Table of Contents Introduction Part 1: Before the Listing Appointment Make Sure All Decision Makers Will Be Present..................Page 4 Pre-Listing Packages..................Page 5
Confirming the Appointment - Yes or No?..................Page 7 Decide on Your Listing Appointment Style..................Page 8 Decide on Your Listing Presentation Style..................Page 10 Part 2: The Listing Appointment Make that First Impression Count! .................. Page 12 Introducing Yourself, Ensuring Everyone is Home and Prompting a Tour..................Page 14 Building Trust and Rapport..................Page 16 Part 3: The Listing Sales Presentation Transitioning to the Listing Presentation..................Page 19 Talking Points of the Presentation..................Page 20
Remember, YOU are Your Own Presentation..................Page 23 Mistakes to Avoid with Listing Presentations..................Page 25 Closing the Sale..................Page 27
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Objections - How to Handle Them Like a Smart Agent..................Page 28
Part 4: What Comes Next? Prepping for and Scheduling Photos..................Page 36 Setting Expectations and a Timeline..................Page 39 To Stay or Not to Stay?...................Page 40 Part 5: Feedback From Smart Agents
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Introduction Hey everyone, Calvin Curry here. First of all, I just wanted to extend my congratulations! You have a hot lead and you’re ready to win them over with a top-notch listing presentation so they’ll list their home with you. You should feel proud. According to the National Association of Realtors®, most sellers only talk to one agent when they’re ready to list their homes. However, keep in mind that 64% of sellers have used the agent before or heard about their agent through a referral, so if you are brand-new to the owners, you should feel particularly inspired.
But exercise caution — a large percentage of sellers who find out about an agent through traditional marketing may interview more than one agent. In short, just because the NAR® stats prove a lot of sellers don’t interview multiple agents, that doesn’t mean they won’t ever do so. Delivering a stellar listing presentation should be your goal every time. Whether you’re a seasoned agent or new to the business, everyone could use some fresh information and a few new tricks up their sleeves. That’s why we created this guide to help you maximize your listing presentation power. We suggest reading this entire packet from start to finish before implementing any tips. Envisioning how the whole listing appointment will take place will help you prepare for it.
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PART 1: BEFORE THE LISTING APPOINTMENT Just like any other important life event, you have to prepare for a listing appointment. If you don’t, you will almost certainly fail to impress the sellers and lose the listing. Here are a fewways to guarantee you ace the appointment before you even meet the sellers in person. Make Sure All Decision Makers Will Be Present What happens if you get to your appointment and the husband, wife or other important person in the decision-making process isn’t there? You risk losing the listing! Before you go to the appointment, double check to ensure everyone can make it. Here are some ways to have that conversation. Example One: I’m looking forward to meeting you and your husband/wife and discussing your home. Will both of you be able to attend the appointment? Example Two: My listing presentation is tailored for both you and your husband/wife. When can both of you meet with me to discuss how to sell your home for the most money? Example Three: I understand that big decisions about selling your home need to involve everyone. When can you and your wife/husband meet with me to talk about a strategy? If they say not everyone can be there, ask for another day and time for everyone to be present. Be flexible! If one or both can only meet in the evenings or on a weekend, make that sacrifice for the sake of getting the listing.
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Pre-Listing Packages What is a pre-listing package? It’s a collection of materials you send to a lead before you make the actual listing appointment. The purpose of these materials is to show the lead you are capable of selling their home in a timely fashion for the most amount of money and the fewest hassles. A pre-listing package often includes the following materials. Many of them will appear later in the listing presentation as well. ● A cover letter introducing yourself, your brokerage, your area of expertise, how you learned about their desire to sell their home and why/how you can help ● Examples of homes you’ve recently sold (including photos) ● Local market data ● An explanation of your marketing strategy, including professional photo examples ● A brief explanation of the process to sell a home Your cover letter should be tailored to the reason the sellers are selling. What do I mean by this? For example, here’s a cover letter that is tailored to a seller who is selling a recently inherited home:
Dear [First_Name],
Please accept my sincerest condolences for the passing of [Insert Deceased’s Name Here.] I wish you and your family peace during this difficult time.
You may not know who I am, or why I’m contacting you. My records tell me you recently came into an inherited home. You probably have questions about what to do next and how to handle everything.
Here’s how I can help you through the process:
● I know several good estate sales companies. If you need their names, please contact me.
● If you need help finding any contractors, handymen, or other people to fix and/or maintain the house, I know a lot of tradespeople and can refer you to a great one.
● If you need help selling the home, I can offer you lots of great tips that will help you through the process.
● If you’d like to know what the home is worth, let me know. I can put together a FREE Comparable Market Analysis and send it to you. That will help you determine what the home is worth and the best way to sell it.
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If you have any questions or need any help, please let me know. I specialize in selling inherited homes and can help you through the process.
