Have you ever heard the commission-negotiation-avoidance strategy of creating a menu of packages for a seller to choose among? For example (all figures are illustrative only), you might offer a 4 percent package which includes minimal services; a 5 percent package which has a moderate level of service and a 6 percent package that includes a kitchen-sink level of service.

Sounds good, doesn't it? After all, it demonstrates to the seller what you actually DO to sell a house and probably reduces the likelihood of his asking for a discount. If he wants to pay less, he gets less. HIS choice.

Sorry, but I think this is a lousy idea. Why?

Oh, let me count the ways ... .

You want to sell the house don't you? Yes? Well, then why are you asking your SELLER how to market it? As the expert in selling houses, YOU know what needs to be done and you, as a professional, should do those things.

You should also know what doesn't sell houses in your market. And you shouldn't be offering and charging for those services if you (as a professional real estate agent) know they aren't effective.

When I get a new listing, I really want to sell the darn thing and I spend a lot of time and energy figuring out what we need to do to make that happen. By "we," I mean me and my seller. I don't market every house exactly the same, nor do I advise every seller to do the same things. It's part of my service to analyze each situation individually and proceed accordingly. Some listings will benefit from Open Houses, some won't. Some (most) homes need staging, some don't. Some listings will benefit from newspaper ads, most won't. It's my job to know these things.

Besides, you want to provide exceptional service to all your clients, don't you? Don't you want their future business and referrals? By purposely limiting your service (especially if it affects the marketability of the home), you may be blowing your reputation and credibility with this client and potential source of future business. And of course, you may also be blowing your chances of getting a paycheck if your seller doesn't pick the right package and the house doesn't sell.

Be a professional real estate agent and do what it takes to sell your listings. That's your job.

Published: August 27, 2008

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Jennifer Allan is the author of Sell with Soul: Creating an Extraordinary Career in Real Estate without Losing Your Friends, Your Principles or Your Self-Respect, as well as a number of eBooks including The Seduction of Your SOI: Generating Business and Referrals from the Very Important People Who Know You, Dorky Announcement Letters - DEDORKED! and For Sale Signs Don't Pay the Bills. Jennifer began her writing career after ten years of selling real estate successfully in Denver, Colorado. She was dismayed at the low level of professionalism she frequently encountered in the real estate industry and, with her "soulful" message, hopes to encourage the real estate community to self-correct the negative stereotypes of the profession. Jennifer's message is that agents should strive to be competent real estate advisors instead of simply competent real estate prospectors. That agents should respect the intelligence of their clients, rather than attempt to insult that intelligence with aggressive closing techniques. She preaches that agents should appreciate the significant commissions paid by their clients, rather than complain that they, themselves, are not appreciated. Her personal mantra is "The clients I have today are far more important to me than the ones I hope to have tomorrow." She is a regular contributor to several real estate newsletters and magazines, a member of the RE/MAX Hall of Fame and one of the industry's most popular bloggers. You can learn more about Jennifer's "soulful" philosophies at SellWithSoul.com.  Subscribe to  The Daily Seduction Tips & Inspirations to Generate Business and Referrals from The Very Important People Who Know You  Your Email Address: Your Name: