Anthony Djon on his lead conversion machine lead mastery

In this RealTrending episode, Tracey Velt sits down with Anthony Djon, founder and CEO of Anthony Djon Luxury Real Estate in Michigan, to unpack how his team consistently converts internet leads at a staggering 7–9%, more than double the industry’s 2–3% average. Anthony walks us through how he started small with just a few Realtor.com zip codes, never intending to build a team, and how demand ultimately forced him to scale into one of Realtor.com’s largest clients and Zillow’s biggest Flex partner in Michigan. Anthony breaks down the accountability engine behind those numbers: his MaverickRE system, weekly conversion reviews, and a leadership structure built around high-performing team captains. He explains the daily checklist and prospecting routine that keeps agents focused on what actually moves the needle—three hours a day split between new prospecting and disciplined follow-up. He also shares how his team uses AI in text and personalization to deepen connections at scale without sacrificing authenticity. The conversation tackles some of the industry’s biggest myths, especially the idea that “internet leads are bad.” Anthony argues that the real problem isn’t the leads—it’s broken follow-up and weak training. He lays out his simple but relentless philosophy: hit each lead at least 17 times, track everything, and “rotate the name in your calendar until they buy or die.” Along the way, he offers candid insights on portals, data control, and industry consolidation, and why independents who move fast, measure everything, and build strong cultures can actually thrive in a world dominated by big brands. To close, Anthony dives into a lightning round on the one metric he watches daily (appointment set rate), how quickly he can tell if an agent will succeed with internet leads, and why he’ll bet on the disciplined follow-up machine over the “natural” salesperson every time. He calls AI a true game changer, warning that agents who ignore it will be like “riding horseback while everyone else is in spaceships.” Here’s a glimpse of what you’ll learn: How Anthony scaled from a solo agent with a few zip codes to Realtor.com’s largest client and Zillow’s biggest Flex partner in Michigan The weekly accountability system (MaverickRE) his team uses to obsess over conversion, not just leads The daily checklist and 3-hour calling structure that keeps agents focused on revenue-producing activities Why most agents blame “bad leads” when the real issue is a broken follow-up system Anthony’s “17 touches minimum” follow-up rule—and how he keeps it simple with a basic paper calendar How his team uses AI-powered texting and personalization to warm up leads and boost connection rates The truth about portals, dependence, and data control—and why even your sphere may be going there first How independent brokerages can outmaneuver larger brands with speed, culture, and adaptability The one metric Anthony watches every single day and why it predicts everything else What separates agents who crush internet leads from those who burn them—and how quickly he can tell who’s who Why AI is a must-have, not a shiny object, for any team serious about lead conversion Related to this episode: Tracey Velt’s LinkedIn Anthony Djon's LinkedIn Anthony Djon Luxury Real Estate MaverickRE Want more from Tracey? Don’t forget to subscribe to Real Estate Daily. The RealTrending podcast features conversations with the brightest minds in real estate. Every Monday, brokerage leaders, top agents, team leaders, and industry experts join us to share their secrets to success, trends, and the lessons they’ve learned. Hosted by Tracey Velt and produced by the HousingWire Content Studio.