5 Common Mistakes Made at Listing Presentations

There’s nothing more disconcerting to a real estate agent than to be sitting across from a disengaged homeowner during a listing presentation. Right?You did all the right things to secure the meeting as part of your prospecting efforts. You’ve created an excellent presentation. You feel good about what you have to tell the prospect. But, they just don’t seem focused on what you have to say. Or, worse yet, they look bored. Did they just sneak a peek at their watch for the third time in five minutes?It doesn’t matter how long you’ve been in the business, there are going to be times when you have a difficult, uninspired listing presentation. Maybe the prospect is having a bad energy day? Or, maybe you need to step back and take a look at your presentation strategy?Here are five common mistakes that can take a listing presentation off the rails:

1. You drone on about yourself, your experience, your success stories. And on, and on. Your prospect is interested in only the most relevant things you have to say that will make them feel like you’re the right person for the job: how many homes you’ve sold in their area, the length of time it’s taken to sell those homes and the price you were able to get your clients for those sales. Make it short, and make it sweet with just enough pertinent detail to give them the necessary comfort level in your experience.
2. You try too hard to be their BFF. Yes, we often hear about building rapport, which is a critical aspect of successful selling. But it’s possible to go overboard in trying to build rapport. If you see a photo of a family fishing outing, it’s OK to reference it and even throw in a brief anecdote about your love of fishing. But you don’t need to regale them with extended story of your epic battle with the big one that got away.
3. You don’t spend enough time asking good questions and listening to what the prospect has to say. Or, worse yet, you’re the kind of person that tends to push back on what a prospect is asking because, after all, you’re the professional. At this stage in the game, your prospects wants to be heard, because, after all, they’re about to go into one of the most important decisions of their financial lives Ask questions, gather information and acknowledge what you’ve heard them say. These are the best strategies for building trust.
4. You haven’t taken enough time to prepare for your presentation. If you’re unfamiliar with the neighborhood, and it shows, you’ve lost the prospect early on in your presentation. Go into your presentation with a solid, working knowledge of the area: what’s sold, pending, prices, etc. At the same time, be sure you don’t inundate them with facts.
5. You drag your feet on closing the deal. Let’s face it, some real estate agents have a hard time “making the ask.” Remember, once you’ve said everything that needs to be said, and listened to the prospect’s goals and dreams, it’s your job to CLOSE THE DEAL! By not cutting to the chase, you open the meeting up for more objections or, worse yet, the idea that you aren’t hungry enough to want their business.

The goal of every listing presentation is to FIND ALIGNMENT WITH THE SELLER. The best way to do that is through healthy dialogue about goals and strategies. Yes, you want them to know enough about you to feel comfortable that you’re the right person for the job. But you don’t want them to know more about you, than you know about them, and their dreams. Talking less and listening more is ultimately the best way to build a strong, trusting relationship.