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I was sitting in the conference room at my brokerage when I watched it happen in real time.

Two agents had just finished their licensing exams the same week. They sat across the table from me during new agent orientation, both eager, both committed, both convinced they were going to crush it in real estate.

The team leader went around the room asking everyone their goals.

First agent – let’s call her Michelle – said, “I want to really understand this business before I jump in. I’m going to spend the next few months learning everything I can, getting my systems perfect, and then I’ll start prospecting when I’m ready.”

Second agent – we’ll call her Tasha – said something different: “I want to close my first deal in 90 days. I don’t know how yet, but that’s the goal.”

The team leader smiled at both of them, but I noticed she pulled Tasha aside after the meeting.

Six months later, I ran into Michelle at a broker event. She had the most beautiful website I’d ever seen, a color-coded CRM system that would make a tech company jealous, and professionally designed marketing materials. She’d attended every training, taken copious notes, and could recite market statistics from memory.

She’d also made exactly $4,100 in six months – one buyer deal where the client found her through a Zillow inquiry.

Tasha? I saw her update on the office leaderboard. She’d closed eight transactions in those same six months and was on track for $150,000 her first year.

Same brokerage. Same market. Same training access. But completely different understanding of what the first 90 days are actually for.

Here’s what I learned watching dozens of new agents over my 11 years in this business: Your first 90 days in real estate aren’t about becoming an expert. They’re about building momentum in the right direction before bad habits become your identity.

Most new agents approach real estate like college – study hard, ace the test, then apply the knowledge. But real estate doesn’t work that way. The learning happens through doing, not before doing. And the agents who understand this from day one build businesses that scale. The ones who don’t spend years working harder for less money while wondering why success feels so exhausting.

I’m going to walk you through the exact 90-day framework that separates agents who build sustainable businesses from those who burn out chasing commission checks. This isn’t theory from someone who got lucky in a hot market. This is the system I used to go from $75,000 in year one to $350,000 in year two, and it’s the same framework I teach every new agent I coach.

Why Your First 90 Days Will Determine Your Next 10 Years

Most agents don’t realize that real estate success isn’t about talent or connections or even market knowledge. It’s about patterns.

The pattern you establish in your first 90 days becomes your default operating system. If you spend these months perfecting before executing, you’ll spend your career feeling unprepared. If you spend these months organizing instead of prospecting, you’ll spend years being busy but broke. If you spend these months waiting to feel ready, you’ll spend a decade watching other agents close deals while you’re still “getting ready.”

But here’s the good news: Patterns can be intentionally designed. You don’t have to stumble into good habits through trial and error. You can build the right foundation from day one if you know what you’re building toward.

The framework I’m about to show you is built on one core principle: Your business needs three things to generate income – structure, activity, and systems. Most agents try to build all three simultaneously and end up with none of them working. This framework gives you the correct sequence so each phase builds on the previous one.

Let me show you exactly how this works.

The 30-30-30 Framework: Your Blueprint for Systematic Success

Your first 90 days break down into three distinct 30-day phases. Each phase has a specific focus, and the sequence matters more than most agents realize.

Days 1-30: Foundation – Build your business infrastructure and understand how real estate economics actually work

Days 31-60: Execution – Implement your lead generation system and develop conversation competence

Days 61-90: Leverage – Build your seller systems while scaling what’s already working

Most agents skip phase one entirely, stumble through phase two without a foundation, and never make it to phase three because they’re stuck firefighting instead of building. Don’t be most agents.

Days 1-30: Foundation (The Boring Work That Makes Everything Else Possible)

I know what you’re thinking. “Cheesette, I need to make money. I can’t spend 30 days on foundation work when my bills are due in 60 days.”

I get it. But here’s what I know from coaching over 200 agents: The agents who rush past foundation work spend the next five years retrofitting their business while trying to make money. The agents who invest 30 days building the right foundation spend the next five years scaling a business that works.

Your choice.

Set Up Your Entity and Money Systems (Week One)

Before you make your first dollar, you need to know where that dollar is going and how to protect it legally. This isn’t optional, and it’s not something you can figure out “later when you’re making more money.”

Step 1: Form your LLC.

You can do this yourself through your state’s business filing system, or you can use a service like LegalZoom or Northwest Registered Agent. It’ll cost between $100-300 depending on your state. Get it done in your first week.

Why this matters: Operating as a sole proprietor means your personal assets are exposed if you get sued. It also means you’re missing tax advantages that LLCs provide. Set this up correctly from day one, and you’ll save thousands in taxes and protect your family’s financial security.

Step 2: Open a separate business bank account.

This is non-negotiable. Your business income and expenses must be separate from your personal finances. Most banks offer free business checking accounts. Find one, open it, and commit to never commingling funds.

Here’s how this works practically: When commission checks come in, they go into your business account. You pay all business expenses from this account – MLS dues, lockbox fees, gas for showings, marketing costs. Then you pay yourself a set amount each month from business to personal.

Step 3: Create your owner pay rhythm.

This is where most new agents mess up badly. They spend commission checks as they come in, which means they’re broke between deals and have no money for taxes when April comes.

Here’s the system that works: Decide on a monthly salary you’ll pay yourself. For most new agents, this should be modest – maybe $2,000-3,000 per month. When commission checks come in, they go to your business account. You pay yourself your set salary on the same day each month regardless of whether you closed one deal or five deals that month.

The money that accumulates beyond your salary gets allocated to four purposes:

– 30% to a tax account (you’ll need this in April, trust me)

– 20% to an operating expense account (MLS fees, gas, marketing)

– 25% to a profit account (this is your emergency fund and eventual investment capital)

– 25% stays in your main business account as working capital

This rhythm creates financial stability instead of the feast-or-famine chaos most agents experience. You’re not rich one month and broke the next. You have predictable income, protected tax money, and business capital that compounds over time.

If this sounds complicated, good. It should be done right. In my course “How to Start and Structure Your Real Estate Business,” I walk you through setting up this entire system with templates and examples. But even if you don’t take the course, get this foundation right in week one. Everything else builds on it.

Install Your CRM and Database as Infrastructure (Week Two)

Your database isn’t a tool you’ll use someday when you have more clients. It’s the foundation of your business from day one. Every successful agent I know treats their database like a gold mine, because that’s exactly what it is.

