The Last Impression is Lasting...Part 2

In a recent blog post, The Last Impression is Lasting, I wrote about paying closer attention to the last impressions we make with our residents and clients. The post generated some great discussion, and numerous individuals asked me to provide some suggestions to enhance the all-important last impression.

The key is to think of everything we do to create a first impression, give it a spin, and make it the last.

For example, to create a great last and lasting impression for the resident that moves out:

In the business world, when long term employees leave, the team sometimes throws a party and gets the employee a small remembrance gift. Think along these lines for your departing residents. Try doing something special during their last week of residency. Have a pizza or cupcakes delivered to their apartment with a “We’re going to miss you!” message.

Offer 30 minutes of maintenance time for move out week, rather than move in.

Make sure the last impression they have of your community is not a bill. If the resident is sent a bill, make sure to follow up with a personal note after it is sent. It should never be a surprise when people owe money, so do everything in your power to be proactive in this regard.

Three months after the resident moves on, drop them a line to let them know you miss them and would love to have them back. This is about the time people have decided they are going to move, or they are OK with their new community. If they decide to move...well...they loved you once, why not again? You’ll never know unless you ask.

Try sending a sincere letter from the CEO, thanking them for the time they spent at XYZ community, and mentioning the company portfolio and the commitment to excellence the company employs. Just remember, a letter from the CEO cannot be a form letter, or appear to be trying to sell something. To be successful, make it about them, not about you.

Creating a positive last and lasting impression generates referrals and the kind of goodwill that is not easy to come by. Who knows - you might just get a few of those residents back!

Feel free to share your favorite last impression techniques here.

You Choose.

A few years back, I was walking through the busy streets of downtown San Francisco, on my way to a client meeting. I stepped into a busy intersection, and, (to this day I swear I didn’t trip), fell down, face first into the street. There I lay, my brand new Coach briefcase vulnerable to being run over, (never mind myself - get the bag!) as everyday citizens stepped over and around me. I lifted my head, and in the corner of my eye, noticed a yellow vehicle approaching, and thought, “I am going to be run over”.

Then, there she was. A tiny sprite of a woman with a Herculean heart. “You need help!” she said, and somehow, that teensy woman, picked me up and dragged my sorry carcass off the street, while I muttered, “Get the bag...get the bag...” She got that, too.

At the corner, she steadied me, and said, “Are you alright?” I nodded, and pulled a twig from my hair, suddenly aware that my ankle was swelling to twice its normal size. “You be careful!” she advised, and was gone to the crowd before I could thank her.
The story doesn’t end there, but that is not the point of this post. Reflecting later, I wondered how many people had chosen to simply step around or over me that day, too consumed with their own issues to help the crazy lady laying in the road. In the end, that didn’t matter, because one chose to make a difference - to consciously stop and assist someone who needed her help. She chose to make a difference, and for that I will always be grateful, though I will never know her.

Everyday, we make choices as individuals to either get involved and make a difference, or not. Will you be the one who steps forward, unprompted, the next time someone needs you? Step up and help, or leave me in the street and steal my Coach bag.
You choose.

Strolling Musicians, Daring Cliff Divers and Exciting Gunfights

If you're a Denver native (rare, but possible), then you've been to Casa Bonita. Or at the very least, you've heard of it and heard the tales. If you're not from Denver, Google it. Better yet, Google Images it. Infamous even on South Park. (fast forward to the -3:00 mark)

Every city has a "Casa Bonita" kind of place. And every city has older apartment communities known to anyone over the age of 35. Kind of like a local six degrees of separation. "Oh, you're from Tulsa? I bet you knew someone who lived at _________." {wide eyes and lingering tone}

A branding spectacle, and from what I've heard, a cash cow during peak seasons. Let us all marvel at their shameless, self-satire and unapologetic acceptance of their brand.

Before I die, I have to find a Marketing Director or Developer who will let me design an apartment brochure version of the Casa Bonita menu, it's brilliant.

images via Artifacting

The Agony of Defeat

This weekend, I volunteered to be the high school Lacrosse team parent representative for their coupon card fundraiser. It’s a good deal really - $20 and you get a whole lot of “buy one get one” free dinners and golfing opportunities. I figured, with my sales expertise, we would at least sell our quota. What I didn’t count on was a little girl in pink pigtails named Lexie.

Due to a scheduling oversight, we were double booked for front-of-store space with none other than the Girls Scouts. It was their last weekend for cookie sales and they were out in full force. Five little girls, all uniformed and ponytailed up, ribbons matching their outfits, ready to do their part or earn their badge or whatever their motivation was. They were supposed to stay across the entrance from us, and their parents did. But the little girls...

