The "Real" Role of a Listing Agent
When you bought your property, you probably used the services of a real estate agent. You found that agent through a referral from a friend or family member, or through some sort of advertising or marketing. The agent helped you in many ways and eventually you found the property of your dreams, made an offer, closed the deal, and moved in.
For whatever reason, now it is time to sell your property and you need a real estate agent again. Many sellers, especially those selling their first property, tend to think all agents are similar to the one that helped them buy their property.
Although real estate agents can (and do) work with both buyers and sellers, most tend to concentrate more on one than the other. They specialize. When you bought your property, you probably worked with a "selling agent" – an agent that works mostly with buyers. Because of the nature of real estate advertising and marketing, the public’s main image of the real estate profession is that of the selling agent.
As a result, many business owners expect their listing agent to do the same things that a selling agent does – find someone to buy their property. After all, they do the things you would expect if they were searching for buyers. A sign goes up in the front yard. Ads are placed in the local newspaper and real estate magazines. Your property is proudly displayed on the Internet.
But this is only "surface" marketing. More important activity occurs behind the scenes. After the "for sale" sign goes up and flyers are printed, your agent’s main job is to market your property to other agents, not to buyers.
The "For Sale" Sign
It seems fairly obvious that when you put your property up for sale, your agent will put a "for sale" sign out front. The sign will identify the agent’s company, the agent, and have a phone number so prospective buyers can call and get information.
Signs are great at generating phone calls, even if very few actually purchase the property they call about. However, you might be one of the lucky ones. For that reason, you should determine what happens when someone calls the number on the sign. Does a live person answer the phone or does the call go to a voicemail or recorder?
You want someone to answer the phone while the caller is "hot." When buyers call the number on the sign, the call should go to a live person who can answer questions immediately. A potential buyer may be on the street outside your property, placing the call using a cell phone.
Also, take a look at the sign and see if it seems more interested in generating calls from buyers, or if it seems more oriented toward advertising your agent’s listing services to your neighbors.
Flyers and a Brochure Box
Your agent should prepare a flyer that displays a photo and provides details about your property. There should also be a phone number so buyers can contact your agent to get additional information. The flyers should be displayed in a prominent location in your business and also in a brochure box attached to the "For Sale" sign.
The brochure box is convenient for those buyers who drive by and just happen to see the "For Sale" sign in front of your property. It provides enough information so they can determine if they want to follow up with a phone call or inform their own agent they are interested in your property.
