The Missing Middle Webinar Replay

Landlords usually pick their property manager long before you know the property is up for grabs. That's where the growth sits.

One lead source isn't a pipeline. Work all five pillars: networking, power team, marketing, prospecting and database.

Spend two or three minutes researching before every call. Have a genuine reason to ring.

Can't call a lead back straight away? Send a short intro video. Send another after every appraisal.

Ask the golden question: "What's the most important thing to you when choosing a property manager?"

Track leads by source, the outcome of every connect, and managements lost and why. Build for 90 days out, not this month.

What are the managements you can't see yet?

They're landlords already weighing up a change who haven't acted yet. Some are unhappy with their current agent. Others are holding a property they couldn't sell, moving interstate, or building their next home. By the time the property shows up as a rental listing, the decision is made. BDMs who find these landlords early get the first conversation.

Where can BDMs find new landlords before a property is listed for lease?

Start with what you already have. Look at investors who told you they weren't ready, buyers from sales open homes, landlords who sold, and sellers who've decided to hold. Then look at who investors already talk to: mortgage brokers, accountants, buyer's agents, conveyancers and builders.

What are the five pillars of rent roll growth?

Networking, your power team (referral partners who also benefit from the relationship), marketing and personal brand, prospecting, and your database. Sarah's view is that all five are the BDM's job, and that running them together protects your pipeline when any one source dries up.

What should a BDM say on a first call to a landlord?

Do your research first. Look up the property, when it last leased, whether anyone in your office has spoken to the owner, and what's happening in that pocket. Check the record's Do Not Call Register status before you dial. Then open with who you are and a genuine reason for calling. The first call isn't about winning the management. It's about offering something the landlord actually values.

How do you win a management when you're the second or third agent a landlord calls?

Be memorable before you speak. A short video sent while you're tied up in appointments builds trust early. After the meeting, follow up with something specific to that landlord, like a nearby success story or a tailored plan. Never just "check in." If you can't explain your value in plain terms, the landlord will compare you on fees.

What metrics should BDMs and property management principals track?

New managements and where they came from, leads by source, dials and connects and what each connect led to, and appraisals booked versus completed. Principals should also track managements lost and why, net growth, and average revenue per property. Sarah's view is that BDMs should own these numbers themselves rather than wait for the director.

How can BDMs stay valuable in a tough property management market?

Sarah's advice is to upskill, tighten your systems, and build the things that travel with you: your personal brand, your partnerships and your presence in the community. Work closely with your sales team, since they're under pressure too. The BDMs putting the work in now will see it in three months.

Sarah Cincotta

BDM MENTOR AND TRAINER AU AND NZ

Sarah Cincotta is a multi-award-winning Business Development Mentor and founder of RISE With Sarah Cincotta. A former award-winning BDM herself, she now mentors BDMs and PM leaders across Australia and New Zealand, helping them grow rent rolls, master investor relationships, and lead with confidence.

She's the voice behind Attract. Connect. Grow., Growth From Within, and the RISE BDM Program, and has spoken on stages for Ray White, LJ Hooker, Elders, The BDM Summit, and The PM Summit. Sarah was a finalist for Mentor of the Year at the REB Awards 2025.