Most brokerages give you a CRM as part of your membership. Keller Williams has Command. RE/MAX has something. Coldwell Banker has something. Use whatever your brokerage provides – don’t spend money on a different system until you’ve maxed out what the free one can do.

Week two, day one: The Great Import

Block four hours on your calendar. You’re going to import every contact you have into your CRM. Not just the people you think might buy houses. Everyone.

– Your phone contacts (all of them)

– Your email contacts (all of them)

– Your Facebook friends list

– Your Instagram followers you actually know

– Your LinkedIn connections

– Your old coworkers from every job you’ve ever had

– Your college friends

– Your church members

– Your kids’ friends’ parents

– Your gym buddies

– Your hairstylist, mechanic, doctor, dentist

– Everyone

This will probably be 500-1,500 people. Import them all.

Week two, days two and three: The Great Tagging

Now you’re going to tag every single contact so you know how to communicate with them. Here are the tags you need:

Sphere: People you know personally who would recognize your voice if you called

Nurture: People you’ve met but need to build a deeper relationship with

Hot: People actively looking to buy or sell (you probably don’t have any yet, that’s fine)

Met: People in your database you’ve made contact with

Not Met: People in your database you haven’t connected with yet

Most of your contacts will be Sphere or Nurture. Tag them accordingly. This matters because you’ll communicate differently with each group.

Week two, days four and five: Build Your Touch Systems

This is where most agents quit. They import contacts and then… nothing. The database just sits there making them feel guilty for not using it.

You’re going to build two automated touch systems that run in the background while you focus on having actual conversations.

The 8×8 Touch (For New Contacts)

Map out eight touchpoints over eight weeks for every new person who enters your database. Here’s a sample sequence:

Week 1: Personal introduction text – “Hey [Name], just wanted to let you know I got my real estate license and I’m officially helping people buy and sell homes now. If you or anyone you know ever needs anything, I’m here to help!”

Week 2: Market update email – Send your monthly market snapshot (your broker probably has a template)

Week 3: Value-add content – Share an article about home maintenance, local events, or market trends

Week 4: Personal check-in call – “Hey, just calling to catch up. How have you been?”

Week 5: Neighborhood specific info – If they live in a specific area, send them data about their neighborhood

Week 6: Home value update – “Just wanted to let you know I run home value reports for people in your area. Want me to send you yours?”

Week 7: Referral ask – “I’m building my real estate business and the best way people can support me is by referring anyone they know who’s thinking about buying or selling. Who do you know?”

Week 8: Connection maintenance – Funny meme, article you think they’d like, congratulations on something you saw on social media

The specific content doesn’t matter as much as the consistency. Eight touches over eight weeks keeps you top of mind during that crucial early relationship period.

The 33 Touch (For Everyone Else)

This is your annual relationship maintenance system. You’re going to touch every person in your database 33 times per year through a combination of automated and personal touches.

Here’s how the math works:

– 12 monthly newsletters (automated through your CRM) = 12 touches

– 4 quarterly personal calls (March, June, September, December) = 4 touches

– 12 monthly neighborhood market updates (automated) = 12 touches

– 1 birthday card = 1 touch

– 1 holiday card = 1 touch

– 3 personal touches (funny content, congratulations, random check-ins) = 3 touches

Total = 33 touches per year

Set up the automated portions in your CRM during week two. The personal touches you’ll execute as you go, but having the system mapped out means you know exactly what to do each month.

By the end of week two, you should have:

– 500+ contacts imported into your CRM

– Every contact tagged appropriately

– Your 8×8 touch sequence created for new contacts

– Your 33 touch system mapped out for ongoing relationships

– Automated emails scheduled for the year

This is real infrastructure. This is what separates agents who have a database from agents who work their database systematically.

Learn Your Models and Math (Week Three)

This is the week that changes everything if you actually do the work. You’re going to understand the economics of your business at a level most agents never achieve, even after years in the industry.

Day One: Build Your Economic Model

Open a spreadsheet or grab a piece of paper. You’re going to work backwards from your income goal to your daily activity requirement.

Let’s say your goal is $100,000 in your first year (we’re being realistic, not conservative).

Start with the end: $100,000 in gross commission income (GCI)

Calculate your closings needed:

If your average commission per closing is $10,000, you need 10 closings.

(In reality, your first few deals might average closer to $7,000-8,000 because you’ll take anything you can get, but we’ll plan for $10,000 average)

Calculate your contracts needed:

Industry standard is about 50% closing ratio – half your contracts make it to closing, half fall out due to inspections, financing, cold feet, etc.

If you need 10 closings and only 50% of contracts close, you need 20 contracts signed.

Calculate your appointments needed:

If you’re good, you’ll sign 50% of the people you meet with. If you’re new, it’ll be closer to 30-40%.

Let’s use 40% to be realistic.

If you need 20 contracts and you sign 40% of appointments, you need 50 appointments.

Calculate your conversations needed:

This is where most agents get shocked. Industry standard is roughly 10% conversion from conversation to appointment.

If you need 50 appointments and convert 10% of conversations, you need 500 quality conversations.

Your daily activity:

500 conversations divided by 250 business days (roughly one year) = 2 conversations per day.

That’s it. That’s your whole business. Have two quality conversations every single business day, and you’ll hit $100,000 in your first year.

But here’s what’s beautiful about understanding this math: Now you can diagnose problems quickly.

If you’re having your two conversations per day but not getting appointments, you don’t have an activity problem – you have a conversion problem. Your scripts need work. Practice and role-play.

If you’re getting appointments but not signing contracts, you don’t have an activity problem – you have a presentation problem. Shadow someone’s listing appointments and improve your consultation skills.

If you’re signing contracts but they’re falling apart, you don’t have an activity problem – you have a systems problem. You need better buyer qualification or transaction management.

See how this works? The math tells you exactly where to focus your improvement efforts instead of just “trying harder” at everything.

Day Two: Build Your Personal Economic Model

Your business economics are one thing. Your personal economics are another. You need to know your personal number – how much money you need to earn each month to cover your bills and live your life.

