In this week’s episode of the Modern Agent Marketing Girls Podcast, Kayla sits down with longtime MASC member Kristin Scheckler, whose business runs almost entirely on referrals and her sphere. No paid leads. No cold outreach. No Zillow.
Just a personal brand that keeps her name in the right conversations — even when she’s not in the room.
Here are the takeaways worth writing down.
Your content is working even when you can’t measure it
Kristin’s business is 90-95% referrals and sphere. Which might make you wonder… if Instagram isn’t bringing in cold leads, why bother?
Because that’s the wrong question.
Your content isn’t designed to attract strangers off the street. It’s designed to stay top of mind with the people who already know you — so that when someone at dinner says “do you know a good agent?” your name is the first one out of their mouth.
The agents who understand this stop chasing vanity metrics and start building recognition. And recognition is what turns into referrals.
You don’t have to build someone else’s version of success
Kristin talked openly about choosing a business that fits her season of life — not chasing production numbers because everyone else seems to be. She’s built clear boundaries. She protects time with her family. And her business thrives because her clients know exactly what to expect from her.
There’s no award for being the busiest agent in your market. There’s a lot to be said for building something that actually supports your life.
Your everyday life is your marketing
Kristin isn’t sitting down every week to brainstorm content ideas. She’s documenting her life.
Books she’s reading. Home design. Sports. Skincare. Local favorites. Family moments.
None of it is random. All of it is building a brand that people recognize, remember, and feel connected to. That’s personal branding. Not a template. Just a real person, sharing a real life, consistently enough that people feel like they know her.
And when people feel like they know you? They refer you.
The simplest content is often the best content
One of Kristin’s go-to Story ideas is so simple: “Home of the Day.”
She shares a home that fits her personal aesthetic, throws up a poll — “Love it” or “Not for me” — and lets her audience engage. That’s it.
It takes five minutes. It starts conversations. And those conversations are where referrals are born.
The best content isn’t always the one you spent an hour editing. It’s the one that makes someone tap their screen and feel like they’re talking to you.
Your email list deserves more of your attention
If your newsletter is an afterthought, this episode might change that.
Kristin’s email list gets local recommendations, book picks, favorite products, behind-the-scenes life, and real estate updates mixed together in a way that people actually look forward to reading. Not because it’s perfectly produced. Because it feels like hearing from a friend.
Here’s the thing about social media: it’s borrowed land. The algorithm changes, the platform shifts, and your reach goes with it. Your email list is something you own. Both matter. But only one of them is truly yours.
The bottom line
People don’t hire the agent who posted the most market updates.
They hire the agent they feel like they know. The one they trust. The one whose name comes up naturally because she’s been showing up long enough to become familiar.
That’s what a personal brand does. Not overnight. Not after one good reel. But consistently, quietly, over time — until your name is the obvious answer to a question someone is already asking.
If you’ve been wondering whether showing more of your personality online is “professional enough,” let Kristin’s 95% referral business answer that for you.
Listen to the full episode
Kayla and Kristin go deeper on:
- How to build a referral-based business without paid leads
- Why boundaries actually make you a better agent
- What to post when you feel like you have nothing to post
- How to start an email list people actually want to read
- Why your personal brand is really just your reputation
Listen to Episode 80 of the Modern Agent Marketing Girls Podcast wherever you get your podcasts.
And if you’re ready to stop guessing and start building a brand that generates referrals — Modern Agent Social Club is where that happens. [Join us here.]
