How to Not Hire a Real Estate Coach in 2026

One of the most common questions I get asked in real estate especially at the start of a new year, is simple:

“Aaron, do I really need a coach?”

The honest answer is: not necessarily.

So instead of telling you why you should engage someone like me, I want to flip the conversation and show you how to build a business that doesn’t need coaching to grow. If you genuinely have these things in place, you’re already operating at a very high level.

Everything below comes from working closely with agents doing $2, $3, $4 and even $5 million in GCI, along with businesses turning over $20 million-plus. The patterns are consistent.

At a high level, top-performing agents tend to share the same characteristics.

They have a rock-solid marketing plan.
Not something vague or inconsistent, but a clear plan for both their farm area and their database. They know how often they’re communicating and why. They use a layered approach rather than relying on one channel.

That usually looks like:

• SMS, email, direct mail, phone calls, and face-to-face contact

• Clear frequency and intent behind each touchpoint

• Consistency over time, not bursts of activity

They know how to nurture a database properly.
Their database isn’t messy or neglected. Tagging is clean. Past buyers receive anniversaries. Communication is relevant and regular.

The best agents understand that growth comes from two things:

• Labour — your personal time, which is limited

• Leverage — systems and bulk communication that allow you to scale

Top performers master leverage without losing relevance.

They have a world-class appraisal follow-up system.
Recency beats loyalty in real estate. When someone says, “We might sell in a few weeks,” what happens next is critical.

Strong agents:

• Stay top of mind during the decision window

• Add value without pestering

• Remain visible and relevant until the client is ready

They run a sharp, confident listing presentation.
They win and lose business based on two things:

• Their ability to demonstrate value and competence

• Their ability to build rapport and connection

The best agents do both at the same time, while clearly showing process and points of difference.

They have systems, checklists, and SOPs.
Anything done more than once is systemised. As Ray Kroc famously said, “If you’re going to do something more than once, you need a system for it.”

Top performers:

• Use checklists and procedures

• Reduce decision fatigue

• Automate where possible to protect selling time

And finally, they have strong salesmanship.
They know their scripts and dialogues. They’re confident prospecting. They know how to defend their fee and, most importantly, how to ask for the business.

If you’re reading this in January, here’s the opportunity.

While many agents ease back into the year and wait for momentum, the best ones tighten their fundamentals early. Small improvements made now compound fast.

If you can implement all of this yourself, that’s a good thing. That’s the goal.
Do the basics. Do them well. Do them consistently and watch your business scale.

List. Sell. Repeat.