Sincerely, Your Name Your Real Estate Company Phone: (333) 555-1212 Email: Name@Email.com
Don’t worry if you’ve never put a pre-listing package together on your own before. We are here to help you. We have a full pre-listing presentation kit available through Smart Agents. It’s much easier than coming up with everything from scratch, plus you won’t miss anything important. Furthermore, we have other templates for other kinds of sellers, including FSBOs, previous clients, and expireds.
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Confirming the Appointment - Yes or No? Once you have an appointment scheduled with the lead, you have to decide whether or not to confirm the appointment when the time comes. This may sound strange at first, but think about it: if you don’t reach out the morning of the appointment or the night before, they can’t back out. On the other hand, some owners might appreciate the reminder and confirmation. To decide which approach is best for you, I suggest going over the pros and cons of each scenario. 1. Pros to Confirming the Appointment a. The leads are ready to get started when you show up. b. You don’t show up for appointments that people forgot about. 2. Cons to Confirming the Appointment a. If you were aggressive getting the listing appointment (For example, you used an aggressive phone script and cold-called them), they are likely to cancel when you confirm, and it may be better NOT to confirm and just show up, hoping they feel an obligation to do the same. To summarize, decide whether or not to confirm appointments based on the individual lead. Busier leads with young children and packed schedules may indeed appreciate a reminder, but again, a lack of enthusiasm about the appointment probably means you should negate the confirmation and arrive at the appointment time, ready to get them excited.
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Decide on Your Listing Appointment Style There is more than one style of listing appointment. Some agents prefer to “get it all done in one swoop,” and other agents get the listing in a two-step appointment. You have to decide what kind of appointment style works best for you. Here are a few listing appointment style examples. Two-Step Appointment: An agent we interviewed for this guide, Mary Zentz, shared with us that she uses a two-step appointment to get listings. The first visit is so she can acquaint herself with the clients, then she returns a second time to give the presentation. “I almost always, about 99.9 percent of the time, do a two-step,” she says. “The first time I go in, the real goal is to get them to like me and trust me as they show me around their home. I have a custom form that I designed for myself to use so that I’m taking notes the entire time we’re walking around the home. They want to feel that their home is important to me, and I’m making note of all the things that make their home special. “I’m only there for a total of about 20 minutes. It’s really a fast visit. Then I come back to my office, and I put together the CMA, pull what I decide are the best comps for my purposes, and prepare the presentation. “Keep in mind, on my first trip, I really wanted them to like and trust me. Now I want to show them that I’m really knowledgeable in my field.” One-Step Appointment with Aggressive Close: You might choose a one-step appointment with a more aggressive closure. This style of appointment is best for confident personalities or agents who would rather move on to another lead than try to convince someone to list with them if it didn’t happen on the first appointment. The idea is to stay at the appointment until you either get the listing or get kicked out. Keep in mind that if you choose this type of a listing appointment, you aren't likely to get a chance at a second appointment. Appointment with One Callback: A third option for styling your listing appointments could be to bring all materials for one appointment, but to remain open to a callback afterward if the appointment does not conclude with a listing. With this style of appointment, used by Frank Bettger in his book How I Raised Myself From Failure to Success in Selling, let the prospective clients’ response at the end of the appointment guide you in crafting a follow-up email or phone call. Deciding on one of these three styles before you get to the actual appointment is important. Your style is ultimately up to you, but I don’t necessarily recommend the two-step appointment, simply
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because it leaves a window of time for another agent to take the listing away before the second meeting occurs. Essentially, it’s always best to be as fast and efficient as possible getting the owner’s signature, so you can move forward and sell the home.
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Decide on Your Listing Presentation Style Once you’ve determined your preferred style for the appointment, it’s time to figure out your style for the presentation itself. Agents often tailor their presentation for the prospects’ benefit. Factors such as age, situation, lifestyle and interests can all impact how you choose to give your presentation. Mary, for example, considers the age of her prospects, and finds herself crafting a more robust listing presentation for older homeowners, since she assumes they aren’t as likely to have sought information about the market and neighborhood from the internet. There are three main focuses to consider, but each of the three can be narrowed further in accordance to what the prospects might want or need. Remember that a great listing presentation will have some elements of all three of these, but what
you want to concentrate on can vary. The CMA/Market Analysis Focus
This presentation is heavy in market statistics and numbers and is not a particularly emotional presentation. Here are a few reasons you might want to consider this kind of listing presentation: ● The prospects are engineers, accountants, or “number people” ● The prospects are strangers to you, not referred or met previously in person ● The local market is vulnerable and/or geared more toward buyers ● The prospects are in a tough financial situation One agent we spoke to, Steve Dozier, believes in the power of market analysis for his own listing presentation: “I show them the active listings that they'll be competing against and closed listings that I'm comparing their house to. We also do a quarterly market report every month, and we work it out by counties. We spend a lot of time [on it]. This company is big on market data and information,” he says. In Steve’s opinion, showing market data means that you’ve done your real estate homework, something that should matter to your success. “Learn the market, be dedicated to what you do, and do it full time,” he says. The “I Have the Best Strategy to Advertise Your Home” Focus
