Does it make sense to show sellers how you go above and beyond even before you meet? Would you care to learn a small sampling of what will set you apart from the competition? So many real estate agents today are missing the greatest tool for creating a raving fan and telling your story… It’s called the Pre Seller-Package!
So, Wade why would you implement this type of program into your business? I thought you’d never ask… Here are 6 benefits:
Makes the listing appointment easier.
Makes getting the signature easier (this alone should be worth it)
Builds your credibility as a realtor quicker.
Builds the rapport earlier.
Qualifies the client earlier than later.
Creates a lingering experience for the seller before you meet.
I love the idea of sending the prelisting package via courier, with your assistant or better yet, deliver it by hand yourself to the seller prior to your listing appointment and WOWing and awing them before your actual listing appointment. Who doesn’t like surprises at their door? Most realtors struggle with what they put in the package. AND… How should the package be presented? Here are some ideas to help you get started.
1.) Biography… Info on you 2.) Resume 3.) Info/stats on you and your company track record 4.) Samples of your marketing plan – all things you do 5.) Personal handwritten note or letter 6.) Testimonials 7.) Statistics and Reports 8.) Personal Guarantee – easy out listing agreement. 9.) Checklists 10.) Step-by-step process for listing with you and your company 11.) DVD’s – by trainer David Knox “How to Choose an Agent” “Preparing Your Home to Sell” “Pricing Your Home to Sell.” 12.) Popcorn and Pop (why not?) 13.) You can then package all this up into a gift basket or place all the items in a nice, branded vinyl envelope. Create a branded gift box or my personal favorite is Jack Cotton’s prelisting hard cover bound book with glossy paper, which is just first class. I recommend something that will impress your potential client upon arrival.
What do you think this type of package would do to your closing ratio for listing appointments? Or what would it do to your advocacy and sharing with others why they would choose you and your service? I challenge you… Dare to be different and rise above the competition without even saying a word.
Do you feel like you’re losing the listing more often than not? Do you find the sellers in a sellers’ market are interviewing more than one agent now to see what really is the highest price? Here’s what I tell all of my coaching members … whether or not you win the listing is based on ONE main factor… Your listing presentation. Mess up the presentation, and say good-bye to the listing. Rock your listing presentation, and say HELLO to a new listing! Some of you are saying right now… “a listing presentation”? Wade the 80’s called and they want their listing presentation back. Yes! A listing presentation. Every time you don’t do one you rob yourself of the greatest gift in real estate and that is the client after seeing what it is you do can now advocate and share with other people what it is you do and what makes you so different from the rest of them! How important is that?!
So today I thought I’d share some of my best tips to improve your listing presentation so you can finallyWIN the LISTING. Beat the competition. Have them tell your story and what makes You different from the rest.
Pre Listing Appointment #1.Practice!! Spend some serious time on what you will say and how you say it. Be planned and prepared and not overwhelmed and ineffective. Don’t practice on the client!
#2.Send a short video letting them know how excited you are to work and meet with them.
#3. Deliver a pre listing appointment package to their home before you meet. (Your bio, team members, steps to selling, marketing, testimonials, your personal stats, how you find buyers, personal guarantee)
#4. Pre appointment listing questionnaire call. (what price are they thinking, who else are they interviewing, expectations, past experiences, confirm the appointment and time, recent improvements, current mortgage)
Appointment #1. Know your customer – research them before you meet them. Google them or check for them on Facebook. Connect with them quickly and get them to like and trust you more by knowing a bit about them when you meet for the first time.
#2. Know the market, neighborhood, culture, and community. Have a really good idea of all the things the neighborhood offers, drive by the home before the appointment and find out all you can about their market area.
#3. Make sure you are in the right mindset– visualize speaking with your customers before meeting them. Get prepared and get ready to bring passion, energy and enthusiasm to the meeting and presentation.
#4. Tell the story– “I’ve been on 62 appointments and 58 people chose to work with me.” Share what others have felt when first meeting you and what they found it was like working with you after the process. Share examples of how you’ve helped customers in similar situations.
#5. You only have 22 minutes (attention span of average adult) to answer the questions… Why you? Why your firm? Why now?
#6. Don’t tell me… Show and sell me.Visuals and presentations have a far greater impact than just words!
#7. Close 3 times! One of my mentors Floyd Wickman said ask for the order not once, not twice but three times and increase your odds of getting the business every time.
#8. Don’t sell the steak but sell the sizzle. Every time you present always explain the benefits to them and not just the features. We buy the sizzle and not the steak!
