Your Database is Paid For - Why Isn't It Closing? - Pooya Mohit

Yesterday’s webinar (02/04/2026) was a real-world conversation about a problem almost every agent and team has felt:

You’ve invested in leads, you’ve built a database… and then “life in the business” takes over. Active deals get the attention. The database gets neglected. And the hidden cost is missed listings, missed referrals, and missed timing.

Tim Slevin (CEO, The Share Group) was joined by Pooya Mohit (broker-operator with 20 years in real estate and Marketing Liaison at voov.io) to break down how to create consistent follow-up, when to add ISA support, and how to think about the ROI like an operator, not a hobbyist.

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The core theme: the database is either producing or draining

Early in the conversation, Pooya boiled it down to an operator’s lens: everything is an equation.

• What’s producing?
• What’s draining?
• What’s the true cost of neglect (missed opportunities)?
• What’s the investment required to fix it (systems, automations, people)?

That framing showed up again and again: if you can estimate what’s on the table, you can make smarter decisions about time, staffing, and tooling.

Step 1: Know what you actually have (and who you’re talking to)

Before you add more leads or hire an ISA, Pooya pushed a foundational step most people skip: segmentation and tagging.

If you can’t quickly answer “who is this contact?” your messaging becomes generic and your follow-up becomes inconsistent.

The initial segmentation he emphasized:

• Unconverted buyers vs unconverted sellers
• Past clients (buyers and sellers)
• Timeline cues and important dates (like anniversary month)
• “Last touch” tracking so you can see what’s going cold

Once the database is organized, follow-up gets easier because messaging becomes obvious. You stop guessing and start running plays.

The “3-column exercise” to get unstuck

One of the most practical moments in the webinar was Pooya’s simple planning exercise:

On a piece of paper, create three columns:

• Now - what you’re consistently doing today (not the one-off stuff)
• 6 Months - 1 to 3 realistic improvements you can implement
• Perfect World - the ideal version of your follow-up and outreach

This does two things:

• It shows you whether you’re actually running a system or just reacting
• It clarifies what kind of support you need (admin vs ISA vs both)

The low-hanging fruit most agents ignore: past-client touches

Tim shared a point that hit hard: even with multiple transactions under his belt, he’s never had a Realtor call with a simple milestone-based check-in like:

• “We closed 5 years ago today. How’s the home?”
• “Any changes in your plans?”
• “Anyone in your world considering a move?”
• “Is there anything I can do for you right now?”

Pooya reinforced why this matters: real estate is not a “turn and burn” business. It’s relationship and recall. If you disappear for long stretches, you risk getting replaced by the next easy option in front of the client.

A key takeaway was monthly touches for past clients, but with “touch” defined broadly:

• Email
• Text
• Phone
• Value-based automated updates
  …with occasional human check-ins to keep it real.

Automations are not optional if you want scale

The webinar made a clear distinction:

You can’t sustainably “try harder” your way into consistent follow-up if your business is busy. You need systems that run without relying on your mood, your schedule, or your memory.

Pooya’s point was simple:

• A missed month can be the month someone forgets you
• The solution is not more willpower
• The solution is reliable automation and a process owner

And Tim echoed the value of behavior signals, referencing tools that show engagement (opens, clicks, browsing behavior) as “gold” because they reveal when someone is warming up.

When does it make sense to add an ISA or VA?

The webinar didn’t treat hiring support as a magic bullet. The decision comes back to the same equation:

• What’s your highest and best use?
• What can someone else do consistently (and better than you will)?
• What’s the value of the time you get back?

Pooya described a practical hybrid:

• Use automation for many touches
• Use a person for data hygiene, tagging, and managing the flow
• Reserve “high-value conversations” for the agent when it matters
• Or use an ISA for both prospecting calls and client-care calls depending on volume

The ISA comparison framework: experience, communication, cost, location

One of the strongest sections of the webinar was the breakdown of how to evaluate ISA or VA options without getting fooled by price.

Pooya’s four decision factors:

• Experience - Have they actually done real estate calls and CRM work before?
• Communication - Reporting, management support, language, and ongoing oversight
• Cost - Not just hourly rate, but total cost to get to competency
• Location/time zone - Sustainability, alignment, and call windows that match your market

Tim added his “shortcut filter”:

• If they already know your CRM, you avoid weeks of training friction
• If they can provide a recent Realtor/broker reference, that’s a credibility signal

The “holy grail” outcome: daily listing conversations

Tim asked the question everyone wants answered:
“If I hire someone to call every day, can they realistically find people who will list in the next 6 months?”

