5 Ways to Get Your Listings Sold

As a Wickman-trained student, I learned the Three Part Pricing Dialogue and used it on every listing appointment when the Seller wanted more than the home was worth.  For those Sellers who agreed with the price I thought we could get, I used only the second two parts of the dialogue (the three prices on every house and the Price & Time Pyramid).

Over the last several months, I've heard a common lament from our Coaching Students: "My listings aren't selling!"

In many markets, the average days on market has lengthened, causing us to carry a larger inventory for a longer length of time.  This blog is in response to that.  

My motivation? 

That you get paid. 

That your Sellers move and are so grateful to you that they send you referrals for the rest of your career.  That you experience, along the way, less stress and anxiety.

Here's how:

1. Master that dialogue and use it on every appointment, just like I did.  If you need a refresher, here are a couple of ways to get it:

                  *dig out your old manual and roleplay with a partner

                  *listen to Floyd do this dialogue - over and over.  If you need a quick way to find the recording, consider joining The Vault for just one month.  $17.75. (Pretty cheap way to get your listings sold!)

2. Be sure to DRAW (yep:  on paper) during your listing appointment.  That way, when the Seller is frustrated because it's taking too long, you can reintroduce the Price & Time Pyramid and they'll recognize your drawing and remember it was their decision to try for more and wait.

3. Take longer listings.  The listing term must carry through to the closing.  We recently heard about a Seller who tried to get out of paying a commission because the listing term was over before the closing. Consider that certain price points in your market take longer to sell than others.  Know the DOM data for that type of home, in that area, in that price range.  Make that data part of your pricing presentation.  Always add 50% to the DOM for all the properties that expired, were FSBOs first, or were listed more than once.  Always add processing time (45 - 60 days) to the total.  Then convert that to the actual date, writing out the month.  January 15th has emotional weight that 1/15 does not.

4. When you do take a listing for more than you want, be sure to get built-in price reductions.  Print them and pack them with you.  Post-date them and assure the Seller that no one will know they are in your folder.  Do not call the Seller to confirm you're changing the price on MLS when the pre-chosen date comes up, just snail mail a signed/dated copy on the day after you do.

5. Know when to walk away.  Floyd says, "If you're going to lose it on Friday, lose it on Monday instead."  Sometimes, we just have to say no.  A recent student told me he was going on an Expired appointment and it would be the fourth time the Seller put it on the market.  Probe. Probe. Probe. Try saying, "Let's make sure there isn't a fifth time.  Let's get it sold this time."  You could also say, "I'd rather say "no" to you today than say "no" in a few months and have you mad at me".

Mike Pallin always said, "We know our marketing works".

I like that. It's true. Your marketing is effective.

Commit to getting really, really good at your Wickman pricing dialogues, and you'll have a more peaceful business and get paid on all your listings.

You can get access to dialogues like the three part pricing one inside Floyd's Vault.

The Floyd Wickman Team Blog Written by Mary Pallin