Out of all the real estate agents in the strong markets of Florida, what are you doing to distinguish yourself from the masses? Listing appointments, a common practice of the real estate agent, doesn’t have to be monotonous. Here are a few ways to help you stand out and ensure a closed deal during your next listing presentation.

Treat it Like a Job Interview
Because it is a job interview. Put your ego aside and come ready to present yourself truthfully and genuinely as the best person for this position – to help your client sell a house – and why. Don’t be afraid to talk about your achievements alongside of your responsibilities as their REALTOR®. And always be honest. Writer Kevin Hoover also mentions the importance of being truthful in an Inman article from January 2019.

“The point of the listing presentation is to gain trust,” Hoover said. “It would be counterproductive to include exaggerations or discrepancies from the truth.”  

Finally, leave a physical copy of your resume along with your picture for them to remember you by.

Come Prepared
Whatever materials or resources you help ease a seller’s concerns or questions about the process, bring it. Fill a folder with simple checklists and articles to aid in their understanding of how the process is going to look. You don’t have to go over everything in the meeting as you don’t want it to be an overload of information. Let your clients take the folder home and use for future reference. And, of course, include your branding and contact information so that they can reach you when they’re ready to list.  

Take Notes
One of the most important characteristics of a great real estate agent is attention to detail. However, no one person can remember everything. Taking notes is crucial at the listing appointment.

“If you go into the presentation believing that you will earn the client, which you should, you will need to remember the details of the conversation if you want to maintain your level of professionalism,” Hoover stated. “The best way to do that is to take notes.”

Before you begin writing, be sure to ask for permission. You want to ensure that your potential clients are aware and comfortable with their words being recorded. Most people will say yes, however, it’s important to build that trust, especially on the first meeting. Also, use a physical notepad and pen, rather than typing on your laptop or cell phone. While using your laptop or cell phone isn’t necessarily wrong, you may come across as closed-off and disengaged.

When you come back around at the end of the transaction and refer to something they said in your listing presentation, your clients won’t be able to hide their gratitude for your memory.

Get to Know Your Clients
In accordance with taking notes is getting to know your clients. You want to ask them detailed and specific questions about their likes, dislikes, family, and what they’re looking for in a real estate agent. Write down their answers. If the deal is sealed, so to speak, ask for their birthday, anniversary, and kids’ birthdays in order to stay in touch with them throughout the year and long after their house is sold.

Express Your Gratitude
As they say, a hand-written card goes a long way. A day or two after the meeting, be sure to write a card thanking them for their time and attention. Mention something in the card that was specific to your conversation. Not only will it remind them a few days later of your services, it adds the perfect professional touch and will showcase your attention to detail.

There are other ways to say thank you besides just a card. You can include a gift card, a branded item such as a pen or keychain, or anything else that will help the client remember you.

All of us at First International Title desire to see our real estate partners succeed, which is why we have many resources and flyers to help real estate agents and loan officers with their business. Reach out to your local sales executive to gain access to our many tools available for you to stand out in your market!

Some REALTORS® view them as a necessary evil; others view them as an added benefit to the job and are excited when the time rolls around. We’re talking about Client Pop-Bys! Creative pop-bys are a fun way to help agents stand out from others.

Not only is it a helpful way for real estate agents to make a touch or get in front of their clients, but, if planned correctly, can help an agent stay in front of those ‘referral partners’ all year long. However, not everyone excels in this area of marketing. Here are our top 7 tips for becoming a Pop-By Pro!

1. Create a Schedule
The agent should plan ahead by scheduling the whole year in advance for what pop-bys to do. Being consistent is the best way to get started and feel more prepared. Adding to the calendar the exact day to pass out the pop-bys will make it feel less overwhelming.

Don’t schedule too many pop-bys or it may be difficult to keep up. Smaller, quarterly pop-bys usually work out well. However, maybe the REALTOR® wants to go all out during Christmas time with a gift basket once per year. Maybe the REALTOR® only wants to focus on sports schedules. The ideas are endless!

2. Holidays and Seasons
Planning pop-bys in sync with holidays or seasons are the easiest way to stay on schedule and come up with ideas. For example, if doing quarterly season pop-bys…
-Spring: Your referrals make my business bloom! (With packages of flower seeds)
-Summer: Have a KOOL summer. (With packages of Kool-Aid)
-Fall: Bringing You Warm Wishes this Autumn Season (With a candle)
-Winter: The real estate market is warming up. Take comfort that you have a pro in your corner. (With a mug or bag of hot chocolate).

If focusing on holidays to schedule…
-March/St. Patrick’s Day: I’m LUCKY to have worked with you. (With gold Rolo candies)
-July/Independence Day: Have a BRIGHT Fourth of July! (With sparklers)
-October/Halloween: Don’t be stuck in the dark about the Real Estate Market. (With mini flashlights)
-December/Christmas: Wishing You a ‘Lotto’ Holiday Cheer! (With lottery tickets)

3. ALWAYS Incorporate Your Brand
Top real estate agents never let their current or potential customers forget who they are and what they do. The reason for pop-bys is to further the agent’s brand and stay in front of that audience. The easiest way to do this is include the REALTOR’s® logo and/or business card every single time without fail.

