In today’s competitive housing market, real estate teams are under pressure to do more with less. But what if smaller teams could actually outperform larger brokerages?
In this blog, we dive into how Cleveland-based real estate investor CJ Trivisonno built a lean investing operation that rivals traditional brokerages—using direct-to-seller marketing, zip code targeting, and smart team structure.
Whether you're an investor, team leader, or broker, you’ll find tactical insights you can apply today.
Watch the full conversation with CJ to hear exactly how his lean real estate team operates, scales, and wins in today's market.
Cleveland-based broker and investor CJ operates two very different real estate businesses: a traditional real estate brokerage and a lean, high-efficiency investing team. Based in Cleveland, Ohio, CJ began his real estate journey in 2010, flipping houses with borrowed money. His hands-on start gave him a deep understanding of both market cycles and business operations.
In 2020, he bought a Keller Williams franchise just one month before the pandemic hit. Despite the timing, he pushed forward. Later, in 2022, inspired by a mastermind group, he launched a direct-to-seller investing arm. This second business now runs parallel to his retail brokerage and has become a powerful vehicle for fast, efficient deal flow.
Today, CJ serves as a silent partner in his brokerage and focuses heavily on the investing side, which he has scaled quickly with just a handful of team members.
CJ's experience shows a clear contrast between retail and investing teams. In brokerage, agents rely heavily on personal relationships. Leads often come from friends, family, and local networking. That model requires a larger team to cover enough ground and sustain deal volume.
By contrast, investing thrives on targeted marketing. CJ's investing team uses direct mail campaigns to generate inbound leads from motivated sellers. With the right systems, a team of just three people can generate and convert a large volume of leads at a fraction of the overhead.
CJ started flipping homes during the 2008–2009 financial crash, a time when listings flooded the market and competition was low. His first flips didn't turn a profit, but the experience opened doors. After persistent calls to his agent, she encouraged him to get licensed. That advice launched his real estate career.
Looking back, CJ believes entering the industry during hard times taught him resilience and forced him to master the fundamentals early. Now, in a low-inventory, high-competition market, that foundation sets him apart.
When launching his investing business, CJ tested several lead generation strategies: pay-per-lead (PPL), cold calling, and direct mail. He chose direct mail because of its consistency, time efficiency, and ability to target specific zip codes and neighborhoods.
Operating in Cuyahoga County, where property values vary significantly, CJ found PPL services too broad. Leads often came from areas that didn't align with his buy box, resulting in wasted time and money. Direct mail, however, allowed hyper-targeting and a higher-quality lead flow.
"I can choose the zip codes I want. That level of control helps avoid waste and focus on deals that fit our model."
He started with 1,000 mailers per month. By early 2024, that number scaled to 30,000. The rapid scale created an operational challenge: too many leads, not enough manpower. CJ wisely pulled back slightly to improve follow-up and maintain conversion quality.
As a self-described "data nerd," CJ tracks his lead funnel meticulously. His scorecard includes:
With 20,000 mailers, he expects around 120 calls. About half of those are viable leads. From 100 leads, his team typically books 30 appointments. CJ believes tightening their qualification process could double that number, driving higher ROI from the same spend.
CJ initially used voicemail and later Ruby Receptionists to handle inbound calls. While Ruby offered live responses, delays in lead handoffs hurt conversions. Motivated sellers often went cold before the acquisitions team could respond.
In 2024, he hired a full-time lead manager through 8020 Recruit, sourcing talent from Latin America. This person now answers calls, qualifies leads, and live-transfers hot prospects to the acquisitions team in real time.
"If we can close the gap from 100 leads to 30 appointments, and raise that to 60—without changing anything else—we double revenue."
Speed is critical in direct-to-seller marketing. CJ's team shifted from "go on every appointment" to smarter prequalification, protecting the acquisitions team's time while increasing deal potential.
This transition allows CJ to run lean without sacrificing opportunities—one of the key strengths of a well-structured investing team.
Direct mail creates opportunities beyond just flips. Once a seller responds, CJ's team evaluates multiple paths:
He’s currently learning how to safely navigate these options within legal boundaries as a licensed broker. Full disclosure and fiduciary care are priorities, ensuring the team operates ethically.
This strategy turns more seller conversations into revenue, even if the cash offer isn’t accepted.
As both a broker and investor, CJ is deeply aware of the legal lines between investment offers and retail listings. He consults experts to ensure any shift in strategy for a given lead, from buying to listing, is handled transparently.
This dual-track model opens more monetization paths while preserving client trust and regulatory compliance.
CJ sees industry peers flipping 50+ homes per year and knows it's achievable. However, he emphasizes the importance of stable systems:
"Flipping is people management," CJ says. "It’s not just comps and rehab numbers. It’s keeping crews on task and timelines in check."
To improve, he joined Collective Genius, a high-level mastermind, where he learns from experienced operators. Scaling is a work in progress—but one he’s committed to mastering.
Q1: What is a lean real estate team?
A lean real estate team uses minimal personnel and streamlined systems to generate and convert high volumes of leads. It focuses on efficiency and ROI rather than headcount.
Q2: How does direct-to-seller marketing work?
This strategy involves sending mail or making contact directly with property owners to find off-market deals. It bypasses the MLS and results in higher-margin opportunities.
Q3: What are typical conversion rates for direct mail?
Expect a call-in rate around 0.6%. From 100 real leads, CJ's team books 30 appointments, with a goal of increasing that to 60 through better qualification.
Q4: Why is a lead manager important?
A lead manager answers calls immediately, prequalifies leads, and routes them efficiently. This increases appointment rates and lets acquisitions reps focus on closing deals.
Q5: How can you monetize leads that don’t accept a cash offer?
Options include listing the property, creative finance (e.g., subject to), or wholesaling. A strong process ensures every lead gets the right solution—and your team earns more per seller.
How does direct-to-seller marketing work in real estate?
Direct-to-seller marketing targets homeowners through channels like direct mail, text, or calls—offering solutions before a property hits the market. This gives investors a competitive edge by creating off-market opportunities.
CJ's journey from broke flipper to successful dual-business owner proves that efficiency, tracking, and targeted marketing can rival even the biggest teams. With the right structure, a lean team can:
Focus, track, test, and execute—that’s the formula. That’s how a lean team wins.