1. Objective

This SOP defines how a Virtual Assistant (VA) executes the full listing marketing campaign — from the day the listing agreement is signed through the Just Sold announcement after closing — so every piece of marketing goes out on time, on brand, and in the right sequence.

Marketing a listing is not a collection of one-off tasks. It is a campaign with three distinct phases that build on each other. The pre-launch phase builds maximum anticipation. The active launch phase generates maximum exposure in the first critical window. The post-closing phase converts the closed sale into future business. Every phase has a checklist. Every checklist has deadlines. The VA owns the campaign calendar.

The first 7–10 days on market are the highest-traffic window a listing will ever have. Marketing that isn't ready at launch is marketing that misses its audience.

Where this SOP starts: Listing agreement signed — campaign folder created, photography and copywriting initiated.
Where this SOP ends: Just Sold campaign complete and all post-closing marketing assets filed.

Success looks like: The agent shows up to the listing launch with everything ready — MLS draft approved, all social graphics and email assets built, photographer confirmed — and the VA executes the launch sequence without the agent managing a single logistics detail.

2. Your Role & Boundaries

2a. What you handle independently

• Creating the listing campaign project folder and campaign calendar
• Coordinating photography scheduling with the agent's preferred photographers
• Building all marketing assets per the Brand Style Guide (social graphics, email, flyer, postcard)
• Drafting all copy for agent review (property description, social captions, email copy)
• Managing the campaign calendar — tracking every deadline, sending reminders, flagging slippage
• Executing the launch sequence once the agent approves all assets
• Preparing and posting all social media per the agent's approved content calendar
• Sending email campaigns per the agent's confirmed send list and platform
• Coordinating Just Sold materials after closing is confirmed

2b. What requires agent approval before acting

• All marketing copy before it is used in any published asset — the agent reviews and approves every piece
• The campaign launch date — the agent confirms before the MLS goes live
• All listing photos selected for use — the agent or photographer selects the hero shot
• Any deviation from the campaign timeline (delay, early launch, skipped phase)
• The Just Sold announcement — the agent confirms after deed recording before any announcement goes out
• Any paid advertising — budget, platform, targeting, and creative require agent approval before launch

2c. What you never do

• You never negotiate on the agent's behalf under any circumstances.
• You never provide pricing, legal, or strategic opinions to any party.
• You never sign or initial any document on behalf of the agent, client, or any party.
• You never communicate directly with the other party's client.
• You never publish marketing content that has not been checked against the Brand Style Guide.
• You never launch the MLS listing without explicit agent confirmation.
• You never announce the property as sold until deed recording is confirmed — funding alone is not closing.
• You never tag or identify the seller in any public marketing without the seller's explicit permission.

When in doubt: Check the Brand Style Guide. If the asset isn't approved, it doesn't go out.

3. Schedule & Trigger

Trigger: Listing agreement signed and agent confirms campaign launch date.

Campaign timeline begins immediately: The pre-launch window is typically 10–14 days. Do not wait to start — photography lead times, copywriting, design, and MLS draft review all take time. Beginning the campaign the day after the listing agreement is signed is not too soon.

High-volume note: For an agent with multiple active listings, maintain a separate campaign calendar for each listing. Deadlines from two simultaneous campaigns can blur together. Use a named project folder and a per-listing timeline for every active campaign.

Sequence context: This SOP is the master campaign orchestrator for the listing side. It draws from Brand Style Guide for all visual and voice standards, Listing Launch Day Checklist for the MLS activation sequence, Just Listed Campaign for individual channel execution, and Just Sold Campaign for post-closing marketing.

If you are unable to complete this task: Notify the agent at the start of your absence or as soon as possible. Flag any open or time-sensitive items. The agent will determine whether to delegate or defer. Never let a recurring deadline pass without flagging it to the agent in advance.