#9. Explain to them the benefits to them of your listing presentation before getting started.“Mr. and Mrs. Seller let me take a few minutes to show you how I work There is a myth out there that all agents and all firms pretty much do the same thing and that is the furthest thing from the truth! When you see what it is I do, you then are able to hold me more accountable to the marketing of your home and be able to call me on anything you see that hasn’t been done or done to your satisfaction. How does that sound to you folks?”
#10. It’s Show time!You only get one chance. Make it your best presentation you can every time and don’t risk your fate and lose the business.
Bonus Tip…. “Seller wants to try it at their price.” Mr. and Mrs. Seller the issue of stigmatization with your home is something we need to avoid. When a buyer notices the first reduction then they just wait for the rest of the reductions. When the seller sees the listing has been on the market for more than average days then they wonder what is wrong. To avoid this we will place the home on the market for the first 3 weeks exclusively and we will market direct to the local agents and all their buyers to see the response. Then we will meet and review the response we get in the first 3 weeks to decide where we will come out to market on MLS in week 4. How does this sound to you?
There you have some tips and effective strategies on how to win listings in today’s market place and how to compete on a higher level and win the listing every time. Take time to share in the comments one thing you do that really helps get the listing every time!
Back in the early 90’s Colliers Encyclopedia sales training taught me the power of a process and presentation in sales will give you that competitive edge every time. If you wing it then you get “wing it” results! If you are planned, intentional and know what to say and how to say it then you are there to decide whether you like the client, their home and their motivation because you have their listing if you follow these steps. This week we follow step by step the competitive edge and winning the listing every time.
Phase 1 ( Let’s assume the request to meet has already come in )
Initial request call comes in
Pull Title
Pull old listing info off MLS system
Pull assessment data
Pull the CMA data
Prepare all the listing documentation (Checklist for all documents required)
Pre Listing Package delivered to client and all listing documentation for their review (Courier, You or Assistant delivers your pre listing package to the clients home in advance.)
Follow up call (Re Confirming the initial meeting, date, time, confirming they received pre listing package, confirming they read and gather items you need in the package for our first meeting together)
Pre appointment interview questionnaire (when, why, how, who)
Phase 2 Seller Process (1st time face to face)
FORD – Family Occupation Recreation Dreams. Take notes…(talk long enough connection in common)
Tour time (Nobody knows the home better than you, show me the home the way you want me to show it to the buyers) Take notes, photos, measurements (point out flaws clean, smoke, pets, repairs) Should I Question?
Pre-planned seller questions (Click Here to Download), recap summarize pre listing apt questionnaire responses
Educate benefits to them of the two-stop process versus a one stop agent process
Educate them on your appraisal process. Never assume they know all that is involved coming up with their price
Ask to not make any decisions before we meet again
Confirm the second stop appointment
Leave them with “thank you” chocolate bar, note pad, pens (Gift Swag Bag)
Phase 3 Seller Process (all decision makers must be present or wait to meet)
Small talk first (not about real estate) Never rush into business show that you care
Recap summarize our first meeting, ask if they forgot to tell you anything about their home when we first met
Tour again (if they just love touring me around)
Sit them down at kitchen table and do Listing Presentation
Sell them on the benefits to them of your presentation
Debunk the myth – all realtors and companies do the same thing
Get to see behind the scenes and know what is happening when it feels like nothing is happening
Hold you accountable, make sure it gets done and done right
22 minutes max ( BIGNESS, RESULTS, MARKETING, OHT’S) 5 mins per section
Close – If we can agree on price, do you see any reason why you wouldn’t list with me and company today
Pricing Presentation Time
Close – Sign up listing, pack up and head out
Phase 4 Seller Process ( First few days…)
Bouquet of flowers delivered to their home day one of listing
Listing Marketing Checklist implemented
Sign, Photos, Feature sheet completed
Business cards with mini MLS listing Avery sticker label on back of your cards. (50 cards to seller and tell them to hand them out and help you help them to sell their home)
Deliver all copies of listing documentation (value in physical delivering)
Build Sellers homework book with the sellers (dining room table) survey plan, utilities, tax notice, neighbors, transit, schools (Bind up nicely, master copy sticker, place on dining room table)
So there we have it. The step by step process and the competitive edge for competing for a listing in a competitive low inventory marketplace. Love to have you share in comments some of the ways that you compete at a higher level for listings in today’s market place and feedback on this week’s topic!
Want an edge for winning the listing prior to the appointment?
