Say Whatt?!!

The other day, I overheard an apartment manager say, “Have you read your lease?” in answer to what, apparently, was a ridiculous request, and I thought, “This is not going to end well for the resident.  Manager wins.”

Then I thought of some of the other impulsive, condescending and “shut-em down” statements routinely used to keep residents in line and get them to go away.

“Your lease clearly states…”

“It’s not our policy.”

And my favorite…

“If I did it for you, I would have to do it for everyone, or I would be violating Fair Housing.” (Admit it, you joined me in reciting that one as you read it, didn’t you?)

What?  Violating Fair Housing?  Really?

I cannot think of one way any of these statements could leave a positive impact or increase resident value perception.  Please, if anyone does, do not hesitate to share. 

But wait, there’s more.

“I’m sorry but,”  (you know something bad is coming the minute they say, “but”).

“If it were up to me, I would do it, but I could lose my job.”

And a maintenance favorite…

“Yeah, they’re all like that, and I told them we needed to replace them but it wasn’t in the budget.”

When your words and tone can be translated to, “You should know better,” or “I’m really not sorry, I’m just saying that to soften what I am about to tell you” or “This place sucks and it isn’t run well because the company is too cheap to fix things”, or “I am afraid to make a decision, so I am going to hide behind the Fair Housing poster now”, understand it will likely not end positively. 

Why do we do say these things?  I have a couple of theories.

1.     It’s easy, and humans are inherently lazy.  It takes effort to really listen and try to understand another’s perspective. Easier to prove them wrong and send them away.

2.     We don’t know any better.  You heard your manager say it, so you say it too.

3.     We don’t know what else to say, because we believe the only way to end the discussion is to have won.

4.     Solving problems is hard and we are afraid we might indeed violate Fair Housing if we make an allowance.

5.     Jaded Pessimism.  Give ‘em an inch and they’ll take a mile.

6.     Black or white is the only way.  There is no gray, or meeting halfway.

At this point you may be thinking, “Lori, I get the answers aren’t the best, so give me a better line.”

Here’s the problem.  There is no “pat” answer, no wonderful line that will shut people down and leave them with a smile on their face.

But there are things you can do.

Let’s say you have a resident who thinks pet fees are unfair and he shouldn’t have to pay them.

1. See their perspective and agree, at least partially.

"I can see why this doesn't seem right to you.  You are a responsible dog owner."

2. Offer an alternative perspective. (This is where the homework comes in).

Ask yourself, why?  Why do you have pet fees in the first place?  Well, we know that pets leave waste, some damage apartments, they leave dander which could affect other potential residents and they cause additional challenges to residents in the form of barking, etc .  We also know some people simply don't like pets and don't want anything to do with them.

Remember, we do not place this answer to the resident in this context, nor do we give the standard spiel that doesn't really answer the objection.

3. Re-context.  Keep it truthful and sincere.  This is a dialogue and you are not in-it-to-win-it. This is about having a conversation with the individual.

So, it might go something like this:

"I can see why this doesn't seem right to you.  You are a responsible dog owner."

"Please understand, we choose to be pet friendly community even though many owners are not as responsible.  Pets do cause wear and tear in the form of waste, dander, damage and, sometimes, as a nuisance to other neighbors who don't have pets.  For this reason, we charge pet owners a pet fee, as it simply wouldn't be right or fair to pass on those costs to residents who choose not to have them."

Then they will likely say, "My pet never bothers anyone."

To which you might say, "Likely not, but have you thought about something as simple as your dog barking in the morning to wake you?  I'm not saying yours does, but lots of dogs do.  If the dog wakes you by barking, it might very well wake the guy above you every single day.  That's something they tolerate, and they may choose not to stay at the end of their lease term if it's bad enough. Of course, that is a hypothetical situation, but pets do impact the overall community, and while we are proud to say we are pet friendly, we have to ensure those that don't like pets never have to step in waste, or have allergies act up from an apartment that had pets in it.  All of that comes at a cost.   That's why we charge a pet fee."

