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First, fill that listing pipeline!

After 35 years in real estate, one piece of advice remains rock solid: You have to list to last. In a longer market sales cycle, buyers face more competition and have less urgency, which means they might close a deal next month…. or they might take three, six, or sixteen months. Unless you’re sitting on piles of gold, the solution is to have twice as many listings as buyers in your pipeline.

That’s why I recently pulled 22 of my favorite ways to get listing appointments into an ebook for you. Combined with proven top techniques we’ve talked about before (here and here and here) you can set yourself up for plenty of paydays sooner rather than later.

Always Inspiring

[E-book] 22 More Ideas to Get a Listing Today

Download your copy of 22 More Ideas to Get a Listing Today…

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a month ago · 34 likes · Matthew Ferrara

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Are you ready for a successful summer?

If you missed our “Summer of Success” webinar, press play below. We quickly identified critical techniques and tools to ignite productivity, whatever the market does this summer, including:

• Reducing burnout by adjusting your sales strategy

• Adding 2 appointments per week for 16 weeks

• Using AI to prospect, not advertise. Use ChatGPT to customize a prospecting call for you every morning.

• Repurposing content, rather than constantly creating new stuff, reformatting social posts, newsletters and marketing materials into podcasts, videos and infographics

Watch the whole webinar below 👇👇👇👇👇👇👇

Counteract the Negative Narrative

Did you see this gem from an industry CEO recently?

“The state of housing in the U.S. “sucks,” [said one industry CEO] last week. “The current way the industry operates “is kind of broken” he added, “It’s antiquated, it’s inefficient, it’s manual, it’s expensive and people are just not buying and selling homes in this country. We’re stuck.”

I’m so tired of this trope that I put together a video reply, data, and examples to prove it’s simply not true.

Sure, 300,000 REALTORS left the business last year, but 15% of NAR’s membership is new every year anyway. Besides, we don’t even know why people left:

Get motivated by my reply to industry negativity in this video-post:

Always Inspiring

No, the Housing Industry Doesn't Suck

Let’s start with a reminder: For all its problems, the world isn’t falling apart and there’s always the opportunity to find some good news around you. Not just on Good News Fridays, either. Seeing good news can happen any day, and it’s needed, more than ever…

Listen now

a month ago · 9 likes · 5 comments · Matthew Ferrara

Did you know? The Phone is Mightier than the Facebook

Successful salespeople don’t worry about ‘what to post every day’ because 90% of sales come from your sphere, who will gladly answer the phone. See the data and learn Why This Simple Sales Move Outperforms Social Media Marketing.

I hope you do: Love Your Prospects More than AI Does

I don’t understand why anyone in sales thinks prospecting is some kind of punishment. I think it’s the best part of building a thriving, noble sales career. Let me tell you a story from my early years as a telemarketer.

Mom always said: A little Nice Goes a Long Way

I’m experimenting with “visual storytelling” from recent posts, so check out the infographic for Nice is a Strategy, Too, about people taking a different approach to growth that doesn’t involve fighting with competitors in the business.

If this post helps, please give it a ❤️ and be sure to refer Always Inspiring to a friend.

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Not only can a sales career take you anywhere, but it can save you from the most dangerous advice ever given to small businesses and entrepreneurs:

In fact, the exact opposite is true.

Successful salespeople today don’t worry about ‘what to post today.’ They know that 90% of sales success involves your sphere of influence. And all of your sphere of influence will gladly pick up a call from you.

No need to fight the algorithm or bust the marketing budget, when three conversations with your greatest source of new, repeat, and referral business can be done in an hour, using the same device in your hand that’s begging you to “make content.”

Do the math: 3 conversations a day; 15 a week; 60 a month; 720 a year.
You’ll never lack for business with that kind of outreach.

And you’ll never have to wrack your brains, generate AI-slop, or twerk your way into algorithmic-fame ever (again?).

Because: You’re a salesperson. Not a content creator.

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We’ve All Been Duped

Here’s the TL;DR for the next few paragraphs: Even if I wrote the best article in the world today, less than half of my direct email newsletter readers will read it. And if I posted it on Facebook, Instagram, or LinkedIn, less than 1% will ever see it.

In other words: content isn’t king. It never has been; and it never will be. Because social media isn’t what was promised to you. (You can skip down to “Meanwhile…” if you like.)

Here’s the long version: Social media content is cheap currency, increasingly not worth the trading cost. The only people getting rich on content are people with enough money to promote it already (paying thousands to make marginally more thousands, at scale). Plus a few “internet influencers” promising how to do this very thing, and social media platforms themselves.

The rest of us are getting something else: Burned out.

I’ll offer the first mea culpa.

Twenty years ago, when social media was new, I fell for the trick and even recommended it to clients. “Put your people into the system, and it will help you reach them every day!” It seemed like a great idea at the time: easier than “mail merge” to make labels and less expensive than costly email platforms. Add in the slot-machine feedback loop of likes and comments, and we all got hooked.

All we had to do was make content.

Then came the enshittification of social media platforms (read the book or watch the video below). Algorithms, advertisers, and now AI have ruined the promise of having “social influence.” Your content is now buried - deeply - under a deluge of ads, AI-slop, and paid promotions.

Whether it’s a promoted celebrity or AI-generated cat videos,
you don’t stand a chance.

Just Make More Content!

The internet content-hucksters know the end is near.

To continue their grift, the secret-elixir-folks recommend you make more content, every day, all day, endlessly, to fix the problem.

Except for two things:

AI can make more content every nanosecond. And making content all day means you won’t be selling.

Besides, what do you believe you can do to be found amongst

• X (Twitter): 6.5 billion posts published daily

• Instagram: 100 million photos and videos uploaded daily

• TikTok: Over 34 million videos uploaded daily

• Facebook: Over 300 million photos daily and 510,000 comments every minute.

Recent data reveals the truth:

In 2026 so far, approximately 4% of active content creators earned more than $100,000 annually. This small segment represents the "professional" class of the creator economy, while the vast majority (roughly 96%) earn less than this threshold, with many making under $1,000 per year. (Gemini)

Now, you might say, as a real estate salesperson, you’re not making money on social media because housing sales happen offline.

Maybe. But every business activity has a cost. And I don’t mean just money.

How burned out have you become trying to make content every day?

Meanwhile, back at the sales office

If you’re making content, you’re not selling. It’s a hard truth.

Call it advertising, marketing, promoting, farming, branding, whatever.
But it’s not selling.

Selling requires a dialogue between a salesperson and a prospect. All you need is a simple, sustainable plan to call one prospect, one colleague, and one past client every day.

When 90% of your business comes from your sphere of influence, who barely sees your content online, the smart move is to place a call they would gladly answer, anyway!

