Why Consistency Wins in Real Estate Sales and Marketing in the DC Metro Area

Some people say the definition of insanity is doing the same thing over and over again and expecting a different result. Matt Cheney, a Compass real estate advisor serving Washington, DC, Maryland, and Northern Virginia, strongly disagrees with that phrase when it comes to sales and marketing. In his view, whoever came up with it was not working in either field, where the reward is in repetition and consistency. Matt says much of his own success has come from doing the same things over and over.

This post looks at what that idea means in practical terms for people selling or buying a home in the DC area: what consistent marketing looks like, how it differs from repeating a mistake, and what questions are worth asking any agent about their process.

Why Matt Cheney Disagrees With the “Definition of Insanity” Saying

The saying is often credited to Albert Einstein, but quote researchers have found no evidence that he ever said it. Based on available research, some of its earliest known appearances are in recovery-related materials from around the early 1980s, where it described repeating the same mistakes and expecting things to change. It was never intended as a rule for running a business.

That origin matters. The quote describes repeating something that is not working. Sales and marketing are different. A message, a follow-up, or a market update rarely makes its full impression the first time someone sees it. Matt Cheney’s point is that repetition is how recognition and trust get built over time. Stopping too soon can mean a useful message never gets heard.

Why Repetition and Consistency Work in Real Estate Sales and Marketing

Real estate decisions are large and usually take time. A homeowner may think about selling for months or even years before calling anyone. A buyer may watch the market for a long stretch before making an offer. During that time, the professionals people remember are often the ones they have seen and heard from repeatedly, in a steady and dependable way.

Consistency tends to show up in a few places:

• Regular communication. Sharing market updates, videos, and neighborhood information on a steady schedule keeps useful information in front of people who are not ready to act yet.
• A repeatable process. A listing plan that follows the same defined steps each time, from preparation to photography to launch, helps reduce missed details.
• Reliable follow-up. Returning calls, answering questions, and checking in after showings are small actions, and doing them every single time is what clients tend to remember.
• A consistent message. When the same facts, branding, and tone appear across a listing, a website, and social media, buyers have fewer reasons to hesitate.

What Consistent Marketing Looks Like When a Home Is Listed in the DC Area

For sellers in DC, Maryland, and Virginia, consistency is less about one big move and more about doing the right things the same careful way every time. For a listing, that can mean:

• Preparing each home and its photography with the same attention to detail, whether it is a condo, a townhouse, or a detached house.
• Keeping the price, description, and property details matching across the MLS, a brokerage website, and social media.
• Reviewing buyer feedback and showing activity on a regular schedule instead of only when something goes wrong.
• Staying in steady contact with the seller from the first meeting through closing.

Results vary by property, price point, timing, and market competition, and no specific result is guaranteed. The value of a steady, repeatable approach is that it gives a seller a clearer picture of what is happening and what, if anything, to adjust.

Consistency Is Not the Same as Repeating a Mistake

There is a fair version of the original saying, and it is worth taking seriously. Doing the same thing over and over only makes sense when the thing is sound and the results are being watched. A consistent routine does not mean ignoring the market.

Buyer activity can shift with the time of year, interest rate conditions, and local inventory, and a listing plan may need small adjustments as those conditions change. Consistency works best when the routine stays steady and the details adapt to what the market is doing. Keep the habits that work, and change the tactics that do not.

Questions Sellers and Buyers Can Ask Any Agent About Consistency

Consistency is easier to evaluate when it is made specific. Sellers in the DC area may want to ask:

• What does the marketing plan look like week to week once my home is listed?
• How often will I hear from you, and in what form?
• How will buyer feedback and showing activity be tracked and shared with me?
• How do you decide when to keep the plan steady and when to adjust it?

For buyers, consistency can mean a steady routine of reviewing new listings, comparing neighborhoods in person, and keeping a clear list of priorities. Buyers who search in a steady, organized way may be better positioned to recognize the right home when it appears. It also helps to ask any agent how quickly they respond and how new listings will be shared.

To talk through a listing plan or a purchase in DC, Maryland, or Virginia, contact Matt Cheney directly at (202) 465-0707 or visit mattsold.com. For sellers who want to start with current market data before that conversation, the seller resources at mattsold.com/selling are a useful first step.

Watch Matt Cheney explain why consistency wins in sales and marketing in this short video.

Frequently Asked Questions About Consistency in Real Estate Sales and Marketing

Did Albert Einstein say the definition of insanity is doing the same thing over and over?

Quote researchers have found no evidence that Einstein said it. The earliest known versions appeared in recovery-group materials around 1981, and the saying has been attributed to him many times since.

Does consistent marketing help a home sell?

A steady, well-organized marketing plan may improve buyer awareness and help a seller spot problems earlier, but results vary by property, price point, timing, and market competition. No specific result is guaranteed.

What is the difference between consistency and repeating a mistake?

Consistency means repeating actions that are sound while watching the results and adjusting details when the market changes. Repeating a mistake means continuing an approach that is clearly not working without changing anything.

What should DC-area sellers ask an agent about their marketing process?

Sellers can ask how often they will receive updates, how buyer feedback will be shared, how pricing and marketing will be reviewed over time, and how the listing details will stay accurate across every platform.

Matt Cheney | Compass Real Estate is committed to the principles of the Fair Housing Act and the Equal Opportunity Act. All real estate services are provided without regard to race, color, national origin, religion, sex, familial status, or disability.