Is it time to enhance your Marketing Submission/Listing Presentation?

Is it time to enhance your Marketing Submission/Listing Presentation?

Over the years our listing presentations have evolved. Back in 1982 when I first started using a Listing Pack or Kit, it comprised of several pages detailing what the then professional agent did to deserve the listing.

Each item of what is now the basic marketing menu had a page to itself. Yes we took a whole page top show a sign board, a page to show a window display and even a page to show we did open homes. It all looks so amateurish, almost insulting to our clients, but we had faith and we listed many an exclusive listing proudly showing pictures of what all agencies were doing. Since those days we have had a doubling in the numbers of salespeople, the huge growth in marketing of property and the huge expansion of Auction Marketing. Along these elements and increased competition came the de-regulation of the fee and a variety of approaches, extolling or criticizing different tactics used in securing the listing, or indeed a differentiation in the type of services offered.

This has lead to a lot of work in redesigning and repackaging listing presentations, each seeking to outdo the other with a special look or style. Some of the packaging is certainly impressive but still we see people missing the point by failing to address the vendor’s real concerns.

When we talk to vendors we find, that like buyers, they all tend to have the same few objections or statements. There are 5 common questions all buyers ask and a similar number are asked by most vendors;

• Will you discount your fee?
• Why should I pay for the marketing?
• What about my friend at XYZ Realty?
• I wont sell unless I get $XXXXXX
• Auctions don’t work!
• XYZ company say they have all the buyers.
• XYZ Salesperson already has five listings in this area – they will have more buyers won’t they?
• Just keep it quiet – I don’t want the neighbours to know etc.
• How long have you been in real estate?
• How many listings does your company have in this area?
• XYZ is cheaper.
• I don’t like properties that don’t have a price in the advertisement.

I guess you will think of more but this list covers the most common comments. If we know what these are then we can design a presentation that addresses these very issues and learn the strategies to overcome these common objections?

So your presentation should be designed to sell your service using four simple steps:

• Sell you
• Sell your brand
• Sell the idea of the value of increased marketing
• Select the method of sale.
So how do we sell you and your brand?

You should seek to separate this from the actual presentation/submission.

Prepare a simple Pre Listing/Profile document about you and how you work. This should always be in colour and precede you to any presentations you make. Knowing what the vendors objections/questions will be make no reference to increased marketing contributions, method of sale or that they may tend to over-price their property. Keep this simple and use plenty of testimonials. Make sure the testimonial are kept to a single page and are typed into the presentation. Do not use photocopies of handwritten letters from clients. Always have some of these profiles at your open homes to hand to clients you discover need a visit later as they like this listing but haven’t sold theirs yet. This can be more detailed as your clients won’t go through this with you. If you don’t get a chance to use this first it pays to have it bound into your presentation/submission but I suggest you put it at the back. Do not force your clients to review this with you if you are making the actual presentation. Use it as required.

This document allows you to build profile and professionalism before you arrive at the property. It provides an opportunity to elevate you above the competition before you make face to face contact.

Once you get to make your actual presentation it may pay to uncover your agenda before proceeding too far. Yes outline to your new potential vendor the key issues you would like to cover in your presentation and ask them where they would like to start.

The key topics will be:

• What’s happening in the market?
• What might this mean for their property?
• I bet they want to talk price!!!!!
• How do we find the best buyers?
• How do we get the most from these buyers?
• The power of marketing
• The most appropriate selling strategy for your property

Your vendor deserves to know of all the options available to them. You will probably find you have competition from other brands or sales people who will use various tactics to win the listing.

• Lower fees or discounted fee
• Free additional marketing (Also a discount)
• We have more buyers.
• Auctions are bad for you.
• Tenders are better.
• We don’t do open homes
• We can get you more.

Each of these strategies is trying to buy the business by appealing to a prejudice or misunderstanding, when you should be offering your vendor the strategy to obtain the best price possible – that is after all your fiduciary duty.
So does your presentation limit your vendor’s choices? Does your presentation set out to show your vendor that you are focused on obtaining the best price or is it focused simply on winning the listing?

Can you provide a credible and logical argument to win the listing at full fee and with marketing contributions? If not it could be time to refresh your presentation and learn to overcome the common vendor challenges. I have found that vendors respect strong advocates of their product when they can see it is in their best interest. Anyway, there are only a few challenges and imagine what you could do if you could tackle them all

Disclosure; Ian Keightley also now operates Northstar Realty on Auckland’s North Shore as well as speaking and consulting within the real estate industry.