Internet Content Tricksters Hate This One Stat

Don’t take my word for it. The National Association of REALTORS® most recent survey asked 173,250 buyers a simple question: Was social media the main method used to find your real estate agent?

1% said yes.

But 37% were referred by a friend, neighbor, or relative; and another 29% used the same agent they worked with the last time. And all of that business needs nothing more than a phone call to maintain; maybe an occasional holiday card in the mail, and a text to vary it up.

But making content all day?

I’d say more, but I have another call to make.

— M

Are you ready for a Summer of Success?

We’re halfway through the year, and it’s a great time to revisit and take stock of what we need to do to win the future of 2026! Get into a growth mindset, fill your pipeline with new business, and reshape your messaging to get consumers off the sidelines and into the market.

• Energize your growth mindset and achievement drive

• Ensure sales and marketing strategy is sustainable

• Activate AI tips to help drive efficiency and control costs

• Fill your pipeline with new listings, buyers and referrals

• Connect the dots between business and personal growth

Who is this webinar for? This webinar is perfect for agents, salespeople, and top producers. Managers and leadership, these principles and practical techniques, mindsets, and inspiration, you can use for people and recruits.

Webinar Highlights

(👆Scroll to the top to watch the full webinar.)

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👇 Downloadable E-book and Your Next Action Steps 👇

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Download your copy of 22 More Ideas to Get a Listing Today!

Get my latest e-book featuring 20 pages of strategies, tips, tricks, and prompts for you to get more listings and increase your sales pipeline.

Start getting more listings today, increasing your sales pipeline without burnout.
Learn how with this free e-book.

Whether you’re new to the business or have been at it for years, this is for you!

Along with our other listing strategy e-books, this 22 More Listing Ideas is a companion or standalone resource for you to increase your business today. In this ebook, Matthew incorporates AI techniques to not help you wiht a listing but to get a listing!

Read this ebook if:

• You’re trying to become a listings-centric agent

• You want to use proven techniques to drive prospecting and appointments

• You want practical examples, activities, and checklists to grow your sphere of influence

• You want to stay focused on what it takes to fill your pipeline with 30 minutes of focused activity a day

22 More Ideas To Get A Listing Today by Matthew Ferrara www.alwaysinspiring.com

16.8MB ∙ PDF file

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Download the ebook and start winning more appointments and listings today!

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Subscribe to Always Inspiring today - FREE for basic subscribers:

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Need help with AI to drive sales? Watch my AI workshop filled with practical sales and prospecting activities for REALTORS by upgrading your subscription today👇👇👇👇

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Let me tell you a story.

Imagine being the person who goes around saying this kind of stuff….

“The state of housing in the U.S. “sucks,” [said one industry CEO] last week. “The current way the industry operates “is kind of broken” he added, “It’s antiquated, it’s inefficient, it’s manual, it’s expensive and people are just not buying and selling homes in this country. We’re stuck.”

Good grief.

After 35 years, you’d think we’d heard it all before. And I realize a lot of these kinds of statements are for consumption by the press, social media, and Wall Street. But there are real estate people who listen, too, you know. Nobody denies the housing industry has work to do. But we’ve always had some work to do. That’s it means to be an industry that takes change seriously and works tirelessly to improve itself.

And that’s the real estate industry I’ve been in since 1991.

Never have I flown to a city or country and heard real estate professionals say, “Thanks for coming, but don’t bother, because it all sucks and it’s all broken and we’re just going to sit here and complain about it.” Yet you will find that headline aplenty in this business, without even trying. Which is strange, because I have no idea who people like this guy is hanging out with. Most of the brokers who are doing the business in this industry are far from antiquated, inefficient, or manual.

Of course, I’ve said this before: Some people sell sadness for a living. And plenty of people buy it, or repeat it, especially in an attention economy, where feeding adrenaline-inducing rage-bait earns money.

They have to stir you up to monetize, rather than offer you a hug.

You Must Choose for Yourself

Which means you must choose to find the good news yourself. Otherwise, you risk losing control of much more than your focus: You’ll start to feel depressed. Then confused. You’ll lose control over the narrative: that you do improve yourself, all th etime. That you help plenty of people achieve their dreams without the experience sucking.

But you’re just one little voice. So you’re going to have to work hard at this, to stave off becoming demoralized by the constant drip of criticism, and avoid waking up one day and asking, why bother?

Be on the Lookout!

You don’t have to go to a convention to hear this kind of negativity, either. It’s freely available wherever talking heads gather, like those Facebook groups where too many salespeople spend too much time commenting instead of prospecting. Some recent gems include:

• “More than 50,000 home purchase contracts fell through in March!” said someone quoting a Redfin press release.

• “Over 300,000 REALTORS left the business recently!” screamed a meme on NAR’s latest membership count.

• “Over 70% of REALTORS didn’t do a single sale last year,” was a recent favorite, too.

Every one of those posts will make your blood boil.

The Rest of the Story

Until you remind yourself there’s another side to the story.

Before I started my speaking career, I was in talk radio. I studied all the famous broadcasters and motivational speakers to improve my skills. One of my favorites was the iconic host Paul Harvey, who would tell stories with an unknown twist, always wrapping up his pieces with the famous phrase:

“And now you know, the rest of the story.”

That’s the secret to choosing good news for you, too.

When I started writing Good News Fridays, it was a personal exercise to offset all the negative pandemic news back in 2020. The media drama was as bad as the virus. I was consuming so much negativity about the speaking business that I almost gave up, thinking, why bother, if the speaking business sucks so much?

That’s when a client called me for some advice.

She was pretty worked up, panicking about her company, her salespeople, and the future of the real estate industry. Without thinking, my natural “optimist” instincts took over. I started generating ideas - some good, some wild - to provide her with alternative perspectives.

At one point, I remember saying, “Remember, we’re AmeriCANs. Focus on what you CAN do!” I don’t think it was helpful enough, because she said, “But everything is prohibited! How CAN we sell anything when everyone is locked indoors?”

That’s when I remembered Paul Harvey’s phrase.

“That prohibition is only part of the story,” I said. “What we need to do is figure out the rest of the story! What’s possible to keep buyers in the market without leaving their homes?”

That little shift caused us to seek examples of people finding solutions, not wallowing in problems. We quickly found examples of people using video tours, Zoom showings, and social media to host virtual open-houses. We asked if we could use drones to do neighborhood tours.

“Let’s find out,” she said, suddenly encouraged. She hung up the phone a little less frantic. And I was left feeling something even more exciting!

There’s Always Good News to Choose

Something clicked after that call. I could always choose good news.

I began to make it a weekly habit to find good stories and add them to my newsletter. Eventually it became a daily habit, interrupting the circuit whenever someone tried to push my buttons with bad news.

Today it’s my natural instinct to find and share the rest of the story.

For example, while it’s true that 50,000 home purchase contracts did cancel in the last month, it’s also true that …….

