If Outbound is Dead, Events Are the Answer.
Everyone’s saying outbound is dead.
It’s not - but it’s really, really hard to get right.
Outbound assumes you’ll reach someone right at the point of decision - when they’re frustrated with their current manager and ready to switch. The reality? That moment almost never lines up with your outreach.
The smarter play: stay top of mind before that moment comes.
And the best way to do that?
👉 Events.
Not just referrals - events are the vehicle that keep referrals flowing month after month.
Are you skeptical? Give me a second to explain...
How It Works
Host small, intentional gatherings that bring together realtors, investors, and a few of your best clients.
No hard sells. Just connection, trust, and value.
Here’s why this hits:
- Realtors win because they meet investors who actually buy.
- Investors win because they get deal flow and insider access.
- You win because you’re the nucleus holding it all together - and the manager they trust when those new doors need care.
Start Small or Go Big
- Start small: Dinner with 10–12 people. Keep it personal.
- Go big: Rent a venue, bring 30–50+ people, and make it an experience. Less pitching, keep it simple and cultivate an experience people will remember.
People remember who brought them together, not who brought the cheese board.
The Math That Matters
If this approach builds just 10 strong realtor relationships, and each sends you 1–2 doors per month, that’s 120–240 new doors per year.
Now, let’s compare that:
You’ll spend $1K–$2K/month on a website or SEO hoping for a few leads.
Or you could spend $3K–$5K total for 3–4 local events that guarantee you meet real investors and agents who can fill your pipeline all year.
💡 Pro Tip: What if you have a realtor team, lender, or title company sponsor the event? They pick up the tab - you host the room.
Now your CAC is effectively $0 and your ROI is infinite.
That’s leverage.
Why This Works
This play isn’t built on algorithms or AI tricks.
It’s built on trust, reputation, and credibility - the real foundations of growth in property management.
It’s also recession-proof. You’re building community, not chasing clicks. It's local, real, and human.
The Takeaway
Stop waiting for someone else to host the event.
Be the one who creates the opportunity.
Because when you’re the connector - the nucleus - you’re also the first call when someone’s ready to hand off their next property.
Need some inspiration? Listen to the podcast below with Mark Ainley. He's a connector who's built a personal brand and a 1400+ door PM company.
He doesn't wait for people to find him, he finds them.
Check out Unfiltered: PropertyManagement.com's Official Podcast
In this episode of Unfiltered, Dylan Scroggins and Matt Speer sit down with Chicago-based entrepreneur and property management leader Mark Ainley for a wide-ranging conversation on growth, marketing, and the evolving real estate landscape. Mark shares how his early experiences in investing and property management shaped the foundation of GC Realty, discusses how he’s built a business that thrives in both residential and commercial markets, and explains why reputation and responsiveness remain his company’s most powerful differentiators.
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A Few of This Week's Verified Property Managers
- T&H Realty Services, Inc, Indianapolis, IN, 92.40% TrueMatch™ Score
- Home Ladder Property Management, Phoenix, AZ, 90.81% TrueMatch™ Score
- Whole Property Management, Denver, CO, 90.51% TrueMatch™ Score
- Green Residential, Houston, TX, 88.71% TrueMatch™ Score
- And many more!
🏆 Current Top 10 Property Managers in the Nation
Closing Thoughts
Before you dive back into your day, here’s what’s worth remembering this week:
Outbound isn’t dead - it’s just difficult to get the timing right. Most outreach fails because it assumes perfect timing. But top property managers don’t wait for timing - they create momentum.
Hosting local events puts you at the center of your market. It keeps you top of mind with realtors, investors, and owners long before they’re ready to switch managers.
Here’s the formula that works:
- Build trust through in-person connection.
- Deepen credibility with realtors and investors.
- Multiply referrals by owning your local network.
Even one small event could turn into 10 new referral partners - that’s 120–240 doors a year. And if a lender or title company sponsors the dinner? Your CAC just dropped to zero.
The next generation of elite PMs won’t rely on algorithms, AI tricks, or hope.
They’ll build community, control their pipeline, and lead their market.