Imogen Callister says: Stop prospecting—start having conversations.

In a time when 79% of people won’t answer unknown calls, real estate marketing specialist Imogen Callister reveals why traditional prospecting is dead – and what’s replacing it.

The traditional real estate playbook is becoming obsolete. As consumer behaviour shifts dramatically across Australia, forward-thinking agents are abandoning outdated prospecting methods and embracing a radical new approach to building client relationships.

“The word ‘prospecting’ needs to die,” declares real estate marketing specialist Imogen Callister, owner of the multi-awarded The Media Coach. “It makes everybody feel uncomfortable and makes us sound like a bunch of creeps. Instead, we need to focus on conversations.”

Rewriting the real estate language

The transformation begins with language. The traditional ‘property appraisal’ – long considered the backbone of agent-client relationships – is becoming obsolete. “I don’t need you to tell me the value of my home,” Callister points out, noting that consumers now have access to multiple online valuation tools. “What they need is genuine relationship-building and expert guidance through what can be the most challenging time of their life.”

Leading agents are now opening conversations with market insights that truly matter to homeowners:

• “What’s the new median house price?” – focusing on specific local market changes
• Price growth reports showing 5-10-year trajectories
• Spikes in buyer interest and where buyers are coming from
• Targeted guides for life transitions (e.g., “Would you like our comprehensive downsizer’s guide?”)
• Seasonal reports (Spring property reports, End of Financial Year insights, annual market reviews)
• Renovation assessments for homeowners showing visible signs of upgrading

“We are here more than ever,” Callister emphasises, “but we aren’t here.” This paradox reflects the modern real estate landscape where constant digital presence must be balanced with respectful, targeted communication.

Creating impact through multiple channels

Every piece of marketing communication needs to consider three key elements: “Proximity, timeliness, impact,” Callister advises. “Proximity – screen your suburb. People care about what’s close to them. Timeliness – it’s creating a sense of urgency. This is happening now. Impact – this has influenced your property’s growth.”

Through Realtair’s tools, agents can systematically implement what Callister calls the “triple-channel strategy”. The key is understanding how each channel works together and the rules of engagement for each:

Strategic text messages

“Most agents focus on the first two,” Callister notes, referring to just listed and just sold messages. However, these have the highest unsubscribe rates. Instead, successful agents segment their database carefully, sending targeted messages to no more than 150-250 people at a time. “If you’re doing more than that, your text message template sucks.”

Social media with a purpose

“Most agents get so focused on how many views this got,” Callister observes. But reach without relevance is worthless. The key is distinguishing between content and advertising. “Posting technically goes to our followers, and our organic reach sits around one to two per cent.”

Through vendor-paid advertising and strategic targeting, agents can reach genuine prospects rather than just accumulating followers. “Remember, it’s actually people in our marketplace that make us money.”

Print with precision

Despite digital dominance, strategic print materials remain powerful when used correctly. Callister recommends segmenting your marketplace into quarters and creating a value cycle of reports and updates. “These touch points really give you a better definition than hope. It also gives you an amazing follow-up strategy.”

From cold calls to warm conversations

The statistics are stark: “72% of people don’t check voicemails frequently,” Callister reveals. But this isn’t the end of agent-client communication – it’s an evolution.

“Speed of response in the technology era is absolutely everything,” Callister explains. Successful agents are adapting by:

• Creating targeted, value-first messages that focus on market insights rather than immediate appointments
• Leveraging Realtair to automate and streamline follow-ups while maintaining personalisation
• Using multiple communication channels strategically – from text and social to print and digital reports
• Building a systematic nurture program that keeps you top-of-mind without being pushy
• Converting cold market updates into warm conversations through valuable suburb reports and property growth insights
• Using digital tools to track engagement and respond promptly to interested prospects

Building the modern pipeline

“Remember the power of a pipeline is bringing that person from a conversation into a pipeline. Then we create a strategy of what we’re going to do,” Callister explains. Using Realtair’s suite of tools, agents can maintain personal touches while scaling their business.

The formula is simple but powerful: “Conversation leads to relationship, relationship leads to nurture, nurture leads to client, and client goes back into nurture.” Callister emphasises, “It’s never going to happen if it’s not scheduled.”

The future of real estate relationships

“Real estate really has nothing to do with property,” Callister concludes. “We should know all about property, we should know what’s going on in the market, and we should know real trends. But if you want to build a world-class brand in whatever arena you’re in now, it’s all about creating a conversation.”