Want to Keep MORE of What You EARN?

This week, our team made a bold move—we cut ties with a big-name lead generation service (you might guess the one that starts with a “Z”).

Why? Because we finally asked a question too many REALTORS® avoid:Is this really making us money—or just costing us time?

We’ve built a strong business through referrals, our sphere, and genuine relationships. Still, curiosity got the better of us. We gave this paid lead source a full year. That’s more than enough time to evaluate performance and conversion.

The result? That service produced about $1.8 million in sales volume. Sounds like a win, right?

Not even close.

When we dug into the numbers—commissions, team splits, and actual dollars earned—it became clear: we were breaking even at best. And as the team leader? I was in the red.

So I brought it to the team. I half-expected pushback. After all, leads are leads… right?

Not a single agent wanted to keep it. They were stressed. They were chasing poor-quality leads. They were spending more time answering dropped calls and less time cultivating real business.

Here’s where they were seeing results from: referrals, sphere, social media, open houses.

That service? It was costing us money and time—the two most precious resources in this business.

Now, to be clear: I’m not saying paid leads are always a bad investment, or even that the infamous "Z" service is always a bad investment. Every agent runs their business differently.

But what I am saying is this: If you can’t prove that your dollars are making dollars… they probably aren’t.

And here’s the kicker: most agents can’t. In many of the classes I've attended, only about 10% of REALTORS® can produce a basic monthly profit-and-loss statement for their business. That means 90% of agents don’t have the financial clarity they need to make smart, confident decisions.

If you don’t know exactly how much revenue your lead gen is bringing in—and what it's costing you—you’re flying blind. So, let’s fix that.

3 Simple Steps to Get Your Financial House in Order

1. Set Up Your Tracking System

• Create a chart of accounts (you’ll find a template below).

• Decide how you’ll track expenses and income (Excel, QuickBooks, etc.—the best system is the one you’ll actually use).

  
  

2. Build a Budget: Plan expenses at these levels: Annual, Monthly, Per Listing, Per Transaction

3. Review Monthly

• Log all revenue and expenses

• Compare to your budget

• Track your YTD profit

• Review your pipeline and identify the source of each closed and pending transaction.

  
  

If you’re a team leader, take it further. Track who’s generating what, what each team member costs, and how commission splits impact your bottom line.

---

Need a head start? I’ve got you.

👉 Free Templates to help you:

• Create your chart of accounts

• Build your first budget

  
  

For my coaching clients:

👉 Additional Resources:

• Team Member Expense Structure

• Advanced Financial Tracker

  
  

Because here’s the truth: You don’t need to work harder. You need to earn smarter.

Let’s stop wasting money—and start keeping more of what we earn.

May it be of service! 💖