List out every monthly expense:

– Mortgage/rent

– Utilities

– Car payment

– Insurance (car, health, life)

– Groceries

– Gas

– Debt payments

– Entertainment

– Savings goals

– Everything

Add it up. Let’s say your monthly personal expenses are $4,500. That means you need to earn $4,500 per month minimum to survive.

Now add what you want to earn beyond survival. Maybe you want to save $1,000 per month and have $500 in fun money. Now you’re at $6,000 per month personal need.

But remember, you’re a business owner now. You have business expenses (MLS, gas, marketing). Add those in. Let’s say $1,000 per month in business expenses.

Now you need $7,000 per month gross income. Annually, that’s $84,000.

This is your minimum viable income. Anything below this and you’re going backwards financially.

Cross-reference this with your business economic model. If your business model says you need 10 closings to hit $100,000, but your personal model says you need $84,000 minimum, you know that 10 closings is the floor, not the ceiling.

Day Three: Map Your Funnel

Your funnel is the visual representation of how people move from stranger to client. Draw it out:

Top of Funnel: Total contacts in your database (let’s say 800 people)

Conversations: How many of those 800 will you actually talk to this year? (Based on your 2/day model, about 500)

Appointments: How many will convert to appointments? (10% = 50 appointments)

Contracts: How many will sign? (40% = 20 contracts)

Closings: How many will close? (50% = 10 closings)

Now you can see the leaks in your funnel. If you’re talking to 500 people but only getting 20 appointments, your conversion from conversation to appointment is 4% instead of 10%. That’s where you focus improvement.

This visual clarity is what separates agents who feel like they’re working hard from agents who know they’re working smart.

Days Four and Five: Study Models That Work

Spend the last two days of week three studying successful agents’ business models. Not their tactics – their models.

How do they structure their time? What’s their daily routine? Where do most of their clients come from? How do they stay in touch with their database? What’s their closing process look like?

Interview a top producer at your office. Buy them coffee and ask questions:

– “What do your first two hours of the day look like?”

– “How many conversations do you have per week?”

– “What’s your primary lead source?”

– “How do you stay organized?”

– “What would you do differently if you were starting over today?”

Take notes. Look for patterns. Notice what they prioritize and what they ignore.

You’re not trying to copy them exactly – their business model fits their personality and strengths. But you’re learning the principles that make any model successful: consistency, focus, systems, and follow-up.

By the end of week three, you should understand:

– Your exact activity requirements to hit your income goal

– Your personal financial threshold

– Your funnel structure and where to focus improvement

– What successful models look like in practice

This is CEO-level thinking that most agents never develop, even after years in the business.

Shadow and Script (Week Four)

Your final week of foundation is about developing competence before you need it. You’re going to shadow a successful agent and practice your scripts until they feel natural.

Find Your Shadow Opportunity

Identify a successful agent in your office who’s willing to let you observe their business. You’re looking for someone who does high volume (20+ transactions per year), has been in the business at least five years, and has a reputation for professionalism.

Make them an offer: “I’ll help you with anything you need – open houses, sign installation, database clean-up, mailings, whatever – in exchange for being able to shadow your listing appointments and observe how you work.”

Most successful agents need help and will trade observation for labor. This is infinitely more valuable than any class your broker offers.

What to Observe

When you shadow, you’re watching for specific things:

Phone Conversations: How do they handle the initial inquiry? What questions do they ask? How do they overcome objections? What language do they use to set appointments?

Listing Appointments: How do they build rapport? What’s their pricing strategy conversation? How do they handle pushback? How do they ask for the listing? What does their listing agreement process look like?

Buyer Consultations: What questions do they ask to qualify? How do they explain their buyer process? How do they set expectations? What commitments do they ask for upfront?

Take notes on everything. You’re building your own playbook based on what actually works in your market with real clients.

Script Practice: The Work Nobody Wants to Do That Separates Winners from Wishers

You will avoid conversations if you don’t know what to say. And if you avoid conversations, you’ll never make money in real estate.

Scripts give you confidence. Not robotic word-for-word recitation, but frameworks you can deliver naturally while covering the important elements of each conversation type.

Week four daily practice schedule:

Monday: Sphere introduction scrip

“Hey [Name], I wanted to let you know I just got my real estate license and I’m officially helping people buy and sell homes now. I know you’re not looking right now, but if you ever hear of anyone who is, I’d love if you’d keep me in mind.”

Practice this 20 times out loud. Yes, out loud. Record yourself. Listen back. Do it again until it sounds natural, not rehearsed.

Tuesday: Past client referral script (even though you don’t have past clients yet, you will soon)

“Hey [Name], I’m checking in because I’m building my business and the best way people can support me is through referrals. Who do you know who might be thinking about buying or selling in the next 6-12 months?”

Practice 20 times. Notice how it feels asking for referrals directly. Get comfortable with the discomfort.

Wednesday: Expired listing script

“Hi [Name], my name is [Your Name] with [Brokerage]. I noticed your home at [Address] didn’t sell during the listing period. I’d love to share some insights about why that might have happened and what a different approach might look like. Do you have a few minutes to chat?”

Practice 20 times. You’ll call expireds soon. Be ready.

Thursday: FSBO script

“Hi [Name], I saw your home listed for sale by owner on [Platform]. I work with a lot of sellers in [Neighborhood] and I’m curious – what’s your timeline for selling? Also, have you worked with any buyer agents yet or are you handling all the showings yourself?”

Practice 20 times. FSBOs will be a consistent source of listings once you get good at this conversation.

Friday: Objection handling practice

“I’m already working with an agent”

“I’m not ready to sell yet”

“I want to try by owner first”

“What’s your commission?”

“I need to talk to my spouse”

Practice responses to each objection 10 times. Your responses should acknowledge the objection, provide value, and move the conversation forward.

Weekend: Role-play with accountability

Find another new agent or a friend and role-play these scenarios:

– You call an expired listing

– They give you the “I’m interviewing three agents” objection

– You respond and try to set an appointment

– You call someone in your sphere

– They say “I’m not looking to move”

– You respond and ask for referrals

– You’re on a listing appointment

– They say “Your commission is too high”

– You respond with value justification

This practice feels awkward. Do it anyway. The agents who practice scripts close 3x more deals than agents with the same experience level who wing it.

