectations ([21:24]).

B. Teaching Language & Conversation Frameworks

• Avoid robotic scripting—true mastery means blending proven structure with personal style ([23:18]).

“When someone feels like a robot, it simply means they haven’t deeply studied to understand how to navigate a conversation...when you have that in your head, that is going to help you walk through this conversation seamlessly.”
— Anna [23:18]

• Builds ISAs’ confidence, ensures natural and effective conversations.

6. The Four-Part Consultation Framework

(Anna’s Signature Approach) ([24:24]–[29:04])

1. Motivation:
   • Always first! Understand why the lead is considering moving. Go at least three questions deep to uncover real drivers, not just surface reasons.

     “Moving is a lot of work. What makes you want to move?” ([26:13])

2. Pre-Screen/Logistics:
   • Cover timing, decision makers, financials, existing agent commitments, etc. (“When do you want to be there? Are you paying cash or financing? Scale of 0–10, how motivated are you?”)
   • Mirror back client’s exact words for rapport.
3. Next Step:
   • Always offer clear, specific instructions (“Our next step is to meet and do X, Y, Z,” or, “Your next step is to speak with a lender.”)
4. Deadline/Time Frame:
   • Every next step must have a 48-hour deadline to keep momentum.
   • ISAs track and follow-up assertively.

“Your next step is blank within [time frame].” ([29:04])

Fast vs. Quality

• Anna is unwavering: Go for depth over speed.

“I would rather have a longer conversation for a faster result. And what I learned was when I had short conversations, it took forever to get actual results. But longer conversations on the front end led to quicker results. So to me, a long conversation is the fastest method, I guess.”
— Anna [30:46]

7. Measuring ISA Performance

Key Metrics:

• Focus on quality:
  • Percentage of set appointments that show and convert to signed clients trumps total appointments set ([31:59]).
  • Typical averages: One real appointment per 20 contacts (5% in a normal market; 3.5–4% currently) ([34:07]).
  • Expectations: 40 contacts/day standard, tailoring upward with agent’s financial/business goals; 1–2 appointments/day ([35:56],[36:47]).

8. Compensation Structure

• Best Practice: Salary ($24k–$40k depending on market) + Commission (5–10% of net team/company side of closed transaction) ([37:40]–[39:44]).
• Avoid “bonus per appointment” models—these motivate quantity over quality and degrade appointment value.

9. Accountability and Motivation

• Weekly 1:1 meetings using the “411” system—tracking weekly, monthly, annual goals ([40:12]).
• High-visibility, public goal trackers (e.g., countdowns on the wall).
• ISAs need feedback not only from managers but the agents they support (agents must report lead progress back to ISA for morale and closure) ([41:50]).
• Rejection: Normalize and systematize (“Numbers Game” approach). Anna reframed “no” as one step closer to “yes”—kept a 1–20 tally of calls and found humor in rejection ([44:22]).

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• “Why should I have an ISA? That’s like saying why should I have lifeblood in my business?”
  — Anna Krueger [08:42]

• “Our target is, out of an eight hour workday, the Inside Sales Agent is active in lead conversion activities six out of eight hours a day.”
  — Anna [12:07]

• “There are people that love real estate, and they do not want the real estate schedule. And that was me.”
  — Anna [14:36]

• “This is not a customer service role. It is 100% not a customer service role. It is a sales role.”
  — Anna [17:13]

• “When you have commission, it is unlimited earning potential. So if you make more money, they make more money. Why would you not want that?”
  — Anna [48:14]

• “You could not pay me enough, Jason, to be an agent. And I mean that sincerely. I mean, maybe $5 million, I would do it.”
  — Anna [49:26]

• “There are a lot of incredibly talented people that love real estate. They want a set schedule and they want to be able to work from anywhere...when you get good at building relationships...it started to feel like I’m coming to work and calling my friends.”
  — Anna [47:42]/[50:40]

• “Be funny, make money.”
  — (Anna quoting Haro) [18:11]

Timestamps for Key Segments

• Why ISAs matter: [08:42]
• Sourcing & hiring ISAs: [11:48]–[18:03]
• Onboarding & boundaries: [20:59]
• The four-step consultation: [24:24]–[29:04]
• Conversation depth vs. speed: [30:46]
• Metrics & expectations: [34:07]–[36:47]
• Comp plan details: [37:40]
• Accountability systems: [40:12]
• Handling rejection: [44:22]
• Flexibility and team culture: [47:14]–[49:26]

Tone & Takeaways

• Anna’s tone is direct, practical, encouraging, and rooted in real-world experience. She speaks with authenticity and stresses the importance of structure, motivation, and finding the right fit—both as an employer and as a potential ISA.
• Jason complements with humor and clear curiosity, mapping Anna’s insights to practical action steps for the listener.
• The episode reframes the ISA role not as a “lesser” job but as a flexible, lucrative, and highly respected career path in the industry.

Final Thoughts

If you want to scale your business, build leverage, and multiply quality leads and appointments, you must understand (and properly implement) the ISA model.
As Anna asserts, “Specialists succeed.” ISAs are the specialized, skilled force behind lasting real estate growth.

“The model we unpacked, it’s beautiful. This turned out to be a podcast about why you might want to be an ISA...there’s an opportunity for them to live all their wildest dreams.”
— Jason Abrams [48:34]

Whether you’re hiring, training, or considering a career move, this episode offers a clear roadmap to success.