It’s also true that 300,000 REALTORS left the business last year, but did you know that 15% of NAR’s membership is new members every year anyway? That’s around 225,000 new entrants annually. Suddenly, losing 300,000 doesn’t seem so bad!

Besides, we don’t even know why those people left.

Maybe they reached their financial goals and wanted a new challenge.
Maybe they retired with satisfaction on their career.
Maybe they sold their company to someone who paid a lot of money!

You see, those parts of the story aren’t told, just the scary numbers. Many people leaving the business last year could be a sign of success, not failure!

Your New Goodness-Seeking Habit

Why don’t you develop a good-news-seeking habit, before reacting to negative headlines? You might just find that the industry - and the world - is still full of wonderful things every day; that things are hardly as bad as you’re being lead to believe, and if you choose to discover the rest of the story, you’ll find yourself just as productive, energized and happy as ever.

That’s my story, and I’m sticking with it.

Stay always inspiring!

— M

PS: Remember that recent headline that said “Over 70% of REALTORS did ZERO sales last year?” Well, here’s the rest of the story… 👇

It turns out, the story was incomplete

When the headline started going around, I knew there was something that wasn’t being stated. Well, it now appears that the rest of the story has appeared - unfortunately, a whole year later. The National Association of REALTORS survey of members reveals a much deeper dive into the data:

NAR had to remind the “talking heads” that many of its members aren’t active salespeople.

They’re office managers, property-managers, assistants and even professional trainers like me. Suddenly we see that it was barely 5% of sales agents who completed no deals last year.

Which means that 95% of full-time sales professionals did plenty: they actually averaged 10 deals each!

What other story has you believing things are much worse than they are? What else have you come to believe, because it’s been repeated over and over, on stage after stage, feed after feed, that might be undermining your optimism to reach your goals this year.

Or worse — undermining your clients?

Build your Good News muscle, because you can’t depend on getting the rest of the story without it.

—M

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Another day, another story of salespeople trying to get artificial intelligence to do their prospecting for them. As a daily user of AI, I don’t consider myself a Luddite. All the same, I don’t understand why anyone would pursue a career in sales and not want to enjoy the whole process of helping clients achieve important goals.

Some people think prospecting is a form of punishment. I think it’s the best part of a thriving, noble sales career. Turning prospecting over to software is the last thing I’d ever want to do.

AI may be helpful, but don’t let it take the joy out of sales just yet!

Let me tell you a story.

For the Love of Prospecting

Prospecting is one of the best parts of being a salesperson.

I learned to love prospecting early in my career from the book The People Principle, by Ron Willingham. One of his key lessons was that sales is one of the greatest acts of helping others get what they want. Prospecting is simply offering to be of service to people who would benefit greatly from your help. In fact, not prospecting, especially to people in your sphere of influence, is far worse than worrying you’re bugging them (a common fear). If you don’t reach out, they risk working with someone else (or buying an inferior product) than you can offer. Why would you put your sphere into that kid of jeopardy?

I remember one sentence that brought this concept home for me:

That’s why prospecting isn’t a punishment. It’s one of the best parts of the process.

Please don’t make me call!

My first sales job as a teenager was telemarketing for Sears.

I called 80-100 people a day by telephone, equipped with little more than my knowledge, voice, and enthusiasm. (We didn’t have email, texting, video calls or even emojis back then.) I sold maintenance agreements - a kind of repair-insurance policy for appliances after warranties expire - for between $25 and $75 per appliance per year.

Every day after school, I sold $500-$800 worth of policies by telephone. We even called up to 9 o’clock in the evening and on Saturdays! (😱)

Nowadays, when I teach salespeople to make phone calls, they look like they want to throw up. They’re quick to suggest everything and anything other than picking up the phone: texting, emailing, even twerking on social media.

To which I ask: If you’re a salesperson, why are you so afraid of talking to people?

Some salespeople confuse advertising with prospecting. For some reason, they seem less anxious about talking to people who call them first. It’s especially challenging for new salespeople, who don’t have the money to do the amount of advertising it takes to fill their pipeline that way. So they are always looking for “cheap” advertising activities like emailing, texting, and trying to go viral online ….

… most of which has an average “return” rate of 1% - 5%. Sadly, this is why over 60% of new real estate salespeople don’t make it very long in the business.

If AI Steals Your Job’s Joy, It Will Be Your Own Fault

So it’s not surprising that so many salespeople are almost giddy with the prospect that AI will prospect for them (sorry about that sentence). Basically, they’re praying that AI will finally save them from having to ever pick up the phone again!

“Prospects can talk to my AI,” an agent told me last week. I know, I know: AI can connect your database to email, look up addresses in neighborhoods and FSBOs and send them interactive synthetic voice-bot-calls. It can even simulate you with an avatar that “looks and sounds like you.” All while you’re sleeping.

And especially without asking you to actually contact anyone.

Sadly, everyone’s worried that AI will replace them on their job —
At the same time, they’re letting AI rob the JOY of their job voluntarily.

I remember one particular sale, early in my telemarketing days, that made prospecting matter to me.

I called a prospect, Mary, and opened with small talk. I shared my purpose for calling, and Mary took a long pause. After a deep breath, she shared that her husband used to take care of that, but he recently passed away. She wasn’t sure she had the budget to renew, or what they did for her.

Here I was, a 16-year-old and new salesperson, interjecting myself into a difficult moment in a stranger’s life. I was tempted to apologize and end the call. But something came to mind.

After expressing condolences, I told her there was no need to decide immediately. She had two months remaining on her policies. I then followed my idea:

“Mary, there’s something I’d like to do for you at this time that costs absolutely nothing, with no obligation,” I said.

“What’s that?” she asked.

“I’d like to send out a Sears technician to perform your annual preventative maintenance checks on your washer-dryer and refrigerator. This way, if you decide not to renew, you will have recently had them checked. We will take care of anything before your coverage runs out,” I said.

“I don’t know what they should look for,” she said.

“No problem,” I said. “That’s our job. If we find anything, we’ll take care of it. Whatever you decide later about renewing, you will have a little peace of mind that they’re in good shape.”

“Peace of mind,” Mary repeated. “That’s exactly what I need right now.”

A week later, I received a copy of the service call notes.

Mary’s washer was fine, but her refrigerator had been running poorly. The technician replaced a fan motor, cleaned condenser coils, and replaced the door seal. He cleaned a lot of lint from the dryer exhaust as a fire precaution.

I picked up the phone and called Mary.

“The technician showed me everything,” she said. “I had no idea, but I’m grateful you suggested that checkup. I don’t have to worry about them for a while. So, I guess I’ll renew,” she said.

“I’m glad we took care of those issues,” I said, “But Mary, I don’t think you should renew your policies. You’re paying $200 now for coverage on only three appliances. There’s a better solution. We offer blanket coverage for all of your appliances. You won’t have to worry about any of them. But, Mary, to be honest, it costs $400. I don’t know if you have that kind of budget.”

