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"How Do I Know You're Doing Your Job To Market My Property?"

By
Commercial Real Estate Agent with Next Wave RE Investments LLC Bullhead City AZ Commercial RE Broker AZ BR 528507000

When I take a listing, there is ALWAYS a 7 day mutual kickout clause.

If the seller does not hold up their end of the agreement (for example, making agreed-to repairs, clearing clutter, making property available for showings), I can release them unilaterally with 7 days' notice.

Now if some act of God, family situation, etc. requires we pull the listing, of course I will do it.

Otherwise, the seller can pull the listing IF I HAVE NOT DONE MY JOB to market the property.

I make sure they know I am doing my job, with EVIDENCE.

Within a few days following the signing of the listing, I provide my marketing plan** for the property (specific to the property and discussed prior to the agreement) with all the action steps ticked off, date and if ongoing, how frequently.

**Note: I do not share the actual plan until the listing is inked; rather, I send collateral for a similar recent listing.

I will then send listing collateral - each action step has proof of completion. 

For example:
Photo of the sign and/or sign proof if specific to the property.
Links to online marketing.
PDFs of the listing in members-only portals they cannot access (CCIM DealShare is an example) or customer-level MLS listings
Tear sheet of print ads.
Screenshot of direct mailers (seller ALWAYS gets a physical card mailed to them) 
Blog posts.
Online sponsored ads.
Video/virtual tours/3D tours.
Screenshot of reverse marketing efforts.
Performance reports 
Flyers.
Info packet.
Demographics. 
Photos, etc.

Whatever anyone being marketed to will see--and their actions in response.

Seller can click the links to see what consumers see.

Let's face it. We do A LOT of work to market properties. Yeah, some of it is easier thanks to technology. (Some is harder!) But it ALL entails time, research and money!

We NEED our seller clients to know what we are doing to achieve our common goal. 

Featured Photo by Lukas Blazek on Unsplash

Comments(19)

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Bill Salvatore - East Valley
Arizona Elite Properties - Chandler, AZ
Realtor - 602-999-0952 / em: golfArizona@cox.net

Wonderful information. Thanks for sharing and enjoy your week!

Bill Salvatore, Realtor- Arizona Elite Properties

Sep 20, 2023 08:17 AM
Candice A. Donofrio

Thank you!

Sep 20, 2023 11:52 AM
Nina Hollander, Broker
Coldwell Banker Realty - Charlotte, NC
Your Greater Charlotte Real Estate Broker

Hi Candice... I provide systematic reports to my clients as to what I'm doing, what I've done, statistics regarding showings and on-line viewing activity. I've never had a client question me as to whether I'm doing everything I can for them. They know.

Sep 20, 2023 08:40 AM
Candice A. Donofrio

You showed them so they know! 💖

Sep 20, 2023 11:52 AM
Dorie Dillard Austin TX
Coldwell Banker Realty ~ 512.750.6899 - Austin, TX
NW Austin ~ Canyon Creek and Spicewood/Balcones

Hi Candice A. Donofrio ,

Its a team effort and both sides need to make sure they hold up their end of the bargain. I too provide my clients with reports outlining what I have done including feedback from showings and open houses. They want to know what buyers and agents are saying!

Sep 20, 2023 05:02 PM
Candice A. Donofrio

 They want to know what buyers and agents are saying!

 

They SAY they do, LOL! Well some really do but others should watch what they wish for! 😂

Sep 21, 2023 04:56 AM
Chris Ann Cleland
Long and Foster Real Estate - Gainesville, VA
Associate Broker, Bristow, VA

Yep.  Letting the sellers know what you are doing is critical.  The number one complaint I've had from sellers who are new to me, but have sold before or tried with the property in question with a previous agent is that their former listing agent didn't ever communicate what they were doing, so it was assumed they did nothing.

Sep 20, 2023 06:02 PM
Candice A. Donofrio

And very possible their assumption was accurate! LOL

Sep 21, 2023 04:57 AM
Kathy Streib
Cypress, TX
Retired Home Stager/Redesign

Well done, Candice. It's important to show the clients that they were right to choose you to list their property. We've all heard sellers whose primary complaint was that once their property was listed, they had no idea what their agent was doing.

Sep 20, 2023 07:02 PM
Candice A. Donofrio

Yup, and like Chris Ann said above you, assumed they were doing nothing. 

Sep 21, 2023 04:58 AM
Cynthia Grimes
BHHS PenFed Realty- Office 240-815-9040 - Frederick, MD
"Dog Loving REALTOR®️, With You Every Step Home!"

This is great and it really shows your value to your clients.

Sep 20, 2023 07:53 PM
Candice A. Donofrio

Thank you! 💖

Sep 21, 2023 04:58 AM
Patricia Feager
Flower Mound, TX

Candice A. Donofrio - Your Kick Out Clause lays down the rules so eloquently and it's all in writing!

Bravo! I can support your idea 100%.

Sep 21, 2023 03:49 AM
Candice A. Donofrio

I love that clause, LOL - it keeps EVERYONE honest. 

 

Sep 21, 2023 04:59 AM
Brian England
Ambrose Realty Management LLC - Gilbert, AZ
MBA, GRI, REALTOR® Real Estate in East Valley AZ

This is one of the many reasons that you are the cream of the crop!  All agents should be showing their clients what they are doing to market their home.  I have seen how some agents market a home and I would think that if their clients saw it, they would fire them immediately, haha.  I like that your agreements allow you to move on if they haven't done what they agreed to do in order to get the property ready to sell.