By the end of week four, you should:

– Have shadowed at least one listing appointment

– Have practiced core scripts until they’re conversational

– Know what objections you’ll face and how to respond

– Feel uncomfortable but capable

That discomfort is good. It means you’re ready to start executing.

Days 31-60: Execution (Where Most Agents Quit and Winners Emerge)

Your foundation is built. Your database is loaded. Your systems are mapped. Your scripts are practiced. Now comes the hard part: consistent daily execution when nobody’s watching and you don’t feel like it.

This is where 80% of new agents fail. They know what to do. They just don’t do it consistently enough to see results. They make calls for three days, get discouraged when nobody signs with them immediately, and then pivot to “social media strategy” or “building their brand” or some other form of sophisticated procrastination.

Don’t be that agent.

Days 31-60 have one singular focus: Lead generation and lead follow-up. Nothing else. Not website optimization. Not perfecting your email signature. Not designing new business cards. Just conversations with potential clients and systematic follow-up with everyone you talk to.

Pick Your Three Lanes and Master Them

You cannot be good at every lead generation method simultaneously. You can be mediocre at everything or excellent at a few things. Choose excellence.

Select three lead generation sources maximum. I recommend starting with two and parking the third for later. This isn’t limiting your opportunities – it’s focusing your effort long enough to actually develop skill.

Lane One: Your Sphere and Database (Non-Negotiable)

This is your warmest source of business and the foundation of everything else. These are people who already know you, trust you, and want to support you. The only reason they won’t give you business is if they forget you’re in real estate or if you never ask.

Your daily sphere routine:

9:00-9:30 AM: The Power Hour (Every Single Day)

Open your CRM. Filter for “Sphere” contacts you haven’t talked to in 30+ days. Call five people.

Not to sell them. To connect with them.

“Hey [Name], I was going through my contacts this morning and realized I hadn’t talked to you in a while. How have you been?”

That’s it. Just call to check in. Have a real conversation. Ask about their kids, their job, their life. Be genuinely interested.

Then, at the end of the conversation: “By the way, I don’t know if you knew this, but I’m actually selling real estate now. If you ever hear of anyone thinking about buying or selling, I’d love if you’d send them my way.”

Five calls per day. That’s 100 calls per month. Even if only 20 people answer and you have real conversations with them, you’ve stayed top of mind with 20 people who will think of you when real estate comes up.

Weekly sphere email:

Every Monday, send a personal email to 20 people in your sphere. Not a newsletter. A personal email.

“Hey [Name],

Just wanted to check in and see how things are going with you. I know we haven’t connected in a while, but you’ve been on my mind.

I officially started my real estate career a few weeks ago and I’m absolutely loving it. If you know anyone thinking about buying or selling, I’d love to help them out.

Hope all is well with you and the family!

[Your Name]”

Change the specifics for each person based on your actual relationship, but keep it personal and direct.

Monthly sphere direct mail:

Yes, physical mail still works. Every month, mail something to your entire sphere:

– Month 1: “Just Got Licensed” announcement postcard

– Month 2: Market update specific to their neighborhood

– Month 3: “Just Closed My First Deal” success story

– Month 4: Home maintenance tips for the season

– Month 5: Local market trends

Keep it rotating. The goal is to stay physically visible in their homes 12 times per year.

Quarterly sphere events:

Four times per year, create a reason to bring your sphere together:

– Q1: Tax planning seminar (partner with a CPA)

– Q2: Summer BBQ at a park

– Q3: Home maintenance workshop (partner with a handyman)

– Q4: Holiday party

These don’t have to be expensive or elaborate. The goal is face-time with multiple people simultaneously, which is more efficient than individual coffee meetings.

Your sphere isn’t a one-time campaign. It’s a permanent relationship system that compounds every year you’re in business.

Lane Two: Agent Referrals (The Leverage Most Agents Miss)

Most agents view other agents as competition. This is short-sighted and leaves money on the table.

Here’s reality: There are agents in other markets who get referrals they can’t personally help. There are agents in your market who work different price points and property types. There are agents drowning in buyer leads who hate working with buyers. All of them will refer business to you if you build the relationship.

Your agent referral system:

Week one: Identify 20 agents to build relationships with

Look for:

– Agents in other states (they get out-of-state referrals to your market)

– Agents in other areas of your state (relocation referrals)

– High-volume agents in your office (they’ll give you buyer overflow)

– Agents who specialize in different property types (commercial agents who get residential inquiries)

Make a list of 20 names.

Weeks 2-5: Relationship building

Reach out to four agents per week with this approach:

“Hey [Agent Name], my name is [Your Name] and I just got licensed with [Brokerage]. I’ve been looking at top producers in [Area/Office] and your name keeps coming up. I’m building my business and I’d love to buy you coffee and learn about how you’ve built yours. Would you have 30 minutes in the next couple weeks?”

Most agents love talking about their success. They’ll meet with you.

During coffee:

– Ask about their business (how they got started, what’s working now, what they focus on)

– Share your goals (first year targets, the niche you’re exploring)

– Offer value (“I’m looking for ways to help established agents. If you ever have buyer leads you can’t personally handle, I’d love to work them”)

– Get their preferred contact method and commit to staying in touch

*ngoing: The systematic touch system

Once you’ve built these 20 relationships:

– Call each one quarterly just to check in

– Send them a monthly market update email

– Refer business to them when you get inquiries outside your area

– Celebrate their wins (when you see a sale announcement, text them congratulations)

Agent referrals take time to develop, but once they’re established, they’re one of the most consistent lead sources in real estate. I get 3-5 referrals per month from my agent network, and I’ve never paid for a lead in my career.

Lane Three: Choose One Active Prospecting Source (And Only One)

Now you pick one method of actively reaching out to people who don’t know you yet. Options include:

– Expired listings

– FSBOs (For Sale By Owners)

– Open houses

– Geographic farming

– New homeowner welcome

– Circle prospecting

Pick ONE. Just one. You’re going to do this one thing consistently for the full 30 days before you even consider adding another method.

Here’s why: Every prospecting source has a learning curve. Your first expired listing call will be awkward. Your tenth will be better. Your fiftieth will be smooth. But you’ll never get to your fiftieth call if you make three expired calls, decide it’s “not working,” switch to FSBOs for two days, try an open house, and then move on to door knocking.

Consistency creates competence. Competence creates confidence. Confidence creates conversions.

