25 Tips for Winning Real Estate Listing Presentations

By Jessie Trapp, Marketing Coordinator 

Coffee snob or not, I bet you’d admit there isn’t really that much fundamentally different between the offering of your favorite local coffee shop and that of the Starbucks around the corner. You can count on them both having coffee, tea, a selection of cookies, and maybe even a croissant or two. So, what is it that makes you favor the local shop day in and day out? Odds are, it’s the customer experience it provides you with from the moment you arrive until the second you leave.

The barista at the local shop knows your name, the chairs are comfy, your favorite band is playing through the speakers and the coffee mugs fit in your hand just right. Sure, you could go to a Starbucks and leave with a (debatably) comparable cup of coffee, but you won’t get the warm fuzzy feeling that the local shop provides – that sense of connection that we’re all searching for in the crowded consumer space we’re faced with today.

We’d argue that your real estate listing presentations serve as your first major chance to set yourself apart from the generic “Starbucks” of the real estate world. This requires that you not only show sellers what services you offer (as any agent can do that), but that you give them a glimpse into what the entire home selling experience will look like with you from start to finish, warm fuzzy feeling and all.

Here are our top tips for creating real estate listing presentations that will give you an edge and convince sellers to list with you time and time again:

Personalize.

1. Start from scratch. No two clients are alike. Each has their own wants, needs, and dreams, making it essential that you tailor your listing presentations to them accordingly. Instead of using the same presentation outline over and over again, start fresh. Sure, it’s probably efficient to add in a few of your pre-made slides that are relevant cross-clients, however striving to build the majority of your presentations from scratch will force you to do so with your specific clients in mind.

2. Snap a pic of the home. If the house hasn’t been listed on the MLS in the past few years, it’s your time to shine. Hire your go-to professional photographer to grab a snap of their home ahead of time. Not only will including it in your presentation add a nice personal touch, but it’s also an opportunity for you to give your prospects a glimpse into the high-quality resources you’ll utilize to sell their home.

3. Add rich media. Record a video for your clients detailing what you love about their listing and why you’re so excited to work with them. Pop it into your listing presentation before sending it/presenting it to them to give them a personalized experience from the very moment they open the prez.

4. Don’t use real estate lingo. The real estate industry tends to use a lot of acronyms – CMA, FSBO, MLS, FMV – the list could go on and on. Chances are, the majority of the population has no clue what these mean, which makes using them a great way to make your clients feel more like they’re sitting in a chemistry lecture rather than a listing presentation. Avoid this industry jargon in your presentations and instead use common language that even someone completely new to the world of real estate will understand, at least at first.

5. Know the home. Find out as much as you possibly can about the property prior to giving a listing presentation. This should include info such as:

• The square footage of the home
• Total acreage
• The room and bathroom totals
• Any notable history about the home
• The most popular restaurants/parks nearby

6. Do your research. Familiarize yourself with the market. Consider going beyond the data and physically visiting a few of the comparable properties in the area to better prepare yourself to answer any related questions your clients may have.

Make the best first impression.

7. Show up early. The best way to make a bad first impression is by showing up to the presentation appearing frazzled and rushed. Instead, show up at least 15 minutes early and wait in your car. This will give you time to breathe, gather your thoughts, give yourself a pep talk, and enter the house feeling ready to win business.

8. Dress like a winner. Love it or hate it, your personal brand and how you present yourself is closely correlated to your ability to win listings. Dress professionally, modern, and maybe even add a little flare such as bright dress socks or fun earrings to help you stand out.

9. Smile. You might be nervous, and your mind might be going in a million different directions, but do your best not to show it. Smile so you come across as calm and accessible.

10. Project confidence. Even if you’re asked a question that totally catches you off guard, don’t let it hinder your ability to appear confident.

11. Be honest. Sometimes when you’re put on the spot, it can be tempting to sugarcoat things in order to please or impress the people sitting across from you. This usually doesn’t end well, so make sure to be honest and upfront about everything. Share the good and the bad, and be productive with your advice.

12. Be positive. Don’t talk poorly about your fellow agents. Keep it positive, and you’ll likely receive the same respect in return.

13. Use the right title. Don’t refer to yourself as a Salesman, as the first thing clients will think of is their local car dealership. Instead, refer to yourself as a trusted consultant. This will imply that you are there to assist, guide, and inform them.

Come prepared.

14. Ask questions. Sellers want to feel heard by you. Come with a list of thoughtful questions to ask them in order to demonstrate that you truly care about their personal wants and needs.

15. Let them ask questions. Instead of breezing through your presentation, pause and give them chances to interject and ask questions throughout.

16. Bring the value from the get-go. Arrive at the meeting with a list of low-cost repairs that will quickly increase the value of the home. These suggestions might include:

• Painting over small flaws in the current paint
• Replacing any outdated light fixtures
• Cleaning out any cluttered areas
• Staging the main living areas

17. Be informative, not aggressive. We’ve all experienced a sales agent so pushy that we left the interaction no longer wanting to purchase a product or service simply because of that negative experience. Be helpful, kind, and informative, but don’t lay on the pressure. Let your work and preparedness speak for itself to win clients over.

18. Illustrate your qualifications. Love it or hate it, prospects care about your reputation so be sure to show up prepared with visuals that demonstrate it. From testimonials, to awards that you’ve won at your brokerage, make sure to let clients know you’re the real deal.

19. Prepare for objections. If you’ve done real estate listing presentations before, you know things don’t always go as planned. There’s no way to know exactly what sellers are going to ask, and what kind of information they’re going to want to know from you. This is where the importance of having a reliable real estate CMA tool comes into play. Make sure your tool is one that allows you to respond to questions and objections on-the-fly and provides your clients with reliable data.

20. Give them a process overview. Particularly for clients who have never sold a home before, the entire process can be confusing and a bit daunting. Make a list complete with an overview of what the experience will look like, and what kinds of strategies you like to use. Having a general idea of what to expect can quickly calm the nerves of sellers.

21. Give them an overview of your business. Do you often volunteer within the local community? Does your business sponsor the high school soccer team? Share it all with your clients, as every bit of good counts for something.

22. Bring a leave-behind. Bring along a few quality brochures or a printout version of the presentation to leave behind.

Post real estate listing presentations.

23. Follow up. Send them a handwritten note immediately after your presentation thanking them for meeting with you.

24. Gift. Including a small gift with your note definitely couldn’t do any harm, but be thoughtful about it. Do they have a dog? Get them a fancy dog biscuit. Are they total foodies? Get them a gift card to the newest local bakery.

25. Wait. While it can be tempting to call prospects the next morning after a presentation, sit tight and give them some more time to mull things over – but not too much time, as you want to stay top-of-mind. Consider checking in with them two days after the presentation to achieve both.

Real estate listing presentations are your time to shine. Looking for a best-of-breed CMA tool to help you make the most of it? We have a recommendation. Already using MoxiPresent? Learn how to make the most of it.