To really take your listing presentation to the highest level, you need to follow these guidelines and steps for the next sixty days. The longer you wait, the longer it will take for you to reach the Champion Agent level. These steps will make you a Champion in a short timeframe.

1. Practice your listing presentation once a day for the next sixty days. Your ability to go through the presentation frequently enough will make the difference. If you only do your presentation a few times a year or even a few times a month, the improvement will be noticed.

2. Role-play your qualifying questions twice a day for the next sixty days. If you have those questions nailed in your mind and your delivery, your confidence will go through the roof.

3. Work on the major objections on the listing side of the business for thirty minutes each day for the next sixty days.

• I want to think it over.
  
• I want a shorter listing period.
  
• I want you to cut your commission.
  
• Another agent will list it at a higher price.
  
• I need to net __________.
  
• I don’t want to give it away.
  
• I want to do a few fix ups before I list.
  
• I want to talk with a few other agents.
  
• You don’t sell homes in my area.
  
• I have never heard of your company before.

4. Tape your listing presentation and listen to it. This is the best way to know what you are really saying. The universal truth I learned by listening to over fifty listing presentations on tape is that we talk more than we listen. Over 80% of the presentation is usually the agent talking. The seller should be talking 80% of the time, not the agent. My suggestion, before you listen to your presentation, is to pour yourself a large glass of your favorite adult beverage – maybe even the whole bottle; you will need it.

5. Evaluate your performance on every presentation. Champion performers are the people who are the most honest with themselves. Evaluate yourself after every presentation. Be honest with yourself on how you did, but don’t be too hard. Ask yourself the following questions and write down the responses. You will learn from your mistakes and improve, instead of making the same mistake over and over again – as most people do.

1. What are two or three things I did well?
   
2. Did I listen to the client’s concerns?
   
3. How much of the time did I talk?
   
4. How much of the time did my client talk?
   
5. Did I stay on track during the presentation?
   
6. What objections caused me problems?
   
7. What is the one area I need to improve on?
   
8. What did my client get most excited about?
   
9. What steps do I need to take to stay on track better?
   
10. What could I have done differently to get the listing?

Being a Champion Agent starts with having a Champion listing presentation. The preparation beforehand is the area I believe most agents really need to focus on immediately. If you go into a presentation with more information than your competitors, you will win 80% of the time at least – even if the other agents are there because of a referral.

Published: July 15, 2011

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Dirk Zeller is a sought out speaker, celebrated author and CEO of Real Estate Champions. His company trains more than 350,000 Agents worldwide each year through live events, online training, self-study programs, and newsletters. The Real Estate community has embraced and praised his six best-selling books; Your First Year in Real Estate, Success as a Real Estate Agent for Dummies®, The Champion Real Estate Agent, The Champion Real Estate Team, Telephone Sales for Dummies®, Successful Time Management for Dummies®, and over 300 articles in print. To learn more regarding this article, please visit www.realestatechampions.com.