If you choose expired listings:

Daily routine:

– Pull expired listings from the MLS each morning (usually listed under “expired” or “off-market”)

– Call every expired listing within 24 hours of expiration

– Use your practiced script

– Your goal is to set a listing appointment, not sell them on the phone

Script framework:

“Hi [Seller Name], my name is [Your Name] with [Brokerage]. I noticed your home at [Address] didn’t sell during the listing period. I work with sellers in [Neighborhood] and I’d love to share some insights about why homes don’t sell and what a different strategy might look like. Do you have a few minutes this week to meet?”

Volume required:

In most markets, you’ll need to call 50-100 expired listings to get one appointment. That sounds discouraging, but it means if you call 10 expireds per day (takes about an hour), you’ll get 1-2 appointments per week.

One expired listing appointment per week = potential for 2-4 listings per month = potential for $60,000+ annual income just from this one source.

If you choose FSBOs:

Daily routine:

– Check Zillow, Craigslist, Facebook Marketplace, and FSBO.com for new by-owner listings

– Call every new FSBO within 24 hours of listing

– Offer value, not pressure

Script framework:

“Hi [Name], I saw your home listed by owner on Zillow. I work with sellers in [Area] and I know selling by owner can be challenging. I’m not calling to list your house – I’m actually calling to see if you’re working with buyer agents yet or if you’re handling all the showings yourself. I work with buyers in your price range and I’d love to show your home if you’re open to working with agents.”

The strategy:

You’re positioning yourself as a buyer agent first, which removes the pressure and gets your foot in the door. Once you’re showing their house to your buyer and building rapport, you can ask questions about their by-owner experience and offer to list it if they’re struggling.

Many FSBOs will list with you after 30-60 days by owner when they realize how much work it is.

Volume required:

Call 5-10 FSBOs per day. Expect to set 1-2 buyer showings per week at FSBO properties. Convert 1 in 5 FSBOs to a listing eventually.

If you choose open houses:

Weekly routine:

– Host two open houses every weekend (Saturday and Sunday)

– One should be your own listing (once you have one) or an office listing

– One should be a pocket listing or company listing in a high-traffic area

The system:

– Arrive one hour early to set up signs and prep the house

– Have a sign-in sheet (name, email, phone)

– Offer genuine help, not salesy pressure: “Are you working with an agent or are you just starting to look?”

– Follow up with every attendee within 24 hours

Volume required:

Two open houses per weekend = 8 per month = typically 30-50 visitors monthly = 3-5 serious buyer leads per month

The key is treating open houses as lead generation, not hoping the visitors buy that specific house.

The Non-Negotiable Rule for Days 31-60:

Whatever lane three you choose, you do it every single business day for 30 days minimum. No exceptions. No “I’ll skip today because I don’t feel like it.” No “I’ll try something else because this isn’t working yet.”

Thirty days of consistent execution. That’s the commitment.

Your Weekly Standards: The Framework That Prevents Quitting

Consistency beats intensity in real estate. The agent who makes 10 calls per day for a year will vastly outperform the agent who makes 100 calls one week and then zero calls the next three weeks.

But consistency requires structure. You need weekly standards – the non-negotiable activities you commit to regardless of how you feel, what else comes up, or whether you’re seeing immediate results.

Here’s your weekly standard for days 31-60:

Monday through Friday:

– 5 sphere calls (Power Hour 9:00-9:30 AM)

– 10 calls to your active prospecting source (expireds, FSBOs, or whatever you chose)

– 1 agent relationship call or meeting

– All leads from the day entered into CRM and tagged

– Follow-up tasks for hot leads completed

Total weekly:

– 25 sphere conversations

– 50 active prospecting calls

– 5 agent relationship touches

– Database fully updated

Monday:

– Send personal emails to 20 sphere contacts

– Pull week’s active prospecting list (expireds, FSBOs, etc.)

– Review last week’s metrics and adjust if needed

Friday:

– Review week’s activities

– Schedule next week’s agent coffee meetings

– Plan weekend open houses or sphere events

Saturday/Sunday:

– Host open houses (if that’s your lane three)

– OR do sphere relationship activities (brunch, sports event, church)

This is your baseline. This is what you do every week without negotiation.

Most agents don’t fail because they don’t know what to do. They fail because they don’t do what they know consistently enough to see results.

Your weekly standards remove decision-making from the equation. You don’t wake up Monday and decide if you feel like making calls. You make calls because it’s Monday and that’s what you do on Mondays. It’s non-negotiable.

Track the Right Metrics (And Ignore the Rest)

You need to know if your activities are producing results, but tracking can become another form of productive procrastination if you’re not careful. Track these metrics and only these metrics:

Daily:

– Conversations (actual voice-to-voice or face-to-face discussions)

– Appointments set

– Hot leads added to database

Weekly:

– Total conversations

– Total appointments

– Signed contracts

– Conversion rate (appointments to contracts)

Monthly:

– Total pipeline value (all active deals)

– Closings

– GCI (Gross Commission Income)

– Average commission per closing

That’s it.

Don’t track your email open rates. Don’t track your social media engagement. Don’t track your website traffic. None of those things directly correlate to money in your first 90 days.

Every Friday afternoon, review your week:

Did you hit your conversation targets? If yes, celebrate that. If no, diagnose why and adjust next week.

Did you set appointments? If yes, analyze what’s working in your conversations. If no, role-play with your broker or a colleague to improve your approach.

Did you sign any contracts? If yes, reverse-engineer what led to that success so you can repeat it. If no, but you had appointments, review your consultation approach.

This weekly review creates a feedback loop that helps you improve continuously. You’re not just doing activity – you’re doing activity, measuring results, learning from outcomes, and improving your approach.

The Follow-Up System That Separates Top Producers from Everyone Else

Here’s a reality that will make or break your business: Most leads don’t convert immediately. The agent who wins isn’t the one who makes the best first impression – it’s the one who follows up systematically until the lead converts or dies.

Your follow-up system has three tiers:

tier 1: Hot Leads (Ready to transact in 0-90 days)

These get daily follow-up until they sign or tell you no. Daily doesn’t mean daily phone calls – it means daily touchpoints through varied methods:

– Monday: Call

– Tuesday: Text with helpful info

– Wednesday: Email with listing or market update

– Thursday: Call

– Friday: Text check-in

– Weekend: Nothing (respect boundaries)

You stay in their face without being annoying by adding value each time and varying your communication method.

