Introduction
Most team leaders know that coaching is essential, but let’s be real—most 1:1s don’t actually move the needle. They turn into check-ins, casual conversations, or surface-level feedback with no real impact. Meanwhile, pipeline reviews often feel like data dumps rather than strategy sessions. The result? Agents aren’t improving, conversion rates stagnate, and leaders feel like they’re spinning their wheels. The key to fixing this? Running structured, data-driven coaching sessions that actually drive results. This guide walks you through how to coach agents more effectively, break down their pipeline, and deliver high-impact pipeline reviews that help agents close more deals.
Why most pipeline reviews fail...
Leaders tend to go with their gut, instead of using real data.
Without hard data, coaching becomes guesswork. If an agent isn’t closing deals, is the issue their close rate? Their follow-up? Their answer rate? Without precise insights, leaders coach the wrong things and fail to drive meaningful improvement.
A lack of confidence eventually leads to a lack of consistency.
Most leaders don’t have a system to track agent progress, making it hard to measure improvement, identify bottlenecks, and hold agents accountable. Without clear tracking, coaching efforts lose momentum, and consistency breaks down over time.
They focus on broad themes instead of individual needs.
Many leaders rely on group training, believing it’s the most efficient way to develop their team. But broad sessions fail to address performance gaps. A one-size-fits-all approach leaves top performers disengaged, and struggling agents lost amongst the crowd.
So we made this.
STEP ONE
Setting Expectations
Clear expectations drive performance by eliminating uncertainty. Agents should know success metrics upfront—from response times to conversion goals. Without set standards, coaching becomes reactive, leading to inconsistency. Establishing expectations early ensures accountability, improves execution, and fosters a high-performance culture. Use the P.I.E. Framework to Drive Accountability
Partnership: This is a mutual commitment.
Investment: We invest heavily in these partnerships.
Expectation: Like every great partnership, there are expectations on each side.
Pro Tip: Create an Agent Success Agreement outlining expectations and have every agent acknowledge it. This prevents misunderstandings and reinforces accountability.
STEP TWO
Lock It In!
Pipeline reviews only work when they happen consistently. If coaching sessions aren’t scheduled and protected, they become reactive, inconsistent, and ultimately ineffective. A high-performing team operates on a rhythm — not random check-ins. Locking in a 30-minute pipeline review every 1-2 weeks ensures that agents receive structured, data-driven coaching that actually improves performance. Key Best Practices:
Put it on the calendar and protect the time. No chasing, no rescheduling.
Let the agent pick their slot. Ownership increases commitment.
Position it as a growth opportunity, not a performance review.
Pro Tip: Treat pipeline reviews as an investment, not an obligation. Agents who consistently engage in structured coaching see higher conversion rates, better accountability, and faster skill development.
STEP THREE
Prep & Diagnose
Great agents bring value to customers—pipeline reviews are how we bring value to them. These sessions aren’t just about tracking numbers; they’re about helping agents see what they can’t on their own, removing roadblocks, and unlocking better performance. Key Best Practices:
Come prepared. Review their pipeline in advance to focus on what matters.
Send insights early. Share key metrics, call recordings, and questions you can before the meeting.
Make it about growth. Coaching should inspire progress, not just track performance.
Pro Tip: Agents who feel coached, not just managed, stay engaged, improve faster, and close more deals.
Follow the Funnel
Most teams don’t struggle with getting leads—they struggle with managing them effectively. We know that 10% of online leads convert in the first 6 months (NAR), yet the average team converts less than 4%—leaving millions in lost revenue on the table. Teams that don’t track and optimize their pipeline miss out on an average of $2.5M in GCI annually. Funnel data provides leaders with a structured approach to tracking agent performance at every stage. A well-managed pipeline helps leaders spot where deals are getting stuck and strategically coach agents on the exact behaviors they need to drive higher conversion.