Sep 21, 2023 04:36 AM
Candice A. Donofrio

I have seen how some agents market a home and I would think that if their clients saw it, they would fire them immediately

I've seen wrong zoning, wrong APN and even wrong address! Our MLS has become very proactive on enforcement, thankfully, 

Sep 21, 2023 05:08 AM
Wanda Kubat-Nerdin - Wanda Can!
Red Rock Real Estate (435) 632-9374 - St. George, UT
The best agent in Southern Utah!

Effective marketing and advertising is done by true professionals like you, BB, the others take amateur photos, stick a sign in the window or the ground and expect a buyer agent to make the call.

Of course, some sellers are chronic complainers, as we both know!

Sep 24, 2023 10:04 AM
Candice A. Donofrio

All 💯true BB! 

Sep 24, 2023 10:07 AM
Katina Hargrove 352-551-0308
Stake Your Land Realty, Inc. - Eustis, FL
Broker/Owner, SFR®, e-PRO®, GRI, AHWD, REALTOR®

Candice A. Donofrio,

Well said, it takes two to tango🙂

Sep 28, 2023 01:03 PM
Candice A. Donofrio

I have released MANY listings where the seller wasn't performing. 

Sep 29, 2023 05:08 AM
Silvia Dukes PA, Broker Associate, CRS, CIPS, SRES
Tropic Shores Realty - Ich spreche Deutsch! - Spring Hill, FL
Florida Waterfront and Country Club Living

Excellent info for sellers to know all of what the marketing of their property entails. And definitely time consuming which most people don't realize because that work is done mostly in an office setting. 

Nov 01, 2023 03:32 PM
Candice A. Donofrio

It's a LOT of work to make it easy for buyers to make a decision and for cooperating agents to sell a property to their buyers! 

Nov 02, 2023 05:21 AM
Debe Maxwell, CRS
Savvy + Company (704) 491-3310 - Charlotte, NC
The RIGHT CHARLOTTE REALTOR!

You are spot-on, Candice! If you don't share what you're doing with them, how on earth would they ever know?! 

And, we operate very similarly with regards to what we do and how we do it but, I do PRINT out my marketing plan I have put together for their listing. I go over it with them and put it back in my laptop case as I'm talking. I'm not going to leave it and conversely, there is so much on there, they'll never remember all of my points. PLUS, when I'm through reviewing it with them, I ask them if my plan is 'pretty much in line with the other agents they've interviewed?" 100% of the time they say to me, "No one has shown us their plan for our house!"

Nov 02, 2023 07:24 AM
Candice A. Donofrio

I have seen 'what other agents leave the seller' LOL and most of the time it is 'HOW WONDERFUL WE ARE' and no actual plan. 

Nov 02, 2023 07:41 AM
Ed Silva, 203-206-0754
Mapleridge Realty, CT 203-206-0754 - Waterbury, CT
Associate Real Estate Broker

I like that mutual Kickout clause. Sellers do state what they will do, but also take their time getting to it. I currently have a seller that I swear had repairs done before I got to my car to leave.

Nov 04, 2023 03:50 AM
Candice A. Donofrio

I have exercised that kickout provision many many times. They're not setting me up to fail!

Nov 04, 2023 05:16 AM
Wayne Martin
Wayne M Martin - Oswego, IL
Real Estate Broker - Retired

Good morning Candice. Let them know (what you are doing) as you go. Nobody wants to be left in the dark. Enjoy your day.

Nov 04, 2023 05:03 AM
Candice A. Donofrio

Right. And you as well!

Nov 04, 2023 05:17 AM
Kat Palmiotti
eXp Commercial, Referral Divison - Kalispell, MT
Helping your Montana dreams take root

A mutual kickout clause is a great thing to add to a listing agreement. And of COURSE you provide details of all you've been doing for them - I'd have expected that!

Nov 04, 2023 05:25 AM
Candice A. Donofrio

MOST of the sellers - even corporate - are surprised at all that is done! 

Nov 04, 2023 06:01 AM
Dr. Paula McDonald
Beam & Branch Realty - Granbury, TX
Granbury, TX 936-203-0279

Your clients don't have to second guess what you are doing for them. I love the proactive approach.

Nov 04, 2023 05:46 AM
Candice A. Donofrio

I've BEEN that client with out of area/out of state agents who took the listing but did NOTHING. It's challenging with long-hold properties - land and commercial can take time - but putting a package together and keeping it current shows that the work is being done for the money! 

Nov 04, 2023 06:12 AM
Leanne Smith
Dirt Road Real Estate - Golden Valley, AZ
The Grit and Gratitude Agent

As it has been said "The proof is in the pudding." A very good reminder for those who take for granted what they do respective to marketing.

Nov 04, 2023 06:30 AM
Candice A. Donofrio

Yes indeed! That's why it's called 'listing collateral'! 💯

Nov 04, 2023 06:34 AM
Charles Ross - eXp Realty (Salina Group) | Broker
Salina Group - Salina, KS
Love To Help People

Candice, the meticulousness of your marketing strategies is commendable. Providing tangible evidence of your efforts not only builds trust but sets a high industry standard. #ProfessionalProwess #ClientConfidence 👍📈

Nov 04, 2023 09:41 AM
Candice A. Donofrio

Thank you! 🙏

Nov 04, 2023 10:12 AM
Paul S. Henderson, REALTOR®, CRS
Fathom Realty Washington LLC - Tacoma, WA
South Puget Sound Washington Agent/Broker!

Most clients don’t know what we do to earn our commission. You, my friend, are the exception to the rule. You make sure your client is aware of every detail. Bravo Candice 🙂

Nov 05, 2023 04:20 PM