Tier 2: Warm Leads (Interested but timeline is 3-12 months out)

These get weekly follow-up with a mix of automated and personal touches:

– Week 1: Personal call

– Week 2: Automated email market update

– Week 3: Personal text with valuable info

– Week 4: Automated email

– Repeat cycle

Every month they stay warm, do one personal touch and three automated touches.

Tier 3: Long-term Nurture (Everyone else)

These go into your 33-touch annual system. They’re not actively looking, but you stay top of mind so when they or someone they know needs help, they think of you first.

The follow-up rule most agents violate:

Never drop a lead from your follow-up system until they explicitly tell you to stop contacting them or they do business with another agent.

“Not interested right now” doesn’t mean delete from database. It means move to long-term nurture.

“I need to think about it” doesn’t mean give up. It means follow up tomorrow with helpful information.

“We’re interviewing three agents” doesn’t mean you lost. It means follow up more strategically than the other two.

Persistence with value wins. Harassment loses. Learn the difference. Persistence adds value each time (market insights, neighborhood data, answers to their questions). Harassment just keeps asking “ready yet?”

By the end of your 31-60 day execution phase, you should have:

– Talked to 200+ people

– Set 5-10 appointments

– Signed 1-3 contracts

– Built a pipeline of warm leads you’re nurturing systematically

– Developed competence and confidence in your chosen prospecting methods

Some of you will close a deal during this phase. Most won’t – the average transaction takes 30-45 days from contract to closing. But you’ll have deals in process and momentum building.

That momentum is the asset you’re building. Don’t quit when you can’t see it yet.

Days 61-90: Build Your Seller System (The Leverage That Changes Everything)

Your final 30 days in this framework aren’t about learning something new. They’re about building leverage into what’s already working.

You’re continuing everything from days 31-60 – the sphere touches, the agent relationships, the active prospecting, the follow-up system. But now you’re adding a seller focus because sellers are the leverage point that transforms your business from time-trading to wealth-building.

Why Sellers Matter More Than Most Agents Realize

One buyer transaction requires 10-20 showings, negotiations with other agents, financing contingencies, inspection negotiations, and your schedule being reactive to their availability and other agents’ listings.

One seller transaction requires one excellent listing appointment, professional photos, strategic pricing, proactive marketing, and your schedule staying in your control.

But here’s the real leverage: When you list a house, your name goes on a sign. That sign generates buyer leads. Those buyers bring you more transactions. One listing can turn into four deals – the listing itself, buyers who call from the sign, buyers from open houses, and referrals from neighbors who see your marketing.

Time investment: Similar for one buyer vs. one seller.

Income potential: Seller generates 3-4x more opportunity per hour of your time.

This is why you need to build your seller system now, even if you don’t have a listing yet. Because when you get your first listing appointment (and you will if you’re doing the work from days 1-60), you need to be ready to convert it.

The Pre-Listing Package That Sets You Apart

Before you ever walk into a listing appointment, you should send a pre-listing package that positions you as a professional and makes your competitors look amateur by comparison.

Your pre-listing package should include:

1. Personalized letter explaining why you want to list their home

Not a template. A real letter that references specifics about their house and neighborhood.

“Dear Mr. and Mrs. Johnson,

Thank you for giving me the opportunity to compete for the listing at 123 Main Street. I drove by your home yesterday and I can already see the potential buyers who would love that corner lot and updated kitchen.

I’ve enclosed a comprehensive marketing plan that shows exactly how I’ll get your home sold for top dollar in the shortest time possible. I’m looking forward to our meeting on Thursday and sharing my strategy with you in person.

Sincerely,

[Your Name]”

2. Your professional bio and credentials

Don’t have much experience yet? Lead with your strengths:

– Your commitment to communication and availability

– Your tech-savvy marketing approach

– Your full-time dedication to real estate

– Your broker’s reputation and resources

– Your enthusiasm for serving clients at the highest level

3. A preliminary market analysis

Pull comparable sales from the MLS. Show them what similar homes in their area have sold for recently. This demonstrates you’ve done your homework before the appointment.

You’re not committing to a price yet – you’ll refine this during the appointment. But you’re showing them you understand their market.

4. Your marketing plan overview

Create a one-page document showing how you market listings:

– Professional photography

– Video walkthroughs

– Virtual tours

– MLS syndication to 100+ websites

– Social media promotion

– Email blast to your database

– Agent preview events

– Open houses

– Print marketing

Even if you haven’t done all of this yet, you’re showing them your plan. Most listing agents don’t do half of this, so you’re already ahead.

5. Client testimonials

Don’t have any yet? Use testimonials from people you’ve helped in other contexts:

“[Your Name] helped me navigate one of the biggest decisions of my life with professionalism and care. I wouldn’t trust anyone else with something this important.”

– Former coworker talking about your work ethic

You’re building credibility where you can while you develop real estate specific testimonials.

Send this package via email as a PDF packet 2-3 days before your listing appointment.

Most agents show up to appointments with nothing. You’re showing up with proof that you’re prepared, professional, and strategic.

The Listing Presentation Framework That Converts

Your listing presentation doesn’t need to be 40 slides. It needs to be a strategic conversation that builds trust, demonstrates competence, and earns the listing.

The structure that works:

Part 1: Rapport Building (10 minutes)

Don’t jump straight into business. Ask about them:

– How long have you lived here?

– What do you love about the house?

– Why are you selling?

– What’s your timeline?

– Where are you moving?

Listen more than you talk. People list with agents they trust, and trust comes from feeling heard.

Part 2: Market Positioning (15 minutes)

This is where you show them you understand their market better than they do.

– Show comparable sales (what similar homes sold for)

– Show active listings (their current competition)

– Show expired/withdrawn listings (what didn’t work and why)

Then present your pricing strategy: “Based on current market conditions and how your home compares to the competition, I believe the optimal listing price is $X. Here’s why…”

Explain your pricing rationale. Show them the data. Help them understand that pricing isn’t arbitrary – it’s strategic.

