In the "old" days, a good flip chart or presentation book demonstrated to the homseller why you were the perfect choice to market their home. Things have changed.

by Terri Murphy   Consumers have reached a new level of sophistication. Newly equipped with a broader understanding of the choices that are available via the WWW, the homeowner can be more selective. Plainly, service is no longer a sure key to any relationship or account. Service now is a fractional part of a new host of requirements necessary to win the order.

Today’s buyers and sellers are being "trained" by the Internet to expect value-added services, creating a new criteria just to get the business. Since the Internet allows for information on a round-the-clock basis, the consumer now drives the purchase of products or services at their own time and pace and, eventually, their own price.

The information available through the Internet helps them make a decision for purchase or selection with a clearer understanding of the choices offered. With a little work, they can more easily analyze comparative values. These consumer demands move at a quicker pace as well. The consumer of today wants it all–services, information, less stress, and great pricing whenever and wherever possible.

This new palette of demands changes how we demonstrate our products and services. Do you remember when Technicolor was new and exciting? Laser and DVD have raised the expectations of the average consumer to the point that advertising and presentations are required to be full graphic productions.

What does this all mean to the real estate agent trying to win buyer and sellers?

It’s taking more to dazzle the 21st century seller. National statistics tell us the average buyer is 34.7 years old and savvy with a computer. The time has come to learn the newest ways to present our services in a fresh, crisp, updated way that incorporates our traditional marketing and interfaces with the newest technology and Internet communications.

In the past, we employed flip charts and personal display books to educate the seller. It is time to get the "digital edge." It will take a few tools, but the results will make all of them worth far beyond your investment in them.

Step 1: Get a good laptop computer
The virtual office is the name of the game, and the agent of today needs to have all the tools and information at hand in all buyer and seller situations. A laptop computer offers flexibility and the ability to have your "office"–including contact management and presentation software–wherever you are.

Step 2: Use presentation software for listing interviews
For a good digital presentation, PowerPoint works well and is easy to customize for each client and customer. Other choices include Top Presenter, Top Producer, etc.

A well-planned digital presentation will incorporate the same information you have been offering previously, but featured with a digital images, clip art, and text on a screen.

Step 3: Take screen captures of your Web site
Make copies of your company Web site and other Web sites th

at you will be profiling in your presentation. This alleviates getting online at the appointment and risking poor connectivity, tying up personal phone lines, and other negative consequences. It is less time consuming and not distracting to present.

To perform a screen capture on a PC, press the Print Screen key. Then, in your presentation program, click on Edit, then Paste.

Step 4: Personalize the presentation
Include in your listing presentation an interesting, personalized opening page featuring the name and address of your client with a digital photo of their home.

The second screen could be used to outline the upcoming interview with the information you will be presenting. Define the objectives you will address in your presentation with a PowerPoint or digital presentation, helping you make your points visually.

Step 5: Build an Internet marketing strategy
It’s important to include a new electronic marketing plan along with your standard marketing materials. Write out the steps for a customized Internet marketing strategy that will inform the property owner all that you will do to use the World Wide Web and e-mail to market their property, along with regular print and other media marketing systems.

Consider the following items for your Internet marketing strategy:

• Include Web sites the property will be featured on.
• Use the screens to feature those services your company offers, including the number of agents, market share, ancillary services, etc.
• Demonstrate several screens to feature your own Web site, your important links, where your listings are linked to your site (like REALTOR.com) and any relocation and affiliate links that you have agreements with.
• List communication and reporting services. Include the type of agent productivity software reports the seller can expect. Examples are Top Producer Marketing Summary reports, Agent2000 reports, etc.
• Explain site tracking. If your Web site is designed to incorporate Web site activity with a tracking system, show how you use your site activity information to define your marketing plans. This information will help you define what pages get the most sessions and how you can streamline and tailor your marketing efforts to correspond with the most exposure. Information like this helps you assure the seller that you are in command of what advertising investments work for you, as you have the history to prove it. This also helps eliminate the seller "demanding" where the property should be advertised.
• Showcase Web tools: Be sure to feature your Web tools as a lead generator in your presentation, as is the case when using auto-responders to give 24-hour information on your "hot property of the week." This is a great place to demonstrate to the seller how an automatic information report on their property–communicated through e-mail–offers immediate response to a buyer’s request. In addition, as the agent, you can now follow up a "warm lead" with value-added services for more information or hard-copy collateral. This new technology offers round-the-clock exposure and can be accessed at anytime by anyone. This "commercial" on their home can be written right at the listing table as a means of closing the seller for the listing commitment.
• Explain how mail lists give you an opportunity to contact interested parties at any time with new and changing information about your listings, and what your current buyers are looking for.
• Virtual Tours are another great item to display in your presentation, offering the seller a hands-on demonstration of what an online visual tour of their home will look like. You can show the seller online tours for other properties in your own inventory or office’s inventory. The virtual tour is the pre-sell of a property for an interested buyer, as they can "stroll" through the property online in the comfort of their own home prior to actually making the appointment to see the home. Explain how your e-gallery can be used to give additional "live" information to prospects and other agents and as a great listing tool when a stack of tour discs are available to browsing prospects who see the home and might need a refresher later.

Be flexible
There will be those homeowners who won’t be interested in the newest fangled technology to sell homes (although as the Internet continues to grow, this will be a vanishing consumer). Consider having at your disposal both a printed listing presentation and a digital presentation to engage the many types of sellers you will be interviewing for.

There is still plenty of confusion out there as the industry shifts to a standardized model. Help the homeowner understand the process and become their information center for questions and concerns.

Systems are the magic word for 21st century selling. Be one of the first to adapt to this great new presentation format to get you the listing and to show off both your electronic and regular marketing strategy.

Terri Murphy, CRS, GRI, LTG, an active real estate agent, has consistently listed and sold over 100 homes a year in a 21 year career. She is a speaker, trainer, and consultant for the real estate industry and has authored the acclaimed Terri Murphy’s Listing & Selling Secrets: How to Become A Million $ Producer. Her newest book, E-Listing & E-Selling Secrets for the Technologically Challenged is being published by Dearborn this summer. Contact her at 312/856-1950 or Terri@TerriMurphy.com. For more information about her programs go to www.TerriMurphy.com. Copyright2000 by TerriMurphy. All rights reserved. May not be reproduced in any fashion without permission.

Artwork by Brucie Rosch.

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