Sales were brisk at first. (I believe the Girl Scouts were still setting up at this point). Members of the Lacrosse team would politely ask exiting shoppers to support the team and purchase a coupon card. People would wander up, they would talk a little bit, I would offer a testimonial about the card’s usefulness and that it would pay for itself, and 70% of the time the deal would be closed. Then we were hit with the giant cannonball and before we could recoup, Lexie and her team had taken over.

Two little girls carrying posters, one that said, “Help the Children”, and the other, “Last Weekend this Year”, planted themselves in the middle of the store exit and started yelling, “Help the children!” and “Last chance to get your Girl Scout cookies!” at the top of their lungs. Only it was even worse than that. Not only were they adorable looking, Lexie, their ringleader, had the most irresistible lisp, so it sounded more like this - “Help the childwen! Last chance to get your Girl Scout cookies foweverrrrrrrr”. Lexie got in front of every single person that walked out that door and with her cute smile, would say, “Would you like to buy some Giwl Scout cookies?” People veered left toward the table in droves, leaving my teenagers in the dust. Her accomplice had very large brown eyes, and when people would ask, “Are you selling lots of cookies, girls?”, she would shake her head, look distressed, and say, “Well, we’re not selling very many...” and off to the table their carts would turn. Near the end of her shift, Lexie incorporated a sense of urgency into her pitch. “5 mow minutes to get your Girl Scout cookies this yeawwww”. One of the boys muttered under his breath, “liars”. I thought, “5 more minutes and Lexie goes away. She most definitely has a promising future in sales.”

Then came the second assault. The second shift didn’t have Lexie, but they obviously had a parent with a marketing mind. They picked the two most adorable, and planted them in the middle of the exit with a tray of free samples. “Free cookies!”, they yelled in their sweet little girl voices. You don’t even have to guess what happened. My boys were suffering a complete and total defeat.

What’s a savvy marketing mom to do when faced with such odds?

I quickly reviewed my 4 P’s - people, product, price, promotion.
People - Gangly teenagers, that tend to avoid eye contact, and would rather be sleeping in than standing at the grocery store were no match for adorable and innocent little girls in pigtails and pink bows willing to talk to anyone, and spend an hour shouting a consistent message over and over. On this front, they had us, hands down. Plus, they had Lexie.

Product - Immediate and tasty gratification with an outstanding brand reputation and awareness factor versus a piece of cardboard that may or may not benefit the buyer - whether or not is up to them. They had us here, as well.

Price - $3.50 versus $20. Since we were essentially a point of purchase display, point goes to the Girl Scouts.

Promotion - We had a sign, (that the boys made, so you can imagine its marketing impact), and the boys wore their team attire. They had banners, (that one of the mothers obviously created), free samples, a sense of urgency message, and uniforms & accessories designed to maximize “little girl appeal”. A total and complete annihilation of the Lacrosse team. “Little girl appeal” trumps teenage boys every time. My son even admitted they had gotten to him earlier in the week - he couldn’t say no and bought 2 boxes.

I had to admit, it was a complete and total defeat. We simply could not compete for the same customer. But where to find a different customer? We tried approaching people as they walked in before the girls could get to them, but that didn’t work real well. And then it hit me. Every one of those Girl Scouts had a parent there. And every one of those parents was witnessing the slaughter. The next time one of the mothers wandered by, I stopped her, complimented her on her daughter, and asked if she had seen the coupon card. Next thing I know, I had sold the card. I instructed one of the boys to visit the Girl Scout table, buy a box of cookies and then ask if they would like to buy a coupon card. Guess who came back with a few sales? I told the next guy in line for my shift to hit up the next group of Girl Scout parents. We didn’t need to sell volumes, we just needed to hit the right target.

When your competition is walloping you hands down, (and let’s face facts, sometimes this does happen), stop competing for the same audience and find a different one. Look around you - who is the competition not serving? It is my bet that Girl Scout parents have no desire to eat even one more Girl Scout cookie this year, and that they are really ready to be done standing in front of grocery stores hawking cookies. It’s time they went out for dinner, and I have a fabulous card that offers 2 for 1’s at some really nice restaurants...