Part 3: Marketing Strategy (15 minutes)

Walk through your marketing plan:

– Professional photos (show examples)

– Video tour (show examples from other listings)

– MLS syndication (explain how their listing will appear on Zillow, Realtor.com, etc.)

– Social media (show your plan for promotion)

– Email marketing (explain your database strategy)

– Open houses and agent previews

The goal is to demonstrate that you have a comprehensive system, not just a “list it and hope” approach.

Part 4: Process and Communication (10 minutes)

Set expectations clearly:

– How often will you communicate with them?

– What’s the showing process?

– How will you handle offers?

– What’s your negotiation approach?

– What happens if the home doesn’t sell in X days?

Over-communicate your process so they know exactly what to expect. Uncertainty creates anxiety. Clarity creates trust.

Part 5: The Close (10 minutes)

Don’t be afraid to ask for the listing directly:

“Based on everything we’ve discussed, I believe I have the strategy and marketing approach to get your home sold for $X in the next 60 days. Are you comfortable moving forward with me as your listing agent?”

If they say yes, great. Pull out the listing agreement and start completing it together.

If they say “we’re interviewing other agents,” that’s fine: “I respect that. When do you plan to make your decision? Can I follow up with you on [specific date]?”

Then follow up exactly when you said you would.

**The entire appointment should be 60 minutes.** Not 30 minutes, not 90 minutes. One hour shows you’re thorough but respect their time.

The Listing Launch Checklist (Your First 48 Hours)

When you get a listing signed, the first 48 hours determine your momentum. You need a checklist so nothing falls through the cracks when you’re excited.

Hour 0-24:

– [ ] Order professional photos (same day or next day)

– [ ] Create property description and feature list

– [ ] Set up MLS listing with all details

– [ ] Schedule photographer appointment

– [ ] Order sign installation

– [ ] Create lockbox access

– [ ] Email seller confirming next steps

Hour 24-48:

– [ ] Photos completed and uploaded to MLS

– [ ] Listing goes live on MLS

– [ ] Share listing on social media (Facebook, Instagram)

– [ ] Email blast to entire database announcing new listing

– [ ] Text agent relationships about new listing

– [ ] Schedule agent preview (day 3-4)

– [ ] Schedule first open house (weekend 1)

– [ ] Create property flyers

The speed of your launch tells the market this is a hot property. Slow launch creates perception of stale inventory. Fast launch creates urgency.

The Weekly Seller Update That Earns You Referrals

Once your listing is active, you need to update your sellers weekly – even if there’s nothing new to report. Consistent communication is what gets you five-star reviews and referrals.

Create a template you can customize each week:

Subject: Weekly Update for 123 Main Street

Hi [Seller Name],

Here’s your weekly update for the property:

Showing Activity:

– Total showings this week: [#]

– Total showings since listing: [#]

– Feedback received: [Summary of agent feedback]

Marketing Activity:

– MLS views: [#]

– Zillow views: [#]

– Open house scheduled: [Date/Time]

– Social media reach: [#]

Market Update:

– New comparable listings: [Any new competition]

– Recent sales in area: [Relevant sales data]

Next Steps:

[What’s happening next – open house, price adjustment consideration, marketing changes, etc.]

Please let me know if you have any questions. I’m staying actively engaged in selling your home and I’ll be in touch next [Day] with another update.

[Your Name]

—

This takes 10 minutes to create each week. It keeps sellers informed, reduces anxiety, and positions you as a professional who cares about their success.

Prospecting for Sellers Specifically

During days 61-90, your lead generation should tilt heavily toward seller-focused prospecting. This means:

Expired listing calls:

These sellers already tried to sell. They’re motivated. They need a different strategy. If you can articulate why their house didn’t sell and how your approach will be different, you can earn their business.

Your advantage as a new agent: “I know you worked with an experienced agent before and your home didn’t sell. Sometimes a fresh perspective and hungrier work ethic is exactly what a property needs. I’d love to show you my approach.”

FSBO outreach:

These sellers don’t want to pay commission, but many will after 30-60 days when they realize how much work selling actually is.

Your approach: Offer to help them as a buyer’s agent first (showing your buyers their property). Build rapport. Ask how their by-owner experience is going. Be helpful, not pushy. When they’re frustrated, they’ll list with you because you’ve already proven you care.

Sphere seller questions:

When you contact your database, lead with seller-focused questions:

“Do you know anyone thinking about selling their house in the next 6-12 months? I just learned some new strategies for getting homes sold fast and I’d love to help someone you know.”

This is more specific and actionable than “know anyone buying or selling?”

Open houses to generate seller leads:

When you host an open house (even if it’s someone else’s listing), you’re not just looking for buyers for that house. You’re meeting people who are:

– Looking to buy, which means they might need to sell their current home first

– Curious neighbors who might be thinking about selling

– Investors who buy and sell frequently

Ask everyone who walks through: “Are you selling a home as part of your move?” or “What brings you out looking at houses today?”

Collect contact information from everyone. Follow up with everyone within 24 hours. Convert visitors into database contacts who go into your nurture system.

By the end of days 61-90, you should have:

– A complete pre-listing package ready to send

– A practiced listing presentation you’ve role-played multiple times

– A listing launch checklist so nothing gets missed

– A weekly seller update template

– Shifted your prospecting toward seller-focused activities

You might already have your first listing by day 90. If not, you’re positioned to convert the next listing opportunity that comes from your systematic prospecting.

The Psychological Battle Nobody Warns You About

Everything I’ve covered is tactical – the specific systems and activities you need. But there’s a psychological component that determines whether you’ll actually execute or just read this and then do what feels safe.

The Perfectionism Trap That Keeps You Broke

You will want to perfect your systems before executing them. Your perfectionist brain will tell you that you need one more practice session, one more template revision, one more role-play before you’re ready to actually make calls.

This is fear wearing a professional disguise.

You don’t need perfect systems to make money. You need functional systems executed consistently. Your first listing presentation will be mediocre compared to what it’ll be in year five. Present it anyway. Your first expired listing call will be awkward. Make it anyway.

Perfectionism says: “I’ll make calls when I’m ready.”

Reality says: “You get ready by making calls.”

The agents who succeed in their first 90 days don’t have better systems than everyone else. They have worse systems that they’re willing to execute immediately while improving continuously.