STEP FOUR
Tactical Guidance
Great coaching isn’t about telling agents what to do—it’s about guiding them to the right answers through strategic questioning and hands-on skill development. The best leaders create an environment where agents feel supported, challenged, and empowered to improve. Key Best Practices:
Create an environment for growth. Coaching isn’t about catching mistakes—it’s about building confidence and mastery.
Lead with questions. Help agents uncover their own solutions rather than just giving directives.
Roleplay real scenarios. Practice key conversations to sharpen skills and build confidence.
Pro Tip: Agents grow the most when they feel ownership over their development. Tactical guidance helps them think critically, adapt quickly, and build the habits that drive long-term success.
The Six Key Elementsof Agent Performance
To coach effectively, break agent performance down into six core stages of the sales process. Each stage requires a different coaching approach. Your job is to diagnose the weak link and focus coaching there.
Why This Is Important:
Managing lead distribution effectively is critical to agent growth, yet often overlooked by leaders. Too many leads can overwhelm agents, leading to cherry-picking and inconsistent follow-up, while too few limit revenue potential. The sweet spot? Around 10 high-intent leads per agent per month, ensuring every opportunity receives the same high level of service. Striking this balance not only maximizes conversion but also improves answer rates—one of the first indicators of whether an agent is managing their pipeline efficiently.
What to Look For:
Low Pickup & Answer Rates. High Release Rates typically indicate cherry picking.
What Success Looks Like:
Agents should ultimately have a 60% answer rate or better.
How to Coach to This:
Ask the agent about their bandwidth! In many cases, having a transparent conversation about their call metrics will improve numbers, because they know you're actually taking time to track THEIR business.
- Do they have a lot of SOI and referral business right now?
- Do they understand the unique DNA of the customer?
- Are they bought in on the lead source?
Why This Is Important
Agents who ask for the appointment early in the call with high-intent leads consistently outperform those who rely on outdated qualifying frameworks like LPMAMA. At Elequate, we teach the CALM framework, which shifts agents from an agent-centric mindset to a people-first approach. This method prioritizes engagement over interrogation, making it easier to secure commitments without unnecessary friction. By focusing on the customer’s excitement and needs, agents build trust faster, increasing both appointment rates and overall conversion.
What to Look For
Low 'Appointment' Rate
What Success Looks Like
Agents should set appointments with 70% of the customers they engage with.
How to Coach to This
Call Scoring is THE best way to fix an agents appointment rate quick. Agents will appreciate your roleplaying more when you have the data to show them the parts where they are struggling!
- Score 2-3 calls before meeting the agent.
- Send them the recording links 24 hours before the 1:1 and have them come prepared with their notes beforehand.
- Hear them out, then share your feedback. Roleplay the sticky bits.
ZHL Engaged Transfers
Ask the agent about their bandwidth! In many cases, having a transparent conversation about their call metrics will improve numbers, because they know you're actually taking time to track THEIR business.
- Do they have a lot of SOI and referral business right now?
- Do they understand the unique DNA of the customer?
- Are they bought in on the lead source?
Why This Is Important
Setting appointments is cool. Actually meeting customers is way cooler though. Unfortunately agents often have their appointments with internet leads fizzle before the actually showing appointment. In most cases this is due to the follow up and the vibes that the customer is experiencing in the time immediately following the first call and then leading up to the appointment. At Elequate we teach the Half-Hour Hustle, 10 different ways an agent can bring value in the first thirty minutes to WOW the client and WIN their business.
What to Look For
Low 'Met With' Rate
What Success Looks Like
Agents should be meeting with 50% of the opportunities they speak with.
How to Coach to This
alk to the agent about their typical strategy immediately after the first call. Have them walk you through their typical cadence:
- Are they sending video introductions with their contact information?
- Are they getting back to the customer within the first 30 minutes?
- Are they calling customers back or just texting after the first call?
Why This Is Important
Meeting customers and keeping customers are two different things. Sometimes the preparation and communication leading up to the first appointment is more important than the showing itself! With online home search being very cold and mechanical, it’s important to get as much voice/facetime with the client. Actually calling instead of texting, and booking multiple homes on the first showing are how top producing agents get their personalities in front of the humanize the experience and give their customer something to gravitate to.