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This presentation type is heavy on visuals and marketing strategies for the home. It can be emotional, but it does not have to be. Here are reasons you might want to consider this kind of presentation: ● The prospects are more visual or artistic in nature ● You met the prospects at a marketing event, such as an open house, and they liked what they saw ● The home or neighborhood is modern and/or attractive and will be easy to market to buyers ● The prospects are very ready to sell but need the “icing on the cake” The “My Success Speaks for Itself” Focus The third focus is based on your success stories and/or the success stories of people in your brokerage. Here are some reasons you might choose this type: ● You are dealing with prospects who work in sales or a “people-oriented” profession ● You have a particularly impressive portfolio ● The prospects were referred to you by someone else who enjoyed working with you ● The prospects mention that they’ve heard of you or heard of your company
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PART 2: THE LISTING APPOINTMENT Finally, it’s time to meet your prospects in their homes and assure them they are getting ready to work with the right agent. When you arrive at your prospects’ homes, there are certain things to consider and steps to go through before plunking down your presentation on the kitchen table. First impressions matter, and it’s important to understand that the listing presentation is just one part of the total appointment. Make That First Impression Count! First impressions count — a lot! — when it comes to choosing a real estate agent. Everything about an agent broadcasts their personal brand — the car they drive, the clothes they wear, how they wear their hair, and even the shoes they walk on. These visuals — call them an agent’s “curb appeal” — are constantly sending messages that clients either receive subconsciously or loud and clear. What should agents wear? Business casual is the style 85 percent of agents chose when meeting with a client, according to a Market Leader survey. Of course, “business casual” varies depending on the place you live. Casual in Manhattan is a lot different from casual in Key West, for instance. Typically, business casual for men includes dress slacks, a button down or polo shirt, maybe a sports jacket, dress shoes, and dark socks. For women, business casual means a skirt or dress slacks, blouse, sweater, colorful jacket, and pumps.
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The top tier of agents pump-up their style and wear business attire any time they meet a potential or current client. For men, that includes a suit or jacket and dress slacks, business shirt and tie, dark socks and shoes. Women will wear pants or skirt suit with closed-toe pumps. It pays to invest in upscale and classic suits you can change up with different ties or scarves. Buy a new, pricey suit each year, and eventually, you’ll have an impressive wardrobe that’s always in style. Don’t wait until the morning of your listing appointment and pick out any old blouse or collared shirt that happens to be sitting in the clean laundry pile. Your ensemble should not only be flattering, it should also work with the rest of your branding material — such as logo and website — and complement those colors. Go with bold shades that complement your skin, eyes and hair, and
remember to keep accessories minimal — the focus should be on you. Unsure about what colors to wear? Consider these common associations. ● Red - Authority ● White - Simplicity ● Black - Professionalism
● Gray - Stability ● Blue - Sincerity ● Green - Ease ● Purple - Creativity
Which car to drive Cars are part of a real estate professional’s brand. Although clients may never see an agent’s office, they almost always see his car. The Market Leader “Habits” survey found that agents mostly drive sedans and SUVS, choosing neutral colors like white, silver/grey or black. Here are a few other tips: ● Make sure whatever you drive is clean and clutter-free. ● If you’re driving potential or current clients around, choose a car that is comfortable. ● Keep mileage in mind. You’ll be putting thousands of miles on that car each year, and you don’t want to go broke filling it up a gas guzzler every day. ● Don’t buy a high-maintenance car that will spend most of its life in the shop, draining your time and budget. ● Pick a car you can afford. As you get more successful, you’ll be able to lease fancier cars. But while you’re building your business, chose a car that fits your budget.
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Introducing Yourself, Ensuring Everyone is Home and Prompting a Tour When you initially arrive, what you say when the door is opened will depend on whether or not you confirmed the appointment ahead of time. If you did confirm the appointment, try something like this: “Good afternoon/morning! I’m Jerry. Thank you again for agreeing to meet with me and discuss your home. I’m looking forward to showing you what I can do to help. Are you and your wife/husband both here? If you did not confirm the appointment, try this: Good afternoon/morning! I’m Jerry Garcia with Keller Williams. We had an appointment scheduled for this time. Are you and your wife/husband both home? I’m looking forward to showing you what I can do to help you.” “You Had Me at Hello” It’s easy to gloss over the “hellos” and “how are yous” when you meet people, but do not make the mistake of doing this with the owners. A lot of clues about your prospects will take place in the first five minutes! As you go through the introductory process, note all of the following: ● Check eye contact, smiling, facial emotion. Are they serious or relaxed? ● How is the handshake? Firm or timid? ● How is the chemistry between the couple? Are they on equal footing or does one seem to wear the pants? ● Are they “house proud” or ready to ditch the place? Prompting the Tour A little honey will catch these homeowners, so don’t be dry in your request for a tour of the home. Compliment something that you see right as you walk inside, such as the foyer or stairwell, and be genuinely interested in seeing more. Say something like: “I love this room; it’s so elegant. Why don’t you show me your favorite qualities of your home?”
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“What a beautiful house! I would love for you to show me around and tell me what you love about living here.”
