One of the core operations of real estate is listing a property, which is why it is so important for both new and experienced real estate agents to get it right. Last year in our Trick of the Trade campaign, we asked real estate agents across the country for some tips about how to win and market listings successfully. Here are just some of the tips that they provided:
No. 1: “Wow” the sellers with your listing presentation
Before you can start marketing your listing, you first have to convince the sellers that you are the best real estate agent for the job. This starts with your pre-listing presentation or package. Think of your pre-listing presentation as a window into the type of service they will get if they sign with you. Remember, the sellers will likely have multiple agents vying for their business, so you have to be on top of your game. Create a pre-listing package that blows your competition away by focusing on some extra attention to detail, and you are sure to be at the head of the pack.
“I love going to listings and after having them show me around their home. We sit down to go through my presentation. The first thing I ask them is to think back and tell me what was the thing that you remember that made you purchase this home over the others that you looked at. That’s what we’ll want to focus on in the listing because that’s probably the same thing a new buyer will look at!” – Donna P.
“Something I do that wows my sellers on a listing presentation is I create a single property website with a text number prior to the listing. That way they can text the number right there and see it in action. They love that I am already setting up marketing for their home!” – Tanya E.
No. 2: Get the word out
After you’ve won the listing (Congrats!), it’s time to get the word out to potential buyers. There are many ways to do this, but one of the most effective (and cost-friendly) ways is through social media. If you’re not a social media wiz, don’t worry, there are plenty of resources out there to help you get a handle on tips and best practices.
“I like to use Instagram to tell more personal stories about houses for sale so buyers can connect emotionally. MLS photos tend to be a little boring and rigid, but Instagram allows me to be more casual and creative so the personality of a house can shine through.” – Mary H.
“On social media, as well as in blog posts on our website, we focus on our town’s unique lifestyle, rather than only posting about specific listings. We find prospective buyers fall in love with the area first, then find a home, rather than falling in love with a home in a town they know nothing about.” – Robyn C.
“Whenever I get a listing, besides doing a normal property website and sponsored post on Facebook, I also share my listing to all of the “for sale” groups on Facebook that I am a member of. I have had a great response doing this. It really gets the word out to a lot of people. Not only does this create traffic on my listings, but it’s a great way for free lead generation.” – Elizabeth M.
No. 3: Use video
More and more real estate agents are incorporating video into their marketing with great success. While it’s essential to ensure that you have high-quality photos and engaging listing descriptions, video marketing seems to be the one thing that allows agents to separate themselves from the competition and break through the noise. Luckily, you don’t have to be a professional cinematographer to use video effectively. These days, most smartphones have extremely high-quality video capture capabilities. All you need to do is understand some basic video rules of thumb.
“There are a lot of free ways to stand out from the crowd in your marketing and one very simple and brief trick in my area is to take a video of your listings. It doesn’t matter if it’s commercial, residential, land, luxury, etc. If you have a video of your listing, you will stand out from the other agents. Also, make sure to order your photos from the most important to the least important. It may sound simple yet when you’re rushing to get that listing live it can be easy to forget.” – Levi L.
“On Facebook, I create 30-second videos made up of photos of the listing, open house, etc. with music in the background as it creates for a better visual, versus just a standard post with pictures!! People are likely to click on a video that’s 30 seconds long more than they are likely just to skim past a post on Facebook.” – Rosalie F.
“I have started doing a video the day before I host an open house and then share it with all my family and friends and ask them to share it as well. I usually just give one or two special things about the property so I can capture interest, but I don’t give a full ‘tour’ of the house…this way, they want to come to see more!” – Hilarie L.
Bonus: promote your listing on social media
Once you get the hang of using social media to promote your real estate business, you might want to give sponsored or promoted social media a try. All this means is that you put some money behind specific posts to reach more people. It’s an excellent way to give those hard-to-sell listings an extra boost.
“When you have a buyer looking for a specific property type in a specific area, run a Facebook ad to that targeted area to attract sellers who are on the fence about selling. You might find your buyer the house of their dreams and by connecting with possible sellers you may acquire more listings.” – Sara C.
Learn more at mckissock.com/real-estate.
As part of the Colibri Real Estate family of premier education brands, McKissock Learning, along with its sister schools Colibri Real Estate, Superior School of Real Estate, Allied Schools, The Institute for Luxury Home Marketing, Gold Coast Schools, The Rockwell Institute and Hondros Education Group, helps real estate professionals achieve sustainable success throughout each stage of their real estate career.