What to Look For
Low 'Showing Homes' Rate
What Success Looks Like
Agents should keep 40% or more of their opportunities in their active funnel.
How to Coach to This
Have a conversation with the agent about how they are preparing for their showings. It might seem like a small thing, but understanding the buyers needs and going the extra mile helps us stand out from the competition and win more business!
- How many homes did they show on the first appointment?
- Is the agent and proactively making recommendations and explaining their thought process?
- Is the agent personalizing their outreach, or are they replaying on automated messages and generic scripts to communicate with the customer?
Why This Is Important
Trust is so important to the sales process. It helps customers lean into our recommendations and have confidence during their home search. When it breaks however, it can cause hesitation and make even simple decisions drag on. One of the main causes of customers losing confidence in their agent during the process is when communication and follow through break down. One sure way to keep the customer feeling 100% is to remember that they need to feel prioritized and that we need to bring value throughout the entire sales process.
What to Look For
Low 'Submitting Offers' Rate
What Success Looks Like
Agents should write offers with 20% or more of the customers they speak with.
How to Coach to This
Have a conversation with the agent about the Three Magic Questions!
- Build a list of all the customers your agent has at the ‘Showing Homes’ stage in your CRM. Send it to them 24 hours before their next scheduled 1:1
- Send them the list and ask them to come prepared with answers to the following questions for each client:
- What is important to this customer?
- What is your very next step?
- What are we doing to go above and beyond, TODAY, to bring value and earn their business?
Why This Is Important
One of the things real estate leaders forget from time to time is that thor agents get less and less practice at the different sales stages with their customers the further down the funnel thry go. New agents will get lots of experience making cold calls and talking to internet leads sure, but it can take years for them to get enough customers to the negotiation table to master that part of their craft. This goes the same for writing competitive offers and getting them accepted!
What to Look For
Low 'Under Contract' Rate
What Success Looks Like
Agents should close 10% or more.
How to Coach to This
One of the quickest ways to improve an agents Contract Rates is to have them bring 100% of their offers to you BEFORE they are submitted for 90 days. Look for missteps and make suggestions. Getting along side them at this part of the funnel is a great way for them to learn how the pros do it!
- How does the agent go about setting up the offer with the buyer?
- Do they reach out to the lender and the seller before submitting?
- Do they ask about the other competitive offers, and when the submission deadline is?
Why This Is Important
If you participate in an enhanced market with ZHL and or Zillow Seller Connections, you will likely have other metrics that you want to track like Engaged Transfers and Listing Agreements!
ZHL Engaged Transfers
Make a list of all the opted in customers in the agents CRM and ask them the following questions about each:
- Do they know which LO they are going to use?
- Have they mentioned it to the customer yet?
- Have they connected with the LO directly and sent the 3-way text with the client?
Zillow Seller Connections
Ask the agent about their bandwidth! In many cases, having a transparent conversation about their call metrics will improve numbers, because they know you're actually taking time to track THEIR business.
- Do they have a lot of SOI and referral business right now?
- Do they understand the unique DNA of the customer?
- Are they bought in on the lead source?
Data that Moves You
STEP FIVE
Track Everything
A great pipeline review doesn’t end when the meeting does—it continues through tracking, execution, and refinement. Without structured follow-up, even the best coaching conversations lose impact. High-performing teams track progress, measure improvements, and adjust coaching based on real data. Key Best Practices:
Commit to improvement: At the end of each session, have the agent identify 1-2 key areas they will focus on before the next 1:1.
Use data, not memory: Leverage a platform like Elequate to track performance trends and coach with precision.
Personalize every session. Review past notes, call scores, and key metrics to refine coaching each cycle.
Pro Tip: Unlike other platforms, Elequate doesn’t just track numbers—it translates them into clear, actionable insights for coaching that actually improve conversion. Click below to learn more.
