How do you perceive that person calling about an apartment? Are you leasing to a prospect? A “piece of traffic”? An internet lead? Your next leasing commission? Those are terms we use to describe that person who we hope to convert from interested party to happy neighbor. But those words do a poor job defining this individual. 

 

Bring a little HEART. - make that a LOT of heart - to your leasing presentation by remembering who your prospect is. He is a human being coming to you with all of life’s joys, challenges, fears, and failures. And he is looking for one of life’s most basic human needs: shelter. While you may lease several apartments each day, for this person, this lease is a major life decision. And rent is usually their biggest life expense. 

 

Bring a little HEART ❤️.  The rental prospect has a lot going on in their head that you will miss if you don’t listen with your heart. 

 

These unspoken messages are subtle to you but the prospect hears their self-talk loud and clear:

Of course your work objective is to put this prospect into one of your vacant apartments. And you will use your personality and sales skills to achieve this goal. Yet, I’m going to suggest you also have another responsibility that makes your presentation more powerful and genuine. From your heart, you want to communicate to your prospect, “You are not alone in this lease transaction. I am here for you, too!” 

 

How do you communicate the message that you are here to do business and lease apartments...but NEVER at the customer’s expense or loss? How do you create a positive relationship with your rental prospect that shows respect and collaboration while aggressively presenting your apartment community? And how do you do all this with the expectation of getting the lease RIGHT NOW?

 

Watch for my next blog post for answers!