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Building Trust and Rapport Whether it’s a first date, dinner out with new friends or meeting clients-to-be at their home, the rules are always the same: be the best version of yourself. To Have a Friend, Be a Friend. The truth is, you’ll never get a listing agreement from the homeowners if they decide they flat-out don’t like you. So don’t let that happen. Even if you are not naturally outgoing, charming and complimentary, you can learn to appear that way with a few tips. You might even want to practice with friends and family before the appointment. Looking for some good books to help you learn more about people and how to connect? I have a few suggestions: ● The Like Switch by Jack Schafer and Marvin Karlins ● How to Win Friends and Influence People by Dale Carnegie ● How I Raised Myself From Failure to Success in Selling by Frank Bettger Communication skills that will help build a positive relationship with prospective clients include: ● Active listening - Let the owners do most of the talking and steer the conversation. When it’s your turn to talk, show that you’ve been listening. ● Making eye contact - Don’t stare, but remember to make eye contact for about half of the conversation. ● Showing assertiveness - Display confidence in yourself as a real estate agent. Don’t be soft-spoken or timid. Watch your posture. ● Understanding non-verbal cues - Look out for signs that the owners are unhappy, uncomfortable, bored or displaying any negative feeling during the conversation, and change the subject accordingly. ● Using positive body language - Don’t cross your arms or tap your foot impatiently. Smile with your entire face and practice friendly body language. ● Being mindful of personal space - This is self-explanatory; don’t invade another person’s “bubble.”
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● Accommodating different points of view - A meeting with prospects is not the time or place to talk about your strong opinions on politics, the environment, child-rearing, religion or anything else. ● Giving sincere compliments - First, compliment the owners themselves. Say something like, “I love that t-shirt,” or “Great boots.” Next, compliment the home. Tell them that their house is elegant or cozy or has curb appeal. ● Mirroring interests - Are they college football fans? Do they have dogs? Are they raving about the pasta salad they just made for lunch? Share how you relate with your own favorite team or recipe or dog story. Also, beware of these things that could sabotage your first encounter with the homeowners: ● Lack of focus - Do you have a tendency to do other things such as checking your phone, checking emails, etc. while having conversations with other people? You can’t communicate effectively when you’re multitasking. To communicate effectively, you need to avoid distractions and stay focused. ● Inconsistent body language - If you say one thing but your body is saying another, you’ll lose your listener’s trust. If you’re fidgeting and avoiding eye contact, your potential customer won’t take you seriously. Be careful how you use nonverbal cues such as crossing your arms, avoiding eye contact, or tapping your feet. ● Ignoring nonverbal cues - Just as your body is capable of communicating, so is your listener’s. If you don’t pay attention to people’s nonverbal cues and listen to their words, your communications will be ineffective. Studies show that 55 percent of our intent is delivered through nonverbal cues. Think facial expressions, gestures, and postures. Pay attention to these cues, too. They say more than words. ● Not Listening - The truth is, we all love hearing ourselves talk. However, real communication happens when you listen more than you talk. If you want to communicate effectively, you have to speak less and listen more. During the Tour Once the owners offer to show you around, pay close attention. This is your time to understand what they place value on, what their favorite memories are, and how they feel about moving as a whole.
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During the tour, pay attention to what the prospects say about each part of the house and how they seem to feel about it. Do not take out your phone and snap photos yet, or make it seem that this initial tour is for any other purpose but to see the home and listen to their stories. Talking about the home at this juncture should be done carefully and with respect for their time in it. Whatever you do, DO NOT criticize anything out loud, even if the walls are pink and the floors are kelly green. Even if they say disparaging things about the house themselves, refrain from joining them. Here are a few things to say if the house is not what you expected: “Your house has a lot of character and great features. With the right touches, it will attract lots of buyers.” “You guys put a lot of thought into decorating and loving your home! I’m sure new owners will do the same thing.” “The best houses have personal touches, and yours definitely does. It will be easy to show buyers how to make it their own, too.”
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PART 3: THE LISTING SALES PRESENTATION
The moment of truth has arrived, and you are ready to give your listing presentation to the homeowners. Be ready, be charismatic and knowledgeable — and guard yourself against possible challenges and errors. Transitioning to the Listing Presentation After you’ve built a good rapport with the owners and toured the entire home, it’s time to get ready for the listing presentation portion of the appointment. It’s important not to rush this part of the process. Getting to know the owners and the home is important. For a seamless transition that feels natural and not overly “salesy,” try some of the following prompts to get the owners to settle down at the kitchen table, dining room or other logical place to listen to your presentation. “Why don’t we all sit at the kitchen table, and I’ll show you some of the ideas I have for how to market and sell your home?” “If you’re both ready, let’s sit down together and go over what I have in mind for selling your home.” “I have some ideas I would love to go over with you both about how to make your home stand out in the current market.”