They’d rather be imperfect and active than perfect and broke.

The Comparison Trap That Destroys Momentum

You will meet agents in your office who are closing deals faster than you. They’ll seem to have everything figured out while you’re still stumbling through scripts.

You cannot compare your beginning to someone else’s middle.

They’re on day 847. You’re on day 47. Or they came from another brokerage with existing clients. Or they inherited their parent’s database. Or they’re working 80 hours per week heading for burnout that you can’t see yet.

The only relevant comparison is you today versus you yesterday:

– Did you have more conversations this week than last week?

– Did you improve your script after role-playing?

– Did you add more contacts to your database?

– Did you learn something from a failed appointment?

That’s progress. That’s what compounds into success over time.

The Motivation Trap That Stops Consistency

You will have days where you don’t feel like making calls. Days where lead generation feels pointless. Days where you question if you made the right career choice.

Every successful agent has those days. The difference is they make the calls anyway.

Motivation doesn’t create action. Action creates motivation.

You don’t wait to feel motivated before executing your business plan. You execute your business plan, and motivation shows up after your first good conversation reminds you why you’re doing this.

The cycle of success:

Discipline → Activity → Small Win → Confidence → Motivation → Easier Discipline → More Activity → Bigger Win → More Confidence → Sustainable Motivation

The cycle of failure:

Wait for Motivation → No Activity → No Results → Discouragement → Less Motivation → Rationalization (“This market is tough”) → Career Change

You choose which cycle you enter by what you do today when you don’t feel like it.

The Real ROI of Getting This Right

Let me show you the actual financial difference between executing this framework versus doing what most agents do.

Typical new agent (90-day outcome):

– Spends 90 days attending every broker training, perfecting presentations, building website, creating social media content

– Has approximately 50 total conversations with potential clients

– Gets 1-2 clients under contract

– Closes zero deals in first 90 days (transactions take 30-45 days to close)

– Gross commission: $0

– Time invested: 500+ hours

– ROI: Negative, with mounting anxiety about money and career choice

Framework agent (90-day outcome):

– Spends 30 days building foundation, 60 days executing consistently

– Has 200+ conversations with potential clients

– Gets 5-8 clients under contract

– Closes 1-3 deals in first 90 days (from fastest-moving transactions)

– Has 3-5 more deals pending that will close in months 4-5

– Gross commission: $15,000-30,000 closed, plus $30,000-50,000 pending

– Time invested: 500+ hours

– ROI: Positive with clear momentum and compound growth trajectory

But the real difference isn’t the immediate income – it’s the trajectory for months 4-12.

Typical agent at month 6:

– Still figuring out lead generation

– Inconsistent activity based on motivation levels

– 2-3 closed deals total

– Anxious about money

– Considering quitting or getting part-time job

– Annual projection: $30,000-40,000

Framework agent at month 6:

– Systematic lead generation producing consistent appointments

– Database full of warm relationships being nurtured

– 8-12 closed deals

– Multiple deals in pipeline at all times

– Confident in ability to generate business predictably

– Annual projection: $120,000-150,000

By month 12, they’re in completely different businesses:

Typical agent: Working hard, making sporadic money, burning out, considering career change. Income: $45,000-60,000 if they stick with it.

Framework agent: Running a real business with systems, predictable lead flow, and scalable processes. Income: $120,000-180,000 with clear path to $250,000+ in year two.

The choice you make in your first 90 days determines which trajectory you’re on.

Same amount of hours worked. Same market. Completely different outcomes because of completely different approach.

Your Next 90 Days Start Right Now

You have a choice to make.

You can read this article, take some notes, feel inspired for a day or two, and then default back to whatever your broker suggests or whatever feels comfortable. You’ll probably make some money eventually through sheer persistence, but you’ll spend years working harder than necessary for less than you deserve.

Or you can commit to this framework for 90 days. You can build the foundation, execute the systems, and develop the habits that create sustainable success. You can compress years of trial-and-error into three months of focused progress.

Most agents choose the first option. They know what to do but don’t do it consistently enough to see results. Then they blame the market, the brokerage, the timing, or their lack of natural sales talent.

But if you’re ready to build a real business instead of just hoping for success, if you’re willing to focus on fundamentals instead of shortcuts, if you’re committed to executing consistently even when you don’t feel motivated – then this framework will change your career trajectory.

Your implementation starts today:

Week one: Set up your LLC, business bank account, and owner pay rhythm. Get this foundation right before you make your first dollar.

Week two: Import every contact into your CRM, tag them appropriately, and build your 8×8 and 33-touch automation systems.

Week three: Build your economic model so you know exactly how many conversations you need daily to hit your income goals.

Week four: Find your shadow opportunity and practice your core scripts until they’re conversational.

Days 31-60: Execute your three-lane lead generation system every single business day without negotiation.

Days 61-90: Continue execution while building your seller system so you’re ready to convert listing opportunities.

Every successful agent you admire once stood exactly where you’re standing now, wondering if they could actually do this. They felt the same uncertainty, the same fear, the same pressure.

The difference is they started anyway. They executed imperfectly but consistently. They focused on the right activities even when those activities felt uncomfortable.

They did the work when nobody was watching and they didn’t feel like it. That’s why they’re successful now.

You can do the same thing. The framework exists. The path is clear. The only question is whether you’ll walk it.

I’ve created a comprehensive course called “How to Start and Structure Your Real Estate Business” that walks you through every element of this 90-day framework in granular detail. It includes my database course, economic modeling templates, script libraries, and the exact systems I use in my business. Module 5 shows you how to build a business you can actually exit and sell in 3-5 years instead of one that only works when you’re grinding.

The course is $199 because I want it to be accessible to every new agent who’s serious about building this correctly from day one. But even if you don’t take the course, implement this framework. The systems work. The sequence matters. The consistency compounds.

Your first 90 days in real estate will determine whether you build a business that funds your life or consumes it. They’ll determine whether you’re still in real estate in five years or if you’re another statistic who “tried it for a while.”

Make them count.

The difference between where you are now and where you want to be isn’t complicated. It’s clarity on what matters and consistency in executing it.

This article gave you the clarity. The next 90 days will prove whether you have the consistency.

I’m cheering for you. Now go build something worth celebrating.