In his latest Snapshot profile, Brandon Doyle looks at how tech innovator Steve Pacinelli has made a career of moving agents forward while always staying focused on the human touch.
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Inman contributor Brandon Doyle made it his goal to interview 100 real estate professionals. Here’s a Snapshot of those conversations.
Steve Pacinelli has been creating a significant impact in the real estate tech industry for over two decades. Despite never having sold real estate, his experience has led him to be one of the industry’s most respected figures.
Now, as the chief marketing officer at Follow Up Boss, he continues his quest of educating professionals on leveraging technology effectively while keeping human interaction at the core of their businesses.
Sporting an impressive resume, Pacinelli is a two-time published author of Rehumanize Your Business and The Wall Street Journal best-seller Human-Centered Communication.
He is also the co-founder of Tech Savvy Agent with Chris Smith, one of the earliest technology education platforms for real estate agents. This dynamic platform quickly garnered a following, eventually becoming an integral part of Move, Inc.
Pacinelli’s expertise, honed over 23 years of experience, has led him to roles from Top Producer to Realtor.com, BombBomb and most recently Follow Up Boss. Pacinelli’s current responsibilities include leading the Sales, Marketing, and Events teams, where he infuses enthusiasm and passion for technology into his role.
Staying focused on agent needs
Pacinelli’s passion for his work is palpable. “I love seeing the excitement on someone’s face who just learned something new that will help them in business or life,” he shared. “Positively impacting the people I encounter brings me great joy.”
One of the main struggles Pacinelli sees real estate agents grappling with today is the increasing onslaught of technology tools. To combat this, he advises agents not to get distracted by the latest innovations but rather identify problems within their business and seek solutions.
“Don’t let the latest technology take away your most valuable asset — you,” he emphasizes. This advice echoes the sentiments shared in his books, which urge businesses to adopt a more human-centric approach.
Being deeply rooted in the tech side of real estate, Pacinelli has developed a unique perspective that has served him well in the industry. “It allowed me to hyper-focus on technology-driven strategies. That drove the birth of Tech Savvy Agent,” he reflected. By keeping a keen eye on emerging trends and consumer preferences, he’s been able to stay ahead of the curve and guide agents towards meaningful, forward-thinking strategies.
Balancing technological and personal
Pacinelli is a firm believer in balancing technology and personal touch in the real estate business. “The pendulum has swung too far in the direction of automation and a hands-off approach,” he observes. Instead, he advocates for more personalized communication when dealing with complexity, emotions and trust-building.
The journey to becoming a best-selling author was, according to Pacinelli, a process of intensive brainstorming and collaboration with co-author Ethan Beute. “Writing is not a strength of mine. I work well with concepts and structure but have always struggled with finding the right words,” he admitted.
Yet, despite his self-professed struggle with words, Pacinelli’s strength lies in his ability to energize a room, a trait he used to deliver electrifying presentations in over 100 speaking engagements per year during his Tech Savvy Agent tour.
In the age of video, Pacinelli offers a word of encouragement for agents who are hesitant to embrace the medium. “Video messaging isn’t for mass consumption. It’s a different game than adding a video to Youtube, FB, and Instagram; it’s one-to-one, not one-to-many. If you are in sales, you can definitely do it,” he urges.
With a career that spans over two decades, Pacinelli has consistently demonstrated his commitment to empowering real estate professionals through the right blend of technology and human connection. Whether through his work at Follow Up Boss, his writing or his speaking engagements, he continues to lead by example, proving that real estate success is truly a human-centered endeavor.
Brandon Doyle is a Realtor at Doyle Real Estate Team — RE/MAX Results in Minneapolis and co-author of Mindset, Methods & Metrics – Winning as a Modern Real Estate Agent. You can follow him on Twitter.
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