Velocitydrift

Commit to these lead generation, nurture and conversion frameworks for the next 90 days, and you won’t just feel busier, Jimmy Burgess writes. You’ll feel balanced.

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If you’ve been in real estate for any length of time, you know the cycle. You’re slammed with listings, under contract with multiple buyers, juggling inspections and appraisals, and then, almost overnight, it feels like everything dries up.

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The truth is, most agents don’t have a lead problem. They have a pipeline management problem. Over the years, I’ve found that the agents who escape the feast-or-famine roller coaster aren’t necessarily the most talented or the most connected. They’re the ones who build simple frameworks and execute them consistently.

In this article, I will share three frameworks that will help you level out your production and build sustainable momentum in your business. These frameworks help you organize and define your database of prospects, develop a focused daily plan of action and refine your processes to maximize your opportunities for success.

Framework 1: The 3-lane pipeline

I like to think of every database as three lanes of traffic.

Lane 1: The now These are the people ready to buy or sell right now.

Lane 2: The soon They’re 6 to 12 months out. They’re thinking about it, planning and watching.

Lane 3: The later They’ll do business eventually, or refer you, if you stay top-of-mind and in relationship with them.

Where most agents go wrong is they focus almost exclusively on the “nows.” They pour all their energy into active clients, and when those transactions close, they look up and realize there’s nothing in the pipeline.

That gap is what creates famine. The key is to have a plan that focuses on consistently giving value to all three “lanes.”

The ‘now’ strategy

For the “nows,” daily contact is the standard. These are examples of value-driven touches:

Sharing a property that fits their criteria for buying
Sharing a recent sale that impacts the pricing of their home
Interest rate movement with an explanation of how it affects them
A quick video explaining market shifts in inventory, pricing or negotiating power

Calls, texts, DMs and email are important, and they help you keep in touch with them on whatever medium they prefer. Your goal is to move them confidently toward a decision.

Consistency here drives closings.

The ‘soon’ strategy

This is where most opportunities fall through the cracks. Agents hesitate because they don’t want to “bother” someone who isn’t ready yet. But silence creates vulnerability. If you’re not staying present, someone else will. For “soons,” weekly communication is ideal.

Not pressure. Just relevance.

If rates shift, they should know. If inventory changes, they should know. If a home sells near them, they should know.

The ‘later’ strategy

These are past clients, sphere and long-term prospects. The mistake here is random communication. Instead, build value touchpoints:

Quarterly unsolicited video CMAs
Engaging with them on social media
Weekly “Deal of the Week” email to everyone
Personal check-ins when life events happen that you notice on social media

The key isn’t frequency. It’s meaningful contact. When you manage all three lanes intentionally, you smooth out production because you’re always feeding the next phase of business.

Framework 2: The 5 x 5 daily momentum system

Most agents don’t fail because they lack knowledge. They fail because they lack daily structure. Consistency is the antidote to famine. Here’s the daily activity framework I recommend with five activities, repeated five times daily.

5 phone or in-person real estate-related conversations

Real estate conversations drive income. Call active prospects, “soons” or referral sources.

5 personalized texts

Quick value, relevant information or relationship check-ins. Bonus points if you use short video texts.

5 direct messages

Meet people where they communicate. Respond to stories and posts on social media. Comment thoughtfully. Stay visible.

5 personalized emails

Property alerts. Market updates. Video CMAs. Anything specific to that person.

5 thoughtful social comments

Not just “Congrats!” Add value. Show depth. Engage with purpose.

That’s 25 meaningful touches a day. If you do that consistently for 20–25 business days, you will create momentum. Feasts are built on streaks. Famines are built on inconsistency.

The key isn’t perfection. It’s rhythm. And if one channel works better for you, in other words, if calls convert at a higher rate, double down on those activities. The structure of this framework is flexible. The consistency is not.

Framework 3: The weekly review and reset

This framework is where most agents separate themselves from the pack. Famines happen when you react. Growth happens when you review and refine.

Set aside 30 minutes every Sunday to review your successes and struggles from the previous week.

Ask yourself three questions:

1. What generated real estate conversations this week?

Was it:

An open house?
A specific social post?
A text outreach?
A community event?

Whatever created conversations, double down on that in the coming week.

2. Which conversations were the highest quality conversations you had this week?

Ask yourself:

Was it phone calls?
Was it DMs?
Was it face-to-face lunches or coffee meetings?

Double down on the activities that produced depth and fruitful conversations. Not all activity is equal. Some actions move the ball further than others. Identify those on a weekly basis and continuously refine to get more effective each week.

3. What will most move my business forward in the coming week?

Ask yourself:

Who is closest to converting from “soon” to “now”?
Who needs clarity?
Who needs confidence?
Who needs one more touchpoint?

Don’t just drift into Monday. Design Monday. When you review weekly and refine your activity, you eliminate wasted effort and amplify what works.

Why feast and famine really happens

The famine you’re experiencing today isn’t because of what you did last week. It’s the result of what you didn’t do 60 to 120 days ago. Real estate has a lag effect. Activity compounds in one of two directions, positively or negatively.

If you’ve been inconsistent for three months, the pipeline will reflect that. The good news? The reverse is also true. If you get consistent today, across all three “lanes,” you’ll feel the momentum build in the coming weeks.

Many agents believe they need more leads. In reality, they need better stewardship of the leads they already have.

When you:

Manage your “Now,” “Soon” and “Later” lanes intentionally
Execute daily a 5 x 5 outreach
Review and refine weekly

You create flow. The feast becomes steady income. The famine becomes a distant memory.

Momentum isn’t magic. It’s math plus consistency. And if you commit to these frameworks for the next 90 days, you won’t just feel busier; you’ll feel balanced.

That’s when real growth happens.

Jimmy Burgess is the Chief Coaching Officer for HomeServices of America and President of Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices. Connect with him on Instagram and LinkedIn.

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