To which he may say, "Well I still don't think it’s fair.  My pet never does anything wrong."

"Understandable. And you do have choices.  I will tell you that our pet fees are on the low end of the spectrum in comparison to our competitors, and we work hard to ensure we stay competitive in the market.  It's hard, because we love our pets, but they sure can be a bit costly.  I hope I have provided you a better understanding as to why we charge the fee.  If you would like, you are more than welcome to pay your pet fees for the year all at once, then you don't have to hassle with it for the rest of the year.  Is this something you would like to consider?"

Last, if you believe your pet fees are completely outrageous…find another way.  Perhaps you can raise rent or bundle it.  Maybe after a certain length of residency with no issues, the pet fee is reduced. Do a competitive analysis.  Don't just assume because it’s been the policy, it has to forever be the policy.  Find a way to change it up and make it more consumer-friendly.

Look to find solutions and know there is no standard answer  - it’s all about preparation, knowing your market, understanding why, and then delivering that message sincerely and truthfully.  Get with your team this week and practice this exercise with a request or objection you find yourself giving a “half baked” answer to.  Think about the words you say, and what they convey.  Look to find a better way. 

Every word counts.

Lori

Beat the Clock

I read with interest an article in the Wall Street Journal this morning concerning people’s perceived wait times in the retail environment. It seems guru Paco Underhill timed shoppers in line with a stopwatch to determine how real wait times compared with how long shoppers felt they had waited.

Up to about two to three minutes, the perception of the wait was pretty accurate, but after three minutes, the perceived wait time multiplied with each passing minute. In other words, if a person actually waited 5 minutes, their perception was they had waited 10. Interesting.

Though we technically don’t make people wait in line, many times, they do have to wait. Based on this research, the longer they wait, the even greater time they will have perceived they waited. Heck, I have witnessed clients not even be greeted in 3 minutes.

What’s a savvy leasing professional to do?

First, understand that while lease paperwork needs to be finished, every second you spend focusing on that, rather than the customer waiting in the lobby, negatively impacts perception.

The paperwork will wait. You are paid to converse with people and lease apartments. Get to it.

Second, reality dictates no matter how good you are, sometimes people will have to wait. Provide something for them to do. Show a movie in your clubhouse, have current newspapers and periodicals available, (make sure there is something for every interest), and give your clients an indication of exactly how long the wait will be. Make it their choice by making them feel comfortable, but also offering an alternative appointment time. They will let you know which they prefer. Offer a beverage, or better yet, provide a Starbucks card and send them off for coffee, assuring you will be ready for them when they get back.

Most important, (this one is for managers and bookkeepers and individuals that do not perceive themselves as leasing professionals), never ever ever pass off a client with the, “The leasing professional is out right now, have a seat and she will be with you in a moment” line. When is the last time you were OK with being “passed off”. The people in front of you are most important and there isn’t a faster way to turn somebody off than to throw that line at them and return to your desk to do the really important work.

Three minutes. After that, the perceived wait doubles with every minute. Don’t make them wait.

Say It and Believe

It's no secret that internal dialogue often influences the way people motivate and shape their behavior. Years back, I was inspired by a motivational speaker that encouraged self-affirmations on a daily basis. “I like myself” he encouraged us to say in the mirror, “I’m a GREAT salesperson!” So I did. And every time I did, I found myself chuckling. It made me feel, well, sort of foolish, dopey and, yes I will say it, good all at the same time. As a young trainer, I encouraged my pupils to do the same. I received relentless flack, from video spoofs to teasing, to an endless variety of pranks targeting the “I like myself!” affirmation. For each I laughed and took it all in stride, because, frankly, it is sort of funny to self proclaim how great you are.

The thing is, it works. Now I’m not saying that if you say “I am going to have a million dollars” every day for a year you will. You might, but the real point of self-affirmations (from my very un-clinical perspective) is how they make you feel. Nobody doubts that if I internally declare myself a bad person on a daily basis, that sooner or later I will most likely start to believe it. So why not the other way?

