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This is the third article in a trilogy.  Click here to see Marketing on the MLS and Marketing the Images.

Let’s pick up where we left off last week.  You’ve captured the attention of that elusive buyer—the one with the short attention span—with your incredible images produced by your celebrity photographer.

You had to do that first because NOBODY is going to read your words if they aren’t first attracted to the images. Great photography is step #1 in the multi-stage process of selling your listing.

Step #2 is enticing the potential buyer to view the property in person, with your words. Now, let’s be clear about a critical point before we go any further.

The purpose of the MLS description is to generate as many quality showings as possible—NOT to sell the property.

You don’t propose marriage on the first date, and contrary to popular opinion—you’re NOT supposed to try to SELL the home with your write-up!  NOBODY is going to buy your listing without first physically viewing the property.

Here are some of the biggest mistakes I see in the painfully boring MLS write-ups I see every day:

1. The agent tries to describe every tiny detail of the property, but tiny details that make no difference to the reader’s decision on whether they will book a showing or not.

2. The agent fancies themself as a novelist, and tries to write flowery phrases in an attempt to “paint a picture” of “how it will feel” to live in this “fanciful abode.”  Barf.

3. The agent uses so many clichés and standard phrases that the home sounds exactly like every other home.

Do you know what buyers (with short attention spans) want to know when they’re reading listing descriptions?

What are the best features of the property? Period. That’s it. That’s all.

If you can fit all the best features of the property into a single sentence, that should be the first sentence in your description! If you need to use two sentences to make it sound good, that’s fine.

The point is that the first sentence is the most important one; the second sentence is the second most important, etc. By the time you get to the last sentence in a long description, you should probably assume that nobody’s going to read it.

Less is more! A short, punchy description is FAR more powerful than a long, boring one.

The next time you write a listing description, as an exercise, try including all the best features in a single sentence. If it sounds good, use it! The rest of your description can reinforce the first sentence, while also including less essential features. But keep your description short and powerful! Leave out all the tiny details and avoid flowery words.

Remember, your purpose is to generate as many quality showings as possible. So, tell people what they need to know to decide whether they want to see the property or not.

When you explain how this works to your potential sellers, guess what? They get it! The following is copied from last week’s Memo because it’s so important to remember:

Describe the psychology behind why you do what you do! Talk about the buyer with the short attention span. When you speak to potential sellers in this way, you build trust and rapport. This goes for your entire presentation, by the way, not just the writing part.

Do you know how many REALTORS® even talk about this stuff in their listing presentation? Practically none. And yet, when you do talk about it, and you back up your words with actual examples from your listings, it can have a massive impact on potential sellers.

The words you use are an essential part of your image. Start using them better!

“I use a professional photographer on every listing!”

Big deal!  So does every other competent and half-competent REALTOR® in your market. Also, most of the incompetent ones.

So, what can you do to separate yourself from the crowd? First, let’s take a step back and ask a fundamental question:

How important is photography, anyway?

Last week, we discussed Marketing on the MLS and how—from your sellers’ perspective—the MLS Presentation is BY FAR the most important part of all your marketing efforts. After all, it’s the source of information for 99% of your potential buyers!

So, what’s the most essential component in your MLS Presentation?

It’s the images! 

Think about it from the perspective of potential buyers looking at your listing. They’re scanning through hundreds of available properties. What’s the first thing they focus on? The images!

If they don’t like the images, they won’t even bother reading the words.

They say you shouldn’t make assumptions about people. I disagree!

Here’s a powerful and smart assumption you should make about the person who will ultimately buy your listing.

The buyer of your listing has a very short attention span.

You don’t know this for sure, of course, but in our distraction-filled, information-saturated world, it’s a safe bet. You’ve probably got about two seconds to capture their attention, or guess what? They’re gone. They’re looking at the next listing now (your competitor).

By the way, when you explain this stuff to your potential sellers, they ALWAYS agree wholeheartedly. You know why? Because they just finished looking at the crappy presentation of most other listings.

Here’s how to differentiate yourself:

1. Every half-competent REALTOR® uses a professional photographer. You? You use (insert name here) — the best Real Estate photographer in the business. Mentioning your photographer by name adds a considerable amount of credibility. Talk about your photographer as if he or she is a famous artist.

2. Speak in detail about the time and effort you invest in choosing exactly which images you will use and in which order, and also which images you will NOT use. Remember the buyer with the short attention span? If an image is NOT contributing towards generating a showing, it’s useless clutter! Sometimes less is more.

3. Describe the psychology behind why you do what you do! Talk about the buyer with the short attention span. When you speak to potential sellers in this way, you build trust and rapport. This goes for your entire presentation, by the way, not just the photography part.

Now, here’s the most important part:

It’s NOT about only TALKING about this stuff. You’ve got to DO it.

Do you have the very best photographer? No? Why not? Seriously, we’re talking about someone who is probably the most essential service provider in your business. Don’t be cheap. And don’t be lazy. You should always be on the look-out for a photographer who is better than the one you’re currently using.

Loyalty is nice. Landing and selling more listings is better.

Besides, talk is cheap. You’ve got to be able to demonstrate precisely WHY you use that famous photographer.

If you can’t demonstrate your photography with immense pride and confidence, you’re doing something wrong. I suggest you fix this vital part of your business as soon as possible.

One more thing about that buyer with the short attention span: Once you’ve captured their attention with the fantastic quality of your images, then (and only then) will they read the words. This is your sales pitch. But it’s NOT a sales pitch to sell the house. It’s a sales pitch to generate a showing — more on that next week.

“Anyone can post your listing on the MLS!”

Also, anyone can cut their own hair.

The point is obvious. There’s a massive difference between an amateur and a professional MLS Presentation.

Let’s take a step back and ask a fundamental question:

How important is the MLS presentation?

Answer: It’s the source of information for 99% of your potential buyers, and therefore—from your sellers’ perspective—it is BY FAR the most essential piece in ALL your marketing efforts.  Nothing else even comes close!

What’s your primary job as a listing agent? It’s to generate as many quality showings as possible. The more showings, the more likely you’ll find the right buyer.

The most important way to generate showings is to have a powerful and compelling presentation on the MLS System.

But very few REALTORS® even mention this vital information during their Listing Presentation!

Why?  Because they don’t know how to overcome the objection that, “Anyone can post your listing on the MLS!”

Also, in most cases, they’ve got no good reason to brag.

And yet, this is one of the EASIEST ways to differentiate yourself as a true professional. I mean, let’s face it. Most Real Estate agents are “cutting their own hair” when it comes to their MLS Presentations. It’s downright embarrassing!

This is a significant and important topic, so I’m going to break it out into a few different segments over the next few weeks, beginning with the topic of professional photography.

You do use a professional photographer for all your listings, right?

Big deal!  So does everyone else.

There’s way more to this subject than merely stating that you use a professional photographer. That’s like a car salesperson telling you that the car comes with power windows. So what?

Next, we’ll talk about your writing, which sucks, and how to fix it easily by following a few simple rules.

How do I know your writing sucks? I don’t. But I’m 99% sure. Sorry.

Even if you think you’re one of the 1%, I’m still going to make your life a little bit easier, at the very least.

Stay tuned!