Your Next Listing Is in Your 2027 Pipeline: How to Nurture Your Database for the Long Term

Yep, that says 2027 — it’s not a typo. 

In our recent three-part webinar series with master communicator Phil M. Jones, we dove deep into how real estate agents can guide conversations to create curiosity, uncover true motivation, and convert. One of the most powerful concepts shared was a radical shift in timeline.

The real estate industry is obsessed with the 30-60-90 day sandbox. Agents are trained to hunt for immediate, high-intent leads, and as a result, they're often disappointed. Phil's advice? Start thinking in 30-60-90 MONTHS.

The truth is, at least 7% of your database is going to sell their home this year, but likely not on your timeline. The most profitable agents aren't just chasing today's commission; they're building a generational, career pipeline by nurturing the relationships that will pay dividends for years to come.

The Mindset of a Career Agent: It's Not the Closing, It's the "Because"

What's the most important moment of a transaction? Most agents would say the closing table.

Phil M. Jones argues this is the wrong focus. He compares it to a wedding dress: The value isn't just the moment she says yes to the dress, AKA the sale. The true, lasting value is how she feels when she sees herself in the photographs for years to come.

Your clients aren't just buying a house; they're buying a "because." They're buying a backyard for their kids to grow up in, a shorter commute, or a dining room to host holiday dinners. The closing is just a stressful milestone on the way to that "because."

A transactional agent celebrates the closing and disappears, only to resurface with an unsolicited CMA. A career agent stays connected to the "because," and reconnects based on how the "because" may evolve.

Nurturing Conversations vs. Following Up

Following up doesn't mean you should touch base every month with no purpose. It means shifting the goal of your conversations. For your long-term pipeline, the goal is not to get a listing. The goal is to harvest insights about the lead’s needs and build the relationship so that when their time comes, you are the only agent they would think to call.

You can use the exact same framework from a recent article to re-engage a past client, even one you haven't spoken to in years:

• Opening-Fact-Question: "Hi Jane, this is Mary. I know we haven't spoken for a minute — in fact, you've probably already forgotten me — but I was the agent that helped you get the keys to 123 Main Street about five years ago. Are you still living in the house?"
  • Past: "That's great. What have you done with the place over the last few years?"
  • Present: "Wow, that sounds amazing. So where are you at with the house right now — still loving it?"
  • Future: "Gotcha. So how much longer do you see yourself staying there?"
• The Invitation: "I mean, when was the last time somebody gave you an accurate understanding of what a house like yours might be worth in a market like this, with all the work you've done?" ... "Well, would it help if I dropped by to see the upgrades and gave you a real number, just so you know?"

This single conversation could uncover their plans to move in two years, identify them as a future investor, or simply solidify your position as their trusted advisor.

How Fello Automates Your Long-Term Strategy

This all sounds great, but how do you manage a multi-year nurture plan for a database of 2,000, 5,000, or 10,000 contacts? Manually, it's impossible.

This is where technology becomes your system.

Fello is the automated prospecting and marketing platform designed to manage your 30-60-90 month pipeline (and honestly, a 30-60-90 day pipeline, but if you can build a massive pipeline that will last for years, why wouldn’t you?). 

Fello automatically nurtures and engages your entire database for you, keeping you top-of-mind with relevant, valuable content, like real-time home valuations and cash offer valuations. It works silently in the background, 24/7, until a contact's  digital activity signals a change. The Lead Score and real-time alerts tell you the exact moment to pause the automation and make a personal, high-impact call using the frameworks you've learned.

Stop letting future listings slip through the cracks. The most durable and profitable businesses in real estate are built on relationships, not leads. Fello provides the system to build those relationships at scale.

Book a demo to see Fello's automated nurturing in action.

Already a customer? Talk to your Success Manager about identifying leads to build your 30-60-90 month pipeline.