“Let’s sit down and talk about how to sell this puppy!” Don’t Need a Presentation? Try a Two-Sentence Close
In some cases, the full listing presentation is not necessary. That’s when I do what I like to call the two-sentence close, if they're ready to list with you. If they're not interviewing somebody else and they're committed to working with you after you've built rapport and looked at the home, they might be anxious to get started. So, you can ask two questions before you pull out your tablet or laptop, whatever it is that you use for your listing presentation, and see what they have to say. If they say yes, just list the home!
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If they say no or that they are interviewing other agents and want to see what you have to say, then continue the listing presentation as planned. Here’s what I'd recommend saying before you pull out your listing presentation: “My goal is to sell your home for the most money possible in a timeframe that is acceptable to you. Does that sound good to you?” After you say it, be quiet. Look them in the eye and wait for the answer. If they say yes, move on and list the home. Also, if they say yes, you’ll need to determine their motivation or the reason they need to sell their home. Try asking this:
“So tell me again, how soon do you want to sell?”
The reason you're asking this question is that you want them to elaborate on why they need to sell. It can be a bummer if they aren’t motivated, but truthfully, if they are ready to get started, they’re probably motivated. They may respond with something like, “We just got a job relocation and we need to be out of here in two months, so we want to sell this thing ASAP,” or, “We're moving to a new home, and we already bought it, and we need to be out of here before the kids start school.” Whatever that answer is, connect with their reason and timeframe. Then say: “So, just to confirm, you need to sell within the next three months because you're relocating for a new job, is that correct?” That's when you pull out the listing agreement. Start with the smaller commitments. I wouldn't recommend you start with discussing your commission or the listing price because those are bigger obstacles to get through. Instead, start with the disclosure agreement, or just anything to “check off” on the list, because the further they get into the process, the more committed they are to listing with you and the harder it is for them to back out when they get to the commission or the listing price. Talking Points of the Presentation Even though you’ve prepared extensively for the presentation portion of your appointment, it’s important NOT to be too rigid and follow your slides or binder word for word. Be fluid and flexible as you share information. If you’re not excited about building from scratch, remember you can use the Smart Agents template for your listing presentation. It’s included with your Smart Agents membership, and it can make your life much easier.
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We’ve broken down the listing presentation template that we offer into five talking points. “The 5-Step Plan I Use To Achieve A Higher Selling Price” ● Promote your home to more buyers. ● Aggressive Marketing to make your home stand out from competing homes. ● Showcase your home with high quality, charming pictures. ● Help you improve your home’s curb appeal and staging so buyers fall in love. ● Aggressive Negotiating Strategies to ensure the buyer pays the highest price possible. Of course, you’ll add your own touch and tailor it to their particular home. Using the template as a visual guide, (or whatever you’ve put together) you’ll want to share the following information as you walk the owners through your presentation. Depending on what style of presentation you chose during Part 1 of this packet, you’ll likely have more on one topic than another. Market Analysis Stats and Numbers - What homes have sold for in their area (also known as a comparative market analysis, or CMA) ● How long homes are typically on the market before they sell. NAR® report states that most homes are on the market for about three weeks. ● Lifestyle Information- Schools, community populations, neighborhood amenities and other information you plan to share with buyers to make their homes more desirable. You may think that lifestyle information, such as surrounding schools and restaurants, is not as important to discuss when you’re dealing with sellers. However, it’s a good idea to share with sellers how you plan to make their homes more appealing by referencing desirable attributes about their locations — which could ultimately help them sell for more money in less time. Furthermore, according to NAR®, 64% of sellers view an agent’s reputation, honesty and trustworthiness and knowledge of the neighborhood as the most important factors in determining who they will hire. Campaigning for the Home Tell the owners more details about your strategy to showcase the home to potential buyers. Professional photos are a must -- share photos from your past marketing campaigns. If you hosted a bustling open house, include photos from that as well. Stress the importance of a hands-on marketing campaign, rather than simply putting a listing online and forgetting about it. Staging the home is another important part of the selling process, and there are slides in the Smart Agents template that highlight the importance of staging to help buyers imagine themselves living comfortably inside the home. Most home shoppers envision a fresh start. If buyers can picture
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themselves living in the home, the home will be easier to sell. This is known as “interior curb appeal,” where the eyes are drawn to inviting spaces and light, as well as to unique features. Each staged room has a purpose or suggested use. The home must feel new to reflect ease of upkeep. The goal is to create a clean, simple, and contemporary feel. Staging is effective in any market, in any type of property being listed. It applies equally to single-family houses, apartments, townhouses, and condos. Agents and sellers using this tactic have a greater chance of selling their properties for more money. Be sure to show the owners photos of homes that were staged appropriately and sold. Remind them that staging the home will: ● Distinguish it from the competition ● Attract top dollar from homebuyers ● Provide a visual edge over the competition Share these results from surveys conducted by Coldwell Banker and the National Association of Realtors®: ● Staged homes spent 50% less time on the market than homes that were not staged. ● Staged homes sold for more than 6% above asking price. ● A staging investment of 1% to 3% of asking price generates an ROI of between 8% and 10%. ● Homes staged prior to listing sold 79% faster than other homes on the market. Why You’re a Great Agent Highlight a few things about your success. You might include: ● Statistics on your own and your brokerage’s recent performance ● A few words about your brokerage
● Your real estate designations, if applicable ● Reviews from sites such as Google or Zillow
Price Advice It is important to note that at this point in the presentation (before the sale has been closed), you should tell the sellers a range of numbers that would be suitable as a price for the home, based on the CMA and state of the property. The exact listing price won’t be agreed upon until they sign a contract.
