No Broke Months: Building Consistency Into Your Real Estate Business
Why do some real estate professionals generate consistent income month after month while others experience several closings followed by weeks with little or no business?
During a recent Coldwell Banker Premier Realty sales meeting, real estate professional, author, speaker and human behavior specialist Dan Brochon joined the team to discuss what he believes creates consistent, predictable income in real estate.
Dan said he has experienced what he calls “no broke months” since 2008. Rather than pointing to a single script or sales tactic, he focused on the habits, communication skills and activities that help create consistency over time.
Consistency Starts with Doing the Work
When Dan was asked what separates his real estate career from others, his answer was simple: “I go to work every day.”
For him, that includes dedicating one to three hours per day, five days a week, to activities that generate future business. Agents first need to identify how they are going to create opportunities and then consistently make time for that work.
This becomes especially important when business picks up. As Bob Hamrick noted during the discussion, even top producers can become so busy handling current transactions that they stop creating the next ones.
Block One to Three Hours Every Day
Dan schedules his own business-generation time between 9:30 a.m. and noon and protects that block from other appointments.
He does not schedule closings, walkthroughs, inspections or similar activities during that time. If someone requests an appointment that conflicts with it, he treats his lead-generation time as an existing commitment.
The exact hours may be different for every agent. The important part is protecting dedicated time for activities that create future opportunities rather than allowing current transactions to consume the entire workday.
Find the Lead Generation Method That Fits You
Consistency does not mean every agent needs to generate business the same way.
Dan encouraged agents to start by identifying their “superpowers,” including what they believe they do well and what people who know them would say are their natural strengths. They can then compare those strengths with different lead-generation methods, such as cold calling, social media, YouTube, expired listings, for-sale-by-owner opportunities, open houses and door knocking.
Dan used his own personality as an example. Because he describes himself as bold, dominant and comfortable with rejection, expired listings can align well with his strengths. Someone who naturally connects with people and brings energy into a room may be better suited for open houses.
The goal is to find an approach that fits how you naturally operate and then commit to it consistently.
Five Activities That Make Money in Real Estate
Dan gave agents a straightforward job description built around five activities connected directly to producing income.
Those activities are generating leads, converting prospects into meetings, going on appointments with the goal of being hired, negotiating, and practicing scripts and dialogue.
When production becomes inconsistent, Dan suggested examining whether enough time is actually being spent on these core activities, particularly lead generation.
The focus is not on constantly searching for a new tactic, but on consistently performing the activities that create business.
Different Stages Require Different Solutions
Dan explained that inconsistent production can have different causes depending on where an agent is in their career.
For a newer agent, the priority may be learning how to find business and identifying a lead-generation method that fits their strengths. For an agent who closes one to three transactions one month and then nothing for the next month or two, the issue may be systems, people or leverage.
For a top producer who has already established consistent lead generation and built an organization, the next challenge may be leadership. Dan described leadership as teaching another person how to think so they can achieve what they want.
For team leaders, retention can also be an important indicator. Frequent turnover may point to either a hiring issue or an opportunity to strengthen leadership.
Building a Business Requires Another Set of Activities
Dan distinguished between working as a real estate salesperson and building an organization around that production.
For agents building a business or team, he identified five additional priorities: recruit talented people, select the right people, train them, lead them and motivate them to reach their goals.
Combined with the five sales activities, that creates 10 core activities. Dan added one more that applies to both individual producers and team leaders: manage your money.
Together, he described these 11 activities as habits that can contribute to more consistent, predictable income.
If the Results Aren’t There, Look at Three Things
What happens when you are prospecting consistently but still are not seeing the results you want?
Dan suggested looking at three possibilities: you may not be saying it often enough, you may not be saying it to the right people, or you may be saying the wrong thing.
One, two or all three could be affecting the outcome. Bob connected this idea to another principle discussed during the meeting: doing the right things, doing the right things right and doing the right things right often.
Rather than immediately abandoning a prospecting method, agents can first examine the frequency, audience and message behind what they are already doing.
Balance New Opportunities With Your Sphere
Dan also addressed the role of a center or sphere of influence in creating consistent business. His recommendation was not to choose between new prospecting and existing relationships, but to do both.
A sphere can be an important source of business, but opportunities still depend on when people in that database need to buy or sell. Relying only on existing relationships can therefore affect production when those opportunities slow down.
Dan structures his own prospecting by first looking at hot leads, then warm leads, and then people already in his database, although he noted that the order can be adjusted.
The larger point is to continue creating new relationships while also staying connected with the people already in your business.
Prepare Clients for Predictable Problems
Consistency is not only about generating more business. Dan also discussed how better communication can help agents manage transactions more effectively.
His “Teach to Sell” approach focuses on identifying problems that regularly occur and preparing clients for them before they happen. He used the home inspection as an example.
Instead of waiting until buyers receive a lengthy inspection report, Dan recommends discussing the process before they begin looking at homes. Agents can explain that inspectors will find issues and help buyers understand in advance what deserves the most attention.
By preparing clients for predictable parts of the transaction, agents can reduce surprises and establish trust before challenges arise.
Rapport Comes Before the Statistics
Dan introduced what he calls the CPI Communication Model, with CPI standing for consistent, predictable income. The model has three components: be in rapport, ask in-depth questions and actively listen.
Rather than stopping at surface-level questions about bedrooms, neighborhoods or location, Dan encouraged agents to understand why those requirements matter to the client.
He shared the example of a buyer who wanted a particular type of property close to his daughter following a divorce. By continuing the conversation, Dan learned that staying close to his daughter carried much more significance than the property specifications alone revealed.
The goal is to understand what is truly driving the client's decision rather than filling in the gaps with assumptions.
A Lesson From Dan’s First Listing Appointment
Dan illustrated the importance of connection by sharing the story of his first listing appointment, which took place only six days after he received his real estate license.
His broker encouraged him to bring statistics, so Dan arrived prepared with the numbers and presented them as well as he could. He did not get the listing.
Looking back, Dan said the missing pieces were not more statistics. They were the ability to build rapport, ask deeper questions and actively listen.
The experience reinforced a lesson that became important later in his career: presenting information is only part of the job. Agents also need to understand the person sitting across from them and what matters to them.
Building Consistency Over Time
Dan’s session showed that the path to consistency can change as an agent’s business develops. The challenge may be lead generation at one stage, systems or people at another, and leadership as the organization grows.
His approach also extends beyond prospecting. How agents communicate, prepare clients for challenges and understand the motivations behind a transaction can influence how effectively they manage the business they generate.
The common thread is creating a business that is less dependent on occasional strong months and more focused on producing consistent, predictable results over time.
To hear Dan's full presentation, watch the sales meeting recording. You can also attend an upcoming Coldwell Banker Premier Realty event or schedule a VIP call with Matt to learn more about the resources and opportunities available to agents.
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