A listing presentation is, at its heart, a sales pitch for your services. Having a refined and polished listing presentation is one of the most important tools in any real estate agent’s arsenal and can mean the difference between struggling and success.
Here are 25 ways to build or improve upon your listing presentation.
1. Introduce Yourself
As with any conversation, you should start by introducing yourself. Discuss your credentials, past successes, and real estate track record. Focus on professional information, but infuse it with your personality. If you are a brand new agent, explain your past work experience in terms of how it has bolstered your real estate skills. You are selling yourself as an expert, so now is not the time to be modest.
Pro Tip: Make sure any printed materials have the most updated version of your professional bio, including your years in the business, any awards you have won, and your current certifications.
2. Leverage the Power of Your Brand
The for-sale sign in the yard is an emotionally powerful image for any seller and they will want to know that the logo on that sign will bring them success. Whether you are with a brokerage or working on your own, you want to show your company has a demonstrated history of success, consumer brand awareness, and an arsenal of tools at your disposal.
Pro Tip: If you are licensed under a brokerage, they should have a presentation you can draw from that will explain their benefits. If you are independently licensed, you will need to build your own. Focus on your history, statistics that show your success, and examples of your brand marketing style.
3.Walk Through the Selling Process
Present a quick, easily digestible timeline of what to expect once they begin the selling process. This can also function as a framework for the remainder of your listing presentation. Talk through each step from choosing a REALTOR to the contract phase and explain how you will assist them.
Pro Tip: An infographic or numbered list is a great way to outline the selling process.
4. Explain Your Pricing Strategy
Getting the sales price correct is critical to a quick and successful sale. While you will need to gather more information to give them your recommended sales price later, walk them through your process of arriving at that number. Explain what factors do and do not affect the value of their home and how you will conduct the CMA. Acknowledge that it may be tempting to list with above market value to potentially get more for their home, explain the benefits of starting with a fair market value in terms of shortening time on the market and increasing interest.
Pro Tip: Be prepared to answer questions about what improvements do and do not raise the sales price, what your ballpark estimate is for their home, and similar questions. Arm yourself with a report of recent sales in their neighborhood.
5. Walk Through Your Pre-listing Steps
Set yourself apart from other real estate agents by explaining what you do to set a listing up for success before it is even officially on the market. Discuss the preliminary listing agreement, walkthrough and CMA, explain how you will prepare the listing with photography, staging, etc, and what “coming soon marketing” will be done to generate initial interest.
Pro Tip: This is a great time to show examples of “coming soon” marketing, property tour photography of your sold listings, or before and after staging photos.
6. Explain Your Marketing Strategy
Every potential seller will want to know what you will do to sell their home. When explaining your marketing strategy, it’s important to be detailed and specific. Present all the marketing you do in a time table or menu list format for maximum visual impact.
Tell them about the marketing you do for all listings, such as listing syndication to major sites and social media exposure, as well as any specialized marketing you plan to do for their listing. You will potentially be up against other real estate agents, so explain what you do that is exceptional.
Pro Tip: Once again, examples are key here. Bring statistics to showcase the effectiveness of your social media outreach, show property tour videos, and bring print marketing pieces they can touch.
7. Talk About What Will Happen When the Listing Goes Live
Now that you have gone over your pre-listing strategy, explain what listing with you will look like by detailing the timeline once the listing is officially on the market. Discuss online exposure, open houses, and showings, taking time to answer any questions they may have.
Pro Tip: This is a great time to highlight your level of service by outlining how often you will be in contact with them to give them updates and feedback regarding their listing. Make sure they know you will be at their disposal if they have any questions or concerns while their home is on the market.
8. Give an Overview of the Contract to Close
The final important timeline to go over is the contract to close. Break each step down in an easily digestible numbered list and explain how you will be facilitating or guiding each step. This will establish that you plan to be there for them through every step of the process and will help them to understand the full timeline for selling a home.
Pro Tip: As with the selling process overview, an infographic or timeline graphic works well as a visual aid.
9. Make it Personal
Having a rehearsed and polished listing presentation is an important tool for any real estate agent to master, but you should also be able to tailor your presentation for each potential client. Any details you know, such as their timeline, financial needs, emotional level about selling, and their motivation for moving should be taken into account and addressed during your presentation.
