[Best of 2022] Tips for Growing the Listing Side of Your Real Estate Business
We're continuing an annual tradition of counting down our top 10 articles of the year. The following article was originally published in March and is #8 in our countdown. See #9 here. Building the listing side of your business will help you become a more balanced agent that can thrive in any market, whether it's favoring buyers or sellers. Here are essential tips that can help agents expand their listing services to grow in their markets. How to Get Started When you want to begin expanding your listing services, your online presence is a great way to start. Building new landing pages marketing your listing services on your website will help you create a resume for your seller leads. Giving sellers strong content to engage with will present you as a reputable listing agent with insight, experience, and market knowledge. Website Landing Page Ideas to Attract Sellers: Home Renovations to Increase ROI Seller Tips for (Year) Local Market Reports Seller Testimonials Essential Home Selling Guide Glossary of Home Sale Terms Things to Expect When Selling Your First Home How to Prepare a Home for Listing Another option for kickstarting your listing services is to organize your CRM based on client needs. Tagging your clients and leads as sellers and buyers allows you to leverage bulk actions when following up with your network. This gives agents the chance to begin sending out targeted engagement to seller leads in their CRM. #ProTip: Don't forget to reach out to buyers that you worked with in the past in case they're ready to re-enter the market as sellers! Tips for Building a Solid Listing Presentation When growing the listing side of your business, you'll need to master listing presentations. Listing presentations are where agents pitch their services to a potential seller. Successful listing presentations result in being hired by the seller, meaning you just converted a new client. The listing presentation is the agent's chance to prove to the seller why they are the best decision for the job. Use these five tips when building your listing presentations to improve your conversion rate and stand out from competing agents. #1. Include a Bio and Noteworthy Stats In most cases, the listing presentation serves as the first introduction between sellers and agents. You want to make a strong first impression, and that means including a bio and noteworthy career highlights in your listing presentation. Make your career bio a short "about me" introduction to set the stage for the listing presentation. It's a good idea to include your best real estate stats, like annual production volume and sales data, to prove your statement — that you're the best choice for the job. #2. Add a Detailed Marketing Plan Sellers want an agent that can leverage a robust marketing strategy when selling their home. Instead of just saying that you can sell the home, prove it to them by providing a detailed marketing plan. Explaining the steps you will take to attract buyers will build trust with the seller and give them a preview of the services they'll have access to once they sign you on as an agent. #ProTip: Remember to include your social media channels here so the seller can explore your pages and follow you. #3. Provide Content for Your Audience Whether you're giving your listing presentation in person or online via video call, your audience should have something in hand to keep their attention and provide more information. Give your audience something to follow along with. For a live presentation, consider bringing a printed worksheet with additional tips. For an online presentation, send a PDF with supplemental information in advance. Not only does this keep your audience engaged, but it also gives sellers something to walk away with that has your brand on it. #4. Include a Local Market Recap Show sellers your value as an agent by including a brief market recap in your listing presentation. This introduces you as a data-backed agent that can recommend informed seller strategies based on real-time market data. Include data like: Whether the market is favoring sellers or buyers Average days on the market Average listing price Inventory levels Buyer demand #ProTip: Don't forget to include a few comments on what trends are popular in your local market. For example, if buyers are paying more for recently renovated kitchens or if sellers are waiving a certain contingency to win buyers. #5. Bring in Client Testimonials The listing presentation is a great place to introduce client testimonials. This strategy shows sellers that you have a good reputation with your past clients while giving them a preview of what it's like working with you. #ProTip: Instead of having one portion of the presentation only about testimonials, include them throughout the presentation. Select client feedback that is relevant to what you're talking about and use the testimonials to back up what you're saying. When you're talking about ways to generate buyer leads to sell a home quickly, it's a good idea to include a testimonial saying how a seller was thrilled at how fast you were able to secure an offer. 5 Easy Ways to Generate Seller Leads Targeted Facebook Ads Email Marketing Campaigns Specifically for Sellers Invest in Advertising in Local Newspapers and Magazines Find Sellers at Open Houses Work with BoomTown! To view the original article, visit the BoomTown blog.

Guide to Delivering a Winning Listing Presentation
Some would say that a winning listing presentation is your one chance to create a first impression with real estate clients. A recent study suggests that over 97% of buyers look for properties online and are searching online for up to 90 days before even contacting a real estate agent, as per another Google statistic. If that is the case, once you get to the kitchen table, it's almost too late. So what is the goal of a listing presentation, and how do you create one that makes a real impact? The truth is, most of your competitors see this as an opportunity to talk about themselves. Some may even feel like they have to "sell themselves." But I'll let you in on a secret: that's not what your customer is looking for at all. Have you ever had a piñata at your birthday party? You are blindfolded, handed a stick, and told to swing at a paper mâché figure that is hanging somewhere in front of you. You swing at it with all your might while being shouted at from every direction. All the while, the target is being pulled and bounced out of your reach. All you really want is for someone to tell you exactly what to do to get to the candy. This is what it feels like to buy a house. A winning listing presentation is your chance to tell the customer exactly what to expect, and how you can make the process less painful. In short, it's about taking off the blindfold. Start Before You Arrive What you do before you get to the kitchen table can be the most important part of any winning listing presentation. Having a solid pre-listing process is key. Start by asking some critical questions: Will all of the decision-makers be present? What are their expectations? Have they met with others, or are they meeting with others after you? These are relevant questions in the real estate world. Next, give them some homework. Provide them with an action plan—a checklist for each room, with suggestions as to items that may need to be cleaned, decluttered and repaired. This sets the tone that selling a home is a team effort and they will need to actively participate in the process. Lastly, provide them with sample listing agreement documents. Highlight the sample clauses and terms and note that these will be the items you will be discussing. Give them a chance to read and prepare ahead of time. Pre-appointment Checklist Cover letter – Introduction to you, your brand and what you do Testimonials – Quotes from past clients Seller's Action Plan – Prep work for the customer to complete Sample Forms – Highlight clauses and terms that will be discussed Have a Plan Every great story has a beginning, a middle, and an end. A winning listing presentation follows the same formula. Having a system keeps you on track. First, tour the home. Ask lots of questions and listen closely to the answers. Take notes. This is your chance to learn the seller's motivations, concerns, and timing. Next, set expectations as to what you need to discuss and the items you will cover. This is where you explain your WHY, your values, and how you do business. Resist the urge to jump right into the comparable sales or the marketing – this is important stuff! But, this is your opportunity to set expectations for how you work, your communication style, and what your past clients say about you. Be prepared to discuss stats and numbers. Your competitors will also show comparable sales, so come equipped with more information. You should compile your own stats, such as your average list to sale price ratio vs. local average, or even your average days on market vs. other listings. Present these as case studies or visually for the most impact. Remember, you are educating the sellers on the real estate market trends at this stage. You aren't just promoting yourself. This is where you start to set expectations about the local market, inventory, pricing trends, and days on market. Include your real estate industry partners — stagers, home inspectors, professional photographers, contractors, pest inspectors, lawyers, mortgage reps — the list goes on. You won't be helping them navigate the sale of their home alone — you have a team of people who will assist them too. Each of them plays a really important role. Once you have explained the value of great photos and visuals, it's a good time to explain the ways you'll be marketing the home to get the maximum number of eyeballs on it. Include examples from previous sales. Because the potential buyer is likely looking at the listing online, explain the value of a virtual showing experience. Features like floor plans will help the buyers emotionally move into the home, even before seeing it in person. Remember the piñata? At this stage in the conversation, show them a sales process flowchart, outlining all of the steps in selling a home. Include everything that could happen along the way. Take the time to educate the seller not only on all of the potential challenges along the way, but also what your role will be in helping them navigate each one. Don't forget the details. Keep in mind that most people don't sell a house every day, so they'll need a refresher on the showing, offer, and negotiation process. Lastly, a winning listing presentation needs to include your pricing strategy. Outline how and why you will suggest pricing the home above, below, or at market value. Once you have talked about pricing strategies, it's time to show them their competition in the market. Prepare your CMA (Comparative Market Analysis) to showcase all of the recently sold properties in the area. Then show them what is currently on the market, and how it is similar or different to theirs. Take a look at the prices. Here is where your neighborhood experience and expertise come into play. Your goal is to show them where in the spectrum their home would fall, and why. Presentation Checklist Home Tour – Refer back to the Seller's Action Plan Stats and Numbers – Local factors that might affect the value Vendor Partners – Stagers, photographers, carpenters, etc. Marketing Examples – Include visual samples The Sales Process Flowchart – Map out the selling process Pricing – Identify your suggested strategy Comparative Market Analysis (CMA) Listing agreement documents and sample offer documents Follow Through Once you have discussed the price, the time has come to look at the listing agreement documents and get started on the signing process. This is also where you explain how you are paid for the work that you'll do. So, it's important that you explain this. Your seller may have some objections, but the key to objection handling is to be prepared. Create a list of common objections you've encountered, and be ready to validate and respond to them. Consider each question as an opportunity to educate and set expectations. After all, the more you educate them on the process and your role along the way, the fewer objections you will face. Remember, the key to a winning listing presentation is to look at it as an opportunity to educate your sellers. Do your homework and be prepared with your system ready to go. Demonstrate your value as a real estate agent, not by "selling yourself" but by explaining how you will contribute with your experience in every step of the transaction. And lastly, go the extra mile by looking for ways to do what your competition isn't doing. This is what will truly set you apart and help you create and deliver a listing presentation that wins each time! To view the original article, visit the iGuide blog.

