I am frequently asked if I recommend that agents send or drop off a pre-listing package before the actual listing appointment. You bet I do! Let's face it; everything helps when the competition is stiff.

Someone asked me if I had ever been bitten by an elephant. Of course I hadn't. Then they asked if I had ever been bitten by a mosquito. Of course, hasn't everyone? And that's the point. It's the little things that get us every time.

The pre-listing package is a tool to get people excited about you and your company before they meet with you. It's a tickler, not unlike a movie trailer that shows a few of the best scenes of an upcoming movie. Those scenes make you want more of the same. The trick is not to give away too much. The anticipation is part of the pleasure, and that is why sizzle sells the steak.

Here are some of the best things to include in your pre-listing package.

1. A one-page greeting letter, on company letterhead (not a copy!), from your broker/owner. You know the kind of letter that says how grateful he/she is to have the opportunity to serve the client. It talks about the years of service to the community and the dedication to helping people realize their dreams. In the event that your broker is not the most talented writer, perhaps you might want to write the letter and have him/her sign it.
   
   
2. A photo of the folks in your office, perhaps taken in front of the office, is always a plus. You might want to have words under the photo to this effect: This is our team. Collectively we have X number of years of real estate expertise and commitment to the industry! People just love that stuff.
   
   
3. If you are an agent with a track record of closed transactions, you might want to have a one-pager of last year's success stories. I'd set it up with four columns:

   ADDRESS

   LIST PRICE

   SALE PRICE

   LIST-PRICE-TO-SALE-PRICE RATIO

   Leave out column 4 if your list-to-sale-price ratio is not strong. But, if it is strong, use it to your advantage. Sellers love to hear things like this; I am so committed to my sellers' success, that I have one of the highest list-to-sale-price ratios of all of the agents in our MLS. What that means to you is the best service possible and the highest return at closing. If you are a new agent, you can use the closed transactions of your company as a whole.
   

4. A raving-fans brag sheet is also a nice touch. It's just a one-pager with quotes from delighted past clients. Take the best sentence or two from the letter they sent to you, put it in and then give credit to the author after the quote.

   “I just wanted to thank you for the exemplary job that you did with the sale of our home. You were always there for us, knew what was going on at all times and were a pleasure to work with. Thanks!” Mary and Clem Consumer

   You get the idea.
   
   
5. A nice personal brochure is a good addition. However, I have a caveat here. You do not need one of those $5,000 jobs that practically talks and walks by itself. I know there are companies out there that would have you believe that unless you spend a trillion dollars on a personal brochure, you are not going to make it in this business. To them I say, “Phooey.” I have helped people create some fabulous personal brochures for literally pennies a copy. It's the content, the writing and the professional way in which it is presented and not the weight of the paper and the fancy graphics that matters. If you can afford the big-bucks brochures, I'm happy for you. It means you are raking it in. Just don't let it stop the rest of you from creating a personal brochure if your pocket book is a bit lighter.
   
   
6. For the engineering types who we all know like to read every word of every mandated form that they must sign, include Xerox copies of those forms. Most people won't even look at them. But for the ones out there that eat that stuff up, they'll love you for it.

That about covers it. Notice that there is nothing in the package about price. Keep it that way. There's plenty of time for them to be mad at us. Why give them a jump-start? As I said earlier, it's all about sizzle, and when you get there, it's filet mignon all around.

Happy listing, gang!