How to get better at real estate listing presentations
In this guide, I will run you through my top tips for improving your appraisal to list ratio.
Listing presentations are a part of your business you can improve. And quickly, too!
Small differences can make a massive difference to your results. Simply asking the right question at the right time could help you grow your real estate business in the months ahead.
Here are our top tips to instantly improve your listing presentations:
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Step 1. Lead with questions
Start by understanding your client's situation before you offer any guidance. Listen more than you talk, especially during the first 30 minutes of your initial meeting.
Use questions like:
"What would you like to get out of our meeting today?"
"What information do you need right now, to help you move forward?"
"Why have you decided to sell at this time? What will selling allow you to achieve?"
"What attracted you to your current home? What do you like most about living here?"
"Have you sold a property before? How did it go?"
"What are you looking for in a real estate professional?"
For more question ideas, check out this guide:
Andrew Duncan
2. Go at their pace
Is your client a 'driver' who is in a rush to make a decision? Then you better cut to the chase and get on their level quickly. Answering questions promptly and informatively.
On the other hand, if your client is an 'amiable' personality type then you will need to spend time building serious rapport before you start discussing commission rates and marketing plans.
It's critical that you understand the person you are dealing with so you can match their energy and cater your approach to suit their needs.
Learn more about the four key personality types here:
Brett Hardin
3. Sales is simply a transfer of energy
Are you excited and engaged when you are sitting in front of clients?
Or nervous, cautious and sceptical?
Top agents often have a favourite 'primer' song they listen to in the car before walking into an owner's home. This is usually a high-energy, uplifting tune which puts a smile on your face and gets you ready to go.
This tune would be top of my list right now:
For more energising music, check out the Agent Monday playlist on Spotify.
4. Video yourself
The absolute no.1 way to get better at listing presentations is to video yourself practising.
You can do this in the office. Ask a colleague or friend to roleplay with you and offer some pointers.
Even doing this just once will drastically improve your listings skills. Yes, it's hard to video yourself (and even harder to watch it afterwards). But ask yourself, how many commissions have you missed out on already by not practising the most important skill in real estate: presenting yourself to potential sellers?
5. Don't dash their hopes and dreams
It's common and understandable for sellers to have high expectations at the start of the selling process.
These expectations might even be unrealistically high and that's ok. It's human nature to see the best in our homes and believe they are better than all the competition.
Your job is to educate your client throughout the process, not to dash their hopes of a top price right from the start.
Owners want to hire an agent who believes in the potential of their home. They want an agent who can find the best buyer and who will use all their skills to try and secure their dream price.
At the same time, you don't want to mislead clients or to raise expectations of an unrealistic result, or you will end up with disappointed owners later on. So you need to traverse the fine line of realism, with the potential to be surprised.
Use words like:
"I'm a marketer, not a valuer. This is our appraisal range based on recent local sales, but now let's talk about how what steps we can take to beat that range if possible."
"We don't want to have any pre-conceived limitations on price. My job is to go out and get you the very best possible result."
"If that price is out there, we will find it."
Use the soft-close
Most sales trainers would argue that asking for the order is the no.1 thing you should do to improve your results. And I am inclined to agree.
But I also know that in the real world of real estate sales, when you get to the end of a tough listing presentation, asking 'When can we start marketing your home?' or 'I just need your signature here to get started' can feel a million miles away.
In reality, most agents leave their presentations without a signed listing form, resigned to wait for the owners to call once they have deliberated on their decision.
There is another way though, and that is the soft-close. These are questions which allow you to obtain some sort of commitment from an owner, without directly asking them to list with you.
Soft closes are a great way to demonstrate your sales skills to an owner while planting the seed that you are going to be their chosen agent. It's just a matter of time until they give you the official 'YES'.
Example soft-closes for your next listing presentation:
"Now that we have spent some time together, how would you feel about working with me?"
"When do you think your home would be ready for photographs?"
If the answer is soon, follow up with...
"Our photographer is so good they get booked out weeks in advance, would you like me to call them now to see when their next opening is so we can pencil you in?"
"I have been working with a buyer who I think could be perfect for your home. Would you like me to let them know a property like yours is coming on soon?"
"Would you like access to our approved list of tradespeople who can help you get your home ready for the market?"
"Do you need staging? Would you like me to check availability for you?"
The possibilities are endless. The idea is to ask them for permission to help, without directly asking for a signed listing. It's a lot harder for an owner to say no to hiring you if you have already added value to their sale process.
One final tip!
Always, always take your shoes off at the front door (unless it's a building site or a hoarder's home). Even if the sellers don't ask you to do it, taking your shoes off shows respect right from the start of the meeting. And great relationships are built on respect.
Before you go, check out this great video on confidence by Edwin Rakanui from biglifemindset.com
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