4. Campaign Folder & Calendar Setup

On Day 0 (listing agreement signed), create the campaign project folder:

Google Drive folder structure:

[Agent Name] / Marketing / [Address] — [Year] /
  ├── 01 - Photos
  ├── 02 - Copy (property description, captions, email copy)
  ├── 03 - Graphic Assets (social graphics, flyer, email template, postcard)
  ├── 04 - MLS Draft
  ├── 05 - Campaign Calendar
  └── 06 - Just Sold

Campaign calendar: Create a Google Sheet or calendar entry for each campaign milestone. Every deadline below gets an entry with an owner (VA or agent) and a status column.

5. Phase 1: Pre-Launch (Day 0 through Day of Launch)

The pre-launch phase exists to ensure everything is ready before the listing goes live — so launch day is an execution day, not a preparation day.

Default pre-launch window: 10–14 days before go-live. If the agent sets a shorter window, prioritize in order: photos → property description → MLS draft → social graphics → email → postcard.

Photography

If photos have not arrived 3 days before the planned launch, notify the agent immediately — a launch without final photos is not a launch.

Property Description

Prepare the property description following Property Description Writing. Draft the description as soon as the agent provides property details — do not wait for photos.

Send to agent for review with 48-hour turnaround request. File the approved version to 02 - Copy.

Marketing Asset Build

Build all assets using the Canva Brand Kit from Brand Style Guide Creation & Maintenance. All assets require agent approval before they are used.

File all completed assets to 03 - Graphic Assets.

MLS Draft

Prepare the MLS draft using MLS Listing Input. The MLS draft must be complete and agent-reviewed before launch day — the agent should be approving the draft, not building it, on launch morning.

File the approved MLS draft to 04 - MLS Draft.

Fair Housing compliance: All content created or published under this SOP must comply with the Fair Housing Act. The guiding principle: describe the property, not the people. Never use language that references, implies, or targets any person based on a protected class.

The seven federally protected classes are: Race, Color, Religion, National Origin, Sex (including sexual orientation and gender identity), Disability, and Familial Status (presence of children under 18, including pregnant women).

Prohibited language examples: "Perfect for a single professional" or "Great for empty nesters" (Familial Status); "Great Christian neighborhood" (Religion); any reference to neighborhood demographics (Race/National Origin).

Brokerage identification rule: The brokerage name must appear clearly and conspicuously in all advertising and marketing materials. Flag any content that describes a buyer type or neighborhood demographics to the agent before submitting for review.

Pre-Launch Readiness Confirmation

When all assets are built and approved, send the agent a pre-launch summary:

Hi [Agent Name] — [Address] pre-launch status:

Photos received and filed — YES
✓ Property description approved
✓ Social graphics approved
✓ Listing flyer approved
✓ Email template ready
✓ Postcard design ready for print order (pending your go-ahead)
✓ MLS draft approved

Ready to launch on [confirmed date]. Please confirm and I'll execute the launch sequence.

[VA Name]

Do not launch until the agent explicitly confirms.

6. Phase 2: Active Launch (Day 1 Through Day 7+)

The active launch phase is the highest-activity window. The goal is maximum exposure in the first week.

Launch Day Sequence

Follow Listing Launch Day Checklist for the full launch day execution. Summary sequence:

1. MLS activated — morning only (target 8:00–9:00 AM)
2. Just Listed social posts published across all platforms
3. Just Listed email deployed to full database
4. Paid ad campaign launched (if agent has authorized — agent confirms budget and targeting)

Meta Special Ad Category — Housing: Any paid advertisement on Facebook or Instagram for a real estate property must be created under the Special Ad Category: Housing in Meta Ads Manager. This is required by Meta policy and by fair housing law. Standard audience targeting (age, gender, geographic radius) is restricted under this category. Do not use standard targeting for real estate ads — always select Housing when creating or reviewing any Meta paid ad campaign for a property.

