Why Real Estate Growth Breaks When Marketing Becomes Tactical Instead of Strategic
One of the most common problems I see in real estate businesses that feel stuck is not effort. It is misalignment. Marketing becomes a list of tactics instead of an extension of strategy.
When marketing is tactical, agents chase whatever seems to be working that month. A new social platform. A new video format. A new lead source. The problem is that none of it compounds because nothing is connected. The website tells one story. Social media tells another. Listing presentations feel disconnected from both.
Marketing research across industries shows why this fails. HubSpot’s 2025 State of Marketing report highlights that teams with a clearly documented strategy are far more likely to see measurable ROI and sustained growth than teams operating reactively. Real estate is no different. Without strategy, activity increases but clarity decreases.
Here’s how this actually plays out in a brokerage. An agent posts consistently on social media but cannot explain their value clearly in a listing appointment. Another invests in a new website but has no supporting content to drive traffic or authority. A team runs ads without a follow-up system that matches buyer or seller intent.
Strategy fixes this. When you define who you serve, what decisions you help with, and how you explain those decisions, marketing becomes a delivery system instead of a guessing game. AI then becomes useful because it helps maintain consistency across content, video, email, and follow-up without starting from scratch each time.
When I speak to real estate groups about growth, this is usually the turning point. Stop asking what to post next. Start asking what you need to be known for. Everything else becomes easier once that answer is clear.
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.