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Success leaves clues, and the best listing agents know and prepare for seven things before every listing appointment. These items provide insight and a sense of preparedness, thereby increasing the success rate of listing appointments.
If you want to feel confident heading into your next listing appointment, this article is for you.
1. They know the homeowner’s situation
Top listing agents do their homework on the homeowners they will meet with. If they already know the homeowner, a quick look at their social media can provide them with information about recent life events, vacations, job changes, or new hobbies.
If this is their first time meeting the homeowner, the agent can Google and research their social media to find a wealth of information about the prospect before making an appointment. Information about a recent engagement (or divorce), new job (or recent job loss), or new baby (or recent graduation) can help agents prepare for appointments.
By asking prospects during the appointment about recent holidays or celebrations they have documented on social media, they can build rapport and connection with the homeowner faster than they would otherwise.
Top agents also learned that most homeowners also conduct social research and Google searches before making an appointment. Based on this, I would ask that you review your social media to make sure your posts are a true representation of who you are.
Also, do a Google search yourself. Make sure your Google Business Profile is effective, accurate, and attractive to potential customers.
If you want to know how to optimize your Google Business Profile, check out this article: Optimize your Google Business Profile to enhance your brand
2. They know the history of the house
Top listing agents research the home’s history before making an appointment. They know when the current owner purchased it. They read MLS descriptions of previously sold homes, researching who the original builder was, whether previous owners had done any renovations, and whether there are any outstanding features of the home that they should be aware of before viewing the home.
The ability to share historical sales information and builder details during the listing appointment demonstrates professionalism to sellers, which increases confidence in you as an agent and potentially wins their business.
3. They understand the overall trends in the local market
Trends provide information not only about current market conditions but also about future market direction. Are days on market increasing or decreasing? Will prices rise or fall back? Are there more or fewer homes for sale than two months ago? Understanding trends is one thing, but communicating how those trends impact homeowners and how they can use them to their benefit is where agents provide real value.
Always remember, statistics tell the story, but stories sell. Be prepared to share with sellers how you plan to use your knowledge of these overall market trends to position their home to sell quickly and for the highest price possible.
4. They know comparable sales and active listings
Comparable home sales and similar homes currently for sale are the most important factors when it comes to pricing, positioning and marketing your home. Top listing agents research recent sales. They looked at the selling factors of similar homes that have recently sold. They know if the homes they’re listing against have recently dropped prices or offered buyer incentives.
Being able to not only provide numbers, but also be able to share a pricing strategy based on facts that the seller believes in is critical.
5. They know their unique selling proposition
What sets you apart from other agents? Top listing agents can easily communicate what sets them apart and why sellers should list their home with them. Do you have a large buyer database? Do you provide professional footage for each listing? Do you host a great open house or have a unique marketing plan?
The key again is to understand how your unique selling proposition can benefit homeowners. When you are able to tell them how you are different and how that difference can benefit them, you will get more lists.
6. They know how to market a home
Top agents go into the listing appointment with a concise and clear plan for marketing their home. It’s one thing to tell sellers how you’re going to market your home, but the next level is showing them. Top agents will have a marketing plan ready for the home, along with marketing examples from previous listings.
They showed examples of prospective listings from videos, marketing articles and social media posts they had done for other listings. They presented the results of an open house they held. They come to the listing appointment fully prepared, sharing a marketing plan and giving the homeowner a clear idea of what they will do to sell their home.
If you’re looking for a way to use artificial intelligence to target marketing programs that sellers will love, check out this article: “Sunday Chick-fil-A” ChatGPT launch display blueprint
7. They know their worth and what they’re not willing to do
Early in my career, I would go into listing appointments wanting the listing so badly that I would agree to things that I knew would not be good for the seller or my business. I would accept a listing with a reduced commission, even though I had no intention of doing so when I walked into the listing. I will agree to do the advertising the seller wants, I know it won’t work but I want the listing so bad that I agree to do it. Ultimately, I learned the most valuable thing a professional can say: No.
Over time, I gained experience and learned the value I brought to sellers. I have established a track record of getting results and I know that my listing plan along with the proper pricing strategy will result in a home being sold. It’s not that I’m rigid and unwilling to negotiate, I just know what I’m willing to do and what I’m not willing to do, even if it means not listing.
Top agents are self-aware and lead to more marketable listings. They let “yes” become “yes” and “no” become “no.” By doing this, they understand that if they lose a listing because it doesn’t meet their personal business guidelines, it doesn’t matter if they don’t get it.
There’s another level to listing appointment conversions, and the answer is preparation. Your preparation will not only boost your own confidence, but it will also boost the seller’s confidence that you are the listing agent they need to sell their home. Get ready to see your listing conversion rates skyrocket.
Jimmy Burgess is CEO of Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices Beach Properties in Northwest Florida. Connect with him on Instagram and LinkedIn.