Tips for Growing the Listing Side of Your Real Estate Business
Building the listing side of your business will help you become a more balanced agent that can thrive in any market, whether it's favoring buyers or sellers. Here are essential tips that can help agents expand their listing services to grow in their markets. How to Get Started When you want to begin expanding your listing services, your online presence is a great way to start. Building new landing pages marketing your listing services on your website will help you create a resume for your seller leads. Giving sellers strong content to engage with will present you as a reputable listing agent with insight, experience, and market knowledge. Website Landing Page Ideas to Attract Sellers: Home Renovations to Increase ROI Seller Tips for (Year) Local Market Reports Seller Testimonials Essential Home Selling Guide Glossary of Home Sale Terms Things to Expect When Selling Your First Home How to Prepare a Home for Listing Another option for kickstarting your listing services is to organize your CRM based on client needs. Tagging your clients and leads as sellers and buyers allows you to leverage bulk actions when following up with your network. This gives agents the chance to begin sending out targeted engagement to seller leads in their CRM. #ProTip: Don't forget to reach out to buyers that you worked with in the past in case they're ready to re-enter the market as sellers! Tips for Building a Solid Listing Presentation When growing the listing side of your business, you'll need to master listing presentations. Listing presentations are where agents pitch their services to a potential seller. Successful listing presentations result in being hired by the seller, meaning you just converted a new client. The listing presentation is the agent's chance to prove to the seller why they are the best decision for the job. Use these five tips when building your listing presentations to improve your conversion rate and stand out from competing agents. #1. Include a Bio and Noteworthy Stats In most cases, the listing presentation serves as the first introduction between sellers and agents. You want to make a strong first impression, and that means including a bio and noteworthy career highlights in your listing presentation. Make your career bio a short "about me" introduction to set the stage for the listing presentation. It's a good idea to include your best real estate stats, like annual production volume and sales data, to prove your statement — that you're the best choice for the job. #2. Add a Detailed Marketing Plan Sellers want an agent that can leverage a robust marketing strategy when selling their home. Instead of just saying that you can sell the home, prove it to them by providing a detailed marketing plan. Explaining the steps you will take to attract buyers will build trust with the seller and give them a preview of the services they'll have access to once they sign you on as an agent. #ProTip: Remember to include your social media channels here so the seller can explore your pages and follow you. #3. Provide Content for Your Audience Whether you're giving your listing presentation in person or online via video call, your audience should have something in hand to keep their attention and provide more information. Give your audience something to follow along with. For a live presentation, consider bringing a printed worksheet with additional tips. For an online presentation, send a PDF with supplemental information in advance. Not only does this keep your audience engaged, but it also gives sellers something to walk away with that has your brand on it. #4. Include a Local Market Recap Show sellers your value as an agent by including a brief market recap in your listing presentation. This introduces you as a data-backed agent that can recommend informed seller strategies based on real-time market data. Include data like: Whether the market is favoring sellers or buyers Average days on the market Average listing price Inventory levels Buyer demand #ProTip: Don't forget to include a few comments on what trends are popular in your local market. For example, if buyers are paying more for recently renovated kitchens or if sellers are waiving a certain contingency to win buyers. #5. Bring in Client Testimonials The listing presentation is a great place to introduce client testimonials. This strategy shows sellers that you have a good reputation with your past clients while giving them a preview of what it's like working with you. #ProTip: Instead of having one portion of the presentation only about testimonials, include them throughout the presentation. Select client feedback that is relevant to what you're talking about and use the testimonials to back up what you're saying. When you're talking about ways to generate buyer leads to sell a home quickly, it's a good idea to include a testimonial saying how a seller was thrilled at how fast you were able to secure an offer. 5 Easy Ways to Generate Seller Leads Targeted Facebook Ads Email Marketing Campaigns Specifically for Sellers Invest in Advertising in Local Newspapers and Magazines Find Sellers at Open Houses Work with BoomTown! To view the original article, visit the BoomTown blog.

7 Tips for Best Real Estate Listing Presentation Using 360 Tours
In 2021, professional listing presentations are more important than ever. Only the most impressive presentations will win over clients. How an you impress your potential clients? How will you exceed your competition? To find out, we sat down with David Crombie, the CEO of Professionals Group Australia, to discuss a few incredible options for a visual presentation, including virtual tours. He shares why virtual tours may be the one thing that sets you apart from your competition during a listing presentation. Listen to David and help yourself to digitalize your offer and improve your listing presentation: Here are the seven advantages that virtual tours deliver: They are much more engaging and immersive than videos, and they put the viewer in the driver's seat They allow you to become a digitally fluent real estate agent who can successfully promote the listing If you use VR goggles, you allow viewers to virtually transport themselves to the property as if they were there Having a 360° virtual tour on a mobile phone allows buyers to have their family and friends included in the decision making process VR tours make for amazing and outstanding social media content, adding value to your marketing package Virtual walkthroughs can be used as a reporting tool for showing landlords how their property looks like while you manage it You can tell sellers that VR tours will increase engagement with your listing, and that the time spent on listings with virtual tours is four times higher than on listings with photos only Learn how you can create unique virtual tours in under 15 minutes for less than $3! Book your free information call now. To view the original article, visit the Virtual Tours Creator blog.