Do the Customer Math

Jeanne Bliss, author of I Love You More Than My Dog, (one of my new favorites), blogged this week about getting the CEO’s attention by working with your CFO and the customer database keeper to create a simple way to look at the flow of customers in and out of your company. She calls it the customer math:

Net Customers = Incoming Customers - Outgoing Customers

Jeanne recommends having every big meeting start with doing the math and discussing the reasons for why your customer asset is growing or shrinking as a way to start managing the asset that is the business of the business.

In other words, if you’re like me - a touchy feely, highly creative type, start presenting what you know to company leaders in their language to help demonstrate the significance of service to success, as well as create an easy formula to inspire relevant conversation and maintain focus among team members.

I like it because anybody can remember it. I would love to hear other formulas if you have them. Share here.

Intent vs Reality - What are You Saying?

I always learn something when shopping properties.
Sometimes I discover a new technique or have the opportunity to see an expert in action.
This week, I learned there is a big disparity between intent and reality.

Visit 1 - Leasing professional shows me a lovely property, but keeps telling me to “Go visit the website” for the daily prices. This is said repeatedly, even though I have indicated that I am looking for my mother, she has just put her home on the market, and isn’t even convinced she wants an apartment. There is no attempt to have Mom come in, experience the place, etc.. (although when I suggest it, they say, “Sure! We’d love to show her around”. No “I will take care of you, and make sure your mother is happy” moment. Just, “Go visit the website for further information. Your quote will be good for 72 hours”. Why would I rent an apartment online at this point? My mom hasn’t even seen it.

Intent: “I am being helpful and giving you resources.”
Reality: “In this market, all anybody cares about is the price, and I know that. So make sure you see the prices and are OK with them before you waste my time again. Come on back when you really ready to buy.”

Visit 2 - While in the golf cart, the bubbly leasing professional says, “I need to tell you about four things, because “they” will be emailing you to make sure I covered them”. She then goes on to tell me about her guarantees and that part of Mom’s rent will be put aside for a home down payment. (Mom is selling her house, remember. She doesn’t want to own anymore.) When I ask, “What do you get for telling me about all this?” she replies, “I get to keep my job.”
It gets better. As we leave the apartment, she says, “I know you’re not ready yet, but I have to ask, would you like to leave a deposit?” I just look at her.

Intent: I might get shopped and will get in big trouble if I don’t hit all the bases, so I am going to say things that you and I know are completely irrelevant to your buying experience and I will cushion the blow by removing myself from the equation. This way everybody is happy.”
Reality: I just threw my company under the bus because they have made ridiculous mandates that you and I both know are irrelevant to your needs. Frankly, I resent it. I will do it, but I will let the client know it’s really not me that is talking, it’s the corporate heads. After all, I need to keep my job, but I also need to lease apartments.”

Visit 3 - I dub her the “speed talker” because I only understand every 3rd word. (Remember, Mom has just put her house on the market, and isn’t with me), yet I am told about how I can’t use the double doors in the fitness center because they didn’t work, that I am to come in and out a specific door, and pretty much hear every rule and regulation as part of the sales presentation. And this is relevant to me, how?

Intent: I am funny and witty and keep the tour going nicely.
Reality: I have been here a long time and have my shtick is just right and it ensures somebody is talking. It also ensures I do not have to think.

You know I can’t finish there...

If you are a corporate executive, or anyone that creates policy and guideline, understand the more you force people to “follow the script”, the greater the chance an irrelevant presentation will be delivered. Seth Godin wrote in his blog last week about compliance and innovation. The more we demand people comply, “i.e., You will tell each client about each of our corporate programs”, the less innovative they will become. There is nothing wrong with mentioning company and the quality professed. Nor is there anything wrong with talking about company programs - as long as the client listening cares. Start placing more focus on the result rather than the process. Rather than mandating, focus on hiring the right talent, and teach technique in building trust, listening skills and following through.

Leasing professionals - you know how much I think of and value your talents and profession. You are my peeps. That said, it is time you wake up and step up to a higher level game. First, never throw your company under the bus. It makes you look bad. Start listening to what your clients are telling you and be responsible to help them get what they want. Be accountable to always, always, seeing it through. Think about what you are saying - does it matter? Is it relevant? If you find yourself saying the same exact thing at the same exact crack in the sidewalk during every presentation, change it up! Take a different path, try a new technique, have more fun. Understand the pitfalls and consciously work to avoid them. If you have a challenge with the criteria for shopping reports, then take the initiative! Create one that you think is fair, and be able to validate your reasoning. Then get it in front of somebody that can influence the decision. Stop sitting on your hands and work to control your destiny, if you value innovation in your presentations.