Five Essential Strategies to Win More Listings in a Tough Market

This is edition 63 of The CRE Agents' Weekly. Every week, we deliver specific and tactical advice for commercial real estate agents, brokers and leaders who want to accelerate their revenue with higher levels of motivation.

Five Essential Strategies to Win More Listings in a Tough Market

In any market, the top-performing commercial real estate agents consistently work to outshine their competitors and capture more listings. This becomes even more critical in a landscape where listings are scarce, and inquiry levels are down.

In the current environment faced by many markets, refining your skills and paying close attention to detail can greatly enhance your ability to convert potential leads into secured listings.

Here are five strategies to help you transform more pipeline opportunities into closed deals:

1. Prioritise Personalisation

Today's commercial real estate clients come from increasingly varied backgrounds, each with unique needs and expectations. To stand out, avoid a one-size-fits-all approach.

Instead, focus on customising your presentation materials to cater to each prospect's specific requirements.

Start by engaging in a conversation with potential clients to fully understand their objectives. Tailor your presentation accordingly, removing any irrelevant content.

Ensure that your materials are thoroughly reviewed to eliminate any traces of past pitches – in a market with fewer opportunities, even minor mistakes can be costly.

2. Stay Informed with the Latest Data

In times of market uncertainty, your ability to clarify confusion and provide reliable information becomes paramount.

Keeping up to date with the latest market trends, anticipating client concerns, and positioning yourself as the expert can set you apart.

Providing relevant data not only addresses potential doubts but also strengthens your credibility. Your goal should be to guide prospective clients towards making well-informed decisions.

3. Summarise, Confirm, and Clarify Actions

After presenting your pitch, take the time to summarise the main points and seek confirmation from all parties involved.

Clearly outline the next steps in the process, using phrases like, "Based on our discussion, I recommend the following actions."

Actively seeking feedback can help clear up any objections or misunderstandings, ensuring everyone is aligned and moving forward together.

4. Promptly Schedule the Next Meeting

If you don’t secure the listing in the first meeting, don’t just settle for a vague follow-up. Instead, promptly schedule the next discussion, ensuring that the time and place are agreed upon and marked on everyone’s calendars.

By eliminating the need to chase prospects, you elevate your position as a trusted advisor. Setting the expectation that a decision will be made at the next meeting helps drive progress while reducing the need for frustrating follow-ups.

5. Utilise Client Testimonials

While waiting for the next meeting, keep in touch with your prospects. Continue providing them with relevant information that aids their decision-making process and offer a list of satisfied clients who can attest to your services.

This not only reminds the prospect of the upcoming decision but also reinforces your credibility. The opportunity for them to connect with happy clients can give them the confidence they need to choose you.

In tough market conditions, meticulous attention to detail becomes even more crucial for growing your revenue. By focusing on personalisation, delivering accurate information, summarising discussions, scheduling follow-ups, and leveraging testimonials, you can differentiate yourself and thrive.

These strategies will boost your chances of securing more listings, mandates, and projects. If this feels disconnected from your experience, remember in the face of market challenges, continuous improvement and staying ahead of the curve are essential.

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And finally…

Find your passion.

Find what you love about what you do , and it will show in your work. Passion is contagious.

About the author

Darren Krakowiak is the Founder of?CRE Success ?and the author of?The CRE Agents’ Weekly?on LinkedIn. He works closely with commercial real estate principals to accelerate growth in their business. CRE Success has a program for commercial real estate agents who want to invest in their own success. Darren is also the host of?Commercial Real Estate Leadership .