Why the Most Successful Real Estate Agents Are Becoming Strategists, Not Just Producers
By Aaron Stelle, VP – Growth Architect, Fidelity National Financial
The biggest shift I’ve seen in real estate over the last few years has nothing to do with technology by itself. It’s a mindset shift. The agents and brokers who are growing consistently are no longer thinking like producers chasing transactions. They’re thinking like strategists building systems.
Here’s why that matters. Marketing data across multiple industries shows that teams using connected systems and clear strategy dramatically outperform those relying on effort alone. HubSpot’s 2025 State of Marketing report found that marketers using a unified CRM and connected tech stack were significantly more confident in their growth and nearly 35 points more likely to say their strategy was effective than those without one. Real estate is no different. When your website, CRM, content, email, video, and follow up are disconnected, your effort leaks everywhere.
In real estate, strategy shows up in simple ways. It’s knowing who you serve, what problems you solve, and how you communicate that consistently across your website, listing presentations, social media, and client conversations. When those things line up, your marketing stops feeling random. Your brand becomes clear. And your business becomes easier to explain, which is exactly what buyers, sellers, and referral partners want.
AI fits into this, but only as a tool that supports the strategy. It helps agents turn one market insight into a blog post, a short video, a social post, and a follow up email without starting over every time. It helps teams document systems so nothing lives only in someone’s head. What it does not do is replace thinking. The agents who struggle with AI usually lack clarity before they ever open a tool.
When people bring me in to speak at events or work with their organization, this is the core issue we end up addressing. Growth stalls when strategy is unclear. Once it’s clear, marketing becomes easier, technology becomes useful, and scale becomes possible.
Being a real estate strategist today is not a luxury. It’s the baseline for anyone who wants longevity in this business.
About Aaron Stelle
Aaron Stelle is a widely recognized real estate strategist, keynote speaker, and content creator who is currently serving as VP-Growth Architect with Fidelity National Financial.
Aaron works with real estate brokers, agents, and leadership teams across the Northwestern United States and Hawaii, advising on business strategy, marketing systems, technology adoption, and long-term growth planning. He is a frequent keynote speaker and educator, having presented at numerous regional and national events across the country.
In addition to his speaking and consulting work, Aaron is an industry contributor whose insights on real estate strategy, market behavior, and technology trends have been featured through Inman News. His work focuses on helping real estate professionals move beyond tactics and build clear, durable systems that support better decision-making, stronger client relationships, and sustainable growth.