“That’s double!” she said.

“Yes, and I only suggest it because the last time we talked, you said you could really use some peace of mind. That’s why I suggest you consider the bigger policy that will cover all of your appliances for at least a year,” I answered.

“Everything?” she said.
“Everything,” I said.

After a pause, she said, “What’s your name again?”
“Matthew,” I reminded her.

“That was my husband’s name,” she said. “I guess he’s still looking after me.”

The Joy of Prospecting

Looking out for Mary, and all the Marys like her, is why you prospect.

Prospecting is how you care about your sphere of influence. It’s the first act of service with someone you truly believe is better off with you than without you in their life.

And that’s why I don’t understand the urge to let software, social media algorithms, or artificial intelligence do that part for you.

A great salesperson loves being that person of value to their sphere. They love the feeling that comes with offering to help those people in any way they can. That’s what prospecting means. Letting AI do that instead would deprive you of those moments to learn what really matters to them.

They don’t tell that to advertising.
They don’t tell that to marketing.
And I promise they won’t tell your avatar they really could use some peace of mind.

So, yes, use AI to research markets, identify prospects, and organize your database.

But don’t let it steal the joy of your job by reaching out instead of you!

The day I decide to do that is the day I hope a friend reminds me it’s time to retire.

— M

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Ten Ways I Would Use AI (with Prompts) to Help Me Prospect 👇👇

Like I said, I’m not against using AI to help me succeed in sales. So here are ten different ways I would use AI to help me do my prospecting as best as possible (with prompts you can copy and try).

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What was the difference between those approaches? Some people have learned that there’s no reason to be afraid of a “new normal.”

Ever.

Let me tell you a story.

Lions, Tigers, and Real Estate Trends

When change occurs, people tend to see the problems rather than the possibilities.

We know intellectually that change is constant: Even though adaptability is our superpower as humans, the magic only happens when we see the ability to deal with those moments of life and change, for ourselves and our clients.

To the extent that we succeed, it is by turning cautions into calculated risks.

[download the ebook “8 Ways to Turn Cautions into Calculated Risks]

So new normals shouldn’t worry us.

For an industry that has undergone so much change in the last four decades, I’m amazed at the amount of hyperventilating about change that still happens. There’s never not been a change-boogeyman in our business. Or a lack of people proclaiming the arrival of some “new normal” that you just have to deal with or be eliminated.

Just think of all the things we’ve handled in the last four decades:

The advent of buyer agency
The arrival of MLS systems
The internet and social media
Banks, techbros and various other disintermediaries
For-Sale-By-Owner websites
Discount brokers, 100% commissions and pyramid-schemes
Real estate portals, data aggregators and internet scrapers
Private equity
The pandemic
Lawsuits
M&As
Artificial intelligence

And lots more.

Yet Each and Every Time

You dealt with those changes just fine.

Most “new normals” quickly became our new foundations for higher achievement. Today, we prospect FSBOs more easily because we can find them faster, now that they’re on the web. Buyer agency lawsuits upgraded the average income of thousands of agents compared to the old ways of being paid (and mostly not being paid). Techbros have introduced gadgets that are now considered ordinary. We even sold over six million homes during the pandemic!

We should probably love new normals, not fear them, by now.

Still, “Is this a new normal?” never fails to provoke anxiety, as in a post seen this week on Facebook….

… which quickly sent dozens of people down the rabbit hole. Somehow they’d forgotten that interest rates change every hour of every day. Just the idea that there might be a new normal at a higher level sent people into a spin.

Looking back on it, I’m pleased with my immediate response:

Taming the Lions and Tigers and Trends

I recall a time when this would not have been my first reaction. More likely, I’d have obsessed about the new normal, too. So how did I come to see new normals as opportunities instead?

The short answer was learning to pay more respect to my abilities than my doubts.

The long answer requires a little story.

Early in my career, a REALTOR Association client called with a unique proposition:

“I heard that you are taking tech calls for some of our brokers. We want you to run a technical support hotline for our entire association. Want to do it?” she asked.

I was so surprised by the suggestion that I didn’t know what to say. So she continued, “That’s over 2000 members.”

“That’s impossible,” I immediately reacted. “We do training. We answer a few calls a day as a courtesy to a few brokers. We don’t know anything about running a full help desk!”

“Nothing yet,” she said. “But you could learn.”

Doubts flooded my mind. “I only have two employees. We’re open nine to five. You have 2000 members who could call about anything at any time!” I even said something silly like, “Besides, I only have a two-line phone system!”

“All true. But you could hire more people, expand hours, and install more phone lines,” my client laughed. “We’re willing to be your first customer to help you pay for it.”

“I don’t know,” I pushed back.

“Take a few days to figure it out, and call me back,” she said. She wasn’t taking no for an answer.

I hung up the phone and wanted to throw up.

A Scary New Normal?

I talked to my people about the proposal. None of us had ever thought about running a help desk. Or hiring more people, creating multiple shifts, or moving to a bigger office (which we’d eventually need). We had no idea how to do any of it, and it was very intimidating.

So I called my mentor. After listening carefully, he said, “There’s no evidence you can’t do it. What’s holding you back is just doubt.”

“I don’t understand,” I said.

“Doubts aren’t real. They’re imaginations, not data. Doubts make you think you’re avoiding danger when you are really missing an opportunity,” he tried again.

“But,” I said, “What if I fail?”

“What if you tried doubting your doubts instead? Since it’s equally possible that you could not fail. Set aside the doubt and explore the question: What if you succeed?”

The Power of Doubting Our Doubts

Doubts aren’t real. They’re simply possibilities.

And when faced with a new situation, it’s just as likely you’ll succeed as you might fail. Most people think doubts somehow point out real dangers. But often that’s not what they’re doing at all: because doubts aren’t data, they are a defense mechanism.

Over time, I’ve trained myself to doubt my doubts, rather than my abilities, when facing a change. When we give ourselves permission to expect success rather than failure, we become open to actions. We give more attention — more power — to the likelihood of handling the change effectively.

By doubting doubts, we reframe new normals as signals of opportunity, rather than signs of trouble. That’s what makes it possible to turn new normals into new foundations for additional success.

Ten Years of Growth Instead

Two weeks after the initial call, we signed an agreement to build a help desk for the entire association. We still had a lot to figure out. But once we reframed our doubts with expectations of success, we started having a lot of fun shaping it. We experimented with new processes, explored new technology, and built habits that would become the foundations of more than ten years of future growth. In just a few months, we discovered we enjoyed the work very much: helping resolve dozens of calls a day was very rewarding!

“Glad you’re enjoying it,” said my client on our next status call. “Because I’ve already called the adjoining state association, and they want you to offer the service to their members, too. That’s another 2500 people for you. Think you can handle it?”