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Remember, YOU are Your Own Presentation A great listing presentation is more than just slides and photos and statistics. It’s how you deliver it. Here are some tips, inspired by Chet Holmes in his book The Ultimate Sales Machine, to keep the homeowners engaged, interested and hanging onto every word you say. I highly recommend Holmes’ book, particularly Chapter 8, for more great presentation advice. ● Keep Each Slide or Page Sweet and Short Don’t overload each slide with information. Stick to just a few bullet points. ● Move Quickly As you move through the slides in your presentation, the goal should be fewer than five minutes on each. The owners will get bored if you talk for too long about one topic! ● Blow Their Minds Statistics can be dull, but they don’t have to be. Choose statistics that will keep the homeowners raising their eyebrows. Sometimes a comparison can help as well. For example, if only 2 homes in the owners’ neighborhood sold last year, but 8 have already sold this year, highlight the year before to show the difference. ● Share a Story or Two Human beings enjoy stories, so try to incorporate at least one anecdote from your own experience into the presentation. ● Pique Their Curiosity You can keep your prospects suspenseful and curious by leading up to a conclusion. The conclusion could be a price a home sold for, the number of days it took to sell, or anything you think will grab their attention. ● Keep Text Catchy Any text on slides should be catchy and brief, not long-winded. ● Practice Confidence, Not Cockiness During your presentation, remain the relaxed and friendly person you were during the introduction and the home tour. They’ve already learned to like that person!
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● Focus on Them Always, always, reiterate how your strategies and history can help sell THEIR home. Make everything you say relate back to them.
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Mistakes to Avoid with Listing Presentations Don’t botch your whole presentation — or your whole listing appointment — by making one of
these rookie mistakes. Totally winging it
You might be tempted to wing some or part of the listing presentation and the appointment in general. Do not do this. If you do, you likely will not get the listing. In order to instill confidence in the sellers about your ability to sell their home at a fair price, you will need to be prepared. Practice every part of your presentation beforehand with friends and family. Not putting in the proper research If you go to your presentation without doing your homework, it’s going to be painfully obvious to the owners. Make sure you look up the proper information about their property, their neighborhood, and the local market. Not adapting to the homeowner’s communication style The most successful agents understand the need to be versatile in a presentation. The same delivery won’t work for every homeowner. Obviously, someone in their 50s responds to a different style of communication than someone in their 20s. Not only that, but one 30-year-old could have a completely different style of communication than another 30-year-old. Mentioning other agents or talking poorly about them There’s really no reason to mention anyone else when you give a presentation. Don’t craft your presentation around comparing yourself to other agents or talk about how anyone else markets their listings. Most importantly, never throw another agent under the bus and insult their work. If the seller starts bashing their previous agent or agents, refocus the conversation to talk about what you will do for them, not about what the previous agent did wrong. You can point out why the listing may have failed, but don’t mention anything personal about the agent's abilities or tactics. Making it too much about yourself instead of focusing on them A frequent misconception about listing presentations is that you are there to sell yourself. While you are showing a homeowner what you can do, your real focus should be on what you can do for them.
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Instead of focusing on yourself, talk about how your marketing and knowledge can work for their particular home sale. Paint a picture of how working with you will guarantee a stress-free, quick, and profitable sale. Show your past sales to back up your talking points, but don’t boast too much or make the presentation all about you. Keep the focus on the homeowner and their home. Not using enough visuals If you have too many numbers in your presentation or a lot of written-out data, your presentation is guaranteed to be a snore. Find a way to include your most important CMA statistics in simple charts or graphs. Make them colorful, too.
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Closing the Sale When it’s time to close the sale, don’t make the mistake of getting shy about it. A smart agent knows how to get that signature. Ask for the Sale A simple question to seal the deal is often effective. Try these examples: Example one: “I’ve really enjoyed seeing your home and meeting you. Are you ready to get started?” Example two: “This has been a great meeting. When can we begin the process of selling your home?” Example three: “Are you ready to make some money?!” Assume the Sale One powerful technique that many great salespeople insist upon is assuming the sale. For this technique, assume that your prospects have already agreed to work with you, and introduce another part of the process, such as returning with a photographer.
Try these examples:
Example one: “Now that we’re all in agreement, what day is best for me to bring my photographer out?” Example two: “Since we’re all on the same page, let’s pick a day to take some professional photos of your home.” Example three: “I’m glad we’ve agreed to work together. What’s a good day for pictures?”