Sealing the Deal With the Follow-up Presentation
The pre-listing presentation is a vital tool that real estate agents use to make a great first impression. After that comes the follow-up presentation, which helps agents secure clients by demonstrating superior sales and marketing recommendations as well as an informed value of opinion (CMA). As you learned in our previous post, the pre-listing presentation is designed to provide an overview of you, your team, and the services you offer as a real estate agent. The follow-up presentation builds on that introduction, providing additional information that you gathered after your initial meeting with the seller. It also communicates the right sales strategy to achieve the seller's goals. The Main Focus While most sellers have scanned sites like Realtor.com or Zillow to get their home estimates, every seller wants to feel confident that you can sell their property for top dollar. A well executed follow-up presentation can provide them with that level of confidence. The main focus of the follow-up presentation is the value of the seller's property, your walk-through assessment of the home, and your expert recommendations to position the home for the best possible result. Detailed information on the home's square footage, the expected price per square foot, usable space, and room flow are great ways to provide supplemental information which supports your proposed listing price. Some other great recommendations include a step-by-step guide to selling the home and suggestions on recommended repairs, paint colors, lighting enhancements, staging, and ways to increase the property's curb appeal. You'll also want to talk about the best time to market the home, and provide a price list of comparable homes that have recently sold. The Practical Necessities Providing the seller with practical information and documents in the follow-up presentation can help them fully understand the selling process. Such information can include a standard listing agreement and a contact list of your operational team and their role in the sale of the home. Including this information will show the seller that you're prepared and know exactly what is needed to complete the sale. Bonus Information Every presentation you provide to the seller is designed to market your services and give you an edge over the competition. The following bonus information is the cherry on top, rounding out the follow-up presentation. If you want "extra credit," consider including your mission statement and information about disclosures. You can also provide a document that shows the criteria used to set the listing price, as well as third-party information on what makes homes sell quickly or causes them to linger on the market. Lastly, you can include a couple of important features that you previously sent in your pre-listing presentation – including your bio, testimonials from previous clients, and any awards you've won. Remember – before you sell the home, you have to sell yourself as an agent! HighNote Has Mastered the Real Estate Presentation You might be thinking how great it sounds to provide sellers with an organized, beautiful follow-up presentation – but you may also be thinking you don't have enough time to put it together, or aren't tech savvy enough to make it happen. HighNote has done all the hard work for you, creating a beautiful template which you can customize based on the needs of your seller. It's quick and easy to use, and it's already helped real estate agents across the country win major listings. So what are you waiting for? Click here to begin creating stand-out HighNote presentations that will set you apart from the crowd.

Want to Win More Listings? Learn the Art of the Pre-listing Presentation
Successful real estate agents work hard, hustle, network and pursue all leads. All of those things are great, and extremely necessary. But when you're trying to "wow" a potential client, you have to stand out from the crowd. Winning a listing is a multi-step sales process. There's the introduction, the meeting (in person or remotely), seeing the property, and the follow-up. Sending a pre-listing presentation ahead of your first meeting acts as a "door opener," and is your opportunity to set the stage and make a great first impression. Before we dig into the details of the pre-listing presentation, take a moment to imagine yourself in the shoes of a buyer or seller. They're looking for an agent who will represent them in the best way possible. Someone who will answer their questions, negotiate on their behalf, and be their advocate in today's cut-throat real estate market. They're bombarded with information about real estate agents in their area, most of whom have great reviews. So how do they choose the best person for the job? Enter the pre-listing presentation. It's a way to deliver the information that every seller wants to know. It's a way to introduce yourself and establish credibility. You can be as creative as you like, but here are the sections that you should definitely include: Information about you and your team – This should include your professional credentials and experience, as well as some personal information to show who you are outside of work. Do you like hiking on the weekends? Is your dog your best friend? Do you go crazy for Taco Tuesday? Include those facts in your pre-listing presentation! Testimonials and awards – It's okay (and necessary) to brag about yourself, but potential clients also want to hear from buyers and sellers who have used you as their agent in the past. And don't be shy about sharing any real estate or business awards you've won! Video of you and your team – If a picture is worth 1,000 words, then a video is worth a million! Show potential clients that you're a real person who is personable, professional, and can get the job done. Sales and marketing process – Sellers want to know how hard you'll work to make sure their property sells for the best possible price. Share your entire process with them, from your online marketing tactics to postcard mailers and beyond. Additional services – If you go above and beyond for your clients, let them know! For instance, if you stage every home so they can look their absolute best, share that information. Include anything you offer that other agents don't. Sample listing – There's no better way to show a seller how you market a property than by providing them with a sample listing. This can showcase the great photography and videos you use, as well as 3D tours, staging, and other "wow factors." The pre-listing presentation is an invaluable tool that can make all the difference when it comes to winning a listing. Need inspiration? Check out this HighNote pre-listing presentation example!Ready to take the plunge? Click here to start making beautiful pre-listing presentations with HighNote.

Your Real Estate Listing Presentation Checklist
Winning a listing presentation is by no means a guarantee of new business. Even if you think you're the only agent the seller is talking to, it's still an opportunity for you to prove your expertise, dedication and reliability--and, ultimately, WOW the seller. For that reason, you should never treat the listing presentation as just a formality. Walk into each one with the mindset that you need to outperform steep competition. So, what's the best way to do that? We'll review the key areas that you need to cover. Through it all, remember that brand consistency is key. This includes your voice, logo, color scheme and even font. You never want inconsistencies to leave the seller confused. That may leave them wondering if the marketing materials you create for their home will be disjointed as well. Without further ado, your real estate listing presentation checklist.

Back 2 Biz: Conducting Virtual Listing Presentations
The final piece of our "Back 2 Biz" series (see parts one, two and three) looks at how you can use RPR and virtual meeting tools in tandem to deliver stellar listing presentations to your sellers. While many businesses are ramping up or completely opened up, there's no doubt that things will take a bit of adjustment moving forward. Everyone's comfort level will be different, and as a REALTOR, you need to pivot and change speeds accordingly. Luckily, with RPR and a myriad of tech communication tools, you can prepare and present traditional things like your listing presentations with ease. Here's how.

Learn How to Win New Listings During COVID-19 by Delivering a List of Qualified Buyers
According to a 2018 Zillow survey and NAR's Homebuyers and Sellers survey, owners want two things from a listing agent: Skills at pricing the home right and the ability to find qualified buyers. Charles Williams, CEO of Buyside, showed us a simple path to significantly increase your chances of winning a new listing by following these simple steps and best ways to "list to last." Here are three key takeaways about how to win more listings by sharing a list of qualified buyers: 1. Capture seller leads Attract sellers to your website by inviting them to ask you for a valuation of their home. You can use third party Automated Valuation Models as a way to attract them and then follow up with a customized analysis to show off your keep knowledge of your local market. 2. Nurture your past clients/homeowners The best way to ensure long-term success in real estate is to create clients for life. If you stay in touch with them, sharing homeownership information, and especially provide them with monthly updates on the current value of your home, you will stay top of mind with information that is relevant and meaningful. 3. Dominate listing presentations by delivering pre-qualified buyers One of the best ways to walk away with every listing presentation is to demonstrate that you have a specific list of pre-qualified buyers interested in buying a home that matches your prospects' property characteristics. You can use reverse prospecting in the MLS system to do this, or you can use systems like Buyside. More Resources: Success Stories from Buyside Don't Miss These Upcoming Coffee Chats! Tuesday, May 19 The Importance of Cash Flow and the 7 Myths of Commission Advance with Sean Whaling from eCommission Wednesday, May 20 Virtual is the New Reality for Real Estate with Patty McNease of Homes.com If you would like us to sign you up for all upcoming coffee chats, email [email protected] and he will get you signed up. If you would like to get notifications every time a Coffee Chat recording is published, subscribe to our YouTube channel, RETechnologyInc. Then hit the bell next to the Subscribe button and receive notifications every time we publish new educational videos. Get Recordings of All Coffee Chats If you would like to binge watch all of the Coffee Chat recordings, click here. If you would like a FREE 3-month trial of RE Technology, go to retechnology.com, click Create Account and then use one of these coupon codes: COVID-19A COVID-19B COVID-19M

