Multiplying Success: How to Leverage A Closed Listing into More Transactions

December 3, 2020

I recently got asked how a new agent could leverage their first closed listing into additional transactions.

I offered my congratulations and gave a few tips, but the reality is that this is what every agent – young or old, brand-new or experienced – should be doing every time they sell a property.

Why? Because three or four commission checks are better than one, right?

And you’re already putting in the effort… so you may as well take it a bit further to maximize your return.

Rockstar agent Lydia Gable of Westlake Village, CA, gave an outstanding presentation on this topic at this year’s Success Summit, so I’ll share my tips and a few of her suggestions with you as well…

Step 1A: Doorknock/Door Drop to the Neighbors Pre-Sale

Consider this one sort of a “bonus” tip because it actually takes place before you close the initial listing.

Once you get the listing, Lydia’s first step is typically to doorknock nearby properties to alert the neighbors that the house has been listed. She says she uses one of these two effective scripts:

“Your neighbor just put their house up for sale, and we’re excited to be listing it. I just wanted to stop by and ask, do you know of anyone you would want to move into the neighborhood?”

Or…

“Hi, I just wanted to stop by to let you know your neighbor just listed their home with us, and the market is so strong right now, we know we’re going to get multiple offers on that house. Have you had any thoughts of selling?”

Lydia says not only does this approach potentially “un-earth” possible sellers, but also demonstrates how hard you work for your clients, planting a seed in the mind of that homeowner for whenever they decide to sell if they’re not ready now.

NOTE: During “normal” times, you’d take this opportunity to invite these neighbors to your Open House or Mega Open House during this conversation. If you’re currently doing Virtual Open Houses, describe that process and offer the invite to the neighbors as well.

Step 1B: Direct Mail/Door Drop to the Neighbors Post-Sale

After the sale closes, then it’s time to send a Just Sold postcard (or door drop) to the entire neighborhood.

HOWEVER… this is not just your ordinary “Just Sold” with a picture, the address and sales price.

I want you to add a section that says “How we did it” that lists out all the steps you performed to generate offers, AND all the details of the results your efforts created… how many showings, how many offers, sale price vs. list price, etc.

This approach demonstrates the value you bring to your clients and shows how your active marketing system achieves the desired results.

Check out this postcard from Robert Mack of Irvine, CA as an excellent example:

Step 2: Client Testimonial Video

Be sure to shoot a testimonial video with the seller to tell their story and create that third-party credibility for yourself.

Ideally you can edit the video to intersperse some B-roll of the property, and then post and boost that video everywhere: On social, on your website, and even create a targeted Facebook ad campaign to the community where the house sold.

Step 3: Go Live or Shoot a Video in Front of the House

Another video to shoot is you describing the whole process in a simple “selfie-style” video standing in front of the property.

Lydia’s great tip for this video is to tell the story not from your perspective, which might be perceived as you bragging, but to tell it from the seller’s point of view. Talk about their needs, why they were moving, why they chose you, and ultimately, how you helped them achieve their goals.

Be sure to include all the juicy details, too… things like how soon you got the first offer, how many total offers came in, how much the property sold for in relation to list price (only if impressive, obviously), how many buyers missed out, etc.

This will convey the demand that exists to the neighbors and potentially get them thinking about selling their home.

Be sure to boost this video on all your social channels.

Another great tip from Lydia is be sure to “friend” and “follow” all your clients on social, so you can tag them and they can share it among their own social networks.

Step 4: Ask for Referrals

Lydia says you should be asking for referrals from your client throughout the process. Especially at the end of every transaction, be sure to ask who else they know that might be considering a move.

Step 5: Write a Letter to the Neighbors from the Seller’s Perspective

One last way to convey the story of what you did for the seller is to write a “testimonial letter” from their perspective. Be sure to get their permission to put their name to your words, but as long as everything went smoothly, that should be no problem.

Here’s a great example, inspired by Ken Pozek of Orlando, FL.:

I’ve given you five solid ideas to implement, and I guarantee if you do these things consistently, you’ll soon become the “go-to real estate resource” in these communities. All it takes is a little extra effort and the discipline to follow through on the steps I’ve outlined above.

The only question now is… will you do it? Let me know in the comments below.