Perfecting Your Real Estate Listing Presentation to Stand Out and Seal the Deal
Imagine doing a task so well that you don’t have to do that work as much in the future. For real estate agents, creating and delivering a killer listing presentation does exactly that – it improves your win rate so you don’t need to woo so many sellers just to fill your pipeline.
When you craft a listing presentation framework that stands out, you’ll find yourself needing to do fewer and fewer of them. That’s because sellers will return and refer, the two most effective pipeline fillers an agent could want.
So let’s do just that. Let’s look at what a listing presentation is, how to make and deliver a repeatable pitch that wins, and what will happen when you do.
What is a listing presentation?
A listing presentation is a sales pitch run by real estate agents for homeowners looking to sell their homes. Also known as a listing appointment, it is key to making a lasting first impression to build a loyal client base.
A strong listing presentation can determine the success of your real estate business. In this article, we will take you through the steps required to build a successful listing presentation that highlights why you and your brokerage are the right partner for the job. It includes a variety of supporting elements which we’ll cover in a moment.
10 key elements to include in a real estate listing presentation
The listing presentation is a mutual “first impression,” so sellers expect to see a number of introductory items incorporated. But after the overviews, they’ll want more specific details.
Quick tip: It’s a mistake to believe potential sellers will zero in on your potential asking price and ignore everything else. When deciding what to cover in the listing presentation, focus on building a whole picture of how you will promote and close the sale
Research shows that home sellers prioritize two things when choosing a listing agent: trust, and an understanding of real estate trends. Establish both by including the following things.
1. An introduction
The beginning of your presentation should show your audience your personality, passions, and performance to date. This is an opportunity to make an impression by highlighting your unique skills and how you can help them achieve their goals.
2. A meeting agenda
People appreciate knowing what’s on deck. When you run through what you’re about to cover, then they can hold any questions. They’ll relax, knowing you’ll “get to it” in a moment.
3. Your price range
Many experts advise you to spend this next portion of the meeting going into further detail about your qualifications and track record. But there will be time for that in a moment. At this point, potential clients are itching for your presentation’s bottom line. Give it to them by proposing your preliminary listing price range.
4. Context to support your valuation
Now is your chance to explain what’s driving your optimism as well as the downward pressures facing their property. Here’s where your initial comparative market analysis (CMA) will shine. Remind your prospective client that your local market CMA may change once you’re given the green light (that is, a contract) to conduct more research.
5. A visual demonstration of your real estate marketing materials
Explain ways your promotion capabilities outperform rival real estate professionals. Show off the tools that you’ll use, like Matterport’s Digital Pro package, which includes a collection of versatile visual assets that will help their properties stand out in a sea of listings, like:
HDR photos that highlight the features of your property
Preview videos that can be hosted across various listing sites
Marketing floor plans to provide context on dimensions
3D virtual tours that enable prospective buyers to get a photorealistic understanding of the space
Digital twins that provide an immersive virtual experience that stands out from others
As they explore the property, viewing the various perspectives remotely, explain how each view increases the value in home buyers’ minds.
6. Where and how you’ll promote the property
Emphasize how you are building a strong real estate marketing plan that is tailored to reach a wider audience of prospective buyers through different listing sites, generating more qualified leads than traditional routes. Prove your confidence by informing your potential sale partners that with 3D Tours, properties sell up to 31% faster, and at a higher price.
7. A reason to pick your brokerage
Remember all those details you held back earlier when introducing yourself? By now you’ve managed to mention a variety of specific reasons you’re the best choice, all without pushing. The result is this moment: a ripe opportunity to cement their decision to choose you. Offer data points showing off the most successful home sales you’ve achieved in the last year (think asking-vs-sale price, days-on-market [DOM] figures, etc.). Specify what made those deals challenging and how you overcame hurdles. Include social proof by calling out testimonials from happy clients.
8. Ways they can help themselves get more value
Describe your role and responsibilities, as well as theirs. Give them both industry-standard and creative ideas to prepare their property for the most fruitful transaction. Promise more to come, should they agree to partner with you.
9. What to expect throughout the home selling process
Tell your prospective sellers what next steps look like with you. Contrast that future against low-touch agents who may not be as communicative or diligent. Give specific – and realistic – dates and milestones they can rely on.
10. A chance to ask questions
You never know what you’ve neglected until someone illuminates part of the deal that isn’t quite clear. Ask your guests what’s on their mind at this point, and whether there’s anything you can clarify.
You may have noticed that your entire message is seller-heavy, focused on ways they’ll benefit and profit. This is intentional. The listing presentation examples that win the most agreements are those that empower and excite the seller, making them the hero of their own sales journey.
To do that, you’ll need to craft your pitch carefully, one deliberate step at a time. Here’s how.
Build your real estate listing presentation in 7 simple steps
Aim for no more than a dozen slides, a video that’s only a few minutes long, a single physical takeaway (like a tear sheet), and a script.
Quick tip: Your script should let you cover the most important elements in between 30 and 90 minutes. The reason for the wide range is because each deal is different. With experience you’ll learn to read the room before and during the appointment to deliver an ideally-timed presentation. Aim for a timespan long enough to build authority (show you know the deal) without dragging on, wasting valuable time.
Ready to get started?
