Research Report

Competition is part of every sales environment, but not all rivalry leads to success. In this article, we explore how envy can either motivate sales professionals to improve or drive destructive workplace behaviors that hurt performance and culture. Discover the difference between benign and malicious envy—and how agents, managers, and brokerages can channel competition into growth, collaboration, and stronger results.

What you share outside of work may say more about your professionalism than you think. New research reveals that meaningful hobbies and leisure activities—like hiking, woodworking, or cooking—can actually enhance how competent and capable clients perceive you to be. For newer professionals in particular, these personal details can help build credibility and connection when experience alone may not yet speak for itself.

Why do some agents embrace coaching while others resist it—even when they are highly motivated to succeed? Our research suggests the answer may have less to do with effort and more to do with how coaching is actually delivered. This article explores how managerial vulnerability—leaders openly admitting mistakes, uncertainty, and lessons learned—can make agents more receptive to feedback and more willing to improve.

Disruption is inevitable in today’s real estate market, but it can also create opportunities for growth and innovation. In this research, we explore how adaptive selling and creativity help sales professionals navigate challenges like economic uncertainty, technological change, and shifting buyer behavior. Surprisingly, our research also reveals that micromanagement, often viewed negatively, can actually support agents during chaotic market conditions when used strategically.

What do “likes” on social media really accomplish for advertisers? This research reveals that while visible likes can increase engagement and strengthen brand perception, they do not always translate into more clicks or conversions. In this article, we explore how informational and normative social influence shape user behavior differently—and why understanding that distinction matters for social media advertising success.

Many teams remain stuck in inefficient systems and habits that limit real progress. In Reset: How to Change What’s Not Working, Dan Heath offers a practical approach for breaking through stagnation by identifying small, strategic shifts that can unlock outsized results. He shows how to “restack” existing resources around what truly matters by cutting waste, aligning work with motivation, and empowering teams to act with ownership in order to create meaningful, lasting change without requiring more resources.

In The Next Conversation: Argue Less, Talk More, Jefferson Fisher shows how the quality of our words shapes the quality of our relationships and results. Rather than focusing on “winning” conversations, Fisher offers a practical framework built on control, confidence, and connection to help navigate difficult interactions. With a trial lawyer’s precision, he demonstrates how to regulate emotion, speak clearly without overexplaining, and keep conversations anchored in shared understanding.

In Passion Struck, John Sparks emphasizes that meaningful change doesn’t come from big moments alone, but from small, intentional choices compounded over time. Through strategies focused on overcoming self-doubt, eliminating distractions, and taking consistent action, readers learn how to build resilience and momentum toward a more intentional life. Ultimately, the book reframes success as an ongoing practice of conscious engagement, growth, and purposeful leadership.

Salespeople spend hours each week seeking advice—but in competitive environments, that advice isn’t always freely given or equally helpful. This research reveals how individual and team incentives quietly shape who seeks advice, who shares it, and when it actually improves performance. Drawing on data from hundreds of salespeople, our findings expose a paradox: incentives designed to motivate success can unintentionally limit collaboration, which is a critical component of sales success.

In a real estate world reshaped by technology and empowered consumers, technical skill alone is no longer enough to drive sales. This research shows how cultivating a “quiet ego”—balancing confidence with empathy and deep listening—helps agents adapt, build trust, and perform better in complex markets. Drawing on positive psychology and data from hundreds of sales professionals, the article reveals why quieter egos activate more effective, adaptive selling behaviors. 

Closing doesn’t have to feel pushy—and research shows it actually strengthens relationships when done right. This study draws on real sales interactions to challenge long-standing myths about rapport-only meetings and outdated closing “tactics.” The findings reveal that effective closing unfolds in phases, builds trust, and increases customer commitment. For real estate agents, the message is simple: closing isn’t pressure, it’s progress.

When does AI actually make marketing more creative, and when does it fall flat? This research examines evidence from creative professionals and thousands of AI systems to show what really works. The takeaway: creativity improves when the right kind of AI is paired with the right task and guided by human judgment. For real estate marketers looking to move faster without losing originality, this framework offers a clear, practical playbook.

