How AI Doubled Real Estate Leads in 12 Months

Shawn Hayes transformed LJ Hooker Southwest WA from a single office to a 4-location, 73-person operation – and AI tools played a massive role in their growth. Here's exactly how they did it. Key Takeaways: SMS campaigns sharing neighbourhood sales data get 10x more responses than "want an appraisal?" messages AI doesn't replace the personal touch – it creates more time for meaningful connections One-on-one training beats group sessions for tech adoption Start with early adopters, let success stories convert the sceptics Chapters Chapters 00:01:28 From trainee to operations manager – Shawn's 23-year journey 00:03:50 The Darwin market surprise – high-rise apartments and off-the-plan sales 00:06:53 Current operation: 73 staff across 4 offices 00:09:24 First AI experiments – from fear to amazement 00:12:16 The indispensable AI tool: Rita SMS automation 00:14:25 Pull vs push marketing – why value-first messaging works 00:18:36 How AI handles responses (and when humans take over) 00:21:03 The "suggested call list" feature that finds hidden opportunities 00:24:29 Four types of AI users in organisations 00:26:21 30-minute one-on-one training sessions that actually work 00:30:04 Measuring AI impact on appraisal requests 00:31:35 GoList: The lead allocation tool that saves hours daily 00:35:03 Implementation advice: Soft intros beat hard sells 00:40:25 Why personal touch matters more in an AI world Resources Mentioned: ChatGPT - AI assistant for content creation and analysis (http://openai.com/chatgpt) RiTA – SMS automation and lead nurturing (https://www.cotality.com/au/products/rita) GoList – AI-powered lead allocation system (https://www.golist.com.au/) Rex Software – Property management and CRM platform (https://www.rexsoftware.com) REIWA Innovate Conference – A ground-breaking event about the future of Real Estate (https://members.reiwa.com.au/s/innovate) Ready to Harness AI to Win More Listings? Get our free 5-day AI Crash Course and learn how to avoid 5 expensive business mistakes that lead to wasted time, lost listings and missed deals. Sign up now: https://aicourse.eliteagent.com/ About Shawn Hayes Regional Operations Manager at LJ Hooker Southwest WA. 23 years in real estate, from receptionist to managing 73 staff across Bunbury, Collie, Busselton and Dunsborough offices. LinkedIn: (https://www.linkedin.com/in/shawn-hayes-528829115/) Facebook: Shawn Hayes – LJ Hooker Property South West (https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61578757919631) Website: LJ Hooker Southwest WA (https://southwestwa.ljhooker.com.au/) Contact: 08 97 91 6880 Email: [e-mail] About Thought Leaders The weekly show where Australia's top real estate operators reveal how they're reinventing the industry. Hosted by Samantha McLean, featuring practical strategies from agents, agency owners, and industry innovators who are driving measurable results. Discover More From Elite Agent & Samantha McLean Join the Spark Community for Innovation in Real Estate: https://spark.eliteagent.com Sign up for The Brief for Daily Real Estate News: https://thebrief.eliteagent.com Explore AI Tools, Prompts and Workflows for Real Estate: https://aipoweredagents.com Connect with Elite Agent on Socials Instagram: @eliteagentmag Twitter/X: https://x.com/eliteagentmag LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/eliteagentmag/ #EliteAgent #ThoughtLeaders #RealEstateAI #PropTech #AustralianRealEstate #ShawnHayes #SamanthaMcLean #LeadGeneration #PropertyManagement #RealEstateTraining #TeamManagement #LJHooker #SMSMarketing