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Objections - How to Handle Them Like a Smart Agent It is very important to practice how you’ll overcome objections. Most agents imagine how they’ll handle it to some extent. But scenarios don't always play out exactly how you expect in the actual moment. If you stumble even for a few seconds, or your answer isn’t 100% clear, you can easily destroy a homeowner's faith in your knowledge and ability to sell their home. Ideal objection responses are ones that fully speak to the prospect’s concerns. The best way to make sure you have a foolproof response to common objections is to practice them over and over again — preferably, with other people around. Ask a co-workers, friends or family members to play the role of the homeowner. Study your responses as much as your listing presentation. Your responses won’t be the same for every situation, but having a great handle on how you generally want to respond to different questions will ensure your a smoother presentation in real time. Pricing Objections One of the most common kinds of objections you will come across, a pricing objection occurs when the homeowners believe they can get more money for the home than what the market and the house itself will actually yield. If the owners want a price that is higher than what the home will sell for, they might argue for it a few different ways. Here are some replies to their arguments: Example One: "Another agent said he can sell it for more." What to tell them: “It's about the market. Agents don't decide what your home sells for; the market does. Take a look at the houses on the market compared to yours. The MLS data is the same for everyone, but some agents are just going to tell you whatever they think you want to hear.” Example Two: "Zillow has my home priced higher." What to tell them: “The Zestimate just takes statistics from the deeds of the houses in that area to get that price. They don't include the condition of the home or any upgrades you might be planning. They are almost
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always too high or too low. My CMA comes from a number of factors, from the MLS to the exterior and interior of the home. Appraisers will also look at recent sales in the area when they’re determining the value of your house.” Example Three: "We can list it for a higher price than that, then reduce the price if it doesn't sell later." What to tell them: “This strategy is likely to create problems. The original listing price is a vital part of selling your home. No one looking to buy a house is going to look at overpriced listings. A high price is going to lead to fewer showings, prospects and offers. The best opportunity to sell your house for the highest and best price is in the first two weeks that it’s on the market. So, by pricing the home for what you think it will sell for from the start, you will end up with more offers.” Commission Objections Some owners may ask you to lower your commission. When that happens, it’s best to properly illustrate why that would be a mistake for all parties. In fact, as many as 20% of sellers will say something like: “But another agent will list my home for a lower commission.” Many agents fold under pressure and negotiate their commission -- you should be ready for this objection so you don’t have to. Response one : Explain to them that you don't get the whole commission. A lot of owners have no idea how it works and won't bother to find out on their own. If you work for a brokerage, explain that your firm gets a portion. Also explain that they will almost always have to pay for a buyer's agent's commission as well. In other words, not wanting to pay for a commission hurts all sides of the deal. Say, "Buyers almost always have an agent. And you have to pay that commission. If you only work with buyers that don't have agents, you'll barely have any to choose from, if any." Response two: Reiterate how and why you'll sell the home for more money than they would as a FSBO, and refer to your commission as a fee for your professional services. Share this statistic from NAR®: “Eighty-two percent of sellers reported that their agents provided the lion’s share of [home selling] services.
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Response three: Remind them the importance of marketing. Even something as simple as professional photos for the listing makes the difference between a home getting sold and expiring. You want to convince them that your commission is worth it and will pay for itself almost tenfold. Say, "I'll have less money for our marketing budget if I accept a lower commission." Also tell them that homeowners are not saving money by getting a lower commission -- they are cheating themselves out of proper marketing and getting the home seen by more people. Here are a few stats from NAR®’s Center for Realtor Development to reiterate: ● Homes with high quality photography sell 32 percent faster. ● Homes with more photos sell faster, too. A home with one photo spends an average 70 days on the market, but a home with 20 photos spends 32 days on the market. ● For homes in the $200,000 to $1 million range, those that include high-quality photography in their listings sell for $3,000-$11,000 more. Response Four: Remind them that they will literally get what they pay for. If an agent is willing to take a cut in commission, he or she probably wasn't going to do the best job possible. Do those owners really want to be messing around with such a big task and hiring a cut-rate agent? It's too important for that. Having an agent like you who goes the extra mile for their listing is more than worth it. Timing Objections A timing objection refers to anything a prospect says to try to delay the sale. Be ready for these types of objections -- any stretch of time can mean losing the listing. Again, your goal is to get the signature right after the presentation is completed. Example One: “We/I need some time to think about it.” When this happens, you need to know what, specifically, they are going to think about. Once they tell you what’s giving them pause, whether it’s the listing price you proposed being too low, your commission being too high, or even the desire to “shop around” for another agent, you can deal then deal with the real objection more constructively. Keep asking questions, politely, until you arrive at their real objection. ● If it’s a price objection, reiterate the information from the pricing objection section. ● If it’s a commission objection, refer to the section above. ● If it’s the desire to speak to another agent, this often circles back to either price or commission, so you end up where you started. It is very unlikely that, at this point, the want
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to meet another agent will be based on anything but these reasons. Essentially, if they had wanted to work with a friend or acquaintance, you would not be there. Example Two: “We need to sleep on it.” If this seems to be another version of “We need some time,” revisit the techniques above. If, however, it is late in the evening by the time the listing appointment ends, you can say something like:
“Think how much better tomorrow morning will feel once you’ve made a decision!”
