By Sean Colón 

As a realtor, the first impression you make on potential clients can make or break your chances of getting their listing. In this blog post, we'll outline the steps realtors can take to come prepared for a listing appointment and ultimately gain the trust of potential clients.

1. Research the Property

   Before the listing appointment, research the property and the surrounding area. Know the property's history, any recent upgrades or renovations, and the local real estate market. This will demonstrate to the potential client that you have done your homework and are knowledgeable about the property.

2. Come Prepared with Marketing Materials

   Bring along marketing materials, such as brochures or flyers, that showcase your skills and experience as a realtor. This will demonstrate your professionalism and give the potential client a sense of your marketing capabilities. Here is a great article about the top online DIY design websites to create professional marketing materials.

3. Show Your Marketing Plan

   During the appointment, show your potential client your marketing plan. Highlight how you plan to market their property, including any strategies specific to their home and target market. This will be a clear indicator that you are proactive and have an expert plan for selling their home. Don’t be afraid to show off! You should be working with a professional real estate photographer so leverage their photos to share your past and current listings to prove how fabulous your listing presentations really are.

4. Be Honest and Transparent

   Be honest and transparent with potential clients. Highlight both the strengths and weaknesses of their property, and be realistic about what they can expect in terms of pricing and timelines. This will demonstrate that you have their best interests at heart and are not just trying to win the listing at any cost. It should not be in your plans to list high and adjust later. This will put your clients listing in a tough position as it sits on the market.

5. Address Any Concerns

   Listen carefully to any concerns the potential client may have and be prepared to address them. This will demonstrate your willingness to work collaboratively and your commitment to ensuring their satisfaction throughout the process. Take notes and relay back to your client what their needs are throughout the process. Keep your ears open and actively listen so you can deliver the best service that your client deserves! Here is a great article on asking open-ended questions to discover your clients’ needs and convert prospects into clients!

After you’ve absolutely blown them away with your stellar listing presentation, you must follow up! This is key to grabbing your potential clients attention and a subtle way to remind them that you are very interested in working with them to list their home for sale. Some clients may be left with the impression that you are too busy or not interested in spending the time or investment to list their property if there is no follow-up phone call or email. Thank them for their time and check into where they are at on the process and let them know you are there to help. This will go a long way and ensure you are top of the list when they do decide to take the next step in their process.

Coming prepared for a listing appointment is key to gaining the trust of potential clients and ultimately winning their listing. By researching the property, bringing along marketing materials, showing your marketing plan, being honest and transparent, and addressing any concerns, realtors can compete with other realtors in the area and close the deal.

By the way, I help realtors improve their online presence by providing beautiful photos of their listings. That is why I’ve created this FREE HOME PREP LIST for your clients to help your listings look their best. Feel free to share.