How To Get FSBO Listings Without Making Any Cold Calls

Tim Chermak:
Hey guys, it's Tim Chermak, and welcome back to another episode of the Platform Marketing Show. This one is a mini episode. It's just a really quick story I wanted Heather Mutz to share about how her marketing attracts for sale by owners, who are then happy to pay her her full commission to list a house, even when they were like fairly principled and passionate about not paying a realtor commission because they think it was such a rip off.

Tim Chermak:
Heather, share the story with us in this like mini podcast episode. Just share the story about what happened recently, and what a seller told you after they had told you that, "Yes, we've chosen you to list our house." Why did they want to work with you? So just share that story with us.

Heather Mutz:
So this was really fun for me. I got a call from a local lady who I didn't know personally. She asked if I could come check out the house. She said, "We're actually interviewing many agents, but we'd love to have you over." And so I went, and I fell in love with her. I fell in love with the property, 27 acres, barn home. It was beautiful. And she said, "I'll let you know. We do have other appointments." And I'm thinking, "Okay, I hope I win. I love her." So I-

Tim Chermak:
And it was about a $700,000 property?

Heather Mutz:
Yeah, just under 700,000.

Tim Chermak:
Okay.

Heather Mutz:
So it would've been a great listing. Beautiful, well maintained. I wanted it, right? So I get home. I kind of forgot about it. Five days, six days go by, and I get a text from her, and she said, "Hey, we're ready for you to list our property. We picked you. When can you do photos?" And I was so excited. I'm like, "Okay. Monday I can do photos. I'll come by." And she said, "Great. My husband will be here. You can meet him."

Heather Mutz:
So I get there to do pictures. I do my thing. I go inside, and her husband he's in his 60s, he's like, "I just want to talk to you for a second." And he kind of leaned on the island in the kitchen, and he said, "I just want you to know, we interviewed many brokers, all male. One was an attorney. They all had their spiel." And he said, But honestly, we've had our home for sale, or our property for sale twice now, for sale by owner because we didn't want to pay somebody almost $20,000 to stick a sign in the yard." And he said, "We see what you do on social media when we do get on there, and I don't mind paying you because you work for it."

Heather Mutz:
And it just, it put the biggest smile on my face because it's so validating when people see the effort we put in to list our properties and do the videos. And he said, "I just wasn't impressed with these guys. They were going to stick it on MLS, and they were going to put a sign in the yard, but they really couldn't tell me what else they were going to do." And I'm like, "Yeah, well, I do spend a lot of marketing dollars, and I put effort for it to get as many eyes on your property as possible." So he's like, "Yeah. So I don't mind paying you. I don't mind paying you the full amount because you're going to work for it."

Tim Chermak:
Yeah, I think that's so fascinating that not only did you get the listing, but he actually told you, "The reason we're listing with you, and the reason I'm okay paying your commission," like he said those words.

Heather Mutz:
Yeah.

Tim Chermak:
"Even though I'm principally opposed to paying realtor's commissions, because I think you're overpaid." That's what he said.

Heather Mutz:
I was actually waiting for him to ask for a discount. Right?

Tim Chermak:
Yeah, yeah.

Heather Mutz:
So I'm sitting there thinking, "Okay, it's coming, it's coming." And he's like, "But I don't mind paying you the full amount." I'm like, "Oh, okay. This is good."

Tim Chermak:
Yeah. And he actually told you that the reason is he's seen your marketing that you're doing on social media. So basically, he's referencing all these Platform Marketing style campaigns that he's impressed that, "Oh, okay. You are unlike other agents because you're actually creating content. You're marketing your listings, you're getting them exposure. You're not just putting a sign in the yard and then collecting a check. I see that you're actually doing something to earn that listing commission check. So yeah, I'm happy paying that." Like that's really cool feedback that you know that what you're doing is working.

Heather Mutz:
It is. And it really explains why and how my business has changed from buyers, running buyers around nonstop to almost all listings. So I mean, it's really changed my business in such a great way.

Tim Chermak:
That's awesome. Well, guys, I just wanted to have this super quick mini podcast episode because Heather recently shared this story with me at a Platform Mastermind. I was like, "We've got to sit down and record a quick podcast just sharing that because that's super cool." So keep investing in marketing, dive deep into the Platform strategy, and it will create a listing pipeline even in this low inventory.

Heather Mutz:
Absolutely. Yep.