One of the biggest traps I see real estate agents fall into is overthinking the listing presentation.
They rehearse the script on their way to the appointment and try to impress the prospect, beat other agents, and ultimately, to win it.
They put up a front, get into ‘selling mode’, and see it as a failure if they don’t close on the spot.
The problem is, it’s all performative, when it should be about presence and connection.
When agents obsess over their pitch, they lose sight of the person sitting across from them.
But when they lead with questions – real questions – they earn trust. And trust is everything in business.
If your team is struggling to land listing presentations, it’s an opportunity for you as the agency leader to reframe their approach.
Here’s how to do it.
Winning deals without the hard ‘sell’
- The listing starts long before the appointment
Great agents don’t wait for the appraisal request to start to build the rapport. They’re already known in the community and might have added value to a prospect before. They have had conversations that weren’t about a listing. So, when a client finally reaches out, they’re not cold.
Action: Train your agents to extend the timeline with lead gen. Set a target for XX number of conversations with warm leads per week.
- The pre-appointment phone call is a goldmine
Coach your agents to stop selling on the phone and start connecting. Instead, help them get curious by building a strong question set:
- Why have you chosen now to move?
- Have you sold before?
- What’s motivating the move?
- What worries you the most?
- Are you buying and selling at the same time?
- Do you have a broker or conveyancer yet?
- What would a great outcome look like for you?
This does two things:
- It shows professionalism and care
- It gives them the insight to tailor the appointment, not deliver a cookie-cutter pitch.
Action: Create a set of 5-10 questions that are focused on building connection and conversation, not going straight to selling.
- Aim for presence, not a presentation
Coach them to slow down, listen more, and read the room. To walk through the door with the mindset: ‘I’m here to learn, not to impress.’
Get them asking more questions, not just delivering information.
Action: Run regular mock listing presentations with your team, especially new sales agents. Help them get the reps in.
- Pitch through problems, not talking points
Instead of listing features and hoping something sticks, guide your agents to match their value to the seller’s pain points.
If it’s a separation, downsizing, or a family estate situation, they’ll see right through scripted lines. Instead, guide the conversation with questions/comments like:
- “Would it help if I handled the logistics with our trades team to make this easier on you?”
- “We could start with an off-market strategy to reduce stress. Would that feel better for now?”
They’re solving, not selling.
Action: Identify 10 of the most common pain points and teach your agents how to look for them during a listing, in order to steer the conversation.
- Friendly, focused follow-ups
A great presentation without a clear follow-up plan is a missed opportunity.
Coach your team to send a proposal that outlines:
- The steps they’ll take next
- A realistic pricing strategy
- Marketing options tailored to the seller’s goals
- A clear timeline and plan.
This will make the seller feel safe and in good hands.
Action: Implement a scorecard in your sales team that tracks follow-ups. Create a reward system for XX of follow-ups per week.
The takeaway
When you coach your team this way, you’ll start to see the numbers shift. Listing conversions go from 50% to 70-80%.
Your team becomes known for being relational, not robotic. You build reputations rooted in trust, not just tactics. That’s how you grow a high-performance (and profitable) sales team.