4. Do Something Different Each Time
Pop-bys can lose their pizzazz if the same bag of candy is given time and time again. Agents should do a different pop-by gift every single time, every single year. Come up with new and fresh ideas. Stay up to date on what’s popular on social media, especially with tech products. For example, one year fidget spinners were a huge hit. The next year? Not so much.

The only exception to this is if a REALTOR® becomes known for doing the same gift basket every Christmas or the same Football schedule every season. This can be useful as clients will come to expect the pop-by and look forward to receiving it.

5. Consider Utilizing Something More Permanent
If an agent’s budget is tight, s/he may need to rely on something tangible that lasts a long time. A good example of this is magnets. Wine and cheese pairings, recipes, sports schedules, or yearly calendars in the form of refrigerator magnets can be a great way to stay in front of an audience with the least amount of effort and money.

6. Incorporate a Unique Touch
If an agent has a talented hobby on the side, it would be a brilliant way of standing out. Maybe that hobby is baking, jewelry making, sewing, wood carving, etc. Whatever that special flare is, REALTORS® should incorporate that into their pop-bys. Home baked cookies have much more of a special touch to clients than store bought. Homemade says, “I care about you as an individual and want to earn your referrals.”

7. Get Creative!
Don’t do what every other REALTOR® does. At a loss for ideas? Google and Pinterest are the real estate agent’s best friends! There are countless DIY ideas online for creating simple, but impactful, pop-bys for current and potential clients. If the agent can’t choose between two similar ideas – they can be combined! There are countless opportunities and each season can be approached as a fresh start to try a new pop-by.

Questions? Comments? Reach out to your First International Title rep today!

Valentine’s Day is around the corner and, for some people, this is a wonderful time. For others, the chocolate, stuffed teddy bears, and wine displays can be an irritation. But, on top of all that, don’t be discouraged by the look or condition of your house. If you’re not in love with how your home feels or looks, this may be the perfect time to make some changes before the busy summer season rolls in.

These changes could be major house upgrades or simple fixes that make you eager to return home after work. Your house should be a place of comfort and happiness. If your house feels drab and you haven’t updated anything in a while, here are a few easy and inexpensive ways to give your home a facelift.

Paint the Walls
Sometimes all a house needs is a fresh coat of paint and a new burst of color to really make a difference. Try experimenting with new colors in the rooms that get the most traffic: entryway, living room, or kitchen. Maybe a light yellow would brighten up the kitchen or sky blue for the bathroom. If you’re having a difficult time imagining other colors on your wall, download the Sherwin Williams ColorSnap app. It allows you to test different colors on your walls through your phone.

Kitchen Facelift
Families typically spend the most time in the kitchen. Being the most-used room in the house, it won’t take long for dirt to build up, colors to fade, and cabinet knobs to fall off. If you need to save money, try painting the cabinets, rather than buying new ones. Change and match all of the knobs. Replace your backsplash with a new, pretty tile. Reorganize your cabinet and appliances. Throw away those plastic containers that don’t have matching lids and store the items you don’t use often away in the pantry to clear up some space.

Upgrade Your Wall Décor
Matching the photo frames, especially the ones that are next to each other, can make a big difference. If you don’t already have a picture wall or hallway, start drawing the layout and plan what photos and frames to use. Some artwork may go out of style. Sell or give away the old artwork and try giving your walls some texture with objects and open shelves.

Redo the Bathroom
If you dread getting ready in the morning, maybe it’s time to update your bathroom. Reorganize your cabinets by throwing away the old and mostly-empty shampoo bottles and Q-tip boxes. Get small storage crates and organize by types of items. Maybe it’s time to get a new set of towels and a matching shower curtain. Or you can experiment with paint colors and create a two-toned look.

Improve Your Curb Appeal
Instead of buying a brand new front door, give it a fresh coat of paint! Find sturdy, new house numbers to put on the siding or, if your house is not in an HOA, update the mailbox. Maybe you’ve always wanted flower boxes on the windows and it’s time to make a Lowe’s run.

Add Fresh Flowers or Scents
Nothing makes a home feel more cozy and clean than a vase of fresh flowers on the dining room table and candles burning in the rooms. Get new scents for every season and match your hand soap and lotions to the candle scents to complete the feel.

Before you get to work, however, make a list of wants and set your priorities. You may not be able to do all of the upgrades at once. Maybe the walls desperately need a fresh coat of paint because they’ve been the same color since you moved in. Put that to the top of your list and worry about the door knobs later.

We hope these tips gave you inspiration to make easy, real changes to your home. Every house is different and every family has different priorities. Make upgrades according to what you believe is best for you and your family!


Questions? Comments? Reach out to your First International Title rep today!