Create Your Own FREE Virtual Listing Presentation with RPR
Historically, many agents delivered listing presentations in person at the kitchen table. With COVID-19, that is not possible, but RPR has a way to do the next best thing -- deliver a customized, branded virtual listing presentation and then use GoToMeeting, Zoom, Google Hangouts or even the Facetime feature on your phone to have the conversation you would normally have in person. Reggie Nicolay, online marketing expert and Vice President of Marketing for RPR, joined us for a recent Coffee Chat and shared the following three key takeaways: RPR can be used to reassure a homeowner that the value of their home is holding up. RPR can be a great tool to deliver local information and COVID-19 resources AND provide a market report in a matter of minutes. RPR has just expanded Direct Mail capabilities to 4000 labels per month. Mail can be a great way to deliver resources, offers for help AND market information to your sphere. Helpful Resources RPR has a ton of training resources delivered via blog posts, live webinars, pre-recorded webinars, eBooks, tutorials and quick start guides. Here are links to a few helpful resources to get you started: Use This Downtime to Up Your Skills RPR Doubles Its Mailing Labels Capability through June 30th Use RPR to Pinpoint Your Direct Mail Campaign Targets RPR's Ultimate Guide to Geographic Farming How to Share an RPR Report on Facebook Create Compelling Listing Presentations with Tools from RPR 5 Simple Steps for Searching Properties in RPR Commercial Broker/Owners Set up branding, ad custom pages and more: Enroll in the Broker Tool Set Register for the RPR blog here. The RPR blog has regular content about the best ways to do business virtually right now. It is a great place to get sales tips and industry updates, as well as invitations to online training. Watch the informative, 30-minute Coffee Chat here: Tune in for more daily Coffee Chats at 12pm ET/9am PT with our president and host Marilyn Wilson. Here are RE Technology's guests for our upcoming Coffee Chats: Thursday, April 16: Jim Lawson, VP of Sales, Marketing & Client Servies, Terradatum Friday, April 17: Kim Hansen, COO and Dionna Hall, CEO with Broward, Palm Beaches & St. Lucie Realtors®

Create Compelling Listing Presentations with Tools from RPR
Your listing presentation is one of the most important pieces of communication you can share with potential clients. It's your resume, a capabilities brochure and a first impression all rolled into one. As a REALTOR, Realtors Property Resource gives you access to create data-centric, top-of-the-line, professional looking listing presentations. Using the tools and reports within RPR to create your listing presentation is a smart and savvy way to impress your clients and give you a sharp, competitive edge. Here's some information to get you started...

Top Tools, Templates and Tech for Listing Leads
As real estate agents, we're constantly looking for innovative ways to get listings and stand out from the competition. Because these days, our competition is everywhere. Discount brokerages, iBuyers, other agents--everyone is competing for the same scarce inventory. That's why we're sharing our most creative, innovative, and proven methods for getting more listing leads:

Real Agent Story: Online Branding Key to Winning New and Past Clients
How are real estate agents building their business online? To find out, we've been speaking with successful Realtors. Today, Delaware-based agent Debbie Phipps shares how she reaches buyers, sellers, and past clients through lead generation and strategic branding on realtor.com. Your branding on realtor.com—is this a tool to secure listings? I use realtor.com® Local Expert as an important element in my listing presentations. I log them onto realtor.com® and I show all of the exposure and how it drives everything to my DebbiePhipps.com site. I have a 15-inch laptop I bring to the presentation. I talk about realtor.com®. I tell everyone that it's the only site that's affiliated with the National Association of REALTORS®. I recognized early on that this was where I should focus my marketing dollars because the site would be there over the years. The other sites don't have the same correctness and accuracy and the amount of people looking at them. Other sites come and go. But realtor.com® will always be there. I tell my potential listing clients that this particular program I use gives them maximum exposure that is better than you could ever get with any other agent. Of course, it's a tool to make sellers understand the exposure you are giving them; but it's also a presentation tool. While presenting, I show them an example of a listing. I put in the appropriate Zip codes, so they see that my listing and my links to my website where they are featured are coming up 50 percent of the time as they scroll through three or four pages. If I get an appointment where I don't have the Zip code, I will still be able put it in nearby areas. Usually they're very impressed when they see how their home will appear on realtor.com®. Does this help you on the buying side? I use the featured property piece of the Local Expert for listings and the other piece of it as a way to help us close our leads. When the realtor.com® leads come through, they recognize me as someone that's a local expert. I have worked primarily in New Castle County, Cecil County, Chester County area most of my life. I've been in this business 30+ years. I want past clients to know how to find me. So past customers are reminded by your branding? You can't imagine how many calls I get because people remember me from our past association. When it comes to selling their house, they're still calling me. I keep my brand out there so that they can see I'm strong in business. Most people say they would use their agent again. But although they were happy with the agent they used last time, most don't even know what their name is now. If they can't remember their agent, how could this help draw them to you? Are they seeing your branding? As an example, I recently went to a $550,000 listing in our average $250K marketplace. They didn't know me at all, but they were impressed with my marketing. I am always marketing my brand through my website, social media and print ads. It is not easy to measure, but you eventually can see the effect. My marketing appears in quite a few places, but the realtor.com® Local Expert really grabs their attention. Many of my listing leads say, "Oh, we saw you on the internet," and when I drill down, they saw me on realtor.com®.    

16 Ways to Make Your CMA Presentations Pop
When it comes to presentations, you have to put your best foot forward. Every other agent out there (more or less) is doing them digitally too, so in order to stand out, you have to do more. Chances are your presentation tool auto-generates them based off the MLS number you plug in and voila, a perfect presentation with no editing needed! While that's already a powerful tool, some customization is important in making you stand out above the rest. We've got you covered with tips on seller, buyer, open house, and all other presentation types. Try these to stand out:

Friday Freebie: 5 Listing Presentation Mistakes to Avoid
The days may be getting longer, but housing inventory grows ever shorter--and competition for listings is fierce. Are you prepared to fight for your fair share of the market? Once you win over a seller lead and schedule an appointment, it's time to win the listing! And that comes down to one thing--a strong listing presentation. Top agents know they need to build rapport with homeowners and quickly communicate what makes them unique. But real estate agents who make rookie mistakes during presentations are sure to lose listings to the competition. We don't want you to be that guy (or gal). That's why in this week's Friday Freebie, we're highlighting a FREE guide that's all about the listing presentation mistakes to avoid--and the good advice you should heed instead. Free Guide: '5 Listing Presentation Mistakes to Avoid,' courtesy of Matterport What can you expect when you download this guide? Here's a sampling: Don't:Come in with a #basic marketing plan that's worse than your competition. Make sure you don't understand how to use Facebook or YouTube to attract more home buyers. Do:Come prepared (and ready to explain!) your whole marketing strategy--both digital and print. This includes smart social media advertising and innovative marketing techniques. Do:Show off your tech savvy by highlighting the cutting edge tools, like Download 5 Listing Presentation Mistakes to Avoid now!, that set your marketing strategy apart. Don't:Give a pre-scripted presentation--and don't bother to customize it to the property at all. (CMAs? Meh.) Also, try not to learn anything about the neighborhood – it's better to wing it. Do:Have an initial phone conversation to get a true sense of their needs. Come prepared with a CMA, and be ready to lean on it and your local market knowledge to talk pricing. Ready to learn more about what to do to win your next listing--and what NOT to do? Download 5 Listing Presentation Mistakes to Avoid now!    