My former colleague Stasia Vishnevsky sent me this video yesterday, and all I have to say is, this is the kind of person I want on my team. When you yell, “Can we do it?” you can bet she is going to yell back, “Yes we can!”

Enjoy. Then get in front of the mirror and say a little something nice to yourself. If nothing else, you’ll get a good chuckle.

What Exactly Do You Do?

A colleague that I have known forever called me for lunch today, with the intent of helping me by “finding out exactly what I do, and the services I offer.” Then I read a post in ITTYbiz this morning that challenged me with the question, “How many of your readers don’t really understand your business?” Good question. I thought about it for a while and came to the conclusion that there may be quite a few. Maybe I oughta do a better job of letting people know.

So here it is - I provide consulting to companies that are in need of marketing help. Maybe they are in trouble, maybe they are repositioning, or maybe they are brand new. Doesn’t matter. I am creative, forward thinking and experienced and I help them fill apartments, keep residents and make money. My clients like me because I utilize a common-sense, practical approach customized to achieve portfolio objectives. Personally, I love marketing apartments and I’m wicked good at it.

Since all the marketing in the world won’t matter if the people are ill-equipped or don’t care, I proved training in sales, service, marketing and management issues. I adore teaching salespeople how to sell.

And since people seem to like my down-to-earth practical style, I am often asked to keynote events. Sometimes I orchestrate the entire event. I help bridge the gap between executive and front-line because I speak both their languages, and can effectively share insight on their perspectives. I help them think differently.

I also write copy. Lots of it. It’s another thing I seem to be good at.
So, that is what I do. My sense of purpose is clear.

Now it’s time for you to complete the exercise.
What exactly do you do? Why? Don't assume everybody knows.

Run, Run Retention!

Need an easy resident retention idea? Create a Saturday morning runner’s club for the kids. The school in our neighborhood hosts a before school runner’s club three days a week in preparation for a local Fitness Festival, which the kids may or may not participate in. Mostly, the idea is to encourage fitness by running a quarter mile track and receiving medallions for every lap they cover. They proudly wear the medallions and compare who’s got more, etc. The runner’s club is hugely popular and has been featured on local news channels. I would venture to say that over 125 people participated this morning alone. What a great opportunity to develop and encourage community.

Here’s how to do it at your community;

First, tell the kids it’s coming. Build it up. Create a special newsletter insert about healthy choices just for them. Do a countdown sign at the school bus stop. Make sure they see it and can get excited about it.

Get a goal. Let the kids know they are training for something bigger, perhaps a 5K or local fitness event. Or, you might elect to throw a party at the end for those who participate.

Display progress. Cheap trinkets that the kids can wear (in our case rubber feet charms on a 24 inch chain - go to Oriental Trading Company for ideas ) will create a sense of belonging and competitiveness. If you have enough money, give each participant plastic or aluminum water bottles featuring your community logo.

Research mileage trackers like Map My Run and mark off 1/4 mile markers at your community. This can be in an open area, or you can measure by distance around and through your property. Just make sure you define a full lap so the kids know how far they have gone. Make sure somebody is at the mile marker to physically track progress.

Get some parents involved. You will need the help. A good avenue would be to approach parents that regularly utilize your fitness facility, since they understand the importance of lifelong fitness.

Tell the kids to invite their friends to join them (and get some outreach marketing done in the process).

Create a large visual for your office or clubhouse to show the community’s progress.

Make sure to do “Don’t forget - Runner’s Club starts this Saturday” door hangers or reminders and let the parents know they don’t have to just stand on the sidelines - they can participate too. After the first, keep sending out reminders about the Saturday Runner’s Club. Let the kids know they are welcome at any time. Let the parents know they can run (or walk) too.

If your program generates a large crowd, let the press know and encourage them to do a story.

If the program is very successful, consider adding a mid-week late afternoon option.

Run the training program for approximately 2 months. If you are electing to do a 5K at the end, don’t forget the marketing! T shirts displaying your logo and a catchy tag line will get noticed (and help you keep track of everyone).

There are a myriad of different avenues a program like this can head. The most important thing is to get up, get going and get busy!

