Winning the listing with the plan other agents are too nervous to pitch
Sellers aren’t just comparing numbers, they’re deciding who they trust to get the result.
Every appraisal has a moment where the agent has to recommend a marketing spend.
Most agents flinch here. They round the number down. They suggest a “starter” campaign. They quietly compete on being the cheap, low-commitment option instead of the confident one.
That instinct comes from a real fear: pitching a bigger number risks scaring the seller off, or triggering a request to drop the fee to compensate.
It’s also exactly where a confident, well-founded recommendation stands out from every other pitch in the room.
Karen was quoting against an agent who’d recommended a scaled-back campaign, reasoning it would make the decision feel easier and get a quicker yes.
Karen recommended the full campaign instead, professional photography, a proper digital spend, signage, and made clear the seller wouldn’t need to pay for any of it upfront.
The seller signed with Karen the same day. Her take: “The other agent was trying not to scare them off. I gave them a reason to actually get excited.”
“Some agents will suggest a smaller campaign to make today’s decision easier. I’d rather show you the plan I believe gets the best result for this property, professional photography, a proper digital spend, and full exposure to buyers, and walk you through exactly what each part costs and why it’s there. You don’t need to fund any of that yourself, Property.Credit arranges it directly with you and it’s settled from the sale. So the only real decision today is which plan gets you the better outcome.”
Most agents think the safe move is to quote conservatively so the seller doesn’t baulk. In a competitive pitch, that’s usually the losing move.
Sellers aren’t just comparing numbers, they’re deciding who they trust to get the result. An agent willing to recommend the strongest plan, explain what it costs and why, and remove the upfront payment barrier, is the one who looks serious about the outcome. That only works because it’s true: a properly funded campaign genuinely serves the seller’s result. Recommend the plan the property deserves, not the biggest number you can justify.
Cutting your fee to win a listing eats your margin on every job you do. Removing the seller’s cost barrier to a bigger campaign costs you nothing, and wins the listing on merit instead.
- Lead with the plan that gets the best result, not the one that’s easiest to say yes to today
- Answer the cost question before it’s asked, sellers should never have to dig for how it’s paid
- Name Property.Credit directly, and be clear the arrangement is between them and the seller
- Show the seller why each part of the campaign earns its place, so it reads as a value decision, not just a bigger number
- Avoid discounting your fee to compensate for a smaller campaign, offer the bigger plan instead
Common questions agents get asked about this
Does funding the marketing campaign cost the agency anything?
No. The arrangement is between the seller and Property.Credit. The agency isn’t funding the spend and has no ongoing obligation once the seller is approved.
Is this a loan the seller has to start repaying straight away?
No. It’s an equity-based assessment centred on the property transaction, and the cost is settled directly from the sale proceeds at settlement, not through ongoing repayments beforehand.
How quickly can a seller be approved for pre-sale marketing funding?
Approval is typically fast, since the assessment is based on the equity in the property rather than a lengthy application process. Exact timing depends on the individual case.
Does recommending this create a conflict of interest for the agent or agency?
No. The agent is simply introducing the seller to a service. The funding decision and agreement sit solely between the seller and Property.Credit.
Make the bigger campaign the easy option at your next appraisal.
See how VPA funding works, or get set up with Property.Credit today.
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