Imagine your customers walking through their dream home before it even exists. Our research shows that mental simulation, the act of vividly imagining experiences, can boost consumer action by up to 34% when done strategically. From pairing descriptive language with visuals to using immersive technology, real estate marketers can turn imagination into action. Discover how understanding the psychology of “seeing it before living it” can give your listings a competitive edge.

Being busy doesn't equal being productive, and busyness may be costing you more than you think. This article unpacks Cal Newport’s Slow Productivity and explains how how doing fewer things, working at a sustainable pace, and obsessing over quality can lead to better results and less burnout. With practical takeaways for real estate agents, this INSIDER offers a refreshing alternative to hustle culture and a smarter path to long-term success.

Feeling buried by work and running on empty? This INSIDER examines key ideas from Buy Back Your Time by Dan Martell, offering practical strategies to delegate, automate, and eliminate low-value tasks so you can scale your business without burnout. It’s a must-read for high achievers in real estate who want success that doesn’t come at the cost of their health, relationships, or freedom.

Sales success hinges on aligning what you say with what customers need to hear. This study shows that informational messages work best for goal-driven shoppers, while emotional messages resonate with browsers—and when paired with the right product type, the boost is even stronger. The result is a clear, research-backed strategy that helps real estate professionals close more deals from the very first interaction.

Salespeople face relentless pressure, and new research shows how that stress directly impacts their mental health, performance, and well-being. This study reveals which organizational resources—and access to mental health care—most effectively protect sales teams from burnout while boosting engagement and results. The insights provide a practical framework for firms and managers to build a healthier, more resilient, and higher-performing salesforce.

Mobile devices now drive the majority of online shopping activity, making it essential to understand how consumers actually view and process mobile ads. This study uses wearable eye-tracking to reveal how different ad elements— text, images, ratings, and price—capture attention differently on smartphones versus PCs. The research offers practical guidance for creating more effective digital ads, helping marketers and real estate professionals boost engagement and conversions.

Sales success is deeply tied to self-esteem, yet most traditional self-esteem measures overlook the realities of modern sales roles. This research offers a new, sales-specific self-esteem model that captures how identity, task confidence, and relationship dynamics shape success. Real estate firms can use these insights to strengthen agent engagement, boost performance, and build a more resilient sales force.

Multi-issue negotiations are growing more common, making it crucial for salespeople to know how to prepare effectively. This article reveals how different forms of autonomy shape salespeople’s effort, strategy, and opening positions—and why too little autonomy can lead to quick concessions. Our findings offer managers and real estate agents actionable insights to empower negotiators and improve deal outcomes.

Women are often conditioned to shrink their financial goals and settle for "just enough" instead of abundance. In We Should All Be Millionaires, Rachel Rodgers dismantles the cultural barriers holding women—especially women of color—back and offers practical, inspiring strategies for making bold, wealth-building decisions. It’s a compelling invitation to stop settling and start pursuing abundance unapologetically.

The ability to reach an audience and to capture their attention is essential for business success, particularly in the digital world, where a plethora of online content, commercials, and social media posts can make it difficult to stand out. In this INSIDER, we explore Brendan Kane's strategies in Hook Point, to help brands build trust, strengthen identity, and create content that truly resonates with clients.

Loneliness isn’t just a personal struggle—it’s a hidden business risk. When salespeople feel isolated, their performance suffers, and the ripple effects can damage customer relationships and revenue. This research uncovers how loneliness fuels insecurity, rejection sensitivity, and counterproductive behaviors—and what managers can do to break the cycle.

Why do we put off simple tasks, even the ones that take just a few minutes? Our research reveals that procrastination isn’t just about poor time management, but rather, people rarely consider how long a task will actually take when deciding whether to delay it. By making task duration clear and concrete, we show that individuals are more likely to take timely action—an insight with powerful implications for sales and real estate.

Do bigger followings really mean better results? Our research investigates the influencer marketing funnel, from follower engagement to sales impact, and challenges the assumption that macro-influencers always deliver better returns. By comparing real sales data across 1.8 million purchases, we find that smaller influencers often drive stronger engagement, deeper trust, and higher ROI.