Before the real estate listing presentation
Step 1: Put together your presentation materials
First, you’ll need to create the pitch’s slide deck, script, and supporting real estate materials like printouts and visual assets. The most efficient way to convey your value as an agent is to show your marketing startegy in action. To do this, you can highlight several visual assets that will help their property stand out amongst other listings like using a combination of digital twins, HDR photos, videos, and 3D walkthroughs to show buyers the full potential of their property.
Populate your slides and script with relevant, current market data. If you’re using a real estate listing presentation template you’ve created for previous presentations, then double-check that all information is accurate and up-to-date. Has a new sale or listing dethroned your previous example and deserves to be swapped in? Now is the time to make those changes.
And finally, become an expert on the property and community surrounding it. Be ready to convince the selling party that you can evangelize the nearby restaurants, boutique shopping, entertainment options, museums and other historical markers, trail systems, and even local inside jokes. If this sounds daunting, just spend a few minutes in the town’s Facebook group or NextDoor threads.
Step 2: Rehearse
Two hundred.
That’s the number of times Dr. Jill Bolte Taylor practiced her now-famous, top-ten TED Talk. If you want to nail your presentation, then practice matters. To avoid the trap of reading from your script, jot down the most important points using a few bullets instead. Then, practice (yes, aloud) to discover ways you never knew your mind will wander when you have the floor. Make a mental note of every time you go off script, and decide: was that tangent worth working into the talk, or should I beware to avoid going there again?
“Rehearsing is the single best use of time before a critical presentation,” writes Carmine Gallo for HBR. “More preparation means less panic and more confidence.”
During the real estate listing presentation
Step 3: Stick with what you’ve prepared (and pay attention)
You worked hard to brainstorm and sharpen the material in your real estate listing presentation, so lean on that foundation. The same goes for your delivery: it’s okay to slightly vary where your hands and eyes go, as well as your inflections and facial expressions, but remember to occasionally return to what you practiced.
Read your guests’ cues as you speak. If folks begin shifting uncomfortably, offer a stretch break, or skip to a more exciting part of your presentation, like the digital twin demonstration or a case study.
Also, pay attention to what your audience is saying and doing. Does one of them notice the venue’s floral arrangement? Or wear a polo with a golf brand name on it? Do they mention an upcoming (or just passed) vacation somewhere? Take note so that you can nurture the relationship more authentically in the coming days.
Step 4: Ask for the listing
Many promising partnerships fizzle at this moment because real estate agents aren’t prepared to close in this moment. Here are some lines to try:
I appreciate your time and attention today. Based on what you’ve seen here, are you confident I can do for you what I’ve done before for others?
As you can see, I’d really love to represent you as you sell your home. Would you like to start now by signing the paperwork with me to list?
Do you feel you have enough information now to make a positive decision? Would you sign a listing agreement with me now to get started in the sales process we’ve discussed here?
Step 5: Address objections and hesitations
Approach any reluctance with empathy. Remember the magnitude of this decision for them.
You may be surprised to learn that the best answer to most objections is the presentation you just gave. Offer to return to the corresponding part in your presentation to clarify the points they seem unsure about. For example, if timing is a concern, remind them that the sellers of your success stories had the same concerns, but chose to move forward, to their ultimate advantage.
After the real estate listing presentation
Step 6: Send a creative thank-you
If you were not able to secure a contract with them during your listing presentation, attach it to an email thanking them for their time. Follow up with a phone call to explain to them how to sign it and return it to you securely and quickly.
Step 7: Automate follow-up email sequences to nurture the relationship
Plan to keep in touch by sending seasonal greetings, well-wishes, and updates from your own brokerage. Remember to never actively solicit their business if you learn they’ve contracted with another real estate agent.
These three steps are all your next move should your presentation guests not sign at that time. If, on the other hand, they are your newest contracted clients, then it’s crucial you deliver everything you promised. But then, do the same thing as you do for those sellers who “got away”: plan to reach out in an authentic way throughout the coming years so you’re always top-of-mind.
Win more than listings: Enhance your listing presentation and make a lasting impression
Having just learned all that goes into a stand-out listing presentation, you’re either excited to get started creating – or you’re overwhelmed and intimidated. It all depends on what tools are in your tool kit.
Quick tip: Matterport empowers you to create a digital twin of listings to show sellers you have what it takes to win more hungry and more qualified leads for their transaction. Read about all of our Solutions to win more listings.
Perhaps equally important to improving your productivity is the message you send with your ability to leverage today’s tools. Potential buyers and sellers want listings with 3D tours and other insightful technologies. Digital tools convey efficiency, confidence, productivity, and even curiosity. It shows you a desire to improve, because tech adopters tend to be the ones constantly asking, “Is there a better way to do this?”
The good news is that as the demand for real-estate listing technology increases, developers are responding, and the tools are improving. Technology like Matterport can help listings stand out dramatically. Visit a few residential virtual tours yourself to discover how immersive, how interactive, and how invaluable they can make a listing compared to static, traditional, two-dimensional counterparts.
Get better at building your listing presentation – so you can do less of it
It’s true that some of your work in the real estate business cannot be reduced or streamlined. But you can reduce the number of listing appointments you attend by elevating the quality of your presentation with the above tactics. When you do, you can win more listings, earn more repeat business, and generate referral work that speaks for itself. The result is fewer “first dates,” where you must convince sellers to move forward with you as their listing agent.