Are you the best agent in town? How to use your benchmarks to win the listing
Still using that broker-provided listing presentation you've had since day numero uno as an agent? It might be time to freshen it up a bit! If you really want to win the listing, you've got to stand out from the crowd —and jazzing up your listing presentation with some real data on your past performance might be just what you need. Stop and smell the roses... I mean, the numbers

How to Shake Your Listing Presentation Slump
We know there's nothing more frustrating than having a potential seller client list with a competitor! So, what do you do when your listing presentation isn't resulting in new business? Why, use our five tips to shake your listing presentation slump, of course! 5 Tips to Shake Your Listing Presentation Slump Tip 1: Reach out for feedback on your listing presentation

How to Read Body Language to Build Rapport and Win More Listings
When you're in the midst of a listing presentation, how can you tell if you're winning over your potential clients—or slowly losing their interest? It all comes down to reading their body language, says Chris Helder, an international speaker, author, and expert on the topic. "Only 7 percent of our communication is words," says Helder. Thirty-eight percent is the tone in which words are said. Most people are skilled at picking up on the meaning of tones, but far fewer know how to successfully read body language—which makes up 55 percent of interpersonal communication! Helder will be sharing his knowledge of body language at the upcoming realtor.com® Results Summit in September, and today, we're offering a sneak preview of what he'll be talking about. Use these body language cues to gauge the engagement levels of whomever you're speaking to, and keep them engaged even when their attention wanders. It's All About Listening Behavior

5 Steps to Ace Your Next Listing Appointment
The truth is that the more knowledge you have, the more you will differentiate your business, the better care you can give your clients, and the more successful (and respected) your agency will become. The focus of this article is to help you stand out from the crowd at your next listing appointment with a step-by-step, 5-Phase Listing Appointment system that you can implement immediately, and that will sweep your potential clients off their feet (and get them signing on the dotted line before you leave the consultation).

Build a Better Listing Presentation Package
Creating the ultimate listing package requires tenacity, creativity and insight. Sellers want to know your presentation is based on a keen sense of the market, your expertise in determining value, and your ability to bring a deal to close in the shortest time possible and at the highest price. The key to nailing your next listing is to prepare—more thoroughly, more accurately and more creatively than your competition. First, don't let your prospect get away with just an appointment. Use this opportunity to capitalize on your uniqueness, leaving the prospect with one key takeaway—that you listen and act. A casual yet pointed conversation between you and the homeowner should confirm the basic facts about the home (number of bedrooms, bathrooms, etc.) and identify what steps the homeowner has taken to improve the property. Real estate speaker Jared James has some great tips in this regard. Jared urges agents to give sellers an assignment—something that will give you an idea of what kind of seller you're dealing with, and allow you to subconsciously take control of the transaction. "When you put someone to work, it subtly asserts your control, while also building trust, because you are working on something together," said Jared, a frequent contributor to REALTOR® Magazine. The strategy also provides insight into the seller's motivation and expectations of what they want to sell for, which, as all REALTORS® know, is not always in line with market values.

Listing Presentation Template, Skills, and Scripts for Agents
Thursday, March 9, 2017 at 9:00 AM PST If you're like most agents, you're always on the lookout for new ways to seriously impress sellers at your listing appointments. Now you can use our updated Listing Presentation Template, Skills, and Scripts to impress sellers and have a perfect listing appointment — every time! Convincing sellers that you're the right agent for the job just got a whole lot easier. Join us on Thursday and we'll show you exactly how it's done! Here's what you will learn: The 5-Step Listing Appointment you can use to impress any seller and convince them YOU are the right agent for the job Field-proven, effective updates for your listing presentation so you can stand out from the competition and close more deals Powerful negotiation tactics, and how to talk about your services and skills so you can easily persuade and inspire confidence in your clients Free, professional-looking templates you can use immediately to improve your success rates and ace every listing appointment Got questions? There will be an extensive Q&A session to answer your toughest listing appointment and real estate marketing questions! Register now!

6 Steps to Winning Listings You Can Count On
Have you ever lost a listing that you thought was in the bag? Pat Hiban, author of 6 Steps to 7 Figures, shared six steps to ensure it doesn't happen again in a recent webinar, "Lost A Listing? Never Again with These Best Secrets." Step 1: The Call When your assistant or partner schedules a listing appointment for you, call the lead back immediately. This will start building rapport and will pre-sell them on your services. Hiban points out that you should "presell them as much as possible on the phone for the sole reason of making sure they don't cancel." Asking leading questions such as "How did you hear about me?" or "What do you know about me?" is a great way to create an opening to build social proof and to prove you're a neighborhood expert before the meeting. Step 2: The Walk Make sure to arrive on time for your property walk-through. Keep in mind that "the purpose of the walk is building rapport." The seller could be planning to meet with other agents before deciding who to list with. Try to be either the first agent or the last. If you're the first, you can sign them before they meet anyone else. If you're the last, you can meet or beat other agents' offers.

How to Perfect Your Pre-Listing Presentation Plan
Is your listing presentation powerful enough to convert those seller leads into clients? Coach Tom Ferry, shows us six secrets on how to build trust with potential clients through your listing presentation. The third tip is fail-proof.

Your Digital Listing Presentation: WOW the Seller with Technology (8/3)
Wednesday, August 3, 2016 at 10:30 AM PDT Nothing is more important to a Realtor® than a listing appointment! Today, it's about the "WOW" factor and there's no doubt that you will be competing with at least three other agents. In this session you will learn how to create an unforgettable listing presentation that stands above the rest by using various technology tools to help you win listings and "WOW" your clients. During the webinar we will show you the following: Creating a great pre-appointment listing package. What every agent should include in a listing presentation. 2 strategies for getting the property listed at market value. Should you always use technology as part of your presentation? Seamlessly integrating technology to beat out your competition. Register now!

Listing Presentation Template, Skills, and Scripts for Agents (7/14)
Thursday, July 14, 2016 at 9:00 AM PDT The moment when you finally get a seller to commit to a time and date for a listing appointment is exciting, but that's when the real challenge begins. You then actually have to go to the appointment and convince them you're the right agent for the job! For new and experienced agents alike, the entire process can be daunting. What exactly are you supposed to say, and how are you supposed to say it? What information do you need include in your presentation? This Thursday we're going to cover the answers to these important questions, along with each of the 5 simple steps you can use to engage sellers and ACE every listing appointment! Here's just some of what you will learn: The jaw-dropping 5-Step Listing Appointment that will impress any seller and convince them YOU are the right agent for the job Field-proven, effective updates for your listing presentation so you can stand out from the competition and close more deals Powerful negotiation tactics, and how to talk about your services and skills so you can easily persuade and inspire confidence in your clients Free, professional-looking templates you can use immediately to improve your success rates and ace every listing appointment Got questions? There will be an extensive Q&A session to answer your toughest listing appointment and real estate marketing questions! Register now!

