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Are you a sales person?

If you think you are only an apartment owner, manager or leasing agent and not a sales professional, it is time to think again. Because sales is a fundamental part of what you do. And it is by understanding how sales tactics work and how to use it to your advantage, that you can ensure that your apartment complex never has any vacancy.

 Let us look at some of the ways you can harness the power of sales for yourself.

Recognize your Inner Salesman

Sales is not an arcane art practiced by a select breed of professionals. In life, everyone is a salesman.

You are going out for a movie with your wife. You convince her to go for the movie that you want to watch. You persuade your little daughter to go to bed early in exchange of a bed time story. You dress up well for an interview, trying to appear your best for the interviewers. These are all examples of salesmanship.

Every time someone makes a transaction (no money needs to be involved), it is sales. And we are all, yes even you, natural born sales persons.

Once you understand this, you can use your individual ability to reap benefits for your apartment complex.

Ask yourself tough questions

This is very important. There are a few questions every tenant is going to ask himself. So it is best that you know the answers in advance.

Why should he choose your apartment?

Why should he go over his budget to live in your complex?

Why should he sign on the dotted line now, and not next week or month?

Do you have ready answers to these questions? And more importantly, are you convinced about the answers?

You have only two options. The first is to find real meaningful answers to these questions. The other is to keep lowering your price and pray that someone takes you up on it.

Offer Value not just Space

Everyone has an inborn resistance to taking money out of their wallets. And therefore before you can convert a prospect into a resident, you will be facing the following obstacles:

“I need to think it over.”

“Give me a week to decide.”

“I am only looking.”

“I will have to discuss this with my wife/husband.”

These statements are stumbling blocks to closing a deal. These show that your prospect is hesitating to spending his money. The only way you can beat this is by offering him…

PERCEIVED VALUE THAT FAR EXCEEDS THE MONEY HE IS PAYING

You need to start by believing in it yourself. You need to be convinced inside out that what you are selling is the best that your customer can buy. The combination of neighbors, units, location and amenities that you offer is beyond compare.

Solve your Prospect’s Problem

There is a reason why your prospect is out in the market looking for an apartment. Address that issue. So it is important for you to understand your prospect’s need and explain specifically how your apartment is the perfect solution for it.

There are many reasons why a prospect may not end up closing the deal. And very seldom is it the price. So, the more effort you spend in understanding the needs of your prospect, the easier you will find to convert him to your way of thinking.

Service is Everything

Your real job starts after your sale is made.

Your existing residents are the best source of new residents. It is therefore important to ensure that they are completely satisfied with the service you provide. In fact, ensure that your service is not just satisfactory, but memorable.

So take very good care of your residents. And business will usually take care of itself. Here are a few ways in which you can ensure that your service standards are world-class.

Respond Now

If your resident connects with you in any way – phone, email, text message… do not wait for the next day or even hour to get back. Get back to him right then. This demonstrates more than anything else that you feel his needs are important.

Never say Never

Sometimes residents may make an outrageous demand of you. Do not start by saying no. And never ever say, “It is not in our policy.” All the resident will be hearing is, “I don’t give a d*** about you.” Try to solve the problem as best as you can. And be honest and transparent with him.

Your resident’s problem is your problem

Is his cable acting funny? Is his Internet down? You can either brush the issue aside by saying, “not my problem,” or you can try to solve it. Only when you go beyond your normal call of duty will you be remembered as the person who cares.

Bad Credit might not be so Bad

So you have managed to convince your prospect. He now tells you that he has bad credit. What do you do? Despair? Or find a solution?

Sometimes, you will find that the prospect has overestimated the problem and his credit is not really that bad. Often you can find other solutions. Maybe the deposit can be bigger, or the client can be convinced of taking on a smaller unit.

The sale never ends

Every time your resident pays your rent, he is actually buying your product all over again. This means that every single existing resident is also a prospect. So ensure that you keep on engaging and interacting with them in a positive way throughout their tenancy.

There is one simple rule of keeping a resident happy. Exceed every single expectation. Delight them at every point. And soon you will find that there is a long queue of prospects wanting to stay in your complex.