Listings have always been the backbone of the real estate business. For a lot of us, these opportunities are so vital, and missing one of them can cost us a large amount of money.
We train on what works now, not what we used to use, or what worked 10 years ago, but what is tracked and tested to work on teams selling 100, 200 or even over 1,000 homes a year.
Let’s look at four of the best practices when listing homes in these times and beyond — from standard operating procedures to pandemic preparations — as well as the fundamentals of listing success and conversion.
Get into the right mindset
In order to take new opportunities, you have to recognize how you’re feeling mentally and pinpoint exactly where your mindset is. Are you ready to take on new listings? Are you as sharp as you were pre-COVID-19?
Take the time to change your mindset and get back into the swing of things so you can serve your clients the absolute best you can. As an agent in today’s world, getting into a leadership mindset is important. You need to be strategic and proactive.
It’s also vital for leaders to be responsive right now to what’s going on around us. We’re all experiencing bouts of fear and stress, which is why we need to develop and strengthen an optimal mindset. Remember — you have to maintain your power to impact the outcomes of your life.
Use emotional intelligence
Right now, you should be working on cultivating meaningful connections with clients and prospects. This is where emotional intelligence (EQ) comes in. However, it only helps if the agent or team can take all the jargon out and understand it for what it is.
Since people are so vastly different, the goal of EQ is to help you comprehend different personality styles. With EQ, you’re able to identify behaviors, analyze reactions and perceptions, and connect with people accordingly. As a result, you’ll better understand the needs of your clients and potential buyers.
Adopt pandemic procedures
Whether you’re ready to go back to conducting open houses, or looking to find new ways to connect with potential buyers, you need to implement some sort of pandemic procedures for your business. Ensure you have a set of rules and health guidelines for potential buyers to follow.
Before and during the open house:
- Wear a face covering (a nonmedical mask or cloth masks).
- Ask buyers or their representatives to screen for COVID-19.
- Make sure that you’re keeping track of names and contact information for everyone who attends. This will help with any contact tracing efforts.
- Ask your clients to book an appointment ahead of the open house. That way, you’ll be able to control the number and flow of people while making sure physical distancing requirements are met based on the size of the property.
- Have your clients stand in a properly spaced-out line (six feet apart) or in their cars as they wait for their turn. Make sure they understand what’s expected of them ahead of time.
- Make sure that people who don’t belong in the same household or social circle maintain physical distancing.
- This should be a no-brainer, but make sure you clean and disinfect everything frequently, especially high-touch surfaces.
- To avoid having people touch light switches and handles, ensure all lights are already turned on and all doors are open. This includes wardrobes and pantry.
After the open house:
- Ask your client to disinfect and sanitize the home after every open house.
- Disinfect lock boxes and keys when exiting the home.
Nail the listing presentation
For me, the idea of not having a listing presentation isn’t even on my radar. They are so powerful when it comes to predictably getting more business. If you’re a real estate business or team, having a polished, well-prepared listing presentation cued up on your tablet or laptop is a definite must.
We work with some teams that fly by the seat of their pants and wing it every single time they present their listing consultation. This is an extremely unpredictable and potentially reckless way to run your business.
A listing consultation is absolutely vital to having a consistent, strong business. They are a powerful way to communicate value to potential clients, and they make it easier for the client to follow, learn and retain everything you’re talking about. Not to mention, listing presentations also affect the commission rate, time spent to secure the listing and your ability to manage client communication while the listing is active.
A great presentation also helps you to create an environment of trust, and that environment is what provides clients value, confidence and enough comfort to move forward and make a decision now.
Kathleen Black is the CEO of Kathleen Black Coaching and Consulting in Oshawa, Ontario, Canada. Connect with her on Instagram at @kathleenblackcoaching or through her website ItTakesa.Team.
