Winning Listing Presentations
(For Life)
Author and international realtor David M. Michonski, who has had perennial success with an earlier book (Power Marketing for Luxury Real Estate, considered a classic in the profession), uses clear expository prose to delineate precisely what he believes an agent should do at each stage of the listing process.
“As soon as this book strikes you as being a lot of questions, congratulate yourself, because you will have grasped its central point: winning listing presentations consists largely of asking questions,” writes Michonski.
Winning Listing Presentations is designed as a series of scripts that cover all phases of a real estate agent’s encounter with a new customer, from analyzing both parties in terms of personality type (“if you are a Sociable meeting a Driver, keep reassuring the Driver that you will get to the bottom line”) to using the right materials (the author recommends brochures rather than Power Point presentations) and letting the customer know that there is an end to the meeting (and that it is in sight).
Michonski asserts that the agent should spend considerable time memorizing the scripts, which are mostly made up of questions to the potential customer: “Because I sense that you are very eager for us to get to pricing, can you share your thinking on that subject with me now?” Other examples are “Is everyone present who will be part of the decision-making?” and “How would you like to be kept updated on the whole process?”
The chapters move chronologically through the listing process, from the initial meeting at the customer’s home through signing a listing agreement. The recommendations in each segment can be pieced together and used for other, longer presentations as well. The questions and statements that comprise the script are indented within the text besides being boldfaced and italicized. A glossary of terms at the beginning of each chapter and a summary (called “The Takeaway”) at the end of each chapter aid in the reader’s comprehension of the text.
The book is impressively designed for its purpose: the white cover with gold trim bespeaks success, and the author’s color photo and blurb on the back are reassuringly professional. Each new chapter is marked with a symbolic “winner’s” ribbon echoing the blue ribbon on the cover. The volume has also been carefully and professionally produced. The fonts and simple graphics are readily accessible, the content is suited to the intended audience, and there has been diligent proofreading.
Winning Listing Presentations already has a built-in audience among Michonski’s current fans, and it will likely reach new real estate agents seeking not only quick tips for clinching elusive or exclusive listings but also guidelines for making broader presentations. The volume is well organized and assiduously targeted, and it will undoubtedly garner praise from its intended readership.
Reviewed by
Barbara Bamberger Scott
Disclosure: This article is not an endorsement, but a review. The publisher of this book provided free copies of the book and paid a small fee to have their book reviewed by a professional reviewer. Foreword Reviews and Clarion Reviews make no guarantee that the publisher will receive a positive review. Foreword Magazine, Inc. is disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255.
