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I got into a heated debate with one of my colleagues yesterday about what belongs in a pre-listing kit and what belongs in a listing kit (we didn’t even try to tackle formal submissions to vendors like State Trustees!).  We ended up agreeing on a few principals to guide agents.

Pre-Lists

1. Pre-Lists are about setting the stage for the listing presentation.  They should be delivered 24 hours before the first meeting with the vendor at their home.   They should quickly communicate the key Unique Selling Points of your agency (USP) and give the client an opportunity to learn about the sale process.

2. They should clearly differentiate your agency from your competitors.

3. Length can vary from a small 8pp corporate brochure all the way up to a 40pp formal book.  We suggest matching your presentation to the type of market you’re serving.  If you’ve got vendors who are looking for value, don’t go over the top.

Listing Kits

1. Listing kits serve three roles.

   Role 1: The first is to help salespeople in the presentation itself. They are a good reference point for what needs to be covered.

   Role 2: The second role is that of a business document.  The USPs should be repeated, the marketing schedule clearly outlined, the commission structure explained (although you don’t need to put the actual number in) and the process moving forward.

   Role 3: The final role is to compete on your behalf.  Some vendors (such as State Trustees) will make the decision based on the content in the kit.  In these cases, you better have a clear and concise document.

2. Listing Kits should not replace your sales kits and presentation material.  I’m of the belief that you don’t need to have 50 different advertising samples in the listing kit.  Keep this material in a folder or document that is brought out as necessary.  The listing kit is a business document, not a marketing piece.

3. Your listing kit should reflect your brand.  As with all marketing, you should make sure that your listing kit is inline with your brand values.  If you’re selling $3m properties, your listing kit should sit comfortably with documents from investment banks and luxury marketers.  If you’re selling $400,000 family homes, your document should be clear and to the point–think along the lines of communication you get from Telstra (their new bills are fantastically simple and clear) and other big corporates with budgets for usability.