5. Open house promoted on MLS and social (if applicable)
6. Seller notification sent confirming listing is live

Days 2–7: Monitoring and Follow-Through

If the Listing Goes Under Contract

When an offer is accepted:

1. Update MLS status to Under Contract (or Pending) per agent instruction
2. Pause any paid advertising immediately — notify agent for confirmation
3. Pause postcard print order if not yet mailed — notify agent
4. Social post: "Under Contract" announcement, if agent wishes — draft and send to agent for approval
5. Retain all campaign assets — they will be used for the Just Sold phase

7. Phase 3: Post-Closing (Just Sold Campaign)

The post-closing phase converts the closed sale into future listing leads. It should feel as planned and on-brand as the Just Listed launch — not an afterthought.

Trigger: Deed recorded and agent confirms closing — do not begin any Just Sold announcements before this confirmation.

Timeline goal: All Just Sold materials executed within 5 business days of closing.

Just Sold Sequence

Follow Just Sold Campaign for full execution detail. Summary:

Just Sold graphic: Build using the same listing photo as the Just Listed graphic — brand consistency between the two pieces is intentional and reinforces the agent's market presence.

Seller tag policy: Tag the seller on social only if the seller has given explicit written or verbal permission. When in doubt, do not tag — ask the agent.

File all Just Sold assets to 06 - Just Sold in the campaign folder.

Campaign Wrap-Up

After all Just Sold materials are deployed:

• Confirm all campaign assets are filed and folder is complete
• Log campaign results for the agent (total showing count, days on market, final sale price vs. list price)
• Flag campaign folder as complete

8. Campaign Timeline Map

9. Checklist

Phase 1: Pre-Launch
- ☐ Campaign folder created with all subfolders
- ☐ Campaign calendar built with all milestones
- ☐ Photography scheduled and confirmed with access instructions
- ☐ Photos received and filed — at least 5 days before launch
- ☐ Property description drafted and agent-approved
- ☐ Social graphics built and agent-approved (square + landscape)
- ☐ Listing flyer built and agent-approved
- ☐ Email template built and agent-approved
- ☐ Postcard design ready for print (pending agent go-ahead)
- ☐ MLS draft complete and agent-approved
- ☐ Pre-launch readiness summary sent to agent
- ☐ Agent explicitly confirmed launch date

Phase 2: Active Launch
- ☐ Launch day sequence executed per Listing Launch Day Checklist
- ☐ Syndication confirmed (Zillow, Realtor.com, IDX) within 24 hours
- ☐ Day 7 seller activity report prepared and delivered
- ☐ Showing feedback gathered and logged

Phase 3: Post-Closing
- ☐ Agent confirmed deed recorded before any Just Sold announcement
- ☐ Just Sold social graphic posted (agent-approved timing)
- ☐ Just Sold email sent to database (agent-approved copy)
- ☐ Just Sold postcard ordered and mailed to neighborhood
- ☐ Testimonial/review request sent (agent-approved)
- ☐ Campaign folder complete and filed

10. Escalation Protocol

Escalate to the agent immediately in any of these situations:
- A campaign asset (post, email, ad) is scheduled to publish and agent approval has not been received within 4 hours of the scheduled time
- The listing goes pending or under contract during an active campaign — all scheduled marketing must be paused or converted to "Under Contract" content
- A campaign email is delivered but contains an error (wrong address, wrong price, broken link) — flag to agent immediately; a correction email may be needed
- A paid ad is spending budget but generating zero leads after 72 hours — flag to agent before adjusting spend
- The listing is withdrawn or expired — all active campaign content must be deactivated immediately

Hi [Agent Name] — campaign issue on [Address] needs your decision.

Issue: [Approval pending / listing status change / email error / ad performance / campaign shutdown needed]
Scheduled / active items: [List what is in the queue or running]
Deadline for your decision: [Time by which action is needed]
Needed: [Approve / pause / cancel / advise on correction]

[VA Name]

If the agent is unreachable: Pause all unscheduled campaign items. Do not publish unapproved content. If the listing status changes and the agent is unreachable, pause all campaign activity proactively — it is always recoverable; publishing incorrect active marketing is not. Document all holds with timestamps.

11. Tools & Access