I know many of my rants, and very few of my raves, are about a travel experience. As a professional speaker and a marketing solutions consultant, I have to get on an airplane to meet my customers and audience. Let’s be real here, it is how I make a living. And so, I have weekly contact with a few airlines, hotels and rental car companies.
To quote from the safety demonstration which I have heard thousands of times, “the flight attendant is primarily on board for our safety.” I understand that the FAA has rules and regulations designed to keep passengers safe. What the FAA seems to not have is the ability to determine how those rules are delivered. Today for example, a USAirways flight attendant told me I could not keep my laptop in a seat back pocket. She barked the order at me and said it with such shame that my two seat mates even commented about her rudeness. I get it. A laptop could fly out of the seatback and hurt me or another passenger “in the unlikely event of a water landing.”
The FAA mandates that the flight attendant be on the lookout for all misplaced laptops prior to zooming down the runway. The FAA does not say to deliver those words with a little sugar and I think this is why people start to feel a little air rage from time to time. It would be better to say something like this: “excuse me miss, I know you want to get a little work done on the flight but the FAA requires laptops to be under the seat in front of you for takeoff and landing, would you mind moving it until we have reached 10,000 feet?” Sugar makes everything sweeter and more likeable.
Other people really want to like you and respect what you say. A good strategy to earn respect is to not only learn what to say but to develop the instinct to deliver those words in a kind and empathetic manor. In the south, people like sugar in their tea. In the north, people like sugar in their coffee. And, in California no one seems to touch sugar. But no matter where I go, everyone likes when sugar coats things we don’t want to hear.
Monday, March 30, 2009
Thursday, March 26, 2009
Lease Like A Doctor
I’m always on the lookout for great sales and marketing ideas and tools. I never thought I would find it while sitting in a doctor’s office last week. The visit went like this…determine my name and why I am there, wait in the waiting room to be called into an exam room. Ok, that is not the part we need to learn from, it took 27 minutes to see the doctor! What happened next is what we need to learn. The doctor entered the exam room, shook my hand, asked me questions, asked other questions that were built on my responses, diagnosed my problem and prescribed me a remedy. Let’s review; exam, diagnosis, prescription. It seems like leasing should work this way too. Examine what your customer’s particular needs and wants are, diagnose which of your apartment options will meet their needs and then prescribe an available apartment.
The sad reality is that many leasing consultants don’t follow this method. When a customer walks in the door they ask if they want a one, two or three bedroom and based on the response shove a floor plan in their face and start to describe it. This was done without examining the customers’ needs. If a doctor prescribed a drug without an exam then they would be accused of committing malpractice! I believe shoving a floor plan into someone’s face without following the process of examine and diagnosis is committing leasing malpractice.
Leasing apartments works so much better (and easier for that matter) when we take the time to ask questions of our perspective renter and determine their needs and wants. Then we take them to a model home and use their needs and wants to demonstrate why the apartment is perfect for them. Based on their response we have diagnosed what will and won’t work for them. Now it is time to look at our available homes for their time frame and make a selection for the guest to approve. Even if you only have a few options for your customer, take time to discover needs as they turn into your closing tool.
The sad reality is that many leasing consultants don’t follow this method. When a customer walks in the door they ask if they want a one, two or three bedroom and based on the response shove a floor plan in their face and start to describe it. This was done without examining the customers’ needs. If a doctor prescribed a drug without an exam then they would be accused of committing malpractice! I believe shoving a floor plan into someone’s face without following the process of examine and diagnosis is committing leasing malpractice.
Leasing apartments works so much better (and easier for that matter) when we take the time to ask questions of our perspective renter and determine their needs and wants. Then we take them to a model home and use their needs and wants to demonstrate why the apartment is perfect for them. Based on their response we have diagnosed what will and won’t work for them. Now it is time to look at our available homes for their time frame and make a selection for the guest to approve. Even if you only have a few options for your customer, take time to discover needs as they turn into your closing tool.
Better "Connections" For Your Residents
I have to admit it, I am obsessed with increasing my connections on Linkedin.com. I love that social networking site for professionals. I have connected with some colleagues I have not talked to since my days at Trammell Crow and Gables. This is a great networking tool. Look me up and let’s connect!
I was consulting at an apartment community and we dreamed up an idea that if we created a networking group for our apartment community and the use our database of resident emails, we could create a powerful network for our neighborhood behind our controlled access gates! We sent out an invitation to 280 residents and we had over 75 respond in the first week. The Linkedin invitation is now part of our move in process and helps to introduce our new resident to some of their neighbors. I have even heard feedback that our residents have been using the network to flip business to neighbors who might be in a related field and have a product or service they need. Super idea in this challenging business climate. Smart retention tool and it is free!