Ready, AIM, Strategize!

I know income streams aren’t exactly what they used to be, but the AIM Conference (Apartment Internet Marketing) is just around the corner, and if you market apartments at any level, it’s time you made your plans to attend.

There’s not a whole lot of fluff and fanfare at this conference, just quality, high level information that is about as forward-thinking as it gets. If you are involved with, or want to know about what is coming next in the world of Internet apartment marketing, this is the conference for you. Great minds attend this conference for insight - minds I know and respect, and often turn to for advice. You won’t be sorry. Plus it’s in Huntington Beach, for Pete’s sake. I can’t think of a better place to hold a conference.

Need a deal sweetener? I have finagled a discount for you. Book by April 20th, use the code aim2010snider, and get $50 off your registration.

Get going and get registered. I’ll see you there.

A Wolf in Consultant's Clothing -- 7 Myths of Apartment Blogs

The "every apartment community has to have a blog" hysteria rages on. As more apartment blogs launch, twice their number lay barren, the echoes of their month's old posts ringing on deaf eyes. Unfortunately our industry is being overrun by "social media consultants" who insist you must have a blog to gain a leg up in the market, and claim you must blog to open communication with residents and prospective renters.

Before you buy in, consider the contrarian perspective.

Myth #1 Residents want to read my blog.
No they don't. Residents want you to make it easy to pay rent and give them good and quick customer service when their thermostat stops working. Sure you may get a single digit percent of your resident pool who agree to subscribe after you bludgeon them with requests, but TMZ.com and dooce.com are way more fun.

Myth #2 I have to have a blog to rank high in search engines.
Any SEO or web marketing professional worth three clicks can increase your rankings on search engines with a smart web site and a strategically crafted pay-per-click campaign. With few exceptions, this is a crock. We have sites on the first page of Google in many markets, and it's because we put the right text in the right place on the site, not because blog postings with the winner of this month's cutest pet contest.

Myth #3 I can just have my leasing team update my blog.
Quality blogging is an art and science; the art in the selecting topics and crafting engaging posts, the science in the ability to actually write and the time management skills to keep up with a blog. Unless you're willing to provide support via training, and willing to shift other responsibilities to make room for blogging, this is a recipe for disaster that will surly result in an amateur finished product.

Myth #4 If I build it, they will come.
There are many tens of thousands of personal blogs and company blogs and industry blogs and mommy blogs out there, each with a proud and committed writer who have posted every single day for months on end. And only a small percentage of blogs get the kind of traffic needed to create a marketing platform. Increasing your readership takes a long time and many hours of effort. And most of all, it requires fresh and relevant content. (see Myth #6)

Myth #5 A blog will pay itself off with new leads and eventually new leases.
Other than very rare examples where a blog can be seamlessly integrated into a community web site, this is a complete fallacy. When a blog-proponent claims this to be the case, raise your right eyebrow and say, "prove it."

Myth #6 There are plenty of sources of fee content to add to my blog.
To be authentic, your blog content must be original, and come from sources connected to your community or your property management company. Just borrowing generic content about the importance of recycling and recycled news is just aggregated data, a trend that died in the late 1990s.

Myth #7 There is plenty of data that shows an ROI on multifamily blogging.
Other than business to business (vendors interacting with PM companies and each other), there is no empirical data about any sort of scalable ROI on apartment blogs. There are certainly some successes out there in specific demographics, but trends are measured by trend patterns over large areas, not by one offs.


And for those communities out there with talented, dedicated, on site bloggers who are afforded the time it takes to launch a truly successful online presence, and have the organizational support to make it work, good luck. You're doing it the right, and only way.

Now go fire your social media consultant.

A Groundskeeper Named Lincoln

I toured a community with a a client recently, and as we pulled up, commented on how impeccably clean the grounds were. (Not a small task, given the age and size of the community.) My client said, “That’s because Lincoln works here. He is amazing. There he is now”. As we approached, Lincoln waved his shovel in the air in greeting. He came up to the car with a big smile and an enthusiastic “Hello! How’s it going?” My client commented on how good things looked, and he said, “Oh, thanks. They could look better - I’m working on that nasty pile of snow in the corner now.”