Pro Tip: During your phone call to confirm the listing appointment, ask a few brief questions about their needs and motivation and take notes.
10. Ask them Questions
While this is technically a sales presentation, it’s important to make your potential clients feel like they are part of a conversation, rather than being talked at. If you were unable to speak with them about their motivations beforehand, start the presentation by asking them why they want to move. Periodically pose clarifying questions and check in to see if they have any questions or concerns about anything you’ve gone over to keep them engaged.
Pro Tip: Prepare a mental list of questions to ask potential sellers and draw from that for each presentation.
11. Demonstrate Your Abilities
It is important to back up any claims you make with proof. If you say that you can sell their home fast and for top dollar, demonstrate that with statistics on listings you’ve recently sold, breaking out days on market and listing versus sold price. Show a list of homes you’ve listed and sold in their neighborhood if you are claiming to be a neighborhood expert. If professional photography or complimentary home staging are part of your package, provide examples of those.
Pro Tip: While visuals are important, you should be able to recite details and statistics with confidence.
12. Discuss the Current Local Market
Showcase your local knowledge by going over current market statistics. Is it a buyer or seller market? What is the current inventory of homes for sale?
Share market details specific to their neighborhood as well. Are there any obstacles, such a large number of foreclosures or rentals that could affect their market value? Are they up against new construction? If so, explain how you plan to overcome these obstacles.
Pro Tip: Bring an analysis of homes sold in the last year in their neighborhood. Walk them through days on market and listing vs sold price. Highlight any recently sold properties that are similar to theirs for comparison.
13. Talk About What Sets You Apart
There is a strong possibility that you will not be the only real estate agent they speak to, so it’s important to distinguish yourself from the rest of the pack early in your presentation and continuously drive that message home throughout your time with them.
Is client satisfaction your passion? Are you a tenacious negotiator? Is your marketing the best in the business? Define your unique value proposition and back it up with each step of your presentation.
Pro Tip: Take time to craft your unique value proposition and make it part of all your branding as an agent.
14. Practice on Real People
It can be tempting to hammer through memorizing your listing presentation alone, and this can be useful in the beginning. But, once you feel you’ve got your presentation down pat, try it out on others to get feedback and learn how to be flexible.
A trusted colleague can offer advice on how to make it more effective and friends or family who are not in the business can alert you to any industry jargon you are using that you might need to better explain. Presenting to an audience will also help you build confidence.
Pro Tip: Instruct your test audience to interrupt you, ask questions, and be demanding. Learning how to respond to those issues in practice will help you stay unruffled and on track if it happens in real life.
15. Be Confident in Your Knowledge
You are a licensed industry expert and it is important to exude that confidence when giving a listing presentation. Real estate is a “fortune favors the bold” industry. Arm yourself with in-depth knowledge about the market and the latest in real estate tools and marketing. The more information you have the less likely you will be derailed by a question you don’t know the answer to.
Pro Tip: If you need to bolster your confidence, Forbes recommends affirmations, coaching, constant learning, and “remembering your why” as great confidence builders for real estate agents.
16. Don’t Neglect an Emotional Appeal
Your listing presentation will be full of data, steps, and facts and can come off as a cold sale if you are not careful. Make sure to inject some emotional appeal, to give it warmth, and ensure they will remember you after you walk out their door. If you leave them with the feeling that you are on their side and understand their needs and motivations, they will be more likely to choose you. As Maya Angelou said, “I've learned that people will forget what you said, people will forget what you did, but people will never forget how you made them feel.”
Pro Tip: Be sure to take the temperature of the room as you present and modify your presentation or change tactics based on the mood.
17. Eye Contact and Conversation are Key
If you spend the whole presentation glued to your notes and your slides, your prospective clients will zone out and become disengaged. Make sure to maintain a conversational level of eye contact and to engage them in conversation.
Be professional but don’t be afraid to inject a little brevity to lighten the mood. Make them feel at ease and show yourself to be approachable and personable.
Pro Tip: If they ask a question, stop what you are doing and give them your full attention. Be sure to answer completely before returning to your prepared presentation.
18. Leverage the Power of Reviews
If you have glowing client reviews, a listing presentation is a great place to utilize them. A study by Search Engine Land found that 88% of consumers trust online reviews as much as personal recommendations. Whether you have video testimonials or written reviews, take a moment to show them to your prospective client to highlight your track record of client satisfaction.