Tools and Tips for a Winning Listing Presentation With RPR® (6/16)
Thursday, June 16, 2016 at 12:00 PM PDT Sellers want to know your listing presentation is based on a keen sense of the market, an expertise in determining value, and your ability to bring a deal to closing in the shortest time and at the highest price possible. Learn how to create a winning listing presentation using modern marketing approaches such as RPR's Preparation, Price and Promotion model. This free workshop will highlight the RPR assets found within each of these successful strategies, including: Researching the property, neighborhood and local market Earning seller buy-in from the onset Validating the property's basic facts, selecting comps, and adjusting those comps to create a customized and flexible comp analysis Using the one-and-only Realtor Valuation Model®—an exclusive RPR pricing tool Generating a customized, client-friendly, and definitive Seller's Report Realtors Property Resource® (RPR®), one of the most innovative benefits included in your NAR membership, is offered at no additional cost. Register now!

Learn How to Make a Killer Listing Presentation in Under 12 Minutes
What kind of listing presentation do you show to your potential clients? Make your listing presentation stand out from the rest with these fun and inspiring tips from one of the best in the business. Learn the secret to creating an incredible presentation at the 3:33 minute mark!

How One Realtor Became a Listing Presentation Pro
It all started with a $30,000 difference of opinion. A past client of Penny Brockways’ called to say she was looking to break even on a quick sale of her home, which was originally purchased for $183,000. Penny thought the property could sell for $227,000 but was outnumbered by her husband and business partner, James (who felt $200,000 was a more realistic list price) and the client who felt both of those prices were “way, way too high.” Determined to prove otherwise, Penny, a REALTOR® with Brockway Realty, Clear Lake Area of Texas, created an RPR Seller’s Report showing James and the client why she was right about the price. Based on Penny’s input, the team compromised, landing on an asking price of $220,000—nearly $30,000 more than their client’s original purchase price. The property received a full price offer in eight days. In fact, they continued to receive offers that were over list price. “Since then, we’ve become RPR’s biggest fans,” claims Penny. “It has helped grow our business because it has given us more credibility.” Leading from the start Penny specializes in listing presentations by maximizing every RPR tool at her disposal. When potential clients call, she is ready. “That first phone call is critical,” she said. “I’ll immediately pull up RPR on my tablet and start researching the seller’s home while asking questions at the same time.”

Best of 2015: 11 Tips For Acing Your Listing Presentation
We're continuing an annual tradition of counting down our top 10 articles of the year. The following article was originally published back in May and is #5 in our countdown. See #6 here. It's a no brainer; knowing how to put together a winning listing presentation is absolutely essential for any Realtor. RealtorMag says, "listing appointments are your chance to outshine the competition and instill confidence in sellers that you'll shepherd their transaction to a speedy and satisfying close." Pitching a listing presentation takes time, effort and a lot of research, so losing out on listings after putting all that effort can be frustrating and demoralising. Here are our top 11 tips to ace your next listing presentation and get that property under your portfolio belt! 1. Actively Screen Prospective Clients While it can be tempting to try and make as many presentations as possible, you should really be focusing on clients who are ready to sell immediately. Therefore when you start initial contact with the client, make sure you find out what their motivations for selling are and what the expected time frame is. From their answers you can then decide how much time, if any, you are willing to spend preparing a presentation. 2. Last Is Best! Ask whether or not other agents are being interviewed and, if so, always ask to be positioned last. REM Online maintains that strategically, this is the best spot to be as it means you and your presentation are the last thing they remember. It also gives you a chance to answer any final questions and address any criticisms that other interviewees might have made about you. Most important of all, it puts you in a great position to seal the deal there and then as all the interviews have been completed.

8 Listing Presentation Tips
Do you want to win your next listing presentation? Of course you do! To convince potential home sellers that you're the real estate agent that will sell their home the fastest and for the highest price, you need to be prepared. Your listing presentation should highlight both your experience and your advanced marketing strategies. With that goal in mind, here are eight listing presentation tips that will help you WOW your prospects and win more listings: 1. Be on Time So simple, yet so important. Being on time for a listing appointment shows the client that you value and respect their schedule. If you arrive late, they will start the meeting feeling miffed and may wonder where else you will disappoint them. If you arrive too early, they may not be ready for you and feel rushed or uncomfortable. 2. Describe Your Go-to-Market Process Tell them how you will help them prepare their home to sell for the highest dollar amount in the shortest time. Will you help them stage their home? Do you offer educational seller resources that tell them what to expect and how to prep for showings? If something should be fixed or painted, do you work with any referral partners who can get the job done quickly for a good price?

11 Tips For Acing Your Listing Presentation
It's a no brainer; knowing how to put together a winning listing presentation is absolutely essential for any Realtor. RealtorMag says, "listing appointments are your chance to outshine the competition and instill confidence in sellers that you'll shepherd their transaction to a speedy and satisfying close." Pitching a listing presentation takes time, effort and a lot of research, so losing out on listings after putting all that effort can be frustrating and demoralising. Here are our top 11 tips to ace your next listing presentation and get that property under your portfolio belt! 1. Actively Screen Prospective Clients While it can be tempting to try and make as many presentations as possible, you should really be focusing on clients who are ready to sell immediately. Therefore when you start initial contact with the client, make sure you find out what their motivations for selling are and what the expected time frame is. From their answers you can then decide how much time, if any, you are willing to spend preparing a presentation. 2. Last Is Best! Ask whether or not other agents are being interviewed and, if so, always ask to be positioned last. REM Online maintains that strategically, this is the best spot to be as it means you and your presentation are the last thing they remember. It also gives you a chance to answer any final questions and address any criticisms that other interviewees might have made about you. Most important of all, it puts you in a great position to seal the deal there and then as all the interviews have been completed.

13 Creative Resources for Real Estate Agents
Last month, we told you all about the digital basics that every real estate agent should master. Today, we're going to build on those essentials and talk about the creative basics every agent should master. But don't worry--you don't need to become a graphic design whiz! In fact, we're going to introduce you to some easy-to-use tools that take the pain out of getting creative. As in our previous post, we're turning to a new video featuring author and Curaytor co-founder Chris Smith. Smith again shared his real estate expertise with the winners of HomeFinder.com's Agent Makeover Sweepstakes, and this video is a sampling of the advice he shared with the winning agents. In it, Smith suggests agents master the following creative skills: Listing presentations Charts and graphs Listing flyers Images for social media and blog posts Logos In the video below, Smith recommends three online tools that can help agents with the items above. On the next page, we're going to enhance Smith's suggestions with additional helpful articles and apps.

Your Listing Presentation is Dead in the Water If You're Not Doing This
You don't get many opportunities to convince sellers that you are the real estate agent they should hire. According to the National Association of Realtors, sellers are primarily looking for a real estate agent who can help them market their home to the most potential buyers. Your listing presentation therefore, should aim to prove that you are the agent who is the best fit to market their home. Did you know 75% of buyers use social media as part of their purchasing process? Social media is a serious and incredibly powerful marketing tool. Your listing presentation needs to demonstrate that you have a considered and effective social media strategy, and one that sets you apart and makes the difference when it comes to selling a home. Here's how to win way more listing presentations using social media: 1. Make It About The Seller Your social media pages are yours but, in the context of a listing presentation, they are resources you are putting at the client's disposal. Don't just talk about your Facebook friends and followers; explain how they are people to whom you can show the seller's listing. Don't talk about engagement; explain how clicks and shares are signs that you can market the seller's home effectively.

