This week in a coaching session I was chatting with a newer
agent who was excited about some upcoming opportunities to list homes in great
areas. He said the folks had asked about his marketing plan so he wanted to
focus on that.
I suggested that he implement some strategies from our Buffini
Peak Producers training that address not only a solid marketing plan for the
house, but also touch on some issues that 99% of Realtors probably would never
think of mentioning! Buffini, in his training session on “Working with
Sellers,” recommends establishing our professionalism by sharing with the
seller our “Blueprint for Getting a Home Sold.” This seven-step process will
immediately differentiate us from the competition! Here’s the Blueprint:
1.
In-depth MARKET ANALYSIS. Okay, nothing too surprising
there. So, be sure you know the neighborhood inside and out! BUT, be sure to do
this LAST! We all know that 100% of sellers, no matter what they say, have an
idea of what they think their house should be worth and it’s usually based on
something far removed from fact. So if we cover the pricing discussion first,
chances are they will be disappointed in what the market will tell us the price
should be and of course they won’t hear another word we say after that! (I
recommend telling them up front you’ll cover this last since it is so important
and you want to set the context for that discussion.)
2.
Property ENHANCEMENT checklist. I love the way we can
use words and their connotations and that word, enhancement, covers
issues we often discuss but rarely position so positively! This list will of
course include many basics like cleanups and fix-ups, maybe some additions or
repainting, and, depending on the price point, bringing in a professional
stager at our own cost! I like to say these things enhance the value!
3.
Comprehensive PROMOTION and MARKETING plan. Most
sellers tend to fixate on this aspect so we need to have a great plan and do a
good job of positioning its strength. But frankly most agents stop here, thus
opening the door for us to show our real value with the next items.
4.
CRYSTAL clear COMMUNICATION. Wow, we all know that our
business overall suffers from a poor reputation in this area, and maybe your
potential new client has experienced it in past transactions. I encourage
setting expectations and letting the seller know your plan for proactive
updates—and of course finding out how they prefer we communicate with
them.
5.
NEGOTIATING and STRUCTURING the sale. Wow, how many
sellers ever consider this as one the professional services we provide? And
very few agents ever think to address it in their presentation either. So,
here’s a huge opportunity to differentiate ourselves by addressing this and our
experience and expertise in handling this often tricking element of our services.
By the way, we’ll cover The Seven Styles of Negotiator in a future Playbook so
you can even mention a couple of those in your presentation.
6.
COMPREHENSIVE Transaction MANAGEMENT. I love this one
as we all know that even though we may have an accepted contract, there are
many potholes and hurdles between that and the closing table. Again, most
sellers have little knowledge about these pitfalls, so by simply mentioning
them and our expertise as part of our services, we immediately differentiate
ourselves from 99% of the competition!
7.
Client APPRECIATION Program. Yes, we’ll be available to
assist the seller with any ongoing real estate or property needs—like
recommending a painter or plumber—even if they move out of town or state—or
country! Remember, we all know the best way to grow our business is by
referrals from clients, so why wouldn’t we stay in touch and offer appreciation
to the sellers? Even if they move to Topeka or Tuscany, they probably still
have friends or family in our market, or maybe they still work for the same
firm they were with here . . . and maybe one day they might be transferred
back! Bottom line, in our long term, relationship approach to our business,
doing the right thing will help our business grow steadily!
Okay, the market is starting to heat up and there is still a
shortage of listings so the competition will be fierce. Don’t forget to roll up
your blueprint and take it with you for your next listing presentation to
improve your winning percentage!
David M. Hassler
VP, Professional Development
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