The first 18–24 months can make or break a new salesperson’s career—but where should they focus their energy to drive growth? Our research challenges the one-size-fits-all approach by examining how prospecting, conversion, retention, and growth efforts uniquely impact sales performance. The findings reveal which activities truly drive results, offering sales managers a roadmap to guide early-tenure salespeople toward faster success.

Is your mind constantly buzzing with worries, decisions, and distractions? In Declutter Your Mind, Barrie Davenport and S.J. Scott offer practical, science-backed strategies to quiet mental noise and restore clarity. Through mindfulness, simplification, and intentional living, the authors equip readers with tools to reduce stress, strengthen focus, and create lasting peace of mind.

What sets great communicators apart isn’t just what they say—it’s how they listen, connect, and adapt. In Supercommunicators, Charles Duhigg reveals practical strategies to simplify complex conversations, build trust through active listening, and tailor communication to any audience. These insights can help individuals transform everyday interactions into meaningful connections that drive personal and professional success.

Consumers have a unique lens through which they view the world based on their experiences and values. When it comes to luxury goods, perceptions are complex. Luxury goods are not just items—they represent a person’s identity and status.  This is also applicable as a salesperson; you want to look your best and be presentable, but wearing or displaying luxury branded items may negatively impact your business, especially when selling non-luxury items. 

Remote work requires supervisor and subordinate interactions to occur via technology, and as a result, there is uncertainty regarding how companies can foster ethical values and work environments when interactions are virtual. Our research aimed to investigate the impact of remote supervision on ethical sales leadership and employee outcomes. Specifically, we sought to understand the extent to which ethical sales leadership can be perceived when supervised remotely. 

Salesforce turnover is a major challenge for organizations that leads to increased organizational costs. In this research, we examine if there is a connection between a salesperson’s role focus—whether attracting new sales and new customers (hunting) or maintaining and developing existing business (farming)—salesperson career aspirations, and salesperson turnover intention.

Targeting specific audience segments has emerged as an important practice in online advertising strategies. For advertisers, the primary appeal of online ads is their capacity to target users based on characteristics such as user demographics and online behavior. Recent research supports the notion that targeted ads are more effective, with product users more likely to click. However, as advertisers increasingly pursue targeting, one fundamental question looms—who to target? 

Human behavior is complex and often difficult to understand, but unique combinations of environment and heredity produce the billions of unique personalities around the world. In his book, Surrounded by Idiots, Thomas Erikson takes his own approach toward the challenge of categorizing four “colors” of human behavior, offering insights on improving communication and interpersonal interactions among the diverse color combinations of human behavior.

Dan Sullivan and Dr. Ben Hardy’s book, Who Not How, details the benefits of expanding your horizons through teamwork. The fundamental idea posed in the book is a mentality shift from “How can I accomplish this?” to “Who can help me achieve this?” The authors encourage readers to find the Whos—those who can accomplish what you need more effectively than you can on your own. 

Modern salespeople have myriad options to engage with customers. We hypothesized that the communication format  may amplify or reduce the probability of resolving salesperson transgressions that occur during the sales process. While previous research has explored what to say post-transgression, our research explores which communication format is most effective in accomplishing successful post-transgression recovery and repair in the buyer-seller relationship.  

Emotional exhaustion in the workplace is an increasingly prevalent concern and often emerges from lengthy exposure to job stressors, such as high workloads, tight deadlines, and the persistent need to manage  emotions while adhering to job demands. Although the effects of emotional exhaustion on our home and social life are important to understand, our research focuses on how emotional exhaustion increases or is mitigated at the workplace and throughout the workday. 

An important question for organizational citizenship is when and for whom is receiving help beneficial? In organizations, “help” is a prototypical citizenship behavior that can improve relationships among coworkers and contribute to organizational-level outcomes. Despite the general positive perspective regarding helping in the workplace, there are downsides, especially from the recipient’s perspective. 

