This is the first in a series of articles from TouchCMA that offers a total of 56 tips for better listing presentations.

Seven seconds.

That's how much time it takes to make a first impression. As an agent, your first impression has to be fantastic in order to convince a seller to list with you. Proper planning and preparation will gain you an edge over the competition and earn your potential seller's business.

In this post, you will find an extensive list of tips to help you stand out, look great and increase your chances of winning a real estate listing.

Do Your Research

1. Learn everything relevant that you can about the listing property and seller. Check tax records for details on the property. You should also try a simple Google search to see if your potential client maintains an online presence on sites like LinkedIn or Facebook.

2. Drive by the property to get a sense of the neighborhood and snap an image for the presentation. Unless the property has been listed in the MLS before, you will need a subject property photo to enhance your CMA.

3. Check and see if the property has sold and in past MLS records. Make a mental note of previous pricing trends.

4. Bring along a list of basic repairs and checks that will improve the prospects of a listing. These should apply to any home and should be easy to fix or implement, with a good return on investment. For example:

• Raising blinds and shades to open a room and bring in more light
• Staging the main living areas—placing patio furniture, dressing up the spare room, etc.
• Simplifying over-complicated decorations
• Fixing and replacing broken or burned-out light fixtures

5. Understand the client's reasons for selling. A seller reacting to a life-changing event such as a new job or a child's departure for college may need different guidance than an investor ready to flip a valuable property.

Scheduling Listing Presentations

6. At open houses you host, soft sell to possible clients who come through the door. Master active listening and be specific about how you express interest in helping them to show that you understand their unique situation.

7. Always keep a stack of your professional marketing materials on hand to give out. Keep a spare stash in your car as well as on your person.

8. When meeting a potential client, ask the Five Ws and One H:

• Who makes up the family (how many adults, children, and pets)
• What they are looking for (from the number of bedrooms and bathrooms down to the style of home they prefer)
• When they are interested in moving or selling
• Where they would like to live
• Why now is the time to make a change
• How they plan to proceed (what is the first/next step? Do they have an agent yet?)

9. If a potential client expresses interest in sitting down with you, ask to set an appointment after they have spoken with any other agents they are considering. Being the last to interview can give you a huge advantage, since you will be fresh in their minds.

Come Prepared for Success

10. Whether you have crafted them into a CMA or just printed a copy off your MLS, bring along the latest market statistics and trends to back up your statements.

11. Make sure you have appropriate marketing sheets with you.

12. A beautiful, full-color market analysis and presentation will go a long way towards snagging and keeping the attention of any client.

13. Clients want to see where their home sits on the market. Show them with graphs and other visual methods of interpreting data.

14. Put together a pitch for why you are the best agent for this specific client. Cite area expertise, previous similar transactions, your personal ties to their reasons for moving, and more.

15. Bright, gorgeous brochures are great for leaving behind with an interested client.

16. Know who you will use to take the professional photos of the home and bring along a sample of their work.

17. Offer to craft a visual walkthrough of the home, if possible. Again, bringing samples of the work you can provide—whether you do the walkthroughs yourself or hire a professional—will go a long way towards convincing a client you are prepared to be their agent.

18. Know your strengths as an agent. Be confident in the value of your knowledge, expertise and resources.

Read Part 2 now for tips on standing out from the competition, following up, and more!

To view the original article, visit the TouchCMA blog.