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.

I Can't Afford It! It's Too Expensive!

When the client seems to care about nothing but the price, try this technique.

Let’s say the client has told you that his budget is $850 per month, and the apartment he likes is $900.

Calculate the difference in price vs budget. ($50)
Then, divide the difference by a 30 day month. (50 divided by 30 = 1.67)
The client would only need pay $1.67 per day to get what they really wanted. That’s the equivalent of a pack of gum, or a cup of coffee.

$1.67 multiplied by a 7 day week = $11.69. At this point, explore ways in which the client will save money by living at your community. For example, perhaps they will no longer need a gym membership, saving at least $30 per month. Or, they might utilize your selection of first run movies and your theater, saving them a $10 movie ticket. Maybe their commute will be minimized saving $$$ in gas. Find a way for them to save $11 per week and you just found a way for them to afford it.

So, it would go something like this:
“Mr. Jones, I know this apartment is $50 above your budget. Broken down, that’s less than $1.70 per day to get what you really want. I know we can save you some money with the included fitness center, and you will be working substantially closer, which will save you money on gas, not to mention time. Plus, the apartment faces south, ensuring indirect sun, which will help your utility bills in the winter. This apartment comes out to about $11 per week more than what you wanted to pay, but all things considered, in the long run it may well cost you less. What do you think? Would you like to reserve it?”

Break it down, build the value, get the lease.

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!

Are You The Real Deal?

While vacationing recently in Wisconsin's Northwoods, we headed out on our annual trek to dine in one of the area's infamous "supper clubs". For those unfamiliar to just what exactly a "supper club" is, let me clarify. A supper club serves supper. And cocktails. And usually sports a sign at the entrance reminiscent of an early 60's motif, that many times features a martini. On Fridays, a fish fry is served. I couldn't wait.

We decided on a place called "The Red Man". Not much to look at, but the parking lot was full. Always a good sign on a Friday night. The inside wasn't real chic either, but it was full of people. Tables were free of cloth, and of the kind you drag out when you have extended family arrive for Thanksgiving. Each place setting featured a paper place mat and a large plastic bowl. The hostess took our names, and said, "OK. It's going to be about 30 minutes. I want you to get a drink and go out on the back patio and I will come get you when your table is ready." So. we did what she said.

After 25 minutes, the hostess stuck her head out the door and said, "Come on, your table is ready!" and we were seated. The bread came with the customary breadsticks and horseradish cheese. Delicious. Then came the salad. We could barely lift it. Bounty at its best.



A definite Red Man signature. The whole meal was fabulous. Our waitress Terri, was attentive, in charge, and kept the food coming.

My husband looked at me and said, "The place isn't much to look at, but it sure is the real deal." And it was.

So other than fond vacation memories, what's the point?
Here's the thing - The Red Man didn't have an outstanding entrance, lovely interior appointments or even cloth linens. Yet, the place was packed and our impression was positive. The Red Man visually under-promised and then over-delivered. It's like that one community in your neighborhood that you can't quite figure out. Not real glamourous, no over the top amenities, but everything is clean, friendly, and they're always full and raising rents. Simplistic, honest and committed to delivering the way the residents like it. The real deal.

If your community is an under-performer in the looks department, find a way to wow (What's your signature salad?) and focus on delivering consistently and excellently.

That's More Like It!

I received another survey this morning, from Trendwatching, that is far more my style than the one I blogged about last week. (see below)

This survey was simple, easy and allowed me to provide some honest feedback, all with a simple email response.

Dear Lori,

We hope you enjoyed our latest briefing on MASS MINGLING. As we’re gearing up to bring you even more content and services this September, this is an excellent time to let us know what else you’d want from us.