Create the Ultimate Listing Package with an RPR Report
REALTORS® know that when you walk into a listing appointment, you must be prepared. Prepared with property knowledge. Prepared with concrete market data. Prepared to impress. You must be sure that your listing presentation educates your soon-to-be clients while connecting with them at the same time. And when you are finished with the presentation, you need to leave something behind--something that reminds them why you are the best REALTOR® to get their property sold. Creating the ultimate listing package is easier than you might think, and perhaps a lot cheaper, too. With Realtors Property Resource (RPR®), a member benefit from NAR, you can visit just one site to prepare the ultimate listing package. 1. Knowledge: RPR has over 160 million properties at your fingertips. Simply search for the subject property and you'll be presented with data such as tax assessment information, mortgage history, FEMA flood zones, public record information, historical listing photos, distressed information (if any), and much more. Perhaps the seller forgot to mention the Notice of Default they just received during your phone call. With RPR, you will learn what you need to know about the property before your appointment. 2. Concrete Market Data: Some sellers 'think' they know how much their house should sell for. Whether they've looked at third party sites online, talked to neighbors, received various postcards and flyers, as REALTORS®, it often becomes critical to convince sellers otherwise. With RPR's comprehensive comparative analysis, you can handpick comparable properties and make adjustments in just a few simple steps.But convincing a seller of the right list price isn't just about the property itself, or the ones around it. It's about the market. Is it a seller's market? A buyer's market? Are there many distressed properties in the area? With RPR's Market Activity search, you can see what that market has been doing over the last week, month, or three months.

New CMA Strategies to Get More Listings
Every real estate market in America has seen a shift from a buyer's market to a seller's market. There really has not been any threatening news in the housing market other than the concern of interest rate increases. For most brokers and agents today, demand is stronger than the supply of listings. At the heart of winning a listing is your listing presentation and the CMA. It is your chance to convert your hard work and marketing expenses into success. To put your best foot forward, you need to have an attractive presentation, a clear illustration of market facts and comparables, a great marketing plan, and a confident presentation style. Here are a few tips that may improve your success: Go to a print store and print your presentation in high resolution, full color and have it bound into a book. Save your presentation to your iPad if you have one. It makes an extraordinary presentation tool that allows you to get your customers to "lean in" and pay attention. Pull market reports from Realtors® Property Resource, Terradatum, CoreLogic, or another solution you prefer. Explain their responsibility in making themselves available to review the buyer offers in a timely fashion as they are submitted.

6 Marketing Tools to Build Your Business
Your marketing efforts serve two masters: you and your sellers. Let's discuss the latter first. Marketing each seller's property helps you to move it more quickly and for more money. Pretty obvious, right? Then there's the other side of marketing, the marketing you do to increase your client base. That's what we're here to discuss today. We collaborated with VirtualTourCafe (www.VirtualTourCafe.com) to bring you these ideas for marketing tools to build your business (and often sell your listings at the same time). Twofers Sometimes you find a tool or strategy that provides a twofer – helps you sell a property and helps build your business. Let's look at a few of those first. 1) QR Codes: When you place a QR code on your sign rider or other marketing collateral, you aren't just offering more information about that property. You are also providing a valuable link to your website. Oftentimes, the prospective buyer may browse past the property details and learn more about you. Of course, this is more likely if you have an effective website, which is yet another reason to make sure your online presence is as strong as possible. 2) Single Property Websites: A slick single property website isn't just for mansions and large estates – it's for every single one of your listings. Showing that each of your properties is a superstar doesn't just help move the listing more quickly, it also shows your professionalism and commitment to your clients. It says, "No matter what the listing price may be, I treat each and every one of my listings as a top priority."

3 Ways to Set Yourself Up for a Successful Listing Presentation
This post comes to us from the Cloud CMA blog: Around the office here at W&R Studios, we often talk about our "Past," "Present," and "Future Selves" and what we can do to position the future version of ourselves for success. This happens primarily during our monthly brainstorm sessions for blog and social media content. By choosing and scheduling blog topics in advance, we are setting up our "Future Selves" for better blog writing sessions. Rather than having to sit down and wonder, "What should I write about today?" the topics are already laid out and we simply need to execute. "Past Frances" sets up "Future Frances" for more efficient blogging. While this might sound silly, it's a way to think about how you're going to stay ahead of the game. Be prepared and envision yourself successfully completing your task. Now, let's apply this concept of "past, present, and future selves" in the context of your listing presentations. Listing presentations are a big deal, so this is your opportunity to take some time and set up your "future self" – the one that goes to the listing presentation – for a successful meeting. Here are three ways to set yourself up for a successful listing presentation.

Friday Freebie: Home Zone Real Estate Marketing System
We've got a double Friday Freebie going into the holiday weekend! Jumpstart your autumn sales with a free webinar that demonstrates how to create winning listing presentations. Attendees will then get the opportunity to practice what they've learned with a free 30-day trial of the Home Zone Electronic Real Estate Marketing System. Read on to learn more! Free webinar and 30-day trial of the Home Zone Real Estate Marketing System Home Zone knows the secret for winning the listing presentation every time and wants to share it with you! They're offering a free webinar that shows agents how adding just five minutes to your presentation will prove to prospects that you are the expert when it comes to marketing the listing and generating qualified leads. When it comes right down to it, most listing presentations are much the same. But a listing presentation is a competition, and only one agent will win--based solely on what that agent provides over other agents. Agents that deliver a well thought out electronic marketing strategy have a competitive advantage. Outline exactly how your cohesive marketing campaign will sell the home faster and for more money, and your expertise will stand out in the seller's mind. This involves demonstrating a tangible example of what you do that most other agents don't. Join Showcase Technologies CEO, Tom Emmendorfer, for this free live webinar and learn how to win the listing by demonstrating a tangible technology edge over your competition. Plus, receive a free month trial of The Home Zone Electronic Real Estate Marketing System. Sign up for this free 30-minute session at www.learnremarketing.com.

18 Tips for an Awesome Real Estate Listing Presentation
This is the first in a series of articles from TouchCMA that offers a total of 56 tips for better listing presentations. Seven seconds. That's how much time it takes to make a first impression. As an agent, your first impression has to be fantastic in order to convince a seller to list with you. Proper planning and preparation will gain you an edge over the competition and earn your potential seller's business. In this post, you will find an extensive list of tips to help you stand out, look great and increase your chances of winning a real estate listing. Do Your Research 1. Learn everything relevant that you can about the listing property and seller. Check tax records for details on the property. You should also try a simple Google search to see if your potential client maintains an online presence on sites like LinkedIn or Facebook. 2. Drive by the property to get a sense of the neighborhood and snap an image for the presentation. Unless the property has been listed in the MLS before, you will need a subject property photo to enhance your CMA. 3. Check and see if the property has sold and in past MLS records. Make a mental note of previous pricing trends.

Listing Presentation Tips
Yesterday's blog post shared five easy tips for buyer consultations that will help you secure new home buying clients, but what about home selling clients? The seller consultation – also known as your listing presentation – is the key to winning more listings. To convince home sellers that you're the real estate agent that will sell their home the fastest and for the highest price, you need to be prepared with a presentation that highlights your marketing strategies and your experience. Bring your computer or tablet to the listing presentation and prepare to touch on these nine critical issues: Listing on the MLS Every agent can enter a listing in the MLS. Your job is to demonstrate how you will do it best. How you will make their listing the most appealing it can be and represent it the most accurately. Tell them that you will include key neighborhood information and showcase their property on your website, too. If you have current listings, pull them up and look at them together so you can point out your listing strengths. Photos and Virtual Tours Photos are the first thing potential buyers look at. How are you going to market their home with photos? Do you offer professional photography services? Do you take more photos than other agents in your area? Can you help with or recommend home staging services? Explain everything you do to make their listing photos stand out from the pack. Speaking of making photos come alive, this is a great time to queue up a virtual tour!

