Social Media Success for Apartment Communities

You must check out the article by Tami Siewruk. I found this on her Multifamilypro site. She really does some GREAT stuff. . . . . .Enjoy!


http://www.multifamilypro.com/2010/06/30/social-media-sucess-for-apartment-communities/

Apartment Leasing Tips: Greeting - Step 2 of the Leasing Process

If a potentially new rental prospect has driven to and through your apartment community, and feels like this could be their new Apartment Home, they will come to your Rental office. They probably will lease their new apartment from you unless you do something that will convince them to keep looking or that the Apartment Community they just came from was better presented. Let’s not let that happen.

You already understand the importance of the Curb Appeal, the appearance of the Apartment Leasing Office and of you. So don’t turn the prospect off before you have even had a chance to show and tell them all the wonderful things about your apartment community. I feel that the Greeting and the Closing are the two most important aspects of the Apartment Leasing Process.

The Greeting can and will establish the “mood” for the prospect for the entire visit. If the prospect enters your office and is ignored, gets the feeling that he/she is interrupting you or has to wander around until he/she finds you, will be disastrous to the possibility of them choosing your apartment community over your competitor.

STAND UP AND SMILE TO GREET THE APARTMENT RENTAL PROSPECT! Walk around your desk (shows respect) and greet them, smiling. Let them see by your body language that you are glad they are there. Even before you have said a word they have begun to like you and more likely to chose to live at your apartment community.

BE ENTHUSIASTIC!

If you had an appointment to show an apartment scheduled at this time, you should greet them by saying, “Hi, you must be ----“. If they confirm begin building rapport with them, and through the entire leasing process.

Ask them to sit and you will begin to fill out the guest card. This is where we enter the qualifying stage of the Leasing Process. Continue building rapport.

Please remember it is important to give the Prospect your respect. It is how they FEEL about YOU and the Apartment Community that will assure the rental.

Do you find it challenging to get your Apartment Leasing team to STAND UP, for the rental prospect??

"I HAVE NO TRAFFIC!" Apartment Leasing Tips: Be Prepared - Step 1 of The Leasing Process

I HAVE NO TRAFFIC! I hear this a lot, and before anyone goes into the apartment marketing and training, let’s look at the “Basics” – Curb Appeal.
We were taught early on (or should have been) that before a prospect takes a foot inside your office certain things must be done. I feel that we have heard this so much that we have become numb to it. But REALLY you must look at your curb appeal. What is the prospect seeing as they drive through your community? You may see things so often that they have become the “norm” for you. In that case ask an associate or a friend to drive through you community and make note of the areas that need attention. You are an experience property manager so you know what to look for, Right? If not here is a basic checklist:


1. Are the grounds - TOTALLY free of trash? As small as cigarette butts and as large as the couch the left behind by the guy who moved out?
2. No dead trees, shrubs or plants? If your budget will not allow fresh new mulch, then just turn the soil around any plants in your flower or shrub beds.
3. Inoperable cars some with flats, or on jacks.
4. Patio and balconies / decks are not used as a storage area or a place for the trash?
5. Dumpster areas, do they need swept? Are the dumpsters in need of repair?
6. Windows throughout the community. Is there a standard of uniformity? Are their windows with broken blinds or aluminum foil?
7. Parking lot, is it in need of repair? Depending up on your budget can you cold patch the bad areas to make improvements?
8. Are your signs straight and clean? Are they paintable? Throw on a fresh coat of paint, it would do wonders.



Do these items first. Then go the Marketing your community and training your sales team.