Listing Presentation Tips
Many real estate agents do not have a plan or idea of where to begin when their first few listing appointments fall in their hands.
Here are tips new agents can use to prepare for that listing appointment.
Preparing for the Listing Appointment
1. Identify their unique value proposition.
Even a brand new agent has a unique skill set that will benefit his or her budding real estate business. New agents should spend time identifying what makes them better or different from their competition. Once agents have identified their value, they should figure out how to incorporate it into their business.
2. Study the neighborhood.
New agents should spend time studying their potential listing clients’ neighborhoods. If it means that an agent needs to spend an afternoon looking at homes in the area before the listing appointment, he or she should do it. This is beneficial to agents because it will help them become familiar with the neighborhood and also the details of their city’s hyper local markets.
3. Prepare a marketing plan.
This plan details how the home will be marketed in order to get it sold. A property marketing plan may include things like:
The n neighborhood’s demographics
Strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats in the market area and how each could impact the sale of the property
Comparable sold and competing properties
Benchmark net-out figures
4. Research the seller.
A listing appointment is no different than a job interview. Someone looking for a job would be well-advised to research the company they are interviewing with; agents should research prospective sellers.
This does not mean stalking a seller online, becoming immediate Facebook friends or being a creep. It does mean a quick Google, Facebook or LinkedIn search to help an agent gain an understanding of their potential client’s interests or background before the appointment.
During the appointment
1. Get to know the house.
Agents should note the details of the house they will be listing.
Don’t be afraid to take notes or pictures of specific features of the subject property. Walking the home with the seller will also allow an agent to build rapport with the seller, discuss staging needs and address any listing concerns.
Don’t be afraid to ask questions of the seller. Getting to know a seller’s motivation will allow you to make any adjustments to your marketing plan, if necessary. Consider a few questions like:
Why are they moving?
When would they like to have their property sold?
Are there any maintenance items that need to be addressed before listing the property?
Who are the decision makers?
2. Objections are only unanswered questions.
Many sellers have similar concerns when listing their home. New agents should practice seller objections often. The practice may feel uncomfortable or robotic, but it helps agents become better listeners and gain more confidence in their listing abilities.
After you get the listing
1. Don’t abandon the seller.
New agents should make a commitment to openly communicate with their clients. Consumers often complain that their agent did not communicate with them through the listing process. A signed listing contract is not an excuse to abandon the seller or to fail to follow through on services that were part of the proposed marketing plan.
At the end of the day, the focus of the appointment should be about the seller, not the agent. Practice makes better and listing presentations are always a work in progress.
