Thought Leaders – Real Estate Re-imagined (formerly The Elevate Podcast) 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)
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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: shawn.hayes@ljhsouthwest.com.au
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.
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