A network’s training program, providing agents with lessons from industry experts, has boosted pipelines and appraisals, leading to its expansion in 2026.
Over a 33-week training period, Laing+Simmons has delivered a new training program to equip agents with a range of tools and strategies for market research, prospecting, database, and management.
The training program, The Prospecting Academy, was conceived and designed by Laing+Simmons head of network performance Angela Avgerinos and head of people and growth Jacqui Barnes.
Avgerinos said the program was founded on best-practice adult learning and development principles, specifically “learn, apply, reflect”.
To best deliver the “learn, apply, reflect” strategy, Avgerinos said the program focused on collaboration and peer-to-peer learning to teach a mindset and skill set for prospecting, reinforcing that these skills can be learned by the agent.
She said that throughout the weeks, agents developed their skills and improved their ability to engage with customers through sessions with industry leaders.
“The Prospecting Academy helps agents build and maintain a consistent sales pipeline, from turning prospecting from a task into a rhythm, and to make consistency their competitive edge,” she said.
For each session, participants learned from guest trainers, including top industry leaders, covering topics such as buyer qualification and cold calling, social media strategies, handling rejection, follow-ups, generating listing interest, and more.
The program also guided agents from planning key performance indicators (KPIs), income, and growth to market research, database management, active and passive prospecting, door knocking, letterbox drops, and establishing a market presence.
“Specifically, participants in the 2025 program achieved four key objectives which supported business development and strengthened their capabilities,” Avgerinos said.
“They built consistent prospecting habits, grew their databases, converted more appraisals to listings, and created long-term pipelines.”
Following the completion of the program, the network reported that participants experienced significant improvements in their everyday work.
In total, 88 per cent of participants said they had developed a stronger pipeline, and 78 per cent booked more face-to-face appraisals.
While the program was offered exclusively by Laing+Simmons, Avgerinos said it had attracted interest from agents from other networks.
“We even welcomed in some agents from outside the Laing+Simmons network who were interested in participating.”
She said the program's results would play a significant role in how it is structured going forward.
“The feedback and structure of the training have given us a blueprint for the future, and in 2026, we’ll be evolving the program with new expert-led sessions, expanded content, and a refreshed line-up,” Avgerinos concluded.
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