As algorithms continue to determine more and more of what we interact with on the Internet every day, questions arise as to the effectiveness, ethicality, and impartiality of these same algorithms. In our research, we undertake a set of studies to determine to what extent algorithms are presenting biased recommendations and further, to what extent people are going along with those biased choices and reinforcing the algorithms’ bias.

Interpersonal aggression is a relational process where the perpetrator acts in an antagonistic or hostile manner towards a victim. It is a serious issue for the work environment, affecting employee psychological and physical well-being, job satisfaction, and performance. Despite widespread understanding of this issue, research still hasn’t determined all antecedents for enacting aggressively at work. In our study, we hypothesize that one’s attachment style and competitive orientation determine whether or not one acts aggressively toward others. 

While navigating business, one may find it easy to settle into a steady routine of slow growth. Steadily increasing the quantity of your leads or work hours may seem like a good way to improve results. After all, working harder must always lead to better results, right? Dr. Benjamin Hardy, author of 10x is Easier Than 2x with Dan Sullivan, posits that this is actually the exact opposite of what is going to tap into your greatest potential.

Adam Grant's Hidden Potential shatters the myth that some people are naturally destined for success. Grant uses fascinating research and compelling stories to show how individuals consistently underestimate their own potential for improvement. This isn't just feel-good advice; he gives actionable tools to unlock hidden abilities and help others do the same.  

Salespeople and sales managers often understandably focus on interactions with the customer. We argue that selling also involves “secondary selling,” or interactions with secondary entities, namely objects and people outside the core salesperson-customer dyad. This research examines whether secondary selling has an impact on a customer’s receptivity to a sales pitch, purchase behavior, feelings about the salesperson, and satisfaction with the sales process.

The advertisement landscape is evolving. While positive advertising appeals often dominate, a new trend has emerged—the rise of audience-targeted negative advertisements, which, in contrast to traditional approaches, employ moderately negative messages directly targeting the audience. The emergence of these advertisements presents a unique opportunity for advertisers to connect with consumers in unconventional ways.

We spend more of our time than ever indoors—in cars, homes, offices, stores, and schools. Meanwhile, spending time outdoors remains invaluable to our mental and physical health. For those who work indoors, getting outside can seem like a luxury amid the demands and stresses of our hectic lives that we simply can’t afford. However, we believe there are effective ways for employees to reconnect and benefit from contact with nature outside of the work day.

When posting online content, sellers want to hold audience attention and make sure readers engage with and remember their content. It turns out that the strategies required to capture sustained engagement can be different from the those which will garner clicks and initial exposure. Our research examines the factors that contribute to holding an audience’s attention, especially with the use of emotional language and textual simplicity.

It is now rare to base buying decisions purely on personal recommendations; rather, consumers place significant value on online reviews (both positive and negative). However, consumers do not perceive all online reviews as equally valuable. Reviews can be objective, subjective, or a mix of both. Our research examines which type of review is perceived as more valuable for consumers.

If you've ever struggled to persuade someone to agree with you, Chris Voss has your back in Never Split the Difference. A former hostage negotiator for the FBI, Voss breaks down the secrets of successful negotiations, making it simple for anyone to understand and apply, whether dealing with coworkers, family, or friends.

Diversity is valuable and important, as societal development necessitates all individuals of various backgrounds and experiences being welcomed regardless of their differences. Jason R. Thompson, author of Diversity and Inclusion Matters, addresses the need for diversity in modern companies and how it can be encouraged at all corporate levels.

Competitive salespeople are driven to achieve their goals, which is associated with high sales performance. However, competition can also be a threat to cohesion as salespeople may become more focused on individual success than the success of the team. We examine the challenge sales managers face of creating a work environment that fosters both competitiveness and cohesion in order to improve both performance and sales force retention.

Due to its prevalence, depression has been called the “common cold” of mental health. Depression has direct negative effects on employees such as increased deviant workplace behavior and decreased productivity, and this relationship extends to the salesperson role. We studied how certain personal resources—work adaptability and family work support—along with supervisor support can mitigate the consequences of depression on salesperson performance.