April Update!
- George Laughton
- Apr 30
- 6 min read
Good Morning All,
I'm curious, have you ever lost a client you were 100% sure was loyal to you?One who sent referrals, Christmas cards — a true raving fan? That happened to Jen and me recently, and I have to admit… it was our fault.
On Saturday, after the boys' soccer game, the family and I stopped at Cold Beer and Cheeseburgers for dinner. As we walked to our table, Jen and I spotted a past client from 12 years ago — Mike B. Mike was one of my first Zillow conversions! He’d sent us referrals, we’d done two flip projects together, we knew his family — shoot, I even remembered his dog’s name. But we’d lost touch over the years. After a few minutes of catching up, we learned he sold his house in Blackstone and might be moving to Florida… and he didn’t use us. Gut punch.
I didn’t directly ask why (working on getting better at asking the tough questions), but I did let him know we’re still here for any friends or family who need a trusted agent. His response? He’d seen our growth and just assumed we were too busy. Left hook to the ribs.
That conversation sparked a mission over dinner — to win the loyalty battle. Jen committed to cleaning up our past client database and personally reconnecting via calls and texts. I committed to scrubbing my phone and updating Follow Up Boss with any recent conversations.
Our first strategy starts this week: Thank You Thursdays.
Jen will call 10 past clients each week with a genuine thank you — and let the conversation unfold naturally. No fancy script. Just real connection.
If you’re newer to the industry and don’t have a solid post-closing or loyalty strategy, start building one now. And if you’re a seasoned pro who’s gotten a little lax, take this as your wake-up call.
The Next 30 Days
A few weeks ago, I had one of those full-circle moments. I was driving home, thinking about all the ways we’ve tried to simplify this business — the systems, the support, the tools. And then I thought about Nora.
I’ll be honest — when we first rolled her out, I wasn’t sure how fast agents would adopt AI. But here we are, just a few months in, and some of you are proving what’s possible when you lean in.
So this month, I want to share a few real stories. Nothing fluffy — just what’s actually happening when Nora’s used right. And know that I will continue to push all of you to get out of your comfort zone and use AI to enhance your efficiency. I’m going to sound like a broken record…but trust me it’s only because I care about your businesses.
Agents Putting Nora to Work
Brooke Lecocq + Bernardo Badillo
Nora sent out a ZHL reminder message, they responded right away asking for their Follow Up Boss links. Altogether, Nora sent 78 messages to team members. She received 26 responses. And 33% of our team members asked for something actionable.
That tells me two things:
The need is real.
Nora’s ability to nudge the right action at the right time… works.
Prompt: “Nora, show me which of my leads still need to be connected to the Zillow lender.”
Jackie MunozAfter a showing, Jackie told Nora she needed to send a follow-up email.Nora wrote the whole thing out — simple, professional, and ready to go.Imagine skipping the late-night “what should I say?” moment and having it handled in 20 seconds.
Prompt: “Nora, draft a follow-up email to my client about the showing today and include next steps.”
Linda EwingLinda told us the text volume was too much — and we listened.We dialed it back, and her engagement increased.Lesson here? Nora’s not a one-size-fits-all robot. She learns how you work, and she adjusts to support you better.
Prompt: “Nora, can you reduce the frequency of my messages?”
(Then keep an eye on how you respond when they do come — that feedback loop matters.)
Weekly Syncs = Weekly Wins
Some of you are quietly crushing it by using Nora’s Sunday/Monday planning and Friday reflection flows.
Nora helps:
Move forward anything you didn’t get to
Remind you who still needs a follow-up
Set your next week up before Monday chaos hits
Prompt (Sunday): “Nora, what tasks or follow-ups do I need to carry over into next week?” Prompt (Friday): “Nora, help me wrap up my week and prep for Monday.”
Cancelled Showing? Still a Win.One agent had a showing fall through. Instead of letting it drop, they called Nora and got a new follow-up task created to rebook.Deals fall apart. That’s real estate. But follow-up? That’s where the pros shine.
Prompt: “Nora, the showing was cancelled — create a task for me to reschedule and follow up with the client next week.”
Want to Be a “Pocket Nora” Tester?
We’re launching a test group for our new Pocket Nora feature — an AI note-taking assistant that records your meetings, transcribes them, and drops summaries + tasks into Follow Up Boss.
Here’s how it works:
Call before your next meeting
Put the phone on speaker or in your pocket
Nora will listen, summarize, and follow up for you
You’ll get a text when the summary is ready
You can even test it out solo — say a few lines and see what happens.If you're curious, drop your name to Operations@laughtonteam.com to get on the list.
Bottom line?
Nora’s not magic. She’s a tool. But in the hands of a focused agent — she’s a multiplier.She saves time, clears your head, and keeps things from slipping.
If you haven’t started using her yet, you’re not behind — but this is your sign to plug in.
She’s not here to replace your hustle — she’s here to protect it.
Let’s keep leaning in.
Must Read
This month’s story is a reminder that loyalty isn’t earned once — it’s nurtured through consistent value and connection. The Go-Giver teaches that the most successful people are those who give more in value than they take in payment, and who become irreplaceable by putting others first. How do we apply this in our business? Be a super connector — the trusted hub your clients turn to for plumbers, painters, and peace of mind.
For Motivation
I’ve added this reel to my morning motivation list. I keep a running list of affirmations, inspiring messages, and reels in the Notes app on my phone — and I read through them every morning before my feet hit the ground. It’s become a habit… start your day with intention and positive thoughts!
In The News
We used to talk about “portal wars” — Zillow vs. Realtor.com vs. Homes.com. Who had the most traffic? Who could dominate top-of-funnel search behavior? But if you’re paying attention, you’ve probably noticed that the real battle has moved. It’s no longer just about the first click. It’s about the entire relationship. And Rocket just made their biggest move yet. Rocket Mortgage announced its acquisition of Mr. Cooper, one of the largest mortgage servicers in the U.S. This is what they call the “origination-servicing recapture flywheel.” In plain English? It’s a loyalty machine — and it just got a lot more powerful.
So what does this mean for us as agents and team leaders?
It means we need to get serious about our own customer-for-life strategy. Not just CRMs or post-close follow-up campaigns — but truly integrated systems that help us serve, stay top-of-mind, and re-earn our clients’ trust long after the deal is done. We are thinking more on how we can support you as a team, post-closing. More to come!
More Big News
This whole debate over exclusive listings and clear cooperation is really annoying to me. Anyone that tells you that it is in a seller's best interest to not market their home to the masses has their own agenda in mind rather than their clients. I’ll admit there are the one off cases where marketing to an investor group might be the best option given condition or client needs. But for the vast majority the open market is the best option. I applaud Zillow for taking a stand!
Jen and I have been binge watching all of the best concerts at Red Rocks. It’s our favorite venue and while we’ve only been once we are determined to get back. I’m just going to plan it and keep my fingers crossed that the timing will work out.
GL
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