Building Rapport – It Can Make or Break Your Listing Presentation
Making a strong first impression can be tough – unless you have a fail-safe system for it that works in almost every listing presentation. My Rapport-Building Formula helps you connect with the seller, allows you to get to know the property and, most importantly, helps you stand out right away utilizing a process that almost […]
Facing the Dragon
Today I am here at the Lynnwood Convention Center where we hold many of our live classes and meetings with coaching clients. For this week’s Zebra Report I want to talk about that sick feeling that most people get when they are confronted by conflict. I want to specifically address what happens to a person […]
Conquering Conflict
Today, the topic is conflict. Again? Yes. We need to address conflict. Why? For starters, almost every day in my business, I get a call from at least one agent talking about conflict. There’s conflict with buyers, sellers, vendors, the title company—and other agents! Real estate is an industry that breeds conflict because there are […]
Mail Means MONEY in Your Pocket!
One of our favorite clients recently challenged us on social media about the importance of mail and I thought it was worth addressing in a Zebra Report: “Where I am from I don’t see many people reading their mail when they have social media. When I ask if they received my letter after a week […]
Your Lizard Brain in Conflict
Have you ever been in a really stressful situation, perhaps one in which someone was upset with you, and your instinct was to flee? Or perhaps your body flooded with adrenaline in preparation for a fight? In both cases, your “lizard brain” – or that part of your brain that is primitive and is what […]
Give your clients a snapshot of where current market interest is focused by showing them the full spectrum of recently purchased homes in their area. This can help your buyers see where they face the most competition for homes. Use this to show your sellers what kind of demand the market has for a home like theirs.
Sharing home buyer trends delivers valuable market information in an easy-to-digest format that both buyers and sellers appreciate and understand. It demonstrates that you are the expert who is keeping a close eye on the market.
Making a strong first impression can be tough – unless you have a fail-safe system for it that works in almost every listing presentation. My Rapport-Building Formula helps you connect with the seller, allows you to get to know the property and, most importantly, helps you stand out right away utilizing a process that almost no other agent is using.
How does the Rapport-Building Formula work? It’s easy!
What You Need
A clipboard and pen
Your phone/camera
Home Conditions Checklist
Seller Improvements Checklist
Listing Dollars Checklist
To put the Rapport-Building Formula into action, put the three checklists onto your clipboard, have your phone handy, and you are ready to go once you get to the seller’s house.
Most agents, upon arriving at the seller’s house, make a bit of small talk, and then be led around by the owner to see the home. However, the Rapport-Building Formula provides a framework for asking questions and getting information about the property. It is a fantastic tool for those agents who aren’t comfortable with small talk, but are concerned that if they don’t engage with the seller and get down to business too quickly, they won’t make a critical connection and may lose the listing.
How It Works
Arrive at the seller’s home for your presentation.
Indicate that you would like to tour the home with the seller to really hone in on the home’s market value.
Get out your clipboard and get to work! Room-by-room, you are making notes about:
Condition, opportunities, and potential repairs needed
Any improvements the seller has done since buying and their approximate value
Listing dollars or those features that buyers will pay extra for.
Use your phone to take photos of these items as you go.
You can include language such as:
“I noticed this large bay window that frames in the view of the garden. This is a feature that will cause an emotional reaction with some buyers. It is definitely a feature that we will highlight.”
“This bathroom looks like it has recently been remodeled. Did you have this work done and do you remember what you spent?”
“These countertops are very unique. Are they from Brazil? Do you know what specimen of stone? These could represent more listing dollars.”
“I am looking for more listing dollars in your home’s amenities that are not immediately apparent. What can you tell me about your home’s heating and cooling system?”
Do you see how this can be much more effective than looking at family photos in the hallway and making comments, trying to find common ground? With the Rapport-Building Formula, you have a system for making a strong impression right away and it helps you lay the groundwork for your points of difference. I won a lot of listings that I can attribute to this formula and I hope you do too!
Looking for new content you can send to your clients this month? Articles for September were just posted and we have some great, fresh content for you. First up, Paying Off a Mortgage Early – with examples, this article answers this time-popular question for your clients. Next up, what should your clients do when a home fails inspection? This article outlines options for both buyers and sellers when inspections bring bad news. Lastly, we have a great article on flooring options, their pros-and-cons, and when is it time to think of the next flooring choice. As always, this month’s articles and many more are available, attribution free, for your mailing lists at the Club Zebra website. Get your September client content here.
Today I am here at the Lynnwood Convention Center where we hold many of our live classes and meetings with coaching clients. For this week’s Zebra Report I want to talk about that sick feeling that most people get when they are confronted by conflict. I want to specifically address what happens to a person physically when you are faced with conflict, adversity, somebody that is talking to you aggressively, or when somebody that is upset.
We all have a physical reaction, partly because we do not know where that conversation is going to go, so we are operating from a place of fear. That fear wreaks chaos on our brains. Conflict sounds an alarm that triggers our instincts to protect us from threats. Our stomach gets in a knot, our breath gets shorter, we may even feel light-headed. And all of this just adds to the anxiety of the situation that triggered it in the first place. For many agents, it is a struggle to resist this automatic reaction, it just takes over.
Are you looking at your pipeline thinking you would like some additional business come January? Perhaps the single most important follow-up and client care activity that you can do every year is the Annual Client Review. This snapshot of market activity is appreciated by clients, demonstrates your expertise and gives you several opportunities to reconnect and remain top-of-mind for when they are ready to transact again.
This is not a CMA! It actually takes less work than a typical CMA to complete. It’s easy to email or snail-mail. It’s a great way to keep in touch with your client, while positioning yourself as an expert. Read more »
Today, the topic is conflict. Again? Yes. We need to address conflict.
Why? For starters, almost every day in my business, I get a call from at least one agent talking about conflict. There’s conflict with buyers, sellers, vendors, the title company—and other agents! Real estate is an industry that breeds conflict because there are so many moving parts. Being a great agent means being able to master this constant conflict. Read more »
Do your clients know how much their property has appreciated in value since they purchased it? When you need something quick, this Homeowner’s Equity Appreciation Report is a fantastic tool that can be added on to Annual Client Review or it can be a completely separate report that you send. This is a fast and easy way to show the purchase price, approximate current market value, and growth in-between. This information can help convince a potential seller that now is the time to cash in on their equity, whether they are moving to a different area, up-scaling their lifestyle, or downsizing after adult children have left home.
One of our favorite clients recently challenged us on social media about the importance of mail and I thought it was worth addressing in a Zebra Report:
“Where I am from I don’t see many people reading their mail when they have social media. When I ask if they received my letter after a week or two most say they haven’t picked up their mail because they are too busy.”Read more »
Are you helping a seller visualize the market value of their home? Or are you assisting a buyer in pin-pointing a good area for investment? Or maybe you are at an open house and want something valuable to give to potential buyers? The Appreciation by Neighborhood map can be a star in all of those situations!
It’s a great way to visually show how neighborhoods, cities, or other map-able areas compare to each other. Read more »
Have you ever been in a really stressful situation, perhaps one in which someone was upset with you, and your instinct was to flee? Or perhaps your body flooded with adrenaline in preparation for a fight? In both cases, your “lizard brain” – or that part of your brain that is primitive and is what causes that flight or fight response – takes over.
Lizard Brain isn’t all bad. In fact, it is responsible for keeping you alive! However, your Lizard Brain is also responsible for you either going overboard in your response to conflict and stress or fleeing and not dealing with it at all. Read more »