A thankless job, grounds. Many think it an easy position that anyone with a modicum of responsibility can do, and others think it a terrible job that anyone (including groundskeepers) would hate to do. Both assumptions are wrong.

Groundskeepers clean up after people, pets and the elements all day long knowing the next day they will return and start all over again. It makes me weary thinking about it. Funny, the really good groundskeepers I have had the opportunity to work with never seemed to get weary. They see in their position the opportunity to be creative, accountable and do tangible work every day, and understand the impact their efforts have on value creation and resident retention efforts. Making the community just right brings them strength and satisfaction. Lincoln has the kind of attitude that makes you smile, and think, “Why can’t everyone be like him? I want some of that sunny disposition!” He may not aspire to be president of the company, or even the manager. Yet, Lincoln is the kind of employee in the kind of job that should be revered and respected in our organizations.

If you have a great groundskeeper, stand up right now, find them and tell them how much you appreciate them, and how much their efforts mean to the community’s, (and your), success.

Get a Foot In The Box

I came across this product this week and just had to share. TheShoebee.com offers protective liners for your shoes with a twist - just put your foot in the portable shoe box, and the plastic wraps around your feet! Love it! I can think of a dozen uses for this - (client tours of ready apartments the first that comes to mind), and at $29.95 per box it's a no-brainer. Plus, the liners are free...forever. You might even decide to slap your logo on the box! I wonder if I could train my dog to step in the box when he comes in from outside... www.theshoebee.com.

Burning Down The House

One of my favorite clients, Griffis Blessing out of Colorado Springs, recently had happen at one of their communities what many have experienced, and all dread - a building fire. I have been involved in the aftermath of more than a few building fires in my career, and let me tell you, there is nothing more heartbreaking than the complete devastation of hope on the faces of victims that didn't have the foresight to purchase renter's insurance, as they gaze at the burned out building that used to be home. It just breaks your heart. When I asked,"How many?" the regional immediately knew what I was referring to, and said, "Eight apartments were affected, and every one had renter's insurance." "All of them?" I asked. "We require it. They can't move in without it. They all had it."

Suddenly the tragedy, while devastating, was not nearly as profound.

If you don't mandate your residents purchase renter's insurance, you should. They may adhere kicking and screaming, but all it takes is one tragedy to drive the importance and value home.

How's Your Posture?

My mother had a thing for posture. She deemed it her mission that her girls would never be slouchers, physically or emotionally. “Sit up straight. Head up, shoulders back,” she would chide after catching one of us slouching at the dinner table. “Strong posture dictates confidence and elegance.” We would sigh, roll our eyes and frustrate her further. One of us would usually make a stupid teenage comment like, “What do I need good posture for? Nobody cares.” Funny, as I write this commentary years later, I sit, head up, shoulders back, projecting the confidence through my words she deemed so important.

Physically, good posture exudes confidence, authority and a sense of being. I know this as I grew up in a short family – we were always trying to look taller. It is the same emotionally. Think of the last time an individual criticized or hurt your feelings. Your emotional posture probably matched your physical - defeated, exhausted and diminished. The natural tendency as you type at a keyboard is to slouch your shoulders and lean forward in a relaxed position. Great posture defies gravity and must be worked at to maintain.

The next time you are meeting a client or prospective resident, entering a conference or networking event, or even strolling down the concourse at an airport, stop first, make sure you are standing up straight, head up and shoulders back. Then say to yourself, “My emotional posture is strong and confident.” Watch what happens. Individuals will comment on your confidence. They will look to you for your opinion. They may even expect you to lead.

Mom was right. Posture is everything.

www.Herding.Cats

The domain name game.