I was consulting at an apartment community and we dreamed up an idea that if we created a networking group for our apartment community and the use our database of resident emails, we could create a powerful network for our neighborhood behind our controlled access gates! We sent out an invitation to 280 residents and we had over 75 respond in the first week. The Linkedin invitation is now part of our move in process and helps to introduce our new resident to some of their neighbors. I have even heard feedback that our residents have been using the network to flip business to neighbors who might be in a related field and have a product or service they need. Super idea in this challenging business climate. Smart retention tool and it is free!
Wednesday, March 25, 2009
“We have less money, but we’re no less impatient.”
The title of this blog is a quote from Mike Snider, a writer at USA Today. He was referring to the service that has kept NetFlix’s profits positive; their ability to provide near instant delivery of films streamed to subscribers’ TV sets via Xbox 360 game systems, some Bluray Disc players, Net-enabled TV sets and set top boxes. A smart move for a company who service has always relied on the use of a physical mailbox. NetFlix is quickly updating their business model to incorporate the preferred method of receiving something you buy. We now want it instantly. Even things sent priority overnight from Federal Express might take too long for many of us. Makes me wonder what FedEx might do to work within this trend.
So many of us are trying to find the balance between what the market will allow us to charge for our apartments and our operating costs. Many companies are looking for the best things to re-engineer during these challenging times. My suggestion to you is to think about what is still very important to your residents…time. Many people would give anything to have more time in their day. Only 16% of your residents actually use the pool but 100% of your residents benefit from good service. They see value in things that make their lives easier such as organizing help during holidays, personal items such as dry cleaning delivered to their home, babysitting at night so they can run errands, walking packages to their home and a commuter breakfast one morning when they are rushing off to work.
We are in a “want it now, need it now” type of society. This is because the world caters to the “Age of the Never Satisfied Customer.” Be memorable and personal with services so that you create meaning in residents’ lives by respecting their time. This could mean returning an email to a resident quickly or completing a service request within 2 hours of their call rather than the standard 24 hours. Everything is possible when you give your team the tools and the time to give instant service to a rent paying customer. You are the creator of value.
So many of us are trying to find the balance between what the market will allow us to charge for our apartments and our operating costs. Many companies are looking for the best things to re-engineer during these challenging times. My suggestion to you is to think about what is still very important to your residents…time. Many people would give anything to have more time in their day. Only 16% of your residents actually use the pool but 100% of your residents benefit from good service. They see value in things that make their lives easier such as organizing help during holidays, personal items such as dry cleaning delivered to their home, babysitting at night so they can run errands, walking packages to their home and a commuter breakfast one morning when they are rushing off to work.
We are in a “want it now, need it now” type of society. This is because the world caters to the “Age of the Never Satisfied Customer.” Be memorable and personal with services so that you create meaning in residents’ lives by respecting their time. This could mean returning an email to a resident quickly or completing a service request within 2 hours of their call rather than the standard 24 hours. Everything is possible when you give your team the tools and the time to give instant service to a rent paying customer. You are the creator of value.
Monday, March 23, 2009
This One Is Personal
In the past two days I have been contacted by people I never thought I would ever hear from again. How did they find me? Through the outreaching arms of Facebook. The first person is Anne Marie. She and I were best buddies after meeting for the first time when we were six. By the time we were moving on to the scary big building where our middle school was located Anne Marie and her family were forced to move to California. I was devastated. She was my very best friend in a class of just 14 children. Moving on to a class of 54 without her terrified me. We talked on the phone once or twice and wrote a few letters. And then, she disappeared until this weekend when I read a message she sent me through Facebook. She was not sure if she found the right person, I guess I might look a little different! I got a lump in my throat just thinking about my childhood friend. A few years ago she tried to find me by sending a letter to my parents address. It came at a very busy time and I failed to respond and I regret that. Facebook has given me another chance to connect with her!
The second person to find me is another person from school but she was a few years behind me. My memories of her have faded but I do remember her name, Hallie. Another Facebook connection! Hallie wrote me a lovely note saying that she always looked up to me, was sorry to hear about the passing of my Father and complimented my Mother who seems to have flowed from the fountain of youth. What a nice note! It made me think about school and that fact that someone looked up to me and thought I was "popular." This shocked me as I was never really happy in high school. Other kids put stinky trash in my locker, spread rumors about me that were not true and the hardest of all, planned a party the very same night my parents allowed me to have a birthday party. No one came to my party.
Hallie did not ever see my sadness or hurt. Instead she saw a upper classmen that was just trying to get through it all and hope that one day everything would be different.