“No doubt,” I said with a smile.

Little did I know that setting aside my doubts would eventually lead to growing my company to handle tens of thousands of calls for hundreds of thousands of users each month, helping them succeed in their businesses, too! For the next ten years, growth, profitability, and fun were the new normal.

With nothing to fear.

So what could a new normal create for you, too?

—M

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Four New Normals I Think You Should Explore Today

Here are four “new normals” in real estate you might challenge your doubts about and explore their signals for other kinds of growth. Let me know what you think in the comments. 👇

Doubt: AI is going to eliminate my role as an agent or manager.

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Good News in Real Estate & Business

• U.S. housing inventory is improving, with active listings up roughly 15–20% year-over-year in many regions, giving buyers more options without sharp price declines, says the National Association of Realtors.

• New-home construction remains strong at over 1.4 million annual housing starts, helping reduce the long-term housing shortage, says the U.S. Census Bureau.

• Luxury real estate continues to outperform the sector, with strong demand from high-net-worth buyers in lifestyle-driven markets, says Knight Frank.

• U.S. commercial real estate sentiment is improving as transaction volumes rebound after a roughly 50% drop from 2022 peaks, says Cushman & Wakefield.

• Healthcare-related real estate construction and investment is growing, with senior housing occupancy exceeding 84% nationally and nearing pre-pandemic levels, says the National Investment Center for Seniors Housing & Care.

• Wellness-focused home features like improved air quality and natural light sources are influencing over 60% of buyer decisions, says Forbes Magazine.

Lots to Celebrate in Science & Innovation

• Scientists have successfully grown and transplanted a lab-engineered esophagus, restoring function in early trials and marking a major advance in regenerative medicine, says Nature.

• Physicists at CERN report evidence of a new subatomic particle that may help explain long-standing anomalies in the Standard Model of particle physics.

• Astronomers have identified more than 45 nearby exoplanets that could support liquid water, expanding the search for potentially habitable worlds, says NASA.

• AI-driven genetic research is rapidly mapping previously unknown DNA functions, accelerating discoveries that once took years into months, says the National Institutes of Health.

• Advances in battery technology are improving safety and lifespan, with new designs demonstrating up to 30% greater stability and faster charging, says MIT.

Good Health!

• Personalized health strategies based on genetics and lifestyle data are replacing one-size-fits-all approaches across major healthcare systems, says the Cleveland Clinic.

• Longevity science is producing measurable results, with some interventions improving healthy lifespan markers by 10–15%, says Harvard Medical School.

• Sleep optimization is gaining traction, with studies linking improved sleep to 20–30% gains in cognitive performance, says the National Sleep Foundation.

• Research on centenarians highlights inflammation control and cellular repair as key drivers of longer, healthier lives, says the National Institute on Aging.

Great Society

• Global health innovation programs are using AI to reduce care gaps in underserved regions, says Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health.

• New nutritional breakthroughs are significantly improving honeybee survival rates, supporting global food supply systems, says the Smithsonian Institution.

• Ice preservation projects are safeguarding thousands of years of climate data in Antarctic archives for future research, says the European Space Agency.

• Strong social connections are linked to up to a 50% increase in longevity, reinforcing the value of community-based wellness, says Mayo Clinic.

• Investment in domestic manufacturing is expanding, strengthening supply chains and creating jobs across key industries, says the U.S. Department of Commerce.

A Son Helps the Father

And finally, this week, in the spirit of Good News on Good Friday, this story seemed appropriate.

A high school senior in Pennsylvania named Jeremiah Stepp wasn’t expecting anything unusual as he helped his father carry a new heater into their home. Suddenly, without warning, his father collapsed. Without thinking, the teenager jumped into action.

Just weeks earlier, Jeremiah had learned CPR in health class at school. That lesson turned to reality when he saw his father unconscious. While his mother called 911, Jeremiah began chest compressions and didn’t stop until first responders arrived.

Doctors later said his father had been clinically dead for about 25 minutes.

And yet, because of his son, he’s alive today!

“It makes me feel happy,” Jeremiah told People Magazine. “[It] makes me feel sort of weird at the same time. I don’t know how to explain it.”

Last month, Jeremiah was honored by the American Red Cross with a Certificate of Extraordinary Personal Action, as well as an official citation from Pennsylvania State Senator Patty Kim. “Because of his incredible heroic actions, we were able to speak to 200 soon-to-be adults about the importance of knowing this lifesaving information,” said George Martinez of the American Red Cross, as they expanded awareness across other schools in the area.

“You couldn’t ask for a greater son. He gave me another opportunity to live,” said Jeremiah’s father.

Happy Good News Friday!

From moving markets to life-saving sons, it doesn’t take much to see all the goodness around us. So make this weekend wonderful and be sure to tell others about the good news in your life, too!

Stay always inspiring, my friends.
And if you liked this week’s newsletter, please give it a ❤️

— M

Let me tell you a story (or three).

A Dose of Certainty in Philly

Real estate is a relationship business.

No development proves that better than my new non-real-estate client, CertaPro Painters. They’re a terrific franchise of professional painters working hard in the same homes REALTORS work in. I was referred to them by a wonderful real estate friend who, after years leading the housing industry, switched industries. When she called, I was excited. “Matthew, they’re just like real estate: dedicated people doing their best to improve the lives of homeowners and businesses! They could use your help.” So I jumped in.

Recently, I’ve helped them build deeper REALTOR relationships to create a natural channel of B2B referrals without fees or commissions. This week I was blown away when one of the owners recounted their early success after only a few weeks of networking with local REALTORS. They joined the Board, delivered office presentations and already shared leads with each other. “We’re making new friends,” he smiled. “Thanks for introducing us to REALTORS! We’re going to do great things together.”

It was refreshing to meet a leader focused on partnerships! He only saw opportunities to do great things together. That’s the spirit I know in real estate. Even if it seems to be lacking in our industry discourse lately.

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Meanwhile Back at the Cabaret

Two days later, at Mohegan Sun, I addressed one of my favorite brokerage firms. Repeat business is the lifeblood of a long career, so I was thrilled to make my third appearance at the William Raveis Real Estate annual convention. So many agents joined me for sessions on artificial intelligence that we moved into the huge Cabaret Theater. One agent shook my hand and said, “People say we should be worried about AI doing our job, but I think AI should be worried about us.” We laughed together about all the technologies that have been “foretold” over the years to replace brokers, only to end up as everyday tools for everyday agents.

“I’m old enough to remember when we were told that agents using calculators would be replaced by agents who didn’t use calculators,” I joked when the session opened. Here was a huge crowd of “happy warriors” who weren’t thinking about scarcity; all they saw was a cool new tool that raises the tide for everyone. They didn’t worry that a competitor might use it ‘better than them.’