Friday Freebie: Free Tools from realtor.com®
Did you know that realtor.com® offers a wide selection of free tools that help real estate agents grow their business? This week, we're taking a peek into realtor.com®'s tool box and providing readers with a full list of apps and services available to them. If you already use or are planning on investing other realtor.com® products, like Top Producer® and Showcase Listing Enhancement(SM), this page will show you exactly how the tools below complement the products you already use. Free tools from realtor.com® Here's a comprehensive list of tools from available to real estate professionals for free from realtor.com®: Agent Profile - Build repeat and referral business. Use this tool to manage what people learn about you on realtor.com® and from major social media networks. Listing Presentation - Download this presentation tool for use on a laptop, iPad® or as a printable document. It demonstrates how consumers habits have changed, including the importance of marketing a home online. HyperSocial™ Tools - This tool lets you get recommendations from your satisfied clients and share them with the world.   Collaborative Search App - Invite your clients to use a version of realtor.com® mobile apps branded with your photo and contact info. All primary inquiry actions are routed to you, and you receive immediate notifications on your smartphone or tablet. 

Dynamics of a Stand-Out Seller Counseling Session
Today it is imperative to set the stage with a listing prospect in order to manage and meet their expectations. Because of the sheer volume of information available online, today's real estate consumer is quite savvy. As a result, consumers have their own definition of what they think a real estate professional's job entails in the marketplace. Seller Counseling Session Dynamics As the industry matures and the internet closes the gap on listing exposure, a new and unique relationship is being formed between agent and seller. A seller counseling session helps address a seller's unspoken questions, especially when there are financial issues involved. You can neutralize objections with this session and honestly determine if you want to take the listing. Use the session to showcase your skills and marketing plan and convey confidence to your client that you have the knowledge and abilities needed to effectively guide their transaction.

Tips for More Impactful Listing Presentations
Listing presentations are a fundamental builder of long-term success in real estate. Building a great listing presentation requires planning. And delivering a great listing presentation demands practice. Here are a few tips that we have picked up in our work with agents and brokers. 1. Leverage your Brand. If a brand is on your business card, leverage it. Brands are powerful to consumers and establish the confidence that an agent has a strong organization behind them. They show pride in their brokerage and their office. Agents have a choice where they work, and they make sure that the client appreciates why they made that choice. Then they let their experience and talent shine. 2. Talk about the market. Sellers are usually very interested in the state of their local market and neighborhood. There are many tools available now from local MLSs and brokers that can help an agent clearly demonstrate their intimate knowledge of the local market. Many of these tools like AgentMetrics and RBIExpert also help agents explain how they arrived at the recommended price using an easy to understand market analysis.

Secure Listings with Single Property Websites
Guest contributor Properties Online says: Are you using single property websites for your listings? If you're not, you're missing on a great opportunity to impress sellers and win listings. Single property websites are web pages that are entirely dedicated to just one property. They have many different advantages that make them an important tool in any REALTOR®'s marketing arsenal: Single property websites provide a one-stop destination for buyers who want info on the property They can be used to promote the property in social media They are great for SEO because they include the property's address in the URL Above all, property websites impress sellers. We haven't yet come across even a single seller who remained indifferent to their house being featured on a website fully dedicated to that house!

Best of 2012: 3 Unique Things You Should Always Bring to the Listing Presentation
We're celebrating the end the year by counting down our 10 most engaging articles of 2012. This article, by Karli Larson of ePropertySites, was posted in August and is #2 in our countdown. See #3 here. If you haven't already won the listing before showing up to the listing presentation, there are a few other ways you can prepare before meeting the sellers that will ensure a slam dunk. Prove you're the best agent for the job at your next listing presentation by bringing these special materials along with you. 1. Domain name Show sellers how prepared you are by pre-ordering the domain name for their home! Since we recommend building the property site before going to the listing presentation, adding a custom domain name is a quick and inexpensive way to really show your dedication to the sellers. Imagine handing them your laptop at the listing presentation and asking them to go to 123MainStreet.com (customized with their address). The sellers will not only be thrilled with the gorgeous property site you've created, but their customized domain name will instantly impress them.

Making the Right Impression: iPad Listing Presentations That Dazzle
Guest contributor Karli Larson of ePropertySites says: You know what they say: you never get a second chance to make a good first impression. While this saying may not hold true in all situations, it's certainly something to keep in mind when you want to prepare a good listing presentation. Here are three tips for creating impressive presentations that will make you look like a star! 1. Use your iPad Showing up with a prepared listing presentation on an iPad or tablet will automatically prove to the sellers that you're technologically ahead of the pack. Use the meeting as an opportunity to share recent mobile marketing statistics with the sellers and let them know that your marketing is mobile-friendly and ready to reach today's modern buyers. If you don't have an iPad, make sure you use your laptop.

3 Rules for More Productive Presentations
Last night I watched the worst PowerPoint presentation I’ve ever seen. It reminded me of the presentations everyone made in 1999. You know the one: 75 different transitions, every slide has sound and different backgrounds, 14 different fonts, and so much more. It was genuinely painful. Presentation software and tools are great, but you need to use them correctly. Here are our three rules for more productive presentations.

The Killer Presentation: Part 3
This article appeared originally on the Point2 blog. Deliver Your Message with Impact. ‘Real’ Impact Many books and presentation skill-building workshops describe techniques and methods that a presenter must employ and master in order to deliver their message with the most impact. You have likely come across all of these strategies at one point or another. Here are a few components we’ll concentrate on for the purpose of this article: 1)     Discuss a subject you are passionate about, and don’t hold back on stage 2)     Don’t read verbatim from your slides or notes 3)     Make good eye contact 4)     Use stories / anecdotes to make a point and engage people 5)     Speak clearly and with confidence The problem begins when each of those points are discussed and practiced as individual items. A typical result, while completely unintended by the coach, book or participant, is a delivery that lacks charisma and conviction. Where passion is restrained by awkward, constructed eye contact attempts, or the odd scripted slide title and bullet point recital at some point during the presentation. Weakness becomes apparent to the audience and credibility gets a hit.

The Killer Presentation: Part One
How to deliver your message with more confidence, power and impact. Public speaking ranks at the highest levels of all things feared by humans, period. Whether presenting on stage to a thousand people, at the office to your team or management, or offering your services to a prospective client, certain success denominators if mastered can make a big difference in your results. This subject is deep and far reaching. My aim from this article series is to impart some of the more fundamentally important tips that you as a real estate professional can start to apply right away and that can make a significant difference in your performance. One BIG ‘Don’t’ that, in my personal opinion, warrants we open the series with are ‘Non Words,’ also known as ‘Fillers.’ Non Words fall into what is technically described as Speech Disfluencies.

Be a Go-Giver Agent - Don't Lose Them at Hello
Guest contributor Jennifer Allan-Hagedorn says: A few weeks ago, I started writing about the Go-Giver real estate agent - how we, in our industry, can apply Go-Giver principles to our business. To read earlier posts, see the links at the bottom of this blog! Here's a quote from the introduction to "Go-Givers Sell More" by Bob Burg and John David Mann: "It's not about you, it's about them." Mr. Burg and Mr. Mann explain that success in sales is not due to "mastering the close" or having a "dazzling presentation" or the ability to "shoot holes in any customer objection from fifty paces." It's about being a real person - a person who "enriches, enhances and adds value to people's lives." As the Go-Giver fictional Realtor(R) Debra Davenport says "You want people skills? Then be a person." Okay, so this is where today's blog begins... "Listing Presentations: How to Lose them from Hello!" Yes, I watched Jerry McGuire recently.