You prepared the comps, you nailed the presentation, the sellers smiled and said, “We’ll let you know.” Then… nothing. Most agents wait by the phone. The agents who win listings follow up, on purpose, with a plan.
Sellers are often interviewing two or three agents. When the presentations are similar, the decision frequently comes down to who made them feel most cared for after the meeting. That’s your opportunity.
The follow-up timeline
Within 1 hour: a personal thank-you
Send a short text or email that mentions something specific from the conversation: their timeline, their worry, the room they love. It proves you were listening.
Same day: a handwritten note
Drop it in the mail on your way home. In a world of texts, a card on the kitchen counter stands out, and it’s often still there when they make their decision.
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Day 2: answer the question they didn’t ask
Send something useful: a net sheet showing what they’ll walk away with, a short prep list for their home, or a new comparable sale. Value, not pressure.
Day 3 or 4: a phone call
“Hi Linda, it’s Rose. I’ve been thinking about your home since we met, and I had one more idea about the timing we discussed. Do you have a few minutes? … What questions came up after I left?”
The last question is the important one. Objections they haven’t shared are the reason they haven’t signed. Find them and address them.
Week 2 and beyond: stay helpful
If they chose another agent or decided to wait, stay in touch anyway with market updates and an occasional check-in. Listings expire. Plans change. Many of my listings came from sellers who said “not now” the first time.
Common mistakes to avoid
- Only asking “Have you decided yet?” Every touch should give something.
- Dropping your price to win. Win with service and strategy, not a lower commission or an inflated list price.
- Disappearing after a “no.” The relationship doesn’t end because this listing did.
- Winging it. Put the follow-up on your calendar the moment the appointment is booked.
Listing presentation follow-up is one part of my Five-Star Listing Program, and it’s covered step by step in The Listing Agent’s Playbook, with 200+ action items across eight phases of a listing.
Follow-up checklist
- ☐ Thank-you text or email within 1 hour
- ☐ Handwritten note mailed the same day
- ☐ Net sheet or prep list sent on day 2
- ☐ Phone call on day 3 or 4: “What questions came up?”
- ☐ Long-term touches scheduled, win or lose
Every agent’s business is different. For a more in-depth discussion about yours, call or text Rose at 781-248-6069.
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I’ve spent 30+ years in this business: listing and selling homes, leading 31+ offices as CEO, Regional VP and VP of Sales, and coaching thousands of agents to do it at the next level. I still list and sell today. I do what I teach, and I teach what I do.
Every agent I coach gets an individualized plan, built around your market, your goals and where you are right now.
- Call or text: 781-248-6069
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- In person: one-on-one, or at your office or sales meeting
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Rosemary Kelleher, Realtor®
Helping People Make Smart Moves in Real Estate for 30 Years
Founder, ELEVATE! Sales, Training & Coaching
Direct/Text: 781-248-6069 · roseterrykell@gmail.com