When a prospective seller invites you to their home for a listing interview, you know immediately that you are competing with other agents for the business. A standard leave-behind piece for nearly every agent is the CMA, or Comprehensive Market Analysis. Often the competing agents will choose the same past sales on which to base their price recommendation, so the seller ends up with similar information from each one.
To combat this, some real estate companies are placing the data inside attractive covers and spiral binding everything together. While this additional step does help to separate one report from the others, it is no longer an uncommon practice.
With a little investment of time on your part, you can use your computer and color printer to turn your next CMA into a high impact sales piece that will really become a standout ... and will help make you a standout as well. It’s as simple as creating two standard, off-the-shelf sections and a set of three dividers to add to the CMA data before binding. Here’s how:
Section 1
The CMA
Since this is the information the seller really wants and expects, it should be the initial section in your report. If you have not been providing a summary sheet that condenses the data, make this the first priority. Set up a macro or similar shortcut in your computer so that you only have to input the addresses, relevant features and “sold” prices as well as your recommended price for the prospect’s property.
Section 2
Your Sales Record
Dazzle the prospect with a compilation of your real estate experience. Instead of going on and on in narrative style, however, use colorful charts and graphs to make the numbers easier to understand. Besides, research indicates that a chart seems to add validity to data far more than several paragraphs of type. If you have a good track record in the prospect’s neighborhood, turn those numbers into a separate graph. If your real estate experience isn’t yet lengthy enough to have accumulated impressive numbers for you personally, use data about your sales office or company. When a text narrative is needed to bring it all together, add an appropriate visual and don’t forget to allow for plenty of white space in your page layout.
A word of caution about constructing graphs: When designing information graphics, it’s important to match your data with the right kind of chart or graph. While today’s easy-to-use software allows you to represent your data in almost any format with a mouse click, you should choose a format based on how well it presents your data — not how good it looks. Charts and graphs are best used to show off trends, relationships and comparisons, while tables work better when specifics of the data are the key information. Avoid making your graphs too complicated; the point of information graphics is to make the data accessible and comprehensible at a glance. The reader shouldn’t have to study your chart at length to figure out its message.
Section 3
Your Credentials
Translate your personal brochure into this third and final section of your sales report. You can use the same words and photographs that you’ve already labored to produce, but it will now be in an 81/2 by 11-inch format. By having all the information about you and about the seller’s property in one, compact piece, your efficiency and professionalism will be the starring elements. Your future seller will be able to peruse the report and quickly access the information he needs to make his final decision.
Wrapping It Up
For the most part, sections 2 and 3 can be prepared in advance and printed out as needed— ready to be added to the CMA information. A cover sheet that includes your name, your broker’s name and all your contact information will simplify your prospect’s decision-making process even more.
In case it hasn’t become apparent, this high impact sales report can easily replace your listing presentation book. If you prefer a laptop presentation, be sure the integral visuals become part of the report. Then, as the prospect contemplates the leave-behind piece, he will recall seeing that data on your screen.