5 Insights from Phil M. Jones that will Reshape Your Real Estate Business

Key Takeaways or TL;DR

• "Maybe" is the real enemy of conversion, not "no." The goal is to drive decisions, not just get a "yes."
• "Content before context is noise." Personalized outreach based on data will always outperform generic messaging.
• The least influential word in sales is "I." Shifting your language to be client-focused builds trust and drives results.
• Success is directly tied to making quality asks. Proactively creating opportunities is essential for business growth.
• Stop offering help and start being helpful. Use data and insights to provide real value, not just empty check-ins.

We’ve all been there. You’re scrolling through your social feed, and you’re hit with a tidal wave of conflicting advice. “Buy more leads!” one guru yells. “Master this cold calling script!” another insists. In the noisy world of real estate, it’s easy to feel like the only path to success is to simply grind harder.

But what if the top performers know something different?

Recently, Fello hosted a masterclass in communication from legendary sales and communication expert Phil M. Jones, and it was a powerful moment of clarity. He cut through the fluff and reminded us that the agents who consistently win more listings aren't just working harder; they're working smarter by being more intentional in their conversations.

Here are five of our favorite game-changing insights from the webinar, why they are so critical for agents today, and how you can use technology to put them into action.

Register for 3-part webinar series with Phil M. Jones to watch the next webinars live, and access and part webinars on-demand!

1. Maybe is the real enemy.

We’ve all had those leads — the ones who are "just looking" or "thinking about it." They linger in our CRMs for months, and we spend countless hours sending check-in emails, hoping to nudge them toward a decision.

Why It Matters: Phil’s insight is a wake-up call. Agents waste an enormous amount of energy and time chasing undecided leads. This indecision stalls your pipeline and drains your motivation. The real goal isn't just to get a "yes"; it's to help a client make a firm decision — yes or no. A clear "no" allows you to move on, while a clear "yes" builds momentum. Driving decisions is how you take control of your business.

How Fello Helps: Fello is designed to help you move clients out of the "maybe" column. The platform uses AI to track behavioral data, creating a comprehensive Lead Score for every contact in your database. When a homeowner repeatedly views their home value dashboard or engages with your marketing, Fello sends you a real-time alert. This is the perfect moment to have a timely, relevant conversation that helps drive a decision, focusing your energy where it actually converts. If a homeowner isn’t looking at their home value dashboard, you probably don’t need to spend time on them right now. 

2. Content before context is noise.

Agents are constantly told to "provide value," but this often translates to generic monthly newsletters or broad market updates that get deleted without being read. Is that really value?

Why It Matters: This insight reveals why so much marketing falls flat. True value isn't generic; it's personal. Sending a mass email about interest rates to someone who bought their home six months ago isn't helpful — it's noise. To truly provide value, you have to understand a homeowner's specific situation before you reach out.

How Fello Helps: This is where Fello’s data enrichment becomes your secret weapon. Fello automatically connects to your CRM, filling in missing addresses, property history, loan data, and equity information for the contacts you already have. This provides the critical context you need to have a meaningful conversation. Instead of a generic email, you can have a specific, relevant dialogue based on their actual circumstances, e.g., how long they’ve lived in their home, what their equity position is, etc. — turning your outreach from noise into a welcome solution.

3. The least influential word on the planet.

Scroll through any real estate agent’s social media, and you’ll likely see a sea of agent-centric posts: "I just sold this home!" "My new listing is..." "I am the #1 agent in..."

Why It Matters: Phil’s point is a powerful gut-check. Clients don’t care about an agent’s accomplishments; they care about their own problems, needs, and goals. When your language is all about "I" and "my," you’re talking at your audience. By simply shifting your vocabulary to focus on "you" and "your," your communication instantly becomes more empathetic, builds trust, and is far more effective.

How Fello Helps: Fello’s new Ask AI assistant can serve as your personal communication coach. You can use it to generate client-centric call scripts and talking points that are specifically designed to uncover a homeowner's motivations, timing, and concerns. It helps you prepare for interactions by ensuring every conversation you have is focused on them, not on you.

4. Success = quality "asks."

So many agents build their business on a passive foundation, waiting for referrals or hoping past clients remember them when it’s time to sell. But hope is not a strategy.

Why It Matters: This insight is the antidote to passive business growth. You can't just sit back and wait for business to come to you. Real, predictable growth comes from proactively initiating conversations and asking for the business. The key, as Phil points out, is making quality “asks” — not just more cold calls. A quality “ask” is timely, relevant, and informed.

How Fello Helps: Fello turns your entire database into a source of quality "asks." Instead of cold-calling 1,000 contacts and hoping to get lucky, Fello’s AI tells you which 50–70 people are the highest-potential prospects to call right now. It gives you the data, and more importantly, the reason to reach out, transforming a dreaded cold call into a warm, strategic conversation.

Check out this Facebook post from Fello user Jason Lash on this exact concept. 

5. Start being helpful.

"Just wanted to check in and see if I can help with anything!" It’s one of the most common lines in an agent’s follow-up email, and it’s completely passive. It puts the burden on the client to identify a need and reach out.

Why It Matters: A top-performing agent doesn't wait to be asked. They anticipate needs and provide solutions proactively because they have the right information. Being truly helpful means delivering the right insight at exactly the right time, cementing your status as their go-to expert.

How Fello Helps: Fello empowers you to be helpful, not just offer it. With real-time alerts that show you when a homeowner in your database is signaling they might be ready to sell, you can reach out with a timely, updated home valuation, a cash offer, or a CMA before they even think to ask for it. You’re not just offering vague assistance; you're delivering an immediate, tangible solution based on their actual behavior.

From Insight to Action

The best real estate agents know that success isn't just about the latest scripts or marketing hacks. It’s about combining timeless communication principles with modern technology. Phil's insights remind us to be more intentional, empathetic, and data-driven in every client interaction. By putting these strategies into practice, you can stop working harder and start working smarter, turning your existing database into your most valuable and predictable business asset.

Put These Strategies Into Action.

Already a Fello customer? Reach out to your Success Manager at success@fello.ai to discuss how you can use these insights to get even more value from the platform.

Ready to see how Fello can turn your database into a predictable listing machine? Book a quick demo to see how top agents are using smart prospecting to consistently win more listings.

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Frequently Asked Questions

1. How does Fello know when someone in my database is ready to sell?

Fello uses AI to track a combination of demographic and behavioral data points. This includes how long someone has been in their home, their equity position, and how frequently they engage with your marketing or view their home value dashboard. This creates a Lead Score that identifies contacts who are showing signals of selling intent.

2. What if my database has a lot of missing information?

That's a common challenge, and Fello is built to solve it. The platform automatically enriches your contact records by filling in missing addresses, property details, loan data, and more, helping you improve the overall quality and completeness of your database.

3. Do I have to stop sending my monthly newsletter if I use Fello?

Not necessarily. Fello's automated marketing and engagement tools can work alongside your existing strategies. The key difference is that Fello helps you layer in more personalized, outreach based on specific data and behavioral triggers, making your communication far more effective than just mass emails alone.