Pooya’s answer was basically: yes, but two things determine the speed:

• The quality and targeting of the lead list
• The experience and management of the ISA

He used a memorable line: if your caller is chasing “apple cores,” it takes a long time to make “apple juice.” If the list is precise and the ISA is skilled, you can shorten the ramp dramatically.

Cost expectations (ballpark)

Pooya gave a range while noting it varies by the type of role and how turnkey you need it:

• Mid-thousands monthly for baseline support
• Low-to-mid $2,000s for more experienced, turnkey support (depending on database management scope)
• Up to around $3,000 for more advanced ops-style support

The point wasn’t “here’s the price.” The point was: compare it to domestic labor and compare it to the value sitting in your database right now.

The closing challenge: audit your database for missed transactions

Pooya ended with a simple (and slightly painful) homework assignment:

Pull a list of your database names and addresses and check:

• Who is currently listed?
• Who has transacted since you added them?
• How many of those outcomes happened without you even knowing?

The takeaway: when you discover someone sold and you never touched them, don’t treat it like rejection. Treat it like a systems issue you can fix.

Tim added a practical stat-based mindset: even a small percentage of a large database will transact, and if you narrow targeting to higher-likelihood sellers, you increase efficiency and reduce burnout.

Key takeaways to implement this week

1. Tag and segment your CRM so your messaging isn’t generic
2. Build monthly touches for past clients (automation plus human touches)
3. Track “last touch” so nothing silently dies
4. Decide your next hire based on your highest-value work, not your stress level
5. Evaluate ISA options with the 4-part framework: experience, communication, cost, location
6. Audit your database for “missed” transactions and use it to tighten your follow-up system

Frequently Asked Questions

What does it mean to turn a real estate database into a predictable listing engine?

It means treating your CRM as an active asset, not a storage bin. By tagging contacts, tracking last touch, and running consistent follow-up, agents can identify homeowners who are moving closer to selling and have real conversations before they raise their hand publicly.

How often should agents follow up with past clients?

A monthly touch is the baseline. That touch does not always need to be a phone call. It can be a mix of email, text, automated updates, and occasional personal check-ins. The goal is staying top of mind without being intrusive.

What is the first step to improving database follow-up?

Segmentation. Before adding new leads or hiring help, agents should tag contacts by buyer or seller status, past client vs unconverted, and last interaction. Once the database is organized, follow-up becomes much easier to systemize.

When does it make sense to hire an ISA or virtual assistant?

It makes sense when your time is better spent in high-value activities like listing appointments and negotiations. If follow-up and outreach are inconsistent due to workload, adding ISA support can help maintain momentum and prevent opportunities from slipping through the cracks.

What is the difference between hiring a low-cost VA and an experienced ISA?

Lower-cost VAs may require more training, oversight, and scripting support. Experienced ISAs typically cost more but can be productive faster, especially if they already understand real estate conversations and CRM workflows. The right choice depends on budget, time availability, and business scale.

How many leads are needed to make ISA outreach effective?

There is no single number, but effectiveness improves with volume and targeting. Databases of 3,000 to 10,000 well-segmented records often provide enough runway for consistent outreach, especially when focused on homeowners with higher likelihood to sell.

How long does it take to see results from ISA calling?

Results depend on lead quality and consistency. With targeted homeowner data and experienced callers, listing conversations can begin relatively quickly. The biggest risk is stopping too early. Most drop-off happens within the first six months, before compounding results show up.

Is automation enough, or do agents still need live conversations?

Automation handles scale and consistency. Live conversations build trust and convert opportunities. The most effective systems use both. Automations keep relationships warm, while human touch is used when timing and intent are stronger.

What role does lead quality play in follow-up success?

Lead quality is critical. Even the best follow-up system struggles with poorly targeted data. When outreach is focused on homeowners with stronger indicators like equity, tenure, or life-stage signals, conversations happen faster and conversion rates improve.

How can agents avoid burnout when working a large database?

By prioritizing systems over effort. Clear tagging, scheduled automations, and delegating repeatable tasks allow agents to focus on conversations that actually move the business forward, instead of trying to do everything manually.