What if your next listing called you, instead of making you compete for it? Every agent knows the sting of two meetings, a full CMA, and an email saying the seller chose someone else. On this episode of REalizations, I talked with Fort Collins real estate agent Greg Roeder, author of Getting to a Million. He explained how client events, a standout niche newsletter, and short-form video helped him attract business he did not need to compete for.Curious about this episode? Watch the preview here.
Quick takeaway: Get clear on your dream client, show up for them in real life, and stand out with content no one else is sending.
Why I Host REalizations and Why Greg's Story Stood Out
I started this podcast after the commission lawsuits left me angry about how our profession was being disrespected. I decided the real problem was education. Many people, including many realtors, do not realize how many parts of the economy and community real estate touches. It is a serious profession, not a reality show.
Greg's story shows how serious it can be. He grew up in a family of doctors, dentists, and veterinarians and knew early that medicine was not for him. He loved sales and entrepreneurship. When he began in real estate, he struggled. For more than two years he worked nights in the appliance section at Home Depot to make his mortgage payment, and he had roommates he barely knew. He says it took him a long time to find his footing.
From $12 Million to $40 Million: The Pickleball Turning Point
After years of building a good business, Greg was closing about $12 to $15 million a year. In 2023, he started connecting with people through a pickleball league. He then did something new. He invited the league, former clients, current clients, friends, and family to a signature event.
"I took my pickleball league and those people, I took all of them, and I took former clients, current clients, friends, family, and I put on what I now call a signature event. We do multiple signature events now. A sauna, cold plunge, hang out at the lake, invite the kids. I call them collisions, colliding with my former clients, with my friends, with my family. What's the common denominator at these larger events? Well, everyone knows me, and so they mention me, how they knew me, how I helped them buy a house, how I helped them sell a house. That trust transfer takes place."
Greg shared his numbers, and he did this during two down years for the market:
Year | Greg's sales volume |
|---|---|
Before 2023 | $12 to $15 million |
2023 | About $15 million |
2024 | $25 million |
2025 | $40 million |
Client Events for Real Estate Agents: Strategic Gatherings vs Signature Events
Greg Roeder of Fort Collins separates client events for real estate agents into two kinds. Strategic gatherings and signature events work together.
Strategic gatherings are small, frequent meetups, like pickleball or a weekly chocolate tasting.
Signature events are larger, like a health day with acrobatic yoga for ages 12 to 73, acupuncture dry needling, and cucumber water.
“If anyone's considering doing these things, starting small and going big is important. A lot of brokers will say, yeah, I do events, or they'll do them but not consistently, or they'll try to go really, really big and then they won't do it for the next year or two years. So that's what we've done. We've started small with strategic gatherings, which are more of a weekly thing. And again, whatever floats the boat. You can have strategic gatherings and do a different chocolate tasting every week. Maybe it's seasonal, but at least for that season, you do it every week. And then the signature events are larger.”
It does not have to be expensive. Local businesses, like a newer sauna company, are happy to join for the exposure. At Greg's office health day, the vendors came for free. He says he has not spent a dime on traditional advertising, though he does market his listings. I added that you have to find the win-wins.
Attract Business You Don't Need to Compete For
This is the heart of the message from Greg Roeder, author of Getting to a Million. To attract business you don't need to compete for, he says to start with a clear picture of your dream client.
“I'm really a big proponent of if you're really clear on who your dream client is, and if you start there and kind of reverse engineer and do some of these things that I'm doing to build deeper connections, real authentic relationships in your community, and you do the extra things that make you stand out as the real estate expert in your niche to those specific people, you will attract business that you don't need to compete for. You won't be the fourth listing agent showing up to pitch the listing. You won't need to convince anybody. You'll just be the person that they call when they're ready to sell.”
I know the other side of this. I recently lost a listing after two meetings and a full marketing plan. I do about four listing appointments a week and win about two, which is good. Still, I wonder how many sellers have already picked an agent and are only confirming price with others. Greg agrees. He wants to spend less time on pitches and more on relationships.
The SIMPLE Newsletter: A Real Estate Niche Newsletter That Stands Out
Greg's real estate niche newsletter is not the usual brokerage template with a headshot. He focuses on million-dollar-plus homes in Fort Collins. It takes under three minutes to read. He tracks average showings per listing, showings before a listing goes under contract, sales, and inventory in the $1 million to $1.5 million range. It is like a local forecast instead of a national one.
His SIMPLE formula:
Stand out with a niche.
Intel clients can act on.
Make relationships real, with small invitation-only events of 15 to 20 people.
Post a tease on social media the day before.
Launch on the same day and time every time.
Everyone opts in. Do not show up in an inbox uninvited.
My own newsletter has a section called "because women's day is every day." It features a woman from our community. I also highlight a local animal charity, my listings, and urgent issues like a city vote that could raise costs for homeowners.
Short-Form Video for Real Estate Agents and Just Sold Stories
Greg gets more mileage from his newsletter. Once a month he sits down for about 45 minutes to an hour and turns the content into 30-second clips. That is short-form video for real estate agents at low cost. If you do not want to be on camera, use text tiles. Every clip ends with a clear call to action to sign up for the newsletter.
I shared a similar idea for just sold cards. Instead of listing bedrooms and baths, tell the story of the sale. Explain the problem and how you solved it. In one case, a roof fell in on a garage during a showing. Neighbors already knew about it, so it showed how I think on my feet.
Getting to a Million: The Three M's and How to Get the Book
Greg's book, Getting to a Million: Build a Seven-Figure Real Estate Practice by Attracting Business You Don't Need to Compete For, rests on three M's:
Mobilize your people.
Make content for your dream clients.
Multiply your impact.
His mentor, Larry Kendall, encouraged him to write it. Listeners who join the reservation list can download the ebook for a dollar and receive a PDF workbook.
Frequently Asked Questions About Attracting Business Without Competing
What is the difference between a strategic gathering and a signature event?
Strategic gatherings are small, weekly hobby meetups. Signature events are larger and bring together clients, friends, and family.
Why might sellers interview other agents after choosing one?
Sometimes sellers talk with other agents to confirm pricing and feel more confident about their decision.
What market data should a niche newsletter include?
Greg tracks average showings per listing, showings before a home goes under contract, number of sales, and inventory for $1 million to $1.5 million homes.
Connect With Greg Roeder and Andrea Gordon
VisitGreg's website, follow him onInstagram, or find him on LinkedIn by searching Greg Roeder. To join the book reservation list, go to gettingtoamillion.com. For more stories, visitmy website or find me onFacebook,Instagram, andLinkedIn. Thank you to Fort Collins real estate agent Greg Roeder for sharing his playbook.
Apply to Be a Guest on the REalizations Podcast
Agents are tired of chasing listings, and many are ready for a better way. If you have built a business with a system others can learn from, I'd love to hear from you.
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