Since the reblogging feature is down on Active Rain, I'm doing the next best thing. I'm manually reposting Margaret Woda's post on the listing appointment.
This is a great read.
Keep in mind that her opening sentence says it all.
Tell Sellers WHAT You'll Do for Them and WHY, but Never HOW
A listing appointment isn't a crash course in selling a home, it's a job interview.
Sometimes we forget that and find ourselves giving away our expertise and experience without compensation or a commitment by the potential client to hire us. It could be that we're "stupid" as Pat Haddad suggested in her featured post yesterday (I am Just Plain STUPID!!!!!!), but it's more likely we're simply eager to please and want potential home sellers to like us. We're only human, after all!
A listing appointment certainly is a unique job interview because homeowners typically don't have a job description or list of qualifications in mind. They just know the end result they want: a "sold" sign in the yard and a bunch of money in their pocket.
Real estate agents know that most homeowners don't have a clue what it takes to sell a home, so we go into the listing appointment armed with our own version of a job description as well as a resume. While every agent has his or her own presentation style, the goal of this interview is the same: list the property.
We put hours into preparing specifics for each appointment, framed by a listing presentation template developed over weeks, months, and even years. Our success depends, in part, on the seller being sincere about hiring a professional to do the job. Yet we know going into the listing appointment there's a risk he's one of those do-it-yourselfers or commission shoppers and nothing we say or do will result in a listing.
Perhaps that's why I'm reluctant to share too much proprietary information about HOW to sell a home with prospective sellers before they make a commitment to hire me. Instead, I focus initially on the know me/like me/trust me/hire me process.
Whether the listing presentation is a power-point presentation, a leather binder, a handout, or simply a well-delivered script isn't really important. It's the power-packed content that's important: the generalities associated with any home sale and the specifics of selling this home now. I like to think of this content as a bridge between "know me/like me" and "hire me." It's my opportunity to win the seller's trust.
If you ask ten agents how they handle this all-important aspect of a listing presentation, you might get ten different answers. My advice to new agents would be this: "Tell sellers WHAT you'll do for them and WHY, but never HOW."
I'm not saying this is the right or best approach for you, but it works for me. Don't change what you're doing now if you're a successful listing agent, but why not give it a try if you're walking out of too many listing appointments feeling like you just gave the seller everything he needs to sell the house himself.
Remember, a listing presentation is a job interview. Your #1 goal is to get the job.
Copyright 2006-11. All rights reserved.
DISCLAIMER: Information contained in this post is deemed reliable on the date of publication, but it is not guaranteed and it is subject to change without notice.
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For additional information about real estate and communities in the triangle formed by D.C., Baltimore and Annapolis, Maryland, contact Margaret Woda at Long & Foster Real Estate, Inc. Enjoy a competitive edge in your next real estate transaction or military relocation with Margaret's 30+ years of real estate experience and local knowledge on your side, as your adviser and advocate.
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For more information on my coaching and educational programs and services, visit my website stevehoffacker.com, or go to my other blog homesalesinsights.com for additional sales tips, insights, and commentary. Listen to my free podcast messages at Steve Hoffacker's Happenings.
Steve Hoffacker - Consultant, Coach, Author, Blogger, Photographer, Motivator, Teacher, & Strategist - for Realtors, Real Estate Sales Professionals, Home Builders, New Home Salespeople, Entrepreneurs, Small Business Owners, and Independent Sales Representatives.
© Steve Hoffacker, 2011. All Rights Reserved.