Pro Tip: Include any written reviews you wish to highlight in the leave-behind materials for your prospective client to refer back to. Provide a link to any video reviews so they can be watched again.
19. Dress for Success
We’ve all heard the adage “dress for the job you want” and this is no exception. It is important to dress professionally. Business attire will tell your prospective clients that you are there to conduct business and should be taken seriously. You only get one chance to make a first impression, so make sure your look inspires confidence.
Pro Tip: Inject your personality into your outfit, but try to avoid distracting elements or accessories that might pull focus away from your presentation.
20. Posture and Body Language are Important
More than 50% of your communication is body language. Your posture, the positioning of your arms and shoulders, and your overall expression will convey as much as or more than the words you are saying. Stand or sit tall with shoulders back and chin up to convey confidence. Keep your expression open and friendly. Use hand gestures to drive home points you want to make. Make sure that your body is conveying the same message as your words.
You should also tune in to the body language of your prospective clients. What are they telling you? If they are leaning back and disengaged, stop talking at them and draw them in with a question. If their arms are crossed, they may be feeling distrustful or defensive.
Pro Tip: Practice your listing presentation in front of a mirror or record yourself to check your body language and make sure you aren’t sending mixed messages.
21. Prep Yourself for Objections
Objections are a natural part of any sales presentation. No matter how aggressively they are presented, don’t let them fluster you. Remain calm and confident and answer each objection with a positive expression.
If they want you to reduce your commission, explain why you deserve to be paid fairly by reiterating all the work you will be doing to sell their home. If they think their home is worth more than your initial estimate, ask follow up questions to identify if this is a need-based (I need x amount of money from this sale) or an emotion-based (I love this house and I think it’s worth more) objection and answer accordingly.
Pro Tip: Keep a running list of objections you have received during listing presentations or ask other REALTORS what objections they have had to field. Roleplay with a friend or colleague to practice answering them.
22. Stand Your Ground
A prospective client is out to make the best deal possible and the most money, and that is understandable. However, this can lead to some individuals wanting to haggle. They may have unrealistic expectations of your time commitments, want you to pay all costs out of pocket or expect you to drastically reduce your commission.
Agreeing to every demand will not do you any favors in the long run. You might win the listing, but you could find yourself unable to fulfill a commitment to them, which will lead to client dissatisfaction and possibly being fired.
It is far better to stand your ground and be pleasant but firm in your reasoning. You are the industry expert and have reasons why you do the things you do and should be properly compensated for your work.
Pro Tip: Once again, practice makes perfect. Roleplay this scenario to get used to saying no and backing it up with reasons.
23. Always Give Your Close
Even if you feel the listing presentation isn’t going well, always offer your close. Do not abruptly end your presentation, see the pitch through to fruition. You could be misreading signals with an introvert or the prospective client could be testing you to see how you handle their questions and objections.
By remaining positive and finishing strong, you could still win the listing. Never miss that opportunity. Treat every presentation as if it were a success and finish strong. At the very minimum, it will be one more chance to polish your listing presentation.
Pro Tip: Include action items in your closing pitch. Ex: When would you like to schedule the walkthrough and full CMA?
24. Take Notes After Each Presentation
Good or bad, every listing opportunity will teach you something. After each presentation, take a moment to decompress and take notes on the experience and what you learned.
Jot down any new questions or objections you fielded. How did you answer them? How were they received? Was there a part of your presentation you stumbled over? Use this information to further practice and hone your overall performance.
Pro Tip: Refer back to your notes before each new listing presentation so that those lessons will be fresh in your mind.
25. Send a Thank You Note
Whether you won the listing, are still waiting on a final decision, or were not selected, handwrite a sincere note to thank them for the opportunity to present to them. They will remember that you did, and it will leave them with a positive feeling about you. A simple card could lead to opportunities in the future.
Pro Tip: Keep a stack of thank you notes in your car and write one as soon as you leave the listing presentation. Drop it in the mail the same day.
Crafting your own listing presentation can be intimidating, but by honing your content, refining your presentation skills, and practicing for interruptions and objections, you can become a pro at winning listings.
If you are looking for a brokerage that will nurture and support you, we would love the opportunity to speak with you. For great inspiration and ideas, be sure to check out our blog on 30+ Real Estate Podcasts for Agents.
