The things that sets Team Zuhl apart from the crowd, our clients tell us, is that we are able to be real professionals while still being "real" people.
When a would-be home seller approaches us, we first determine if they are, in fact, ready, willing, and able to sell their home. Then, we hit them with the one-two punch.
- Our pre-listing package is very visual. In many cases we will take a picture of the home and have that on the front of our marketing materials for when we meet with the seller. We have sample flyers and other marketing pieces that we present when we meet with them.
- Our listing presentation is data driven. By the time prospective sellers have
reached out to us, their decision is usually made and they don't need or want an emotional sales pitch. They want facts - they want to know what percent of the local market we list and sell, they want to know what percent of our listings sell and at what percent of list price they sell for. They want to know how many showings we typically have per week, how long it takes to get an offer, and, often most importantly, how much we think their house is worth.
The follow up depends on what we've learned about our clients during the 
listing presentation.
Two Notable examples:
The Strawberry Shortcake approach: At a listing appointment a few years ago, Jean and the wife (stereotypically) talked about bakeries while the husband and Wayne talked stats (embracing our steak and sizzle reputation). The wife waxed reminiscent about a strawberry shortcake she had had years ago from a bakery in Bayonne. One phone call later told us that the bakery was still in business, still made strawberry shortcake, and was happy to deliver it to her the next day. We got the listing. We use the same approach when a homeowner indicates a type of candy or flowers they like, or even a book they're planning to read. The key is to listen.
The Helpful Hand approach: It's not unusual for would-be home sellers to share their needs - they need to get the roof repairs before they list their home, or they need to hire an estate sale specialist to help them declutter, for example. In our Thank you note the next day, we include our referrals for the services the homeowners indicated they needed along with an offer to make the phone calls for them. Again, the key is to listen!
This blog post is an entry in the Active Rain Contest: Share Your Out-of-the-Box Seller Follow-up Strategies.
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