Thinking Of Selling? Here Are Some Things To Consider
If you are thinking about selling your home, one of the most important questions you can ask a real estate agent before signing a listing agreement is simple —
What is your marketing plan for my home?
If the answer is vague, generic, or basically amounts to “I will put it on the MLS and Zillow” — that is a problem. Because in today’s competitive real estate market, a great marketing plan can mean the difference between your home sitting on the market for months and your home selling quickly for top dollar.
Here is exactly what a strong real estate agent marketing plan should include — and what to look for when you are interviewing agents to sell your home.
Professional Photography Is Non-Negotiable
The first thing any serious real estate agent should offer is professional photography — not smartphone photos, not photos taken on a cloudy afternoon with bad lighting.
The majority of today’s home buyers begin their search online. Your listing photos are the very first impression your home makes on every single one of them. A great agent invests in professional photography on every listing without exception because they understand that first impressions drive showings and showings drive offers.
If an agent cannot commit to professional photography on your listing, move on and find one who can.
A Coming Soon Campaign Builds Momentum Before You Even Hit The Market
One of the most effective tools a skilled listing agent uses is a coming soon campaign — a 7 to 10 day pre-launch period before your home officially hits the MLS.
A coming soon campaign builds anticipation among buyers and agents in your area before your listing ever goes live. By the time your home officially hits the market, there are already interested buyers waiting to see it. This kind of pre-launch momentum can lead to faster offers and stronger competition among buyers right out of the gate.
Not every agent uses this strategy. The ones who do give their sellers a significant advantage.
A Launch Day Open House Maximizes Early Traffic
Alongside the coming soon campaign, a strong listing agent will schedule an open house on the day your listing goes active. The goal is simple — maximize foot traffic and create competitive energy around your listing right from day one.
Early momentum matters. Listings that generate strong activity in the first week tend to attract better offers than listings that sit quietly and wait for buyers to find them.
Your Listing Should Appear On More Than Just The MLS
The MLS is important. But a truly effective marketing plan goes far beyond it.
Look for an agent who promotes your listing across multiple platforms simultaneously, including:
- Major real estate websites such as Homes.com, Zillow, and Realtor.com
- Social media platforms, including Facebook and YouTube, with targeted campaigns reaching active buyers
- Google — local search visibility so buyers searching in your area find your listing
- Retargeting campaigns — ads that follow buyers who have already viewed your listing across their social media feeds and other websites, keeping your home top of mind until they take action
- Video content — professional video tours that give buyers a real feel for your home before they ever walk through the door
- Blog and content networks — dedicated content about your listing that drives organic search traffic from buyers actively looking online
The more places your listing appears, the more buyers see it. More buyers means more competition. More competition means better offers for you.
Retargeting Ads Are A Game Changer, Most Sellers Never Hear About
Here is something most real estate agents will never mention to you — retargeting ads.
When a buyer views your listing online and then leaves without taking action, a retargeting campaign keeps your listing in front of them. Your home follows them across their social media feeds, their favorite websites, and their daily online browsing until they come back and take action.
This is standard practice in the best digital marketing agencies in the country. It is not standard practice for most real estate agents. When you find an agent who offers this as part of their listing marketing plan, that is a serious differentiator worth paying attention to.
National Exposure Matters — Even For Local Listings
You might think your buyer is going to come from right down the road. Sometimes that is true. But relocation buyers, investors, and buyers from larger metro areas are actively searching for homes in smaller markets and rural areas all the time.
A strong marketing plan makes sure your listing reaches beyond your immediate area through national real estate platforms, hundreds of partner websites, and digital advertising that reaches buyers wherever they are — not just the ones already searching in your neighborhood.
What To Look For In A Real Estate Agent’s Marketing Plan — A Quick Checklist
Before you sign a listing agreement, ask every agent you interview these questions:
- ✅ Do you provide professional photography on every listing?
- ✅ Do you run a coming soon campaign before the listing goes live?
- ✅ Do you host a launch day open house?
- ✅ Where beyond the MLS will my listing be promoted?
- ✅ Do you run retargeting ad campaigns for your listings?
- ✅ Do you have any exclusive marketing partnerships that other agents in this market do not have?
- ✅ Do you create video content for your listings?
- ✅ How will you keep me updated throughout the process?
The answers to these questions will tell you everything you need to know about whether an agent is truly committed to getting your home maximum exposure — or just going through the motions.
Finding The Right Agent Makes All The Difference
The best real estate agents do not just list your home. They build a complete marketing campaign around it and take it directly to the buyers — consistently, professionally, and strategically.
If you are selling a home in Southern Ohio, the team at Vance Team Realtors is a great example of what a truly comprehensive listing marketing plan looks like in action. Their approach combines exclusive digital advertising partnerships, national platform exposure, professional video content, retargeting campaigns, and a multi-platform content network that most local agents simply cannot match.
You can learn more about their marketing approach and request a free home valuation at VanceTeamRealtors.com — and see firsthand what it looks like when a real estate team puts serious marketing power behind every listing they take.
Wherever you are selling your home, the bottom line is this — your home deserves more than a yard sign and an MLS listing. Find an agent with a real marketing plan, and your results will show it.
Looking for an experienced real estate team that puts this kind of marketing to work for every seller they serve? Visit Vanceteamrealtors.com to learn more.