Running a successful real estate business means one thing: consistent lead generation. While many agents struggle with feast-or-famine cycles, top performers have cracked the code on building sustainable pipelines that work in every real estate market. Georgia Purpura, a dynamic real estate broker with over 20 years of experience and founder of Sphere Real Estate in Las Vegas, recently shared her proven strategies in our webinar “Zero to Pipeline: Build a Lead Strategy That Works Year-Round.”
If you’re tired of wondering where your next client will come from, this comprehensive recap delivers the exact blueprint that helps top agents create consistency, close more deals, and build systems that run 365 days a year.
TL;DR: Top-producing real-estate agents avoid feast-or-famine cycles by treating lead generation as a daily discipline, not a tech purchase. They work at least three lead channels (including their sphere), respond to new inquiries within five minutes, publish hyper-local video and email content, and run a structured follow-up cadence that mixes calls, texts, and emails for up to a year or more. A lightweight but well-used CRM, modest AI automations, and a 90-day commitment to any new tactic create scalable systems that keep the pipeline full in every market.
Key Takeaways
- Discipline Over Technology: CRM success comes from consistent habits and follow-through, not expensive software features.
- Multiple Lead Sources Are Essential: Top agents never rely on just one lead generation strategy. They maintain at least three active channels, including their sphere of influence.
- Speed to Lead Matters: Contact new leads within five minutes or lose them to competitors who respond faster.
- Hyperlocal Content Wins: Real estate is inherently local, so create content that showcases your unique market knowledge and community expertise.
- Systematic Follow-Up Builds Trust: Develop clear policies for when and how to contact leads at different stages, mixing channels between calls, texts, and personalized emails.
Why Lead Generation Makes or Breaks Your Business
Purpura opened with a powerful truth: “If I pulled a seller bus or a buyer bus up to the office, everybody would get put into contract. That’s not the problem. The problem is that there’s no such thing as a seller bus or a buyer bus.”
This reality check highlights why lead generation skills are absolutely crucial. Whether you’re on a team that generates leads for you or working independently, understanding how to attract and convert prospects determines your long-term success.
After surviving three market cycles in her 21-year career, Purpura emphasized that while markets change, the fundamental need for consistent lead generation remains constant. Top agents don’t just survive tough markets—they thrive because they’ve built systems that work regardless of external conditions.
The Biggest Lead Generation Mistakes Agents Make
Purpura has taught and coached new agents for years. During the webinar, she shared the most common mistakes she sees new agents make.
1. Investing money without systems in place
Purpura said new agents sometimes spend a great deal on advertising campaigns and high-dollar marketing early in their careers without understanding what they will do with the leads they receive. She compares this to “going to the grocery store, spending $300 on groceries, never having a recipe, and never cooking anything.” Without a CRM and clear processes, even high-quality leads become wasted opportunities.
2. Treating free leads as worthless
Whether leads come from open houses, referrals, or other “free” sources, they still require significant time and effort. Assigning a dollar value to every lead, regardless of source, ensures proper follow-up.
3. Expecting instant results
One of Purpura’s teams followed up with a lead for 3.5 years before closing the deal. Your follow-up system must be designed to nurture relationships over months or even years.
4. Putting all eggs in one basket
When markets shift or lead sources disappear, agents with diversified strategies survive while others struggle. Purpura recommends maintaining at least three active lead generation channels.
Do you need additional lead generation ideas? Read How to Turn FSBO and Expireds into Clients.
Building Your CRM Foundation
“CRM is a discipline first and a technology second,” Purpura emphasized repeatedly. Even with her computer engineering background, she started in real estate using a simple recipe box with index cards, proving that consistency matters more than sophisticated software.
Purpura gives this advice to new agents setting up their CRMs.
Essential CRM features to prioritize
- Integration Capabilities: Your CRM should connect with multiple lead sources and other tools in your tech stack.
- Tagging/Labeling System: Your CRM should allow you to organize contacts by investor type, geographic preferences, or other relevant categories.
- Automation Tools: Purpura prefers that her CRM allow her to set up immediate responses so she can respond to new leads immediately.
- Mass Communication: Some CRMs enable bulk texting and email campaigns while maintaining a personal touch.
Recommended CRM options
Purpura suggests evaluating CRMs based on your specific needs, but highlights several solid options:
- Lofty: Strong integration with online lead sources
- Follow Up Boss: Comparable features to Lofty with good automation
- Referral Maker: Best for sphere of influence-focused agents
When choosing, write down five problems you want your CRM to solve. If a platform addresses three or four of those needs, it’s worth considering.
Purpura also recommends NOT using the CRM your broker provides. “I am one of the few brokers that truly believe your contacts are yours. When you use your brokerage as CRM, the data become theirs.”
Implementing Smart Automation and AI
While embracing technology, Purpura warns against replacing human connection with artificial intelligence. “AI should be an assistant, not a replacement,” she explains. “Do not outsource your empathy to AI.”
Effective AI applications
- Immediate Response Systems: Auto-text new leads within minutes when you’re unavailable
- Task Automation: Schedule follow-up reminders and calendar appointments
- Content Enhancement: Use ChatGPT to refine scripts or adapt them to your speaking style
- Integration Tools: Zapier helps different software platforms communicate with each other
Content Strategy that Actually Generates Leads
Content creation doesn’t have to consume your entire schedule. Purpura recommends batch creation with strategic planning.
