We recently reviewed more than 19,000 real calls between agents and consumers on our team. When you study that much data, patterns show up fast.
Some conversations move people forward. Others stall out in the first couple minutes. And the difference usually comes down to how the conversation is structured.
We ran those calls through Shilo.ai, a platform we use to analyze conversations and identify what agents are doing well and where they can improve. The insights tab shows us exactly what’s happening inside those calls, including the behaviors that keep prospects engaged and the moments where conversations start to break down.
Here’s what stood out. The strongest calls followed a clear structure. Agents acknowledged concerns, asked better discovery questions, and brought up timely market information that made the conversation feel relevant to the client.
That approach builds trust faster and keeps the conversation focused on what the consumer actually cares about.
When you analyze thousands of real conversations, the habits that separate productive calls from dead ends become pretty obvious. The data from these 19,000 calls highlighted six specific tactics our agents are using right now that consistently move conversations forward.
Let’s break those down.
Tactic #1: Use the ACA Framework to Build Rapport and Handle Objections
The first pattern that showed up in the data was empathetic rapport combined with strong objection handling.
A big reason our agents perform well on calls is that they’re not trying to invent what to say while they’re talking to a client. That’s one of the worst positions you can put yourself in on a call. When you already know how to structure the conversation, you can stay focused on the client instead of scrambling for the next sentence.
One framework we use internally all the time is ACA, which stands for acknowledge, compliment, and ask.
It starts with acknowledging the concern the client just shared. That might sound like:
- “Hey, I hear you, Nick.”
- “Totally get it, Wendy.”
- “That makes a lot of sense.”
A simple acknowledgement shows the client you’re actually listening instead of waiting for your turn to talk.
The next step is a compliment. That could be something like this:
- “Hey, it could be a smart move to take a pause while you’re figuring out which direction the market’s headed.”
- “Hey, that’s a really great idea to re-evaluate once your home doesn’t sell.”
When you compliment the thinking behind the concern, it lowers resistance.
Then you ask the next question. That question moves the conversation forward while still showing empathy for what the client is thinking about.
When you look at the call data, agents who consistently use this structure demonstrate strong emotional intelligence during the conversation. They validate buyer concerns, listen actively, and present practical options instead of pushing a quick decision.
That builds trust, lowers resistance, and keeps the lead engaged longer.
That’s critical because every real estate decision takes time. Buyers and sellers rarely make major decisions on the first conversation. Calls that build trust early create a much healthier pipeline and lead to more referrals over time.
The key point here is that when agents focus on the client’s perspective first, the conversation naturally moves toward uncovering motivation, which is one of the most important skills any high-performing agent can develop.
We practice this all the time with BAMx members in our weekly Role Play Masterminds. You can start a free trial and join us at the next one here.
Tactic #2: Use LP MAMA and AMT Questions for Better Needs Discovery
The second pattern we saw in the call data was strong needs discovery and consultative qualification. In simple terms, our agents are asking better questions.
Inside our team, that usually shows up through two familiar frameworks: LP MAMA and AMT.
LP MAMA helps agents understand what the client actually wants. You’re asking questions that uncover lifestyle preferences, property needs, and the real reason behind the move.
AMT focuses on the appointment, the client’s motivation, and the timeline.
When you listen to the strongest calls in that 19,000-call dataset, you hear a lot of open-ended discovery questions.
Agents are asking about timelines, budget, must-have features, and financing status. They’re learning how serious the client is about making a move and what obstacles might slow them down.
That information makes a big difference later in the process. When you understand the client’s criteria early, you can match inventory to their needs much more effectively.
That’s one of the biggest things buyers actually want from their agent. They want help finding the right house.
Good discovery questions also surface potential barriers.
- Maybe the client still needs to sell a property.
- Maybe they’re waiting on financing.
- Maybe they’re unsure about timing.
Identifying those hurdles early helps you build a realistic strategy with the client instead of reacting to problems later.
That’s where the consultative approach comes in.
Instead of treating the call like a quick transaction, the agent becomes a resource who helps the client think through the decision.
As Phil Jones likes to say, whoever asks the most questions controls the conversation. When the right questions are guiding the discussion, the client ends up doing most of the talking and the agent gains a much clearer understanding of what needs to happen next.
Tactic #3: Use OFQs to Make Your Calls Immediately Relevant
The third pattern that stood out in our call analysis was how agents use market triggers to create relevance and urgency in their conversations.
Too many real estate calls start with something like this:
- “Hey, I’m just checking in to see how your search is going,” or
- “I wanted to follow up like I promised.”
There’s nothing wrong with following up, but that kind of opener doesn’t give the client a reason to stay engaged.
The calls that performed best used a different approach. They started with OFQs, which stands for opening, fact, and question.
- The opening gets the client’s attention.
- The fact introduces something real that’s happening in the market.
