Real estate agent’s 8 steps to perfecting the pitch

A listing presentation that regularly wins clients selling their houses is one of the most important tools real estate agents can have in their arsenal. That is especially true in North Carolina’s fast-paced, competitive markets.

Referrals are becoming more and more important in winning new clients. According to refermeiq.com, more than 40 percent of sellers who use a real estate agent found their agent using referrals. Fewer people – both buyers and sellers – are interviewing agents, and more of those who do end up only interviewing one agent. 

So when you get the chance to make your listing presentation to a prospective client, you can’t afford anything but a home run.

Here are our eight steps to knocking your real estate listing presentation out of the park. 

Introduce yourself

Tell the prospective client who you are and, if applicable, the brokerage you work for. If you’re making the presentation in person, be sure to have your business card handy so they can have a copy of your contact information.

Lay the foundation for what you’d like to discuss

As you begin the presentation in earnest, outlining what you’d like to discuss and accomplish during the meeting will help the seller have an idea of what they can expect. All you need to do is hit a few main points:

• Learn about the seller and their home
• Talk about what the seller is looking for in an agent
• Share your market expertise and experiences
• Outline your marketing strategy
• Ask the seller if they have questions or concerns
• Discuss the next steps

Get to know the seller, their home, and what their expectations are

Now that you’ve laid out the roadmap for the meeting, let’s get into it. This is the time where you need to get to know the seller. A winning strategy here is to begin lightly before moving onto tougher questions. This portion of the presentation is especially key if you’re not acquainted with the prospective client because it’s your first opportunity to build a relationship with them.

Begin by asking them mostly about positive features. Some examples of questions are:

• What stuck out to you most about your house in the listing or when you first toured it?
• What improvement do you take the most pride in?
• What is your favorite room in the home?
• Do you have a favorite restaurant or store in the area?

Then you can begin delving into some of the tougher or more complex subjects. Some may be difficult to answer or take time for thought. It’s best not to rush or even guide a seller on these questions. Honest and thoughtful answers are important to learning their situations without making your own assumptions. Some examples of these questions are:

• Why are you moving?
• Is there anything you don’t like about your neighborhood?
• What kind of obstacles do you anticipate during this process?
• How firm are you on pricing your house?
• What is your timeline for moving?

Make your unique selling proposition 

Who are your services geared toward? How are you different from the competition, and how can you show that? Highlight your strongest metrics and how they compare to the rest of the market. 

For example, show how much higher your listings sell for, on average, relative to comparables in the area. Is your days-on-market average significantly lower than your competitor’s? Tell sellers! You can also highlight positive feedback you’ve received from past clients.

Present your competitive market analysis

Sellers may have an idea of what a competitive market analysis (CMA) is, but few have a firm grasp on how you develop it. Explain to the sellers how you come up with a pricepoint for a home. Show them the comparables, like the home in the neighborhood of similar size and features that sold a few weeks ago.

Public records and MLS can be used to pull together a large sample size. Show the sellers not just the comps that sold, but also the active and expired listings. You should have hard copies of this part of the presentation to leave with the sellers, or send them copies via email afterward. 

Tell the sellers a story

By this point, you’ve thrown a lot of numbers at the sellers — especially in the past few minutes. Having data to backup your claims is key. So is anecdotal evidence, which can drive home that you’re the right agent for the job.

You can accomplish this by putting together some testimonials. All it takes is one solid review and telling the story behind it. For a seller, hearing from other people in similar positions can oftentimes make them more likely to work with you. 

Detail your marketing strategy

Marketing is one of the best ways agents can set themselves apart from the competition. Let the seller know just how you’re going to get their house sold for the most money in the least amount of time.

That’s where Lighthouse Visuals comes in. We’re here to provide you with all the photography and videography tools to make your listings stand out in even the most competitive markets. Virtual tours allow buyers to click through every room of a house at their convenience. Our drone photo and video services are a sure-fire way to drive engagement online. We also offer HDR photography and sky replacement — two ways to make your listings simply stunning.

Plan the next phase

You’ve made it through your presentation. Be sure to ask the sellers if they have any questions before moving on.

They’ve had time to digest the information you’ve provided them. Hopefully the seeds of a working relationship are already growing. Before parting ways, even if the sellers aren’t ready to commit to working with you, do your best to schedule even something as simple as a follow-up phone call in the next few days.