How to Handle Seller Marketing Demands

Ever get an outrageous request for advertising from sellers? Anxious about their home lingering on the market, sellers want to know all about your marketing plan--and how aggressive it is.

While things like online ads and landing pages are likely part of your plan already, your budget (and sanity) probably can't accommodate outsized demands like 3-page, full color ads in local magazines. So how can a busy agent overcome advertising requests without alienating clients?

Understand What the Seller Really Wants

Let's dive a little deeper into your client's mind. Selling a home is a process fraught with anxieties. Your sellers are not only worrying that their home won't sell, they're wondering whether anyone will view their home at all.

When your clients request advertising, what they're really asking for is buyers. They want to know how their home will even get on the radar of prospective buyers. If no one knows about their property, how will it sell?

Calming Seller Fears

When you know what your clients are actually asking, you can lay their worries--and unrealistic demands--to rest. Start this process immediately with any new client during the listing presentation. Educate them about the behind-the-scenes real estate process. Here are a couple of talking points to get you started.

• The Truth About Online Ads. Ads are great for finding buyers who are just beginning their search--those early in the process. However, these are not necessarily "hot" buyers who are ready to buy.
• New Listing Alerts. Let your client know that your broker has thousands of customers registered to receive new listing notifications through their website. Those customers will receive an email anytime a new property is listed.
• MLS Alerts. Similarly, every buyer's agent will have created a buyer alert in the MLS, so that their clients will be notified anytime a home that matches their specifications is listed. These are most likely to be the "hot" buyers you're looking for.

Your sellers should begin to feel a lot calmer once you've clued them in to how the real estate process works. From there, you can lay out the actual details of your marketing plan, whether that includes open houses, flyers, or mobile-friendly websites.

Take Credit for Advertising

Communication is the key to keeping your clients at ease throughout the selling process. Keep them in the loop by not only sending them links to websites and other online mentions, but by calling them and asking, "Did you see your listing on...?" This more personal approach gives you a chance to touch base and listen to to any comments or concerns your client may have.

When you better understand your clients' demands, you can calm their fears and direct the entire transaction to a place that's beneficial--and more productive--for all parties involved.