Video not loading? Click here to watch it on YouTube!

An Agent sent me a screenshot of her calendar last Friday.

Blocked time for “social media content.” Two hours for “organizing CRM.” Another hour for “researching marketing strategies.” Three hours total for “business development activities.”

Zero time blocked for actual conversations with human beings.

“I’m staying so busy,” she texted. “But I haven’t booked an appointment in three weeks.”

I called her. “What did you do during those three hours of business development?”

“I made my Instagram grid look cohesive. Updated my bio. Researched hashtags. You know, building my brand.”

“Did you talk to anyone who could hire you?”

Silence.

Here’s what I’ve watched happen over and over: Agents confuse activity with progress. They’re working hard on things that feel productive but generate zero dollars. Meanwhile, the agents making consistent six figures aren’t doing more. They’re having three specific types of conversations that most agents avoid because they feel uncomfortable.

I coach an agent named Marcus who made $340k last year working 28 hours a week. I coach another agent who made $68k working 55 hours a week before we started working.

Same market. Same brokerage. Same lead sources available.

The difference? Marcus has mastered three conversation types that the other agent is still avoiding. And those three conversations are the only thing standing between where you are now and where you want to be.

The Life Trigger Conversation (Or: How To Stop Selling And Start Listening For Money)

Most agents walk into conversations trying to convince people they need real estate services.

That’s backwards.

People don’t move because you’re convincing. They move because life is moving them. New baby. Job change. Divorce. Inheritance. Lease ending. Downsizing. Parents need care. School district concerns.

Your job isn’t to create urgency. Your job is to identify it.

Here’s the framework I teach every agent I coach:

The Open-Ended Life Question

“Are there any life changes coming up that might impact your housing situation?”

That’s it. Then you stop talking.

I had an agent tell me “Cheesette, that feels too vague. I need to be more specific.”

No. Vague is the point. When you ask a specific question like “are you thinking about selling?” you put them in a yes/no box. They say no, conversation ends.

When you ask about life changes, you open a door to everything. And people love talking about their lives. New jobs. Kids going to college. Parents aging. They’ll tell you everything if you just ask and listen.

The Situational Possibilities

After you ask, give them context: “Could be anything – new job, new school, lease ending, needing more space, thinking about upgrading…”

Why? Because people need permission to share. They don’t always connect their life situation to real estate. When you name possibilities, they recognize themselves: “Oh yeah, my daughter’s starting kindergarten next year and we’ve been talking about moving to a better school district.”

Boom. Life trigger identified.

The Listening Grid

This is where most agents lose money. They hear a trigger and immediately jump into sales mode. “Oh great! I can help you sell! Let me tell you about my services!”

Stop.

Instead, I teach agents to track triggers in three categories:

Hot Triggers (0-3 months): “My lease ends in 8 weeks.” “We’re closing on our new house next month.” “We just accepted a job offer in another state.”

Warm Triggers (3-6 months): “We’re thinking about moving this summer.” “Once the school year ends, we’ll probably start looking.” “After I get my bonus in April, we want to upgrade.”

Future Triggers (6+ months): “Eventually we’ll need more space.” “We’ve talked about moving to the suburbs someday.” “In a year or two we might downsize.”

Each category gets a different follow-up strategy. Hot triggers get immediate value offers. Warm triggers get educational content and regular check-ins. Future triggers get added to a nurture sequence.

One of my coaching clients started using this grid and realized she’d been treating every conversation the same way. She was nurturing hot leads like they had all the time in the world, and she was pressuring future leads like they needed to act tomorrow.

Once she categorized properly, her conversion rate jumped from 8% to 34% because she was matching her approach to their actual timeline.

The Value Bridge

This is what separates agents who have nice conversations from agents who have conversations that turn into business.

After you identify the trigger, you bridge to value: “Would it be helpful if I sent you a home equity review so you know exactly what you’re working with?”

Or: “I’d love to come assess your home’s current value – no obligation, just so you have that number in your back pocket for planning.”

Or: “I can send you some info on what buyers are looking for in your area right now, might be helpful as you’re thinking this through.”

You’re not asking for business. You’re offering something useful that positions you as the expert they’ll call when they’re ready.

I had a coaching client practice this exact framework on a sphere contact she’d been meaning to call. The contact mentioned her parents were talking about moving closer to family. My client offered to send comparable sales in their area so they could start planning financially.

Three months later, the parents listed with her. $18,000 commission from one conversation that took 11 minutes.

The life trigger conversation isn’t about closing deals today. It’s about planting seeds that grow into business when the timing is right. But most agents skip this conversation entirely because it feels too soft, too indirect, too “not salesy enough.”

Meanwhile, the agents making $300k+ are having these conversations daily and watching them compound into consistent business.

The Binary Choice Appointment (Or: Why “When’s Good For You?” Is Killing Your Calendar)

I listened to an agent try to set an appointment last week.

Agent: “So yeah, I’d love to meet with you and go over everything.”