“You will sleep more soundly once this is out of the way.”
“Signing is the hard part. Get it out of the way now, and tomorrow we can get started on fun stuff, like helping you make money.” Example Three: “I/We need to pray about it/talk to our therapist/call my mother.” Again, this type of timing objective could be related to forcing delay, in which case you can revisit the true objection. Once in a while, though, you will encounter sellers who are spiritual in decision-making or want to talk it over with a trusted advisor. In those cases, try these replies:
“Let’s all pray together; this is important to me too.”
“Why don’t you go ahead and make that call, and I’ll wait here and go over our plans?”
Example Four: “We’ve decided the house is not ready.” If this isn’t a time delay, and the prospects are truly uncertain it’s the right time to list due to repairs/upgrades, you can say this: “You’d be surprised how little ROI you’d get for extensive remodeling and upgrades to this home. In a short time, we can make simple, inexpensive improvements that will make a difference. There are plenty of ways you can spruce up the home without remodeling the actual structure.” Let them know that according to Remodeling magazine, entry doors, manufactured stone veneer, garage doors, and siding are the top four ROI improvements, bringing in 84-101% ROI without breaking the bank. New patios or decks and updated windows are also good bets. And don’t forget about the outdoor living spaces — the right landscaping can have a 150% ROI or
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more. Some ways to cash in on outdoor projects include planting the right trees and bright flowers, keeping native plants, and adding appropriate lighting. _________________________________________________________________ Want more great reading about closing and conquering objections? Here are two books I recommend. How I Raised Myself from Failure to Success in Selling by Frank Bettger I mentioned this one earlier, and it’s worth mentioning again. In particular, check out the chapters called “How I Find the Hidden Objection” and “Seven Rules I Use in Closing the Sale.” Tested Sentences That Sell by Elmer Wheeler This one, published in the early 20th century and now in the public domain, is easy and fun to read with indispensable advice. It has a good section with even more tips about getting to the heart of objections. Here’s an excerpt of the book. It’s from one of my favorite chapters, titled “The Best-Looking Dotted Line Won’t Sign Itself.” Remember, if you’re a Smart Agents member, you can download the book for free on our site.
“The Best-Looking Dotted Line Won’t Sign Itself”
When the time comes for you to get action, do so in sixty seconds, before “sales-talk fatigue” sets in on him. The proof of the pudding is the dotted line! Watch for the “brass ring.” LIKE THE MERRY-GO-ROUND that gives you a chance on every complete circle to catch the brass ring, every sales cycle gives you many chances to get the prospect’s signature. Nell was the belle of the village and had many promising sweethearts, but one day she married the least wealthy, the homely fellow with a heart of gold perhaps, but with none in his pocketbook. When she was asked why, with all her attractive charms, she chose the poorest boy of all her beaux, she said, very sweetly, “He was the only one who asked me to marry him!” If you want a signature, ask for it! The technique of Getting Signatures The technique of getting signatures is not the sudden flash of an order pad or a gold-plated fountain pen. It is more subtle today.
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The Johns-Manville man gets “tactful action” when he asks the wife and husband, “Where do you prefer the spare room, in the attic or in the cellar?” (Wheelerpoint 4.) If they agree (which is seldom), the salesman wins; if they argue where it should be, he still wins, for no matter WHERE it will be finally, or who wins out, he gets the order! I have seen W. W. Powell, training director of the Hoover vacuum cleaner, bring on many a diplomatic close in this way: “You perhaps wonder why we call this our 150 model?” The prospect asks why, and Powell says: “Because you can own it for only one-fifty per week – that’s wonderful news, isn’t it?” If the woman informs him she doesn’t buy without consulting her husband, he says: “Why, $1.50 per week is only about two dimes a day. You spend that much for knick-knacks, don’t you?” Don’t Ask for Signatures – But “Approvals” So many people have “signed papers” and got into difficulties that the expression “Sign your name” is one to avoid. How much better it is to say: “Place your approval here, sir.” “This is the place for your O.K.” “Just put your initials here.” Don’t suddenly reach for a fountain pen. You’ll give your prospect a fright! Get the pen and order pad out EARLY in the sale, so that the prospect will be accustomed to seeing it. Get it into their hands, if possible. One Hoover man does it by putting dirt from the floor on the order pad and rubbing it with his pencil, saying: “Hear the grit? It is ruining your rugs.” He puts the pad and pencil into the prospect’s hands for her to “test” the dirt and hear the grit. The pad and pencil is “planted” early in the sale for the signature – for the time when the merry-go-round gets in line with the brass ring. Use “When,” Not “If” Never use the word “if” – say “when”! For instance: WRONG: “If you decide to buy, I’m sure you’ll enjoy it.” RIGHT: “When you buy it, you’ll enjoy it!” WRONG: “If you go for a demonstration ride ... “ RIGHT: “When you have a demonstration ride …”
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