What do Hallie and Anne Marie have in common? When Anne Marie left our little town, I had to learn to make new friends. When High School got tough, I had to employ those same skills once again. Today, I am happy and feel I have found success. My friends are amazing and my path in life is exciting. Why? Because since sixth grade I have been following the same strategy. It has helped me develop lifelong relationships, succeed in sports, earn opportunities that I dreamed about and crawl my way to the top of my field. Here is my personal strategy:
1. Mindset: Whatever is in my mind tends to become my reality. It is so important, especially in today's economy, to check in with myself on a daily basis. If my thoughts drive my actions then I must clear out the negative, self sabotaging things running through my head and replace them with visions of what I want for myself. I have chosen to break away from negative people in my life as I don't want to be brought down by a negative contagion.
2. Persistence: It would be easy to walk away from something that is just simply too hard, but then I might end up regretting the missed opportunity. The very best things in life are not easy. Our children, our spouses, our work. But when we work hard to make these opportunities successful, we do it because we are persistent in our focus and desire to make our life what we want it to be. I find that the more persistent I am the greater the reward.
3. Personal Development: I can never stop learning. Today, things are moving and changing quicker than a animal rushing across the street to avoid a speeding car. I used to think of my brain as a sponge that was trying to soak everything up. Now I need that sponge to be the "Bounty Quicker Picker Upper." Our ability to learn and react to changing times quicker than our competition is a powerful means of survival.
4. Passion: I find the things I am best at are the things I am passionate about. I dig in because I care. The same action works with people. When I have a passion for someone, I work hard to make that relationship successful. I never give up and I give them my best. I don't let my failures defeat me. Instead I use them as educational opportunities and try not to fail in the same way again.
5. Persuasion: Enthusiasm sways the wills of others into harmony with your own will. I find that when I get excited about something, others take an interest. As a professional speaker I have this opportunity each day I take the stage. I don't always feel what I am speaking about is earth shattering! But I know that my enthusiasm for the topic persuades others to listen and possibly do something different as a result of our time together.
Did you notice that 4 of the 5 items in my strategy start with the letter P? That is because when you Put the P's together, you can create something Pretty Powerful....an amazing life. For me, it is a well lived life in progress.
The second person to find me is another person from school but she was a few years behind me. My memories of her have faded but I do remember her name, Hallie. Another Facebook connection! Hallie wrote me a lovely note saying that she always looked up to me, was sorry to hear about the passing of my Father and complimented my Mother who seems to have flowed from the fountain of youth. What a nice note! It made me think about school and that fact that someone looked up to me and thought I was "popular." This shocked me as I was never really happy in high school. Other kids put stinky trash in my locker, spread rumors about me that were not true and the hardest of all, planned a party the very same night my parents allowed me to have a birthday party. No one came to my party.
Hallie did not ever see my sadness or hurt. Instead she saw a upper classmen that was just trying to get through it all and hope that one day everything would be different.
What do Hallie and Anne Marie have in common? When Anne Marie left our little town, I had to learn to make new friends. When High School got tough, I had to employ those same skills once again. Today, I am happy and feel I have found success. My friends are amazing and my path in life is exciting. Why? Because since sixth grade I have been following the same strategy. It has helped me develop lifelong relationships, succeed in sports, earn opportunities that I dreamed about and crawl my way to the top of my field. Here is my personal strategy:
1. Mindset: Whatever is in my mind tends to become my reality. It is so important, especially in today's economy, to check in with myself on a daily basis. If my thoughts drive my actions then I must clear out the negative, self sabotaging things running through my head and replace them with visions of what I want for myself. I have chosen to break away from negative people in my life as I don't want to be brought down by a negative contagion.
2. Persistence: It would be easy to walk away from something that is just simply too hard, but then I might end up regretting the missed opportunity. The very best things in life are not easy. Our children, our spouses, our work. But when we work hard to make these opportunities successful, we do it because we are persistent in our focus and desire to make our life what we want it to be. I find that the more persistent I am the greater the reward.
3. Personal Development: I can never stop learning. Today, things are moving and changing quicker than a animal rushing across the street to avoid a speeding car. I used to think of my brain as a sponge that was trying to soak everything up. Now I need that sponge to be the "Bounty Quicker Picker Upper." Our ability to learn and react to changing times quicker than our competition is a powerful means of survival.
4. Passion: I find the things I am best at are the things I am passionate about. I dig in because I care. The same action works with people. When I have a passion for someone, I work hard to make that relationship successful. I never give up and I give them my best. I don't let my failures defeat me. Instead I use them as educational opportunities and try not to fail in the same way again.
5. Persuasion: Enthusiasm sways the wills of others into harmony with your own will. I find that when I get excited about something, others take