Let me ask you something.
How many deals did you miss this year, not because you didn’t work hard enough, but because you fell into a trap you didn’t even know was there?
It happens more often than you think.
In fact, after 17 years of coaching brokers, I can tell you there are dozens of hidden traps in CRE brokerage that quietly eat away at your results. These common myths drain your time, limit your income, and keep you stuck on the transaction treadmill.
The worst part is that most brokers don’t even realize they’ve been walking straight into them.
Today, I want to expose one of the most common (and costly) traps.
It’s the belief that more calls = more deals.
Let’s dispel this together:
Imagine two brokers.
The first is disciplined. He starts every morning with a detailed call sheet. He blocks out hours of uninterrupted prospecting time. He tracks his dials, his contacts, and his follow-ups. He’s intelligent, hardworking, and consistent, easily hitting 150 calls a day.
And yet, at the end of the week, he’s booked just a handful of lukewarm meetings.
The second makes far fewer calls, maybe 30 a day. But each one is laser-targeted. Every prospect fits her ideal profile. Her openers are tailored, her message speaks directly to their motivations, and her follow-ups are intentional.
By Friday, she’s booked five solid meetings with decision-makers who are actually ready to engage. Both brokers are hardworking. Both are disciplined. But only one has a system that prioritizes quality over sheer volume.
That’s why the “more calls = more deals” belief is a trap.
We live in a world where AI tools can crank out thousands of cold emails or call lists overnight. This is resulting in prospects being more overwhelmed than ever with low-quality outreach. (Note: There IS a right way to scale your outreach with AI. That’s another conversation!)
That means the brokers who stand out aren’t the ones making the most calls. They’re the ones making the right calls. And that starts with qualifying your leads before you pick up the phone.
The Qualification Exercise
Here’s a simple exercise you can use this week to tighten your pipeline and stop wasting time.
It’s about separating your A Prospects from your B Prospects.
Because not every lead deserves the same energy. A Prospects…
these are the people who should get the bulk of your attention.
- Qualifications: What specific characteristics make a prospect an “A”? Think about your Perfect Prospect or Avatar. Location, property type, deal size, and and decision-making authority – define it clearly.
- Motivation Drivers: What underlying motivations are driving them to act? Look at your past transactions. Are they trying to cut occupancy costs? Free up cash flow? Capitalize on rising property values?
- Aligned Messaging Collateral: Which parts of your value proposition speak directly to their goals and struggles?(Pull this from your Value Proposition Exercise. For example: “Reduce lease costs by 15%” or “Position your building to sell at historically high prices.”
Action Step: Write this down. Create a short, one-page profile of your “A Prospect.” If you don’t know exactly who they are, you can’t prospect effectively.
B Prospects
These are still valuable, but they aren’t top priority.
- Qualifications: Which characteristics put them just below your A Prospects? Maybe smaller deal sizes, less urgent timing, or weaker decision-making authority.
- Motivation Drivers: What’s pushing them forward? It might be similar to your A Prospects, but less immediate or impactful.
- Aligned Messaging Collateral: Which parts of your value proposition would still resonate, even if they’re not the perfect fit?
Action Step: Define what makes a B Prospect worth pursuing. Then set clear boundaries on how much time you’ll spend with them.
Why This Matters
When you know the difference between your A and B prospects, three things happen:
- You save time. No more chasing leads that were never going to convert.
- Your conversion rate improves. You’re speaking directly to the prospects most likely to act.
- You build better relationships. A Prospects hear messages tailored to their exact needs, which builds trust and credibility.
Here’s the Deal
If you’re still playing the “more calls = more deals” game, you’re setting yourself up for burnout.
The truth is, quality calls to qualified prospects = more deals.
And the only way to get there is with a system that clearly defines who you’re targeting, and why.
Next Step
Take 15 minutes this week to complete the exercise above for your A and B prospects.
If you want help turning that clarity into a full prospecting system…
👉 Book a free 30-minute Broker Break-Through Strategy Session.
We’ll help you sharpen your message, map your call strategy, and make sure your next 50 calls actually move the needle.
