Fool’s Gold (and Other Shiny Distractions in Real Estate Marketing)
- May 2
- 2 min read
I’ve always been a fan of Pat Riley. The slicked-back hair, the intensity, the “we’re winning this thing or we’re running suicides until sunrise” energy. Player, broadcaster, championship coach—he’s the full package. I liked his mindset so much I even gave one of my daughters the middle name Riley. (No pressure, kid.)
There’s a quote I thought came from Riley. I tried to verify it… couldn’t. But it’s too good not to share:
If you out-rebound your opponent, you’ll win 75% of the time. But if you outscore your opponent, you’ll win 100% of the time.
Groundbreaking, right? Next-level analytics. ESPN is shaking.
But here’s the thing—it’s also brilliant. Because it exposes how often we obsess over the wrong scoreboard.
The Real Estate Version of “Out-Rebounding”
In our world, “rebounds” look like:
Social media likes
Video views
Followers
Billboards your mom took a picture of
Your name on a grocery cart (you’ve officially made it… at aisle 7)
None of these are bad. But a lot of them are what I call fool’s gold—shiny, exciting, and… not paying your mortgage.
I’ve yet to meet an agent who said: “Andrew, I closed 12 deals this year strictly from my shopping cart ad at Publix.”
Meanwhile… The Scoreboard That Actually Matters
Let’s talk about something less sexy… but wildly effective.
You send 1,000 postcards to a neighborhood.
5 people reach out (CMA requests, questions, curiosity)
1 becomes a listing
That listing sells (because you priced it right—gold star ⭐)
It also produces a buyer lead
Now you’ve got:
2 transactions
~$20,000+ in commission (based on your example)
Cost?
~$1,000 in mailers
That’s not marketing… that’s a vending machine.
Put in $1 → get $20 out.
No guessing. No hoping. No “but my engagement was up this week!”
The Dangerous Lie Agents Tell Themselves
“I’m building my brand.”
Translation (sometimes):“I’m doing things that feel productive but aren’t producing.”
Again—not saying social media or branding is useless. It’s just not easily trackable, and for most agents, it’s not directly tied to income.
If your video gets 1,000 views but your phone stays quieter than an open house during a hurricane… we’ve got a problem.
The Shift That Changes Everything
Top agents don’t just work hard—they track what works.
They ask:
Where did this lead come from?
What did it cost me (time + money)?
What did I earn from it?
Should I do more of this… or never again?
Simple. Not always fun. But wildly profitable.
Bottom Line
You don’t get paid for being busy. You get paid for outscoring.
So if you want to grow your business:
Do fewer “impressive-looking” activities
Do more income-producing, trackable ones
Double down on what actually converts
Your ego might miss the likes…But your bank account won’t.
If you want a copy of my daily score sheet (aka your personal “are we winning or just sweating?” tracker), text “scoresheet” to (979) 777-7677.
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