Your listing presentation is going great. You are in control, because you haven’t spread a CMA, three local home magazines, a brochure about your office, and your listing agreement all over the table. You are using a laptop or tabletop presentation instead.

You are organized; you know where you are going every step of the way. You have told the sellers about your company in terms of the sellers' benefits; you've told them about you in terms of how you can benefit them; and, you have given them your job description, again in terms of their interest.

Your CMA is thorough. You take no short cuts. You reviewed the competiton with your sellers in detail.

Let the sellers study the CMA, but you must sit quietly. If you feel the need to run out of the room because of the deafening silence, wiggle your toes. Now you have asked them the most important question they will hear:

“Based on these prices, ranging from $ to $$, what do you think a reasonable buyer will offer you for your home?”

Once they mention a price, say this:

“Remember, I told you I would give you a net sheet to show you your net proceeds if I were to market your home? Here it is.

Pull the net sheet out of your brief case and work it out in front of the sellers. Show them a net sheet that includes your commission.

Chances are the sellers may not agree on a price until they have seen the total picture, so they can predict the probable amount of their net proceeds. The “net sheet” is that picture. Prepare the net sheet in front of them at the table. Your commission, of course, is included on the net sheet.

This is the time and the way to present your commission, because you can redirect the sellers' attention to the real issue: what will the check amount be at the closing. It is easier for the seller to see the commission as part of all costs. By presenting your commission for the first time on a net sheet you are accomplishing two things:

1. You avoid a line-item discussion of your fee, meaning you aren’t going to be hung out there focused on a “commission only” discussion by itself.
2. You can point to the net proceeds as the real issue.

Let’s say you and the seller agree on price. You have included X percent on the net sheet, which they think is too much have already asked if you can cut it? This is a good sign! They had no intention of listing. Now they are showing signs of listing and you haven’t started selling yet!

If they don’t agree on the commission, leave the commission alone and defer the commission to a later time in the presentation.

Does this mean they are going to list with you? No. They still have no idea what you are going to do for them.

You have covered your first benefit and promise: Sell their home at maximum price. Now move to the second benefit they want: Sell their home in minimum time.

“Joe and Jane” as I said my job is also to sell your home in minimum time. Let me show you how I do that and what we both can expect.”

Show them your MLS records - how many days a home like their's is on the market and at what percentage of the listing price it will probably sell. You may have showed them this information earlier during or before the CMA presentation. If so, review it again.

This is critical information. Show the seller this critical marketing data. Let them study it so you can prove what you say.

People tend to believe what they see. If you want to verbalize some of the stats, make sure you immediately show the sellers what you just told them is true. It eliminates “selling” and increases their trust in you.

Now you show them why these numbers are what they are: This is where you present your marketing plan. Once you have price settled and you have proven the “sales probability,” now your marketing plan is relative.

Your marketing plan’s first page says: “How I will market your home for maximum price in minimum time.”

• The number of agents in your local association that will have access to the fact their home is on the market with ___hours.
• The number of agents in your office.
• The number of open houses you will hold and when.
• How you market to your fellow agents and how your office markets on its website.
• You can add your own specific details. Just make sure the seller understands what you do.

After you finish your marketing section, say this: “This is how I will market your home at maximum price in minimum time. Do you have any questions?”

Answer their questions before moving on. Now move to your third benefit - as little inconvenience as possible.

How are you going to serve them with as little inconvenience as possible?

Present your list of what you are going to, how you do it, and what the benefit is to the seller:

Let’s think of a few:

• You will bring only qualified prospects to their home, saving them precious time and preventing false hope from offers who are not qualified to buy their home.
• You will accompany all prospects, providing an extra measure of security.
• All phone calls will be directed to you and your office, thereby preventing disruption of their daily activities.
• Other services will depend on your relationship with the seller. Your broker can help you with this.

There should be at least eight services and benefits. You need to present them in your presentation and ask for questions.

Remind them that for all of the above, they are only paying X percent, the listing side of the service. If they are willing to cobroke, the chance of them selling through a cobroker is X percent. Show them the MLS report that shows the number of cobrokers. If your association doesn’t break it down like that, you break it down.

At this point, you have very carefully and specifically shown the seller how you will market their home for maximum price, in minimum time, with as little inconvenience to them as possible.

Do this in summary form, then reach in your briefcase and pull out the listing agreement.

Remember, you told them that you would only review this with them if they agreed. With the listing agreement in full view, ask them if they would like to review the listing agreement with you?

Chances are if you have prepared, practiced and presented professionally, they will say “YES!”

Published: August 31, 2004

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David Fletcher directs the condominium conversion team for Keller Williams Realty in Orlando, Fl and provides downloadable sales and listing training solutions for real estate agents and broker/owners through Agents Boot Camp, Inc., a company he founded to provide affordable training systems newly licensed real estate agents. He has been involved with more than $3 billion in Florida residential sales, chaired the Florida Homebuilders Associaton's Sales and Marketing Council, and been a featured speaker at NAR's national convention. You may see his training products at www.agentsbootcamp.com or contact him directly at 888.222.1935.