One manager asked, “Do you think someday we’ll have (ai) agents for our (human) agents, and make it even easier to do deals?” It brought a tear to my eye. Here was the exact opposite attitude of someone obsessed with eliminating competitors. She’s imagining ways to work better with cooperating agents at other companies!

How refreshing to witness a culture of collaboration in an industry that’s in real need of more such sentiments.

Back in Beantown

The week wrapped with a lunch in Boston with a team I coach. “We are hopping,” said one of the partners. “We have a bunch of listings ready to hit the market. We’ve added new members who are already producing.” Their optimism was electric. Sure, the market faces headwinds and growing a team these days is challenging. But they weren’t letting that stop them. “Our team is stepping up,” said the other partner. “We’ve used data and our plan to build a presence in both the Baby Boomer and younger buyers segments. We’re capturing the transfer of wealth nicely.”

I scribbled a note to myself, “For newsletter: written business plans work, data and vision works. Pundits are irrelevant!”

I loved their fresh framing of the market; They didn’t mention once the industry’s squabbles over private listings or fiduciary law. They know what works, and aren’t paying attention to those things one bit. Why?

They know that the market happens at the table - a kitchen table with sellers or a restaurant table with partners. That’s what matters most!

Refreshed and Ready for the Future

Usually my end-of-week pieces are reserved for Good News headlines, but I think these stories do the same: Interrupt the short-circuit trying to convince us to tear everything apart.

Instead, they show how the opposite remains true in the world today.

The most real things in business are relationships, one at a time, even in a crowded industry.

You won’t get far if you’re constantly breaking them.
But you’ll never run out of success, if you make them the priority.

For an industry that seemingly loves to fight over every possible deal, it’s refreshingly good news to work with people for whom there’s more to life than market share.

And that’s always inspiring!

— M

It might take a gigantic Smiley to remind us that consumers couldn’t care less …

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Matthew’s on vacation this week, and that means I’m left to my own devices while he’s away. 😎 While he’s away enjoying vacation, I’m writing you this week to share a list of my all-time favorite stories and webinars. Some from the archives, oldies but goodies, and some brand new, exciting content.

I’ve been working with Matthew for several years, and naturally, I get to sit in, listen to, or edit lots of his #AlwaysInspiring content. You might think I’d be tired of his message by now, but I’m NOT!

It’s my absolute honor to help him facilitate these stories, events, and “moments of time well spent” for YOU!

Amber’s Favorite Messages

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Instead of going viral, become vital. ~ Matthew Ferrara

Amber’s Favorite Webinars

Tune in next week for our regularly scheduled programming with Matthew. In the meantime, give us a heart or share with anyone you think would enjoy my list of faves.

A few trips in an Uber remind me there was a time when I talked to every cab driver, airplane seat-mate, and diner-counter neighbor rather than pass the time on my smartphone. Ironically, those real moments never turned out as bad as our online interactions do most days.

Could it be that, in a world of artificial intelligence and anonymou…

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👆 (To watch the full webinar at the top of the page, make sure you’re signed in.)

5 Powerful Business Building Ideas for Real Estate Pros

We explored five powerful business-building strategies for real estate professionals focused on sustainable growth through listing-centric approaches.

1. The $19 Million Pipeline Formula: The success you can have by just getting 2 appointments a week.

2. Get Pro-Specting: Sphere, Just Listeds, and Expired REALTORS, oh my!

3. Email Strikes Back! Escape the algorithm!

4. Matt GPT (Private AI GPT) Private AI tools for personalized business intelligence

5. Expanding Your Sphere: Stop chasing leads and start building partnerships

Don’t forget we’ve created this starter guide as a bonus and thank you for being an #AlwaysInspiring insider

Business Builder Fave #1. The $19 Million Pipeline Formula:

If you’ve been an #Always Inspiring subscriber for a little while, this is not the first time you’ve heard Matthew talk about the success you can have by just getting 2 appointments a week. We sometimes call it the Simple Math of Success. You can dive deeper into the math by watching this previous webinar.

Why it’s A Favorite Business Builder: By focusing on 2 listing appointments a week, you can still have great success, without the burnout.

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And just in time, because we could all use an extra serving of cheer this week. The housing industry seems intent on suing itself to pieces, while portraying the market as a disaster, and the broader media does its usual gloomy stuff. So let Good News Friday remind you things are MUCH BETTER than you’re led to believe.

Let’s tak…

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• Why you’re designed to handle tough times

• Why nothing changes until you change first

• Three ways to turn difficult times into gateways of incredible growth

Let’s start with the old saying: When the going gets tough, the tough get going.

I’d humbly add one thing: Those tough times won’t change until I get going, either.

That little twist reminds me that tough times don’t only change me: I change them. I don’t have to wait for conditions to change. I can change the conditions and change the times.

Suddenly, there’s more to changing tough times than I ever expected!

Let me tell you a story.

That Time I Changed the Times

Years ago, during a prolonged down-cycle in the housing market, I delivered a seminar to a 1000-plus audience in Portugal. They had come together to enjoy entertainment, deepen their education, and reignite their inspiration. My session focused on a simple piece of advice that has served me well over my career:

For things to get better, I must get better!
- Jim Rohn

My mentor taught me to write that on the top line of my business plan, as a reminder that whatever I wanted to achieve that year, I didn’t have to depend upon the market, the consumer, or some other factor to deliver it to me.

In the best or worst of times, my better future always started with me!

I wrapped up my remarks with this encouragement, “Don’t put your success on hold, waiting for times to change by some unknown force. Life is too short, and it may take longer than your dreams - or your bank account - can afford. Remember that right now, someone in the audience who only sees headwinds is sitting next to someone who’s having their best year ever. It doesn’t mean one person is better than the other; it means that the times have little to do with your success. Change your trajectory first, and the times will instantly get better!”

Afterwards, I shook many hands and received many hugs. Eventually, everyone left.

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Except for one person

As I prepared to exit the stage, a young man climbed the stairs and approached me.

“Hello,” he said. “May I speak with you?” I shook his hand.

“I feel like you were speaking directly to me,” he said. “As if I were the only person in the room. You were reading my thoughts.”

“Why is that?” I asked. “Did I say something you needed to hear?”

“Today was going to be my last day,” he said, looking down. “It hasn’t been going well for a long time. The market has been slow for years. I was ready to quit.”

“Then why did you show up?” I asked.
“I wanted to give myself one more chance,” his voice quavered.

“So you could do it, with another chance? Will you take it?”

He looked up and stared me right in the eye:
“I’m going to stay. I can do this. I won’t wait for the market; I will change first.”

Then he said strongly: “I already have!” pointing to his heart.

I had tears in my eyes when we shook hands again.
I was glad to be there - for him - that day.
He walked out, shoulders back and head high.
He had found the door to success inside himself, not the market.

