‘Playmakers’: ‘Where most agents go wrong’ and how to fix it 

Editor's note: The Playmakers podcast explores the biggest shifts in real estate with those who are shaping the industry's future. Check out our top takeaways and watch the latest episode from host Andrew Flachner, co-founder of RealScout.

The views, thoughts and opinions expressed in the Playmakers podcast belong solely to the podcast creators and guests.

On this episode of the Playmakers podcast, James Harris — a celebrity real estate agent and the founder and CEO of AI company Breezy — sheds light on some of the strategies that have helped him close over $6 billion in career sales.

A key bit of advice from the entrepreneur and former "Million Dollar Listing LA" star? Spend less time focusing on quick deals and more on reaching long-term goals.

"If you continue to think of a paycheck as a vacation or something that you want to buy yourself, you're never going to build for success," Harris said. "Once you have that mindset shift of you as a business owner — as a CEO — you'll start to see everything else change right behind it."

How door-knocking can boost business: Harris believes all new agents should go out and knock on some doors. If the homeowners you meet aren't interested in selling now, ask for their contact information anyway — and use the opportunity to become their new source of information on local market activity.

Word of the value you bring will spread, Harris explained. "Five people turn into 10 that turn into 50, that turn into 250, that turn into 1,000 people — which cost you $0. You will be blown away — if you do that on repeat — what will happen to your business."

Learn to 'play on your strengths': Harris, who often speaks of "dollar-productive activities," identified the top three he recommends agents embrace now.

First is delegation. "The moment that you can learn to delegate and actually play only on your strengths and delegate your weaknesses is the moment your business will grow."

Second is branding. "Really think about your brand. It's not just any old brand; it's your brand, and it's your lifeline, and it's what people see and understand."

Third is consistency. "You cannot do something once, twice or three times and expect to get results," Harris said. A lack of consistency is "where most agents go wrong," he noted. "You've got to be consistent in this business if you want to succeed."

The 'best advice' as AI use expands: With clients increasingly using AI to bolster their own knowledge about the housing market, "the most important thing right now that an agent can have is information and knowledge."

"I think the agents that are going to win are the ones that are going to actually take the time to learn, get smart, understand AI — how they can use it at their fingertips to be better, to have insights that their consumer can't get," Harris said, adding that his "best advice" is to "sharpen your toolset."

The 'power' of saying 'I don't know': Agents often want to be seen as the experts with all the answers, but "there is nothing worse than being asked a question and giving a false answer — and then it coming back to bite you in the ass later," Harris said.

"The power of just saying, 'Let me take a moment and get back to you. I want to be sure the information I give you is correct,' will never, ever not be received well," he added. "Don't look at it as a lack of information and knowledge. Look at it as, you're just trying to give them the best answer."

How saying 'no' can 'build trust': "How are you going to build trust with a client if everything is a yes?" Harris asked. If an agent has concerns about a property, they should raise them — because then "at least you disclosed what your true beliefs and thoughts were."

"Once you say 'no' and you have a good reason for 'no,' guess what? When you say 'yes' to that client, now they're going to actually believe you."