Video content approach
Record multiple videos in one session. After doing her hair and makeup, Purpura arms herself with three outfit changes to create weeks of content. Focus on hyperlocal topics that showcase your community expertise, like secret parking spots at local venues or updates on new commercial developments.
Newsletter strategy
Move beyond generic market reports to include content specific to your area. Purpura used an example of documenting a local mall’s construction progress to demonstrate how hyperlocal content creates genuine value for your audience.
Evergreen content creation
Develop videos and articles that remain relevant over time, like “Best family restaurants in [Your City]” or “Hidden gems only locals know about.” This content continues generating value long after creation.
Even though Purpura spends time creating content for her social media accounts, she is quick to say this type of work is not a lead generation strategy:
The Follow-Up Framework that Builds Trust
Successful follow-up requires both timing and variety in communication channels.
Speed to lead protocol
Contact new leads within five minutes. If unavailable, have automated systems send immediate acknowledgment texts, buying you time for personal follow-up calls.
Days 1-3 strategy
Send brief personal introductions along with valuable market resources, such as buyer guides or local market insights. Focus on providing value rather than pushing for immediate meetings.
Week 1-2 approach
Build rapport through relevant local information, new listings, pricing trends, and community updates. This is where your hyperlocal knowledge becomes a competitive advantage.
Weeks 3-12 nurture sequence
Implement gentle, value-driven check-ins rather than constant “Are you ready?” messages. Nobody appreciates nagging, but everyone appreciates useful information.
Long-term relationship maintenance
Develop quarterly client events, twice-yearly check-ins, and annual touches like anniversary cards or tax document reminders for past clients.
Creating Your Lead Generation Workflow
Purpura emphasizes treating your real estate business like any other company, with clear policies and procedures for every situation.
Daily activity structure
Implement a “5-5-5” system: five personalized texts, five phone calls, and five personalized emails daily. Adjust numbers based on your database size but maintain consistency.
Weekly and monthly planning
Schedule time for content creation, database maintenance, and system evaluation. Purpura suggests weekly “fire alarm” checks on Wednesday or Thursday to assess whether you’re meeting activity goals.
Mixing communication channels
Divide your database into thirds, rotating monthly between text, calls, and emails. This ensures you reach people through their preferred communication methods while avoiding over-saturation through any single channel.
Script Development for Every Situation
Even experienced agents benefit from prepared scripts for different scenarios.
Essential scripts to develop
- New Online Lead: Different approach than sphere of influence (SOI) contacts
- Referral or SOI Script: Warmer, more personal approach
- Open House or Event Leads: Casual but professional tone
- Cold or Old Leads: Re-engagement strategy for dormant contacts
Small talk preparation
Purpura admits to using prepared conversation starters for one-on-one situations. Simple questions like “Where are you from?” or “What’s your favorite sports team?” help break the ice and build connections.
Listen as Purpura tells the story of a resistant client, Chris Starbucks.
Script refinement process
Use tools like ChatGPT to adapt generic scripts to your speaking style. Practice scripts repeatedly until they become second nature. Purpura admits “it took me a few reps” to internalize the language naturally.
Building Systems that Run Year-Round
Consistency separates successful agents from those who struggle through market cycles.
Three essential system layers
- Automation Layer: CRM, AI tools, and integration platforms like Zapier keep basic processes running when you’re busy with clients.
- Content Layer: Scheduled social media posts, email newsletters, and evergreen video content maintain your presence in prospects’ minds.
- Human Layer: Personal calls, showings, appointments, and face-to-face meetings can’t be replaced by prop tech tools.
The 90-day rule
Purpura’s litmus test for any lead generation strategy: commit to 90 days of consistent effort, five days per week, before evaluating effectiveness. “You give up way too early,” she warns, sharing the story of a gold prospector who quit just five feet before striking gold.
Starting small and scaling
Rather than building complex systems immediately, start with 30-50 top contacts in your CRM. Master basic processes before adding complexity.
Measuring Success and Making Adjustments
Track activities and results to understand what’s working in your business.
Key metrics to monitor
- Response rates by communication channel
- Lead conversion percentages by source
- Time from first contact to signed agreement
- Cost per lead for paid strategies
Regular system evaluation
Schedule weekly reviews to assess progress toward goals. If you’re falling behind, “pull the fire alarm”—cancel other appointments to catch up on essential activities.
Continuous improvement approach
Like building a brick wall, let each system component “cure” before adding the next. Master one element before introducing additional complexity.
Ready to implement these strategies?
Your Next Steps to Pipeline Success
Purpura’s final advice centers on discipline: “Discipline for yourself is the highest form of self love that you could ever show to yourself.”
Start by identifying one area from this webinar to improve. Focus on that single element for two weeks until it becomes a habit. Then return to these strategies and add the next component.
Remember that real estate success is “simple, but not easy.” The concepts aren’t complicated, but consistent execution requires discipline and commitment.
Whether you’re a new agent looking to establish yourself or an experienced professional ready to systematize your approach, these proven strategies provide the foundation for year-round pipeline success.
The top agents who stay booked, even in slow seasons, aren’t necessarily more talented. They’re more systematic. They’ve built processes that work consistently, creating predictable business growth regardless of market conditions.
Ready to transform your lead generation approach? Watch the full webinar replay and start building systems that will change your business forever.