Things had already changed, indeed!

Life is Difficult by Design

Are difficulties setbacks or signals? You must decide.

I prefer to think of challenges as doorways to growth. There must be some good purpose to difficulties, since life is full of them! We pass through the first challenge - born into the world - crying, after all.

Difficulties trigger our growth.

If challenges are doorways, you must open them on purpose. That’s an apt metaphor in our business, where dealing with difficulties is the norm, if we want to open the door to homeownership for most of our clients. Deals rarely go by the book. Hot markets lack inventory; cool ones lack volume. We can’t win by waiting for perfect timing because it never arrives.

But look closely, and you’ll see someone growing because they’ve made the first move!

You’re Designed to Change Difficult Times

What does it take to change difficult times? Little steps for yourself, first.

Know your purpose: not to do deals, but to make a difference. Don’t sell to strangers, but help neighbors achieve something important in their lives.

Stop competing over stats and commissions: They’re not the most valuable things you offer. Shift from propositions to invitations to undertake an important “mission” together and you’ll never discuss your commission again.

Turn prospecting into your purpose: Why undergo so much training if not to give others the benefit of your help? That’s the purpose of offering your expertise to others. TikTok that for a change, and see what happens.

Learn to listen your way into a sale: not talk people into a transaction. One makes money for a short while; the other makes relationships that last a lifetime.

With every little change you make in yourself, you’re altering the environment, too. Clients change. Competitors notice. The vibe shifts. The market expands. That’s how times become more promising:

By making yourself more promising first!

The Rewards of Changing The World

Imagine how much will change - clients’ lives, business results, personal satisfaction - when you go through tough times by making yourself better first. After a while, the times won’t look so tough, because you got going first.

Growth doesn’t care what’s happening around you. It leverages what goes on inside you. You once learned to walk before you could talk; the world didn’t change, you did.

Imagine doing a walk-through for your next sale still crawling on all fours!

They say nobody wants tough times, but I’m not convinced. Once I realized I was built for anything, I began to see tough times as the keys to changing the world.

If I’d change first.

— M

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PS: Here are my three most powerful techniques for seeing every challenge as a positive signal to succeed.

I do three things before, during, and after difficult moments that reveal additional benefits of dealing with change head-on. Give them a try.

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How can you differentiate in a world of AI?

Jack Welch used to say, “If you don’t have a competitive advantage, don’t compete.” For years, I was obsessed with this problem: What set me apart? What could I do to beat the competition? How else could I differentiate myself from everyone else in my field? Did I need a logo? How about a slogan? Maybe I needed to wear a big hat or juggle on stage?

And then my mentor taught me a simple, powerful alternative to Mr. Welch’s observation:

YOU are your greatest competitive advantage!

And in today’s world of AI-driven-sea-of-sameness, it’s truer than ever.

Let me tell you a story.

(Plus five things you can do to maintain your competitive edge forever.)

This is what “state of the art” was like when I started my career as a speaker in 1991.

I actually found my old set of transparencies in a box the other day while cleaning up my storage bins. I remember how carefully we’d have them printed at Staples (at about $1.50 per page) and then keep them fastidiously organized and clean. Heaven help us if the pile slipped off the table and scattered across the floor!

Those were the days when your presentation had to be more than techno-glitz, because there wasn’t any. Even when LCD projectors hit the scene, and everyone started using PowerPoint animations (with their six accompanying sound effects), most speakers had to tell stories, explain on flip charts, use handouts, props, play games, and role-play with their audience to stand out.

Trust me, in those days, people didn’t show up to see your slides.

Now here’s a picture of me recently, delivering a webinar to a couple hundred people scattered across the globe from my home studio. Two computers, three cameras, a teleprompter, a video switcher, a sound-deck, a studio microphone, a producer on the opposite coast, and voice-activated lighting, and temperature controls help me send television-quality experiences over a fiber-optic line. I’m even taking the photo using a smartphone, which didn’t even exist in the first photo.

And yet, people still don’t show up for my slides.

Thirty years separate these two pictures

While so much has changed, the one thing that remains at the “front of the room” is the same:

It’s just me.

Just like you!

Even though today’s technology is like magic compared to thirty years ago, the audience is still there for more than the glitz. In fact, most audiences have become numb to special effects. Most of them can recreate fancy features themselves. So the wow-factor of technology has dropped dramatically. Even if you’re cranking out tons of stuff by AI.

Because — and this is so simple — it only takes a single em-dash to make the audience suspect what they’re seeing isn’t even your own work (trust me, I wrote this sentence)!

So while we have more technology enabling us to deliver more than ever and in many ways enjoy our work all the better, the simple fact remains:

There’s a whole lot more driving your success than your stuff.

The Infinite Value Proposition

“What should agents do to survive now that some major players have just merged?” some asked me on a webinar the other day. “How will they compete against the combined resources of these mega-players?”

You know the answer I gave them: The same way they always have.

Their most competitive advantage isn’t their stuff. It’s their selves.

All the tools, marketing, technology, and training will only work if someone uses it to connect with a customer, and then the stuff fades into the background. It doesn’t matter what industry we’re talking about: my car salesman took us on a test drive for 20 minutes, but spent three hours with us working out the deal face-to-face, without a paper worksheet. My doctor put me in a CT machine for an hour, then showed me the screen results, and spent two hours making a plan with me about what to do to maintain this level of health. It’s not the stuff that added the value in either case:

It is the person who delivers the goods.

And I know lots of people who have had lots of stuff for years, and never made anything happen. And I know a bunch of salespeople who can still outsell any gadget invented today with a Number Two Pencil and a desk phone.

Infinite value is best shared between two people; not two sets of stuff.

Which is why it’s only important what your competition does if you aren’t doing anything yourself.

Over 4 million home sales will still be made this year: plenty for everyone, no matter how their company is configured and re-configured. No clients invite your corporation to the kitchen table. Nor do they want to have meaningful conversations with your “tech stack.”

What matters in a market where 80% of sellers only interviewed one agent (a number that hasn’t changed in 35 years) and that agent was 75% likely to already be in a personal relationship with the consumer, isn’t the shape of the industry landscape, but the ongoing efforts of every individual to stay relevant, interesting, and valuable.

Thirty years ago, I thought my competitive advantage was an expensive set of color laser-printed transparencies. Today, I can deliver a hologram of myself into handheld screens around the world. And so can every other speaker, working for every other company out there.

It’s all very marvelous, except for something that’s stayed the same:

Clients still aren’t showing up for your stuff.

In fact, more than ever, they are desperate to look across the table and see the most valuable thing sitting there since the last time they needed it:

You.

— M

Here are five steps to maintain your competitive advantage forever:

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My mentor used to say: Do a few things so well, you cannot be ignored.