Prospect: “Okay, sounds good.”

Agent: “Great! When works for you?”

Prospect: “Um, I’ll have to check my calendar and get back to you.”

Narrator voice: They did not get back to her.

Here’s what just happened: The agent put all the work on the prospect. The prospect now has to review their schedule, coordinate with their spouse, pick a time, and reach back out.

That’s three steps of friction. And every step of friction is an opportunity for them to forget, get distracted, or decide it’s not important right now.

Successful agents remove friction through binary closing.

The Two-Option Framework

“I have Tuesday at 3pm or Friday at 10am available. Which works better for you?”

You’re not asking if they want to meet. You’re assuming the meeting is happening and giving them a choice between two specific options.

This does something powerful psychologically. When you offer two choices, people pick one. When you ask them to pick from infinite options, they freeze.

One of my coaching clients struggled with this. “Cheesette, what if neither time works for them?”

Then they’ll tell you. “Neither of those work, but Thursday afternoon is good for me.”

Perfect. Now you’re coordinating, not asking for permission.

The Confirmation Bridge

After they pick a time, don’t just say “great, see you then.” Lock it in with specificity:

“Perfect. Tuesday at 3pm. I’ll text you the address and what to bring. We’ll spend about an hour going through your goals, the current market, and what the buying process looks like. Sound good?”

Now they know exactly what to expect, how long it’ll take, and what they need to do. Confirmation rates go up dramatically when people have clarity.

The 24-Hour Pre-Qualification Call

This is the secret weapon most agents don’t use.

Twenty-four hours before every appointment, call them. Not to confirm – to pre-qualify.

“Hey! Looking forward to meeting tomorrow at 3. Quick question before we meet – have you had a chance to think about your timeline? Just want to make sure I’m prepared with the right information for where you’re at.”

This call does three things:

1. Confirms they’re still coming (without making it feel like you’re checking up on them)

2. Gives you intel on how serious they actually are

3. Filters out people who aren’t ready, saving you from wasted appointments

I had an agent tell me this felt like too much work. “I don’t want to bother them.”

You know what’s more bothersome? Showing up prepared for an hour-long buyer consultation only to find out they’re “just looking” and not planning to buy for two years.

The 24-hour call saves you from wasting time on appointments that were never going to convert.

The Appointment Conversion Tracker

Most agents have no idea what their conversion rate is from conversations to booked appointments.

Track this weekly:

– Conversations that identified a trigger: _____

– Appointments you attempted to set: _____

– Appointments that got booked: _____

– Appointments that actually happened: _____

Your conversion rate is: (Appointments that happened ÷ Conversations with triggers) × 100

If you’re having 20 conversations with triggers and booking 2 appointments that actually happen, you’re converting at 10%.

Six months of tracking and adjusting your language, and that same 20 conversations might book 12 appointments. Now you’re at 60%.

Same effort. Six times the results.

But you can’t improve what you don’t measure. Most agents are out here guessing, hoping their appointment-setting works. Top producers are tracking and optimizing.

The Partnership Consultation (Or: Stop Presenting, Start Partnering)

I watched an agent do a listing consultation last month where she talked for 47 minutes straight.

Market stats. Comparable sales. Her marketing plan. Her credentials. Her awards. Her process.

The homeowners sat there nodding politely, eyes glazing over.

At the end, they said “we want to think about it.”

Translation: “We’re going to call an agent who actually listens to us.”

Here’s what most agents get wrong about consultations: They think their job is to present their value.

Wrong.

Your job is to partner with them to solve their problem. And you can’t solve a problem you don’t fully understand.

The Diagnostic Question Framework

Before you say anything about your services, ask:

“What’s driving this decision right now?” (Gets to the real motivation)

“What’s your biggest concern about selling?” (Identifies objections early)

“What does success look like for you?” (Reveals their priorities)

“What timeline are you working with?” (Sets urgency level)

I teach agents to spend the first 15 minutes of every consultation asking questions and taking notes. The homeowners should be talking 70% of the time in this phase.

Why? Because when you understand their actual situation, you can tailor everything you say to what they care about.

If they’re concerned about getting top dollar, you emphasize your pricing strategy and negotiation skills.

If they’re worried about the hassle, you emphasize your systems that make the process seamless.

If they need to sell fast, you emphasize your average days on market and buyer network.

One consultation, three different emphasis points depending on what matters to them.

The Collaborative Pricing Approach

Most agents walk in with a price and defend it. This creates an adversarial dynamic where you’re trying to convince them your number is right and their expectations are wrong.

I teach a different approach:

“Based on the comparables and current market, I’m seeing your home in the $475k-$495k range. Tell me what you’re thinking.”

Then you listen. Really listen.

They might say: “We were hoping for $525k.”

Old approach: “Well, the market doesn’t support that.”

New approach: “Got it. Help me understand how you got to that number. Is that what you need to make your next move work? Or is that based on what you’ve seen in the neighborhood?”