To keep things simple, just reply to this email, answering the following:

1. What do you like about our monthly Trend Briefings? And what could we do better? [your answer]


2. What (if anything) would make you want to try our Premium Service? 
[your answer]


3. What other content / services would you be interested in? Trend Seminars? Company presentations? Consulting? Networking? Anything goes!
[your answer]

Thank you so much, we’ll do our utmost best to incorporate your suggestions,

Warmest,

Tim Pitts
Subscriber & Client Services
 trendwatching.com

You want my feedback? Just ask for it. What’s at the top of my mind regarding your service or product is most likely what is important for you to hear.

Quit Trying to Exceed and Just Make It Easy.

I read an illuminating piece in the Harvard Business Review today that promotes a new perspective in approaching customer service. The article, Stop Trying to Delight Your Customers, written by Matthew Dixon, Nicholas Freeman and Karen Toman, examines the impact on organizations and their customers when the emphasis is placed on over-the-top service. What they found is surprising.

The research, (conducted on more than 75,000 people), found that telling employees to provide over-the-top service generally produces little more than a state of confusion, and it doesn’t build customer loyalty. In addition, there is little correlation between satisfaction and loyalty. We tend to buy from a company because it delivers quality products, great value or a compelling brand. We leave, more often than not, because it fails to deliver on customer service. So, while customer service can do little to increase loyalty, it can do a great deal to undermine it. Customers are four times more likely to leave a service interaction disloyal than loyal.

When it comes to service, companies create loyal customers primarily by helping them solve their problems quickly and easily.
For example,

Don’t just resolve the issue, head off the next. For example, simply providing an in-person apartment “tutorial” (i.e. how to shut off the water, reset the garbage disposal, etc) can head off future calls.
Arm your people to address the emotional side of customer interactions. Are your front line people trained in interpersonal communication skills? (This includes maintenance - they get more “face time” than anybody else.) Are they aware of words that can trigger negative reactions, (can’t, won’t, policy), and how to turn negative statements into positive? For example, instead of, “I can’t fix your garbage disposal - I need to order a part.”, say, “This challenge is repairable, and we will be able to get the part needed by Thursday and repair it that same day.” Remember, it’s not so much what is said, as how it is said.
Use feedback from unhappy residents to reduce customer effort. In addition to working with the resident to solve the challenge, collect feedback that informs service improvements. Use the feedback to streamline and create ease of use.
In a self-serve world, is your website cutting it? Spend as much time making your website intuitive and functional as you do pretty. How easy is it to use your website and get what you need from a resident’s perspective? If they get stuck, is it easy to get help?
Empower your team to deliver a low-effort experience. Innovative companies have stopped measuring outdated metrics based on productivity and evaluate on the basis of short, direct customer interviews with customers, essentially asking them if the service they received met their needs. Others are evaluating, not based on call time, but on how many repeat calls are received.

Finally, the research revealed although most companies believe that customers overwhelmingly prefer live phone service to self-service, that customers are, in fact, indifferent. (This could be a result of frustration with past interactions, in my opinion). This is an important paradigm shift and innovative companies will build their organizations around self-service, with reducing customer effort at its core.

My opinion? While I love over-the-top service interactions, this concept is a far more concrete, tangible, consistent and teachable approach to delivering service excellence and provides a very easy barometer by which to gauge policy and effectiveness. It’s the little things that matter. How easy are you to do business with? How easy is it for a resident to get a request or complaint handled ? Teach your people to make it easy, base policy on ease of use, and loyalty will result.

Keep It Short

I received a request to complete a survey today regarding my experience for a one night hotel visit earlier this month. It was the second request I received, and I figured since they asked twice, I would go ahead and complete it. When I clicked the link, I was informed the survey would take me from 7 to 10 minutes to complete. I clicked back off.

If you want feedback, keep it short, and in context with the experience. I don’t have time to spend a quarter of an hour, or a coffee break, or the time it takes me to write this blog, to complete a survey regarding a one night visit. Now, if the survey took 3, or even 5 minutes or less to complete, or I was offered something in return for my time, I would have happily complied.

Keep it simple. Ask relevant questions that provide insight, and most of all, respect your customer's time by keeping it short.