It’s one of the big challenges for small businesses, because opportunity often comes knocking, and when it does, we get starry-eyed by the new revenue, ideas, customers, and often forget that what we’re being asked to do isn’t exactly in our wheelhouse.

That’s when I remember the other thing my mentor said: Not every customer is for you.

And those two pieces of advice have made all the difference.

Let me tell you a story.

I remember the last time I went to buy a new car. I immediately browsed my favorite brand, without really looking at any other manufacturers. My last four cars were from this company, and I’ve loved every one of them. They turned me into a raving fan, and loyalty works for me: it reduces my stress, especially around complex purchases.

Now, I knew they offered a variety of models, but what I didn’t know was that they offered everything but the kitchen sink:

They have a UX, NX, NXPHEV, RZ, RX, RX Hybrid, RXPHEV, TX, TX Hybrid, TX Plug In Hybrid, GX, LX, IS, ES, LS, RZ, and LC.

And, within each model, you can choose from a “base, upgraded, premium, and luxury” versions and then customize them even further.

This. Is. Marketing. Madness.

I see this problem in the housing industry, too.

Every day, I get some marketing piece from a broker who essentially says, “We do everything! For everyone! At every price point! In every neighborhood! For every reason! Any day! Any time!”

Some even say, “for any commission”, even when they don’t say so explicitly.

Why this is a problem

Last week, I was coaching a salesperson who asked me for ideas about what to say when they get leads that “aren’t really in their target audience.”

“What do you think Lexus does if someone shows up looking for a John Deere lawnmower, with the same budget, too?” I asked them.

“Well, they don’t offer lawnmowers at Lexus,” my client laughed.

“That’s right,” I said. “And you don’t offer lots of things, too. When you aren’t the right salesperson for someone who shows up, introduce them to someone else who can help them. Make the referral, and move on.”

“That seems easy,” the agent said. “But I keep getting lots of leads from people who don’t match my business goals. What do I do then?”

“Let’s take a look at your marketing,” I said. “Maybe it’s not the customer that is causing the challenge.”

Don’t be surprised when your marketing actually works

Take a good look at your marketing message. Your bio. Your online persona. Your newsletter. Are you offering to be a hundred things to a million people? Or are you clear about who you are, what you do, how you do it — and who is the best person to work with you?

Don’t be surprised when you get customers at every level of need, purchase ability, and loyalty, if your marketing isn’t asking for someone specifically.

Most importantly, make sure your marketing is asking for the clients who are just right for YOU.

Specialize or Scramble (your profitability, that is)

The reason car dealers can offer a dozen models in varying configurations is because they run assembly lines. They’re strategically designed to crank out multiple variations of a number of options, over and over again.

That won’t work for a specialized salesperson like you because: Your transactions do not lather, rinse, and repeat.

And: You are not a factory.

In fact, even the car companies don’t love doing a great variety of things. First, it’s expensive and time-consuming (which is why your custom-configured cars take weeks to arrive, but you can take home a “generally configured” model today).

Furthermore, customers don’t like too many choices, even if they tell you they like to choose. It’s a well-known paradox that customers suffer from cognitive overload, fear of regret, and decision fatigue when presented with too many choices.

It’s why you probably order the same appetizers and meals over and over at the Cheesecake Factory, even though their menu is about the same length as The Lord of the Rings.

Think like a New York Delicatessen

Years ago, I was sitting in a New York deli for lunch. My usual would have been a pastrami sandwich with potato salad and a pickle. On a whim, I tried to mix things up:

“I’ll get the usual: A pastrami on rye, please,” I started.

“Of course,” drawled the waitress.

“But today, I think I’ll surprise myself with the coleslaw instead of potato salad.” The waitress looked at me hard and said, “Leave the surprises for court, honey; you’re having the potato salad.”

Maybe they were out of coleslaw that day, or maybe they knew that the lunch I’d like best was the pastrami on rye with potato salad and a pickle.

Market to Your Clients, not to the Market

Now’s a great time to review your marketing.

Does it suffer from the urge to offer everything to everyone in the market? That’s a risk. Trying to talk to the whole market is expensive, not to mention crowded. So lose your illusions about marketing: You don’t need to talk to everyone. Even if marketing to everyone worked, when everyone started showing up, you might not want or enjoy or be able to satisfy them. So why cause yourself a problem?

So stop the marketing madness by remembering this:

Clients don’t want to choose from lots of things.
They buy ONE thing -
They buy YOU.

Check your marketing message (use the checklist below 👇). Review your bio, your social media, your newsletter, your video content. Say less, to fewer people, more specifically. And escape the madness that’s burning out your budget and you.

Your marketing should help your ideal client know they’ve found the right person to help them act.

You do a few things really well. And one of them you do perfectly: YOU.

Market with confidence not confusion, and help your clients ask you to be the one to help them achieve their dreams this year.

In my experience, nothing beats the pastrami on rye with potato salad and a pickle.

—M

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Here’s your marketing madness audit checklist to get more intentional about your client attraction 👇

1. Do an Audience Clarity Check

Can a stranger clearly identify who you are for within 10 seconds of seeing anything that promotes you or your company? For that matter, are you clear on who you’re for, too? Every instance of your message should immediately express who should be paying attention to you (and eventually hiring you). Do an audit to make sure your content clearly expresses:

• The specific customer type (buyer, seller, investor, renter) as well as life stage, price range, geography, or motivation.

• Eliminate any “we serve everyone” language flowing about your copy.

• Choose vocabulary that intentionally tells at least one type of prospect you’re probably not a match.

If you hesitate to say who you are not for, your marketing is too broad.

2. Do a Consistency Check

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In this short clip from our most recent Always Inspiring Webinar, 10 Always Inspiring Tips & Tricks for 2026, I share my top 3 mindsets and mantras. These daily reminders empower us to embrace change, build confidence, and recognize our own value as we pursue our goals.

Tip for 2026: My New Year’s Mantras

1. For things to change, we have to change. Growth starts with our own mindset and actions, not waiting for external circumstances to shift.

2. We don’t have to be ready for everything—because we’re ready for anything. Embracing adaptability and confidence helps us navigate change effectively.

3. Our success begins with believing we’re worth it. Recognizing our own value is essential to achieving our goals and feeling empowered in our personal and professional lives.

Try writing some mantras about who you want to be in 2026 and start by writing them down, putting them somewhere you’ll see them as a reminder each day.

Looking for a special gift for a friend or colleague? Give them a year of inspiration, ideas, webinars and stories with our upgraded memberships. Click the banner!

Bonus Tip for 2026: Ditch the To-Do List

Does your to-do list haunt you? Psychologists refer to the stress your to-do list gives you, anticipatory stress, because your to-do list never goes away. It grows and grows. Instead, try this tactic to increase your productivity and decrease your anxiety.

Watch the clip below👇👇👇

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