Now you’re problem-solving together instead of arguing over numbers.

If they need $525k to afford their next house, that’s a math problem you can help them solve. Maybe they wait until market conditions improve. Maybe they do some updates that add value. Maybe they adjust their next purchase expectations.

If they think $525k is market value because their neighbor listed for that, you can show them data on whether that neighbor actually sold at that price, how long it sat, etc.

You’re partnering to find the right strategy, not fighting over who’s right.

One of my coaching clients used this approach on a seller who insisted their home was worth $650k. Instead of arguing, she asked questions. Turns out they needed $650k to cover their mortgage and down payment on the next house.

They worked together to find a solution: List at competitive price to sell fast, use bridge financing to cover the gap until new home closed. Seller was thrilled because she solved their actual problem instead of just arguing about price.

The Assumption Close

At the end of the consultation, most agents ask: “So, do you want to move forward?”

That’s weak. You’re asking for permission.

Instead, assume the close: “I’m going to get the paperwork started. Do you want to list next Thursday or would the following Monday work better for you?”

You’re not asking if they want to work with you. You’re asking when.

If they’re not ready, they’ll tell you. “We need to talk it over first.”

Perfect. “Of course. What questions do you still have that would help you make that decision?”

Now you’re addressing objections instead of leaving the conversation open-ended.

The Console Conversion Map

Track these numbers for every consultation:

– Consultations held: _____

– Signed agreements same day: _____

– Signed agreements after follow-up: _____

– Lost to competitors: _____

– Still in pipeline: _____

Same-day close rate should be 60%+. If it’s not, your console skills need work.

After follow-up should bring total conversion to 75%+. If it’s not, your follow-up strategy needs work.

The numbers tell you exactly where to focus your training.

The 30-Day Implementation Sprint (Make This Real Starting Monday)

Stop reading and start tracking.

Week 1: The Conversation Audit

Have 10 conversations this week using the life trigger framework. Document every one:

– What trigger did you identify?

– Hot, warm, or future?

– What value bridge did you offer?

– What was the outcome?

You’re building pattern recognition. After 10 conversations, you’ll start seeing which questions get people talking and which ones shut conversations down.

Week 2: The Appointment Sprint

Use binary closing on every conversation that identifies a trigger. Track:

– How many times you offered appointment options

– How many actually got booked

– How many showed up

Your goal: Book 5 appointments this week. Just 5. That’s one per day.

Week 3: The Console Deep Dive

Pick your best consultation from the past. Break it down:

– What questions did you ask?

– How long did they talk vs. you?

– What objections came up?

– Where did the conversation flow smoothly?

– Where did it get awkward?

Now do 3 consultations this week using the partnership framework. Compare results.

Week 4: The Conversion Analysis

Pull all your numbers:

– Conversations → Appointments booked

– Appointments booked → Appointments held

– Consultations held → Contracts signed

These three conversion points tell you everything. If conversations to appointments is low, your appointment-setting language needs work. If appointments to consultations is low, your confirmation and pre-qualification process needs work. If consultations to contracts is low, your console skills need work.

The data removes the guesswork.

Get The Framework That Makes This Possible

I’ve coached hundreds of agents through this exact process.

The ones who succeed aren’t more talented. They’re just willing to follow a proven framework instead of making it up as they go.

When I started in real estate, I had coaching from day one. I didn’t waste eight months figuring out which conversations actually generate business. Someone handed me the blueprint and said “do this.”

That framework is inside How to Start & Structure Your Real Estate Business.

Five modules that walk you through:

Module 1: Building the foundation with proper entity setup, LLC protection, and pay structure so you’re treating this like a real business from day one—not a side hustle.

Module 2: Knowing your numbers with a CEO mindset—translate income goals into actual daily actions (leads, appointments, closings) you can track and adjust weekly.

Module 3: Lead generation as an evergreen growth engine—the MREA model, 8×8 nurture for new contacts, 33-Touch for your sphere, and automated CRM systems that keep conversations alive while you work.

Module 4: Growth and structure that scales—the leverage triangle (systems, tools, people), the path from Solo to CEO, and the core operating systems (lead gen, buyer, seller, client experience) that prevent burnout.

Module 5: Exit strategy so you can walk away in 3-5 years—build a business that outlasts your calendar, replace yourself with systems and talent, and turn GCI into assets that create legacy wealth.

This is the framework that helped me build a business where I knew exactly what to do every day to generate consistent income.

The same framework my coaching clients use to go from scattered effort to systematic results.

You can spend the next year figuring this out through trial and error. Or you can get the blueprint today and start implementing tomorrow.

Every week you’re guessing is a week you could be executing a proven system.

Click here to get access and start building your business the right way.

Because the agents making $300k+ aren’t having different conversations than you. They’re just having the right three conversations more consistently.

Get the framework. Start the conversations. Track the numbers. Adjust based on data.

That’s the entire game.