- The question invites the client into the conversation.
For example, an agent might reference a recent rate movement, a new comp in the neighborhood, a shift in inventory, or a property that just came on the market.
Those kinds of details immediately make the conversation feel relevant.
Tactic #4: Use Market Data to Position Yourself as an Advisor
Instead of sounding like another agent checking in, the agent sounds like a market advisor bringing useful information to the client.
When agents consistently bring local data into their conversations, it changes how prospects view the relationship. Suddenly, you’re the person who understands what’s happening in the market and can explain what it means for their situation.
On our team, we reinforce that skill through our Market Memorandum training, where we review local market data and practice how to communicate it clearly to clients.
The goal boils down to this: when agents understand the market well enough to explain it in plain language, their outreach naturally becomes more valuable.
That’s exactly what showed up in the call analysis. When agents used timely market information as part of their opener, prospects were more likely to respond, ask questions, and re-evaluate their timing.
Tactic #5: Use the 1-3-1 Framework to Guide Clients Through Tough Decisions
The next tactic that shows up in a lot of successful conversations is something we call 1-3-1 decision making.
Real estate transactions rarely move forward without some kind of issue popping up. Maybe it’s an inspection problem. Maybe there’s a roof leak, a structural concern, or something unexpected on title.
Situations like that can create a lot of stress for clients, especially if they feel like they’re being told what they have to do.
That’s where the 1-3-1 framework helps.
You identify one issue, then present three possible solutions, and let the client decide which direction feels right for them.
For example, let’s say an inspection reveals a major repair. Instead of telling the client what they should do, the conversation might sound like this:
“Totally get it, Mr. Buyer. We’ve got three options here.
“Option one is we accept the property as is.
“Option two is we walk away from the deal and find another house.
“Option three is we negotiate with the seller, get an estimate for the repair, and see if they’re willing to provide a credit or fix the issue.”
Then you ask a simple question:
“Which option feels easier for you?”
That structure changes the dynamic of the conversation. The client doesn’t feel pushed into a decision. They feel like they’re being guided through the options.
When clients feel that level of control, it reduces stress and makes it much easier to move forward with the transaction.
It also reinforces the role every agent should be playing during a deal. You’re there to help clients think through complex decisions with clarity.
Tactic #6: Bring Clients Specific Property Opportunities and Targeted Follow-Ups
Another tactic that showed up consistently in strong calls was how agents introduced specific property opportunities into the conversation.
Buyers want help finding homes. That’s still the number one expectation they have when they work with an agent.
When an agent calls with a specific property in mind, the conversation immediately becomes more useful to the client.
- It might be a home that just hit the market.
- It might be a recent sale in the neighborhood.
- It might be a property that checks most of the boxes even if it wasn’t originally on the client’s radar.
A buyer who wants a certain school district might still consider a nearby neighborhood that shortens their commute.
A client focused on move-in ready homes might reconsider a well-priced property that needs a little work.
Conversations like that expand the client’s options and create momentum in the search.
The same approach works on the seller side. A recent sale nearby can spark a productive discussion.
“Did you see what your neighbor’s home sold for?”
That one question can open the door to a much deeper conversation about timing, pricing, and opportunity.
Specific opportunities create relevance, and relevance keeps people engaged.
This tactic also connects to a simple prospecting strategy that works extremely well with your database. Send out a batch email with useful market information, then call the people who opened it.
The email might talk about mortgage rates dipping into the five percent range. It might highlight new inventory hitting the market.
The key is that the information has to matter to the people receiving it.
Once someone opens the email, you already have a natural reason to call. Start the conversation with an OFQ.
- Reference the topic of the email.
- Share a quick fact about what’s happening in the market.
- Ask a question about how it might affect their plans.
That approach turns a routine follow-up into a conversation that actually moves somewhere.
Turning These Six Call Tactics Into Daily Habits
All six of these tactics showed up again and again across the 19,000 calls we reviewed.
- Empathy through the ACA framework.
- Better discovery questions using LP MAMA and AMT.
- Conversations that start with real market information.
- OFQ questions to make your conversations relevant to your client
- Clear decision-making through the 1-3-1 structure.
- Outreach tied to specific properties and relevant market updates.
Each one helps move the conversation forward in a different way. Together they create a call that feels structured, helpful, and focused on the client.
That’s the real takeaway from the Shilo data.
Agents who consistently follow these patterns build stronger conversations with buyers and sellers.
- Clients stay engaged longer.
- Motivation becomes clearer.
- Opportunities show up faster in the pipeline.
Calls like that lead to more appointments, more transactions, and more referrals over time.
So, the next step? Start applying these six tactics in your own conversations and pay attention to how the quality of your calls begins to change.
The best way to make these strategies second-nature is with daily roleplaying, which is why we host live role play masterminds every week inside BAMx.
Check out the next one with a free-7-day trial.
