DANGER: Waiting until you have no stock to take your marketing seriously

The Dangers of Waiting Until It's Too Late to Take Marketing Seriously

In real estate it's easy to get caught up in the day-to-day demands of closing deals, managing listings, and keeping clients happy.

But there's one critical mistake that I see far too many agents make: waiting until they have no stock, no listings, and no prospects before they decide to take their marketing seriously.

This isn't just a dangerous oversight—it's a potentially career-ending one. Here's why.

Building Trust Takes Time

The foundation of any successful real estate career is trust. Buyers and sellers want to work with someone they can rely on, someone who understands their needs and is committed to helping them achieve their goals. But trust isn't something that can be built overnight. It requires consistent, thoughtful engagement with your audience.

When you wait until your pipeline is dry to start focusing on your marketing, you're already behind the eight ball. Trust-building is a long-term game, and the agents who understand this are the ones who consistently stay ahead of the competition.

They nurture their database, they engage regularly, and they become the go-to expert in their market. By the time you're scrambling to get your name out there, they've already sealed the deal.

Nurture Your Database or Watch It Dwindle

Your database is one of your most valuable assets. But like any asset, it requires maintenance and care.

If you're not regularly communicating with your contacts—whether it's through newsletters, social media, or personalised messages—you're missing out on opportunities to nurture those relationships.

When was the last time you checked in with your past clients? Are you providing them with valuable content that keeps you top of mind? Or are you letting those relationships wither away, only to realise too late that your well has run dry?

Consistent marketing isn't just about generating new leads—it's about keeping the ones you already have.

Embrace TikTok—Whether You Like It or Not

Let's address the elephant in the room: TikTok. I know, I know—it's for kids, right?

That's what I hear from agents all the time. But while you're busy dismissing it as a platform for dancing teenagers, other agents are quietly closing deals and building their brands.

The world doesn't care whether you think TikTok is relevant or not. What matters is that your future business is growing up on there.

Millennials and Gen Z are entering the housing market in droves, and guess where they're spending their time? If you're not where your audience is, you're missing out on the chance to connect with them early and build that all-important trust.

Stop the Destructive Habits

Too many agents wait until they're desperate before they start making changes. They keep doing what they've always done, hoping that somehow, magically, the market will shift in their favour.

But the truth is, the market doesn't wait for anyone. The agents who succeed are the ones who are proactive, who see the trends coming and adapt before it's too late.

Waiting until you're out of stock, out of leads, and out of options is a destructive habit. It's a habit that will leave you scrambling for scraps while others are feasting on opportunities you've ignored.

The Time to Act Is Now

If there's one piece of advice I can give you, it's this: don't wait until you're desperate to take your marketing seriously.

Start now. Build trust, nurture your database, and embrace the platforms that are shaping the future of our industry. Whether you like it or not, the world is moving forward—and if you don't move with it, you'll be left behind.

The future belongs to those who are ready to seize it. Are you?