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The post-pandemic housing market saw record demand for the nation’s dwindling housing supply, allowing some real estate agents to coast through record sales and inspiring more and more new agents to join the industry.
But as mortgage rates have soared and demand has snapped back, the job of a real estate agent has resumed its difficulties, making basics — like nailing your first real estate listing presentation — more important.
Dave Karoly, vice president of sales at Lamacchia Realty and a head trainer at Crush It in Real Estate, discussed the essentials of your first listing presentation during an Inman Connect session on Thursday.
“We’re in a changing market and that marketing is going to become as important as it used to be,” Karoly said. “Potentially more important.”
Before you present
Nailing your presentation starts well before you actually sit down with your potential clients when you first speak with them on the phone, Karoly explained.
It’s up to you to get your sellers — not just willing to meet you — but excited to meet you, he said.
That starts with knowing what to talk about and what to leave out. Karoly recommends to avoid talking about pricing or commission while on the phone and instead focusing on marketing strategies and why they matter.
“They clearly thought something of you already, they called you instead of somebody else,” Karoly said. “Use this to continue to see why they made the right call.”
And more communication helps pave the way.
“The more contact you have with a potential client, the easier the actual listing presentation gets,” he said. “They trust you more, you’re less like a salesperson, but also, they’ve started to look into what you do.”
Once it’s showtime
When the day of the actual presentation comes, Karoly stressed the importance of not treating it like a presentation at all but as a conversation.
“It’s a constant discussion to make sure the seller realizes not just the marketing you do, but why it matters,” he said.
The presentation should focus mainly on your marketing strategy and the results it brings, but also seek to sew seeds of doubt about your competitors to get a better sense of what strategies they’re advertising.
When presenting, be sure not to reveal your proposed asking price until you get a resounding “yes” from the sellers, and don’t get discouraged if you don’t get that right away, a listing presentation is a skill that often takes time and multiple attempts to master.
“Follow the plan, follow the script, follow the order and truly become a master at this,” Karoly said. “You’ll know you have when they’re surprised how little you charge.”
