Step 1 – Create a Team Business Plan
Prepare a simple plan that covers:
- Why you want to start a team.
- Roles you plan to fill (buyers’ agents, showing agents, admin, ISA, etc.).
- Lead generation and marketing strategies.
- Financial plan: who pays for leads, admin support, and marketing.
Step 2 – Draft a Team Agreement
- Compensation splits (team leader ↔ team member ↔ brokerage).
- Expectations for leads and closings.
- Expense responsibilities (ads, signs, assistants, CRM).
- Onboarding/offboarding process for team members.
- Brokerage’s oversight and compliance responsibilities.
Step 3 – Choose a Team Name & Branding
- Must comply with state laws (including use of the terms “Team,” “Group,” or “Associates”).
- Brokerage name must be equal or more prominent than the team name in all advertising and MLS marketing.
Step 4 – Set Up Systems & Tools
Before adding members, make sure you have:
You can call their sales team to find out more: (877) 896-0778
- An understand and plan for how Dotloop will work in your team set up:
o Option
1: The whole team uses 1 account, and can log into one email to get the
2 factor codes. The codes have to go to a phone number so you would
need to sign up for a program like Zoho (what we use) where you can set
up texts to go to an email, and then give everyone access to that email.
You will need to look into the cost of this program and any others like
it, there are a few that offer this feature.
o Option
2: You can sign up for the teams feature in Dotloop. This gives you
admin access to all your team's loops, just like a regular brokerage: https://www.dotloop.com/teams/
If this is something you'd like more info on, call the number below:
Sales team: (888) 368-5667, Option 3 when prompted
o Option
3: Each of your agents can get signed up with their own DW Dotloop, and
every time they have a transaction, they need to add you to their
"team" within the loop details. Once they do that, you'll get an email
inviting you to their transaction, and you'll have full access to the
loop. The caveat here is that they have to add you first, you need to
confirm via email, and it can't be undone.
- Marketing templates (signs, social media, listing presentations).
- Policies for accountability, lead follow-up, and team meetings.
Step 5 – Recruit & Onboard Team Members
- Each agent must be licensed under the brokerage and maintain their own MLS login.
- Admin staff must be properly classified (licensed vs. unlicensed).
Step 6 – MLS & Compliance Setup
- All listings must be entered under the licensed agent of record and brokerage.
- Team names may appear in MLS remarks/marketing fields (where allowed).
- Production credit is tracked by individual MLS IDs, not the team.
- Broker may grant admin access for team leaders to help manage listings.
- Review
your MLS rules carefully before applying, since requirements can vary
by region. Some MLSs may also charge a fee or require broker approval to
set up a team.
Step 7 – Launch Your Team
- Announce internally within the brokerage.
- Update social media, email signatures, and marketing with approved branding.
- Introduce your team to past clients and your sphere.
- Please email support@daltonwade.com with your team members and team name so we can update our agent database with this information under each active member.
Step 8 – Ongoing Management
- Hold regular team meetings for accountability and training.
- Review production and expenses monthly.
Reminder:
A team is not a separate brokerage.
The broker remains responsible for all compliance, MLS activity, and
advertising. Team success depends on leadership, systems, and clear
communication.