Real estate professionals must be skilled in speaking confidently if they are to do their jobs effectively. Whether you are presenting listings to clients, expressing your client’s position to a colleague, or negotiating a contract transaction on behalf of your client, knowing how to speak one-on-one or to a group in a meeting or on a podium is an essential tool an agent must be comfortable doing.
Here are some tips on how to prepare yourself to speak effectively both “behind the scenes” and face to face with your clients and colleagues at your listing presentations, meetings and/or negotiations.
- Well before the presentation/meeting/negotiation, know everything you can about the topic at hand. That means doing your homework on every aspect of the property you’re representing, prioritizing your statements and/or questions about that property and developing proactive statements about that property so you’re on the offensive.
- Know everything you can about the room in which you’ll be meeting, presenting, negotiation. Know the seating configuration of the room so you can choose your optimum position in the room.
- Know whether or not someone is speaking before or after you and who, if anyone, is introducing you. If you’ll be amplified while speaking, ask for a lavalier microphone, not a handheld one.
- If you are using slides in your presentation, make sure that any phrases or words on the slides are large enough and in dark lettering (yellows are too hard to see, blues fade) and that the slides go in a natural, progressive, consecutive order. Bring extra batteries, cables, AV chords, etc. for just in case scenarios. And if there is an AV technician on site, make that tech your best friend.
- Practice your content out loud in front of a mirror, in front of friends, in a big room…not just in your head.
- Practice hitting your “opening” for every section of your remarks. When you know where you’re starting on each point, you’ll know where you’re going with each point.
- For every one minute presentation/meeting/negotiation time, practice at least 10 minutes in real time. So, if you’ve presenting a 10 minute speech about favorite architectural styles in your specific selling area, practice 100 minutes.
- Your public presentation begins with your body language before you ever open your mouth to speak. Assume an easy stride in a relaxed and easy style as you make your way to meet your clients or make your way to the podium. Your clients and/or audience will learn much about you in those first few seconds of non-verbal communication. If joining a meeting in a conference room, choose your seating position in the room carefully and sit down quietly. Whether seated or standing, employ good, straight, relaxed posture with you back straight, shoulders back and down and chin up.
- Now that you’re face-to-face with your clients, colleagues, audience, take your seating or standing position as if you own it. Command attention with your calm, confidence, eye contact, and projecting voice.
- Be and remain in the moment by being ready for anything.
- Most importantly, bring your whole self, your professional and personal selves, to the presentation, meeting and/or negotiation. You are your greatest asset.