Ok, stop me if you've heard this one. Hysterical client calls, their web site is down. Gone. 404. Turns out their domain name had expired. Ok how about this one? Client asks for "advice" on how to get a bitter and non-responsive web site company to transfer the client's domain name from the vendor's name to the client's name. (no, not that web site company) This one didn't end so funny. Said client had to wait over 6 months for the domain to expire and pick it up again. Oh, oh one more. Client secures www.perfectdomainname.com for a deal that they'd reserved over a year ago, pre-construction, forgets about it, let's it lapse, and another community on the same street snaps it up and reserves it for 10 years. Decade long competitive advantage.

This seemingly mundane topic has tripped up the savviest of organizations, and unnecessarily costs thousands of dollars and hours in wasted time. The market for domain names has matured and the race to snatch up dot com monikers for real estate assets is shifting into the secondary market and a bristling aftermarket.

Now is the time to take stock of your domain name strategy, before disaster strikes.

Seven steps to domain name nirvana:

1. Duh
A simple spreadsheet tracker that lists all of your company's domain names is the easiest way to take control of this. Include all domain names (whether you're using them or not), the Registrar for each, account login information, expiration dates, and any other identifying information you would need to access the domain quickly. Put the tracker in a public, but secure location and designate someone to manage it. (email me if you want a template to use for your tracker)

2. Whois on First
Go to www.whois.net, or the "Whois" link on any Registrars site to find the details about each of your domain names. Who the Registrant is (a.k.a. who owns it), contact email address, where it was registered (a.k.a. the Registrant, I.E. Network Solutions, Go Daddy), expiration date, etc. If you're doing an audit, print this information out. Don't know what domain names you have? You can also search by keyword, Registrant and other identifying information in the Whois lookup area.

STOP! What if a vendor is listed as the Registrant of the domain name?

If you read nothing else in this post, read this:
A third party should NEVER own one of your domain names unless you have the ability to access and transfer the domain name at any point. Domain names are in no way linked to hosting, and if a vendor registers domain names on your behalf, it should be in your name. Adding a vendor as a Technical Contact is standard practice, and will give the vendor any access they need to make DNS and other modifications, but the vendor should not be the Registrant unless they have provided you with the password.

3. Consolidate and Harmonize
Armed with your tracker and Whois information in hand, it makes sense to pick one or two Registrars, and aggregate your domain names by transferring them all to the same place. Which one should you pick? Depends on annual cost, ease of transfer and simple math. That is to say, it's usually easiest to transfer TO the Registrar where you already have the most domain names listed. If you have redundant and vanity domains, pick a Registrant that offers free forwarding services. Transferring domains is usually cheap (or free) and will instantly iron out a lot of things. Use this step as an opportunity to transfer any domains away from vendors or previous owners while you're under the hood. Also change any old information like addresses, phone numbers or contact names. (see step 5) Transferring domain names will not affect your hosting or email.

4. Benjamins
It makes sense to try and streamline payment processes as much as possible. Use as few credit cards as possible. If you use a 3rd party vendor's credit card for billing, your company should still be the Registrant. You can give access to the domain name to another company for the purposes of managing payments.

5. domains@yourcompany.com
Set up a single email account, or forwarding account that can be used as the contact address for all domain names. We recommend domains@yourcomapny.com. This is where all correspondence, expiration notices and domain-related spam will come, and if IT Guy or Marketing Gal is no long with your organization, you can simply reassign this generic email address to someone else. As part of step 3, change and update your Registrant information accordingly.

6. Procrastinate
Domain names are cheap. Register and renew your domains for long periods of time (yes, even if you don't plan on holding the asset).

7. Document
By now your domain names have moved in together, gotten their shots and renewed their leases for 5 to 10 years. To stay vigilant, create simple policies and processes for procuring any new domain names, and for eliminating old ones. Add domain names to the list of items to be transferred when an asset changes hands, and develop simple plans for managing personnel changes so you're not having to hack into a long gone comrades email account to reset a password.

Hopefully these simple measures will make life easier.

Next week we'll talk about the sexier side of domain names, marketing and search strategy.

Please do not hesitate to reach out to Jessica Gale or myself at CFR with any questions about the above steps. We're on a mission to eradicate domain name confusion and wrongdoing on behalf of our clients.