80/20 in Action, Part 2: Rack the Shotgun & Do Better
Last week, we kicked off a series on Perry Marshall’s “80/20 Sales & Marketing” by looking at why 20% of your effort drives 80% of your results—and why the smartest agents double down on what already works instead of chasing every shiny object.
Seriously… you know it’s a massive problem in our industry. Maybe your business isn’t doing as well as you had hoped and you hear some new trend and you decide to follow the trend.
You don’t have a particular business reason for following the trend. It just seems like a good idea because you heard it was working for someone else. Case in point, remember all the videos of agents doing “The Floss” dance in homes they listed?
Please tell me the legitimate business case for this. And “going viral” is not a business case. This is a classic shiny object and our industry is rife with shiny objects.
Squirrel! 🐿️
But we’re not going to do that. We’re going to buck the trend. This week, we’re diving deeper into Chapters 2 and 3: Rack the Shotgun and You Can Do Better.
Rack the Shotgun: Sending the Signal
Marshall tells a story about gamblers in Las Vegas: when the dealer racks the shotgun at the blackjack table, the serious players perk up while the casuals barely notice. The point? A small signal separates those who are all-in from those just passing time.
Real estate is no different. Your job isn’t to convince everyone to work with you—it’s to quickly figure out who’s serious. That’s what “racking the shotgun” does.
A short “7-minute buyer orientation” video can be the shotgun. Casual shoppers won’t watch it; serious buyers will.
Requiring proof of funds or pre-approval before agreeing to schedule a showing filters commitment without you lifting an extra finger.
Hosting a straightforward open house with clear expectations (sign-in, follow-up, financing check) lets you identify who is there to act, not just tour for design ideas.
For newer agents, these signals prevent you from chasing non-clients. For veterans, they free up hours each week so you can invest in higher-value activities.
Whether you’re growing your solo business or building an empire, you need ways to protect your time… and you do that by qualifying, or “racking the shotgun”.
You Can Do Better: Escaping “Good Enough”
In Chapter 3, Marshall makes a blunt point: most professionals settle for average results because they’re “good enough.” But 80/20 teaches us that “good enough” leaves massive opportunity on the table.
That’s where Kaizen comes in—continuous, incremental improvement. Instead of overhauling your entire system overnight, improve one piece at a time.
Rewrite your follow-up text so it gets more replies.
Sharpen your listing presentation with one better question.
Test a tighter subject line on your weekly client emails.
Send an explainer video prior to Purchase & Sale going over what to expect that day, what will be in the documents, how signing occurs, etc.
Each tweak is a 1% gain. Add those gains up over weeks and months, and suddenly you’re the agent clients rave about because every touchpoint feels intentional and polished.
One More Thing About 80/20
The 80/20 principle is universal. “...80 percent of the 80 percent comes from 20 percent of the 20 percent. It’s not just 80/20 but 80/20 squared and 80/20 cubed.
Almost every frustration you have in sales has something to do with ignoring 80/20.”
Action Plan for the Week
Pick one “shotgun” signal you’ll use this week—maybe a simple buyer FAQ video or a lender-pre-approval requirement. Combine it with one Kaizen tweak, like rewriting a text or tightening a script.
Do it consistently Monday through Friday. On Friday, review: Did it attract the right people? Did it repel the wrong ones? Did it make your week easier?
That’s 80/20 in motion: finding the leverage, sending the right signal, and continuously making your process sharper. Make a hypothesis, implement, review, adjust.
Next week, we’ll dive deeper into the mindset shifts that separate agents who thrive from those who spin their wheels.
References
Perry Marshall, 80/20 Sales & Marketing (Chapters 2 & 3).
Mitch Matthews, Dream. Think. Do. podcast interview with Perry Marshall.
Perry Marshall, “Rack the Shotgun” explanation YouTube video.
Lean Enterprise Institute, “Kaizen/Continuous Improvement.”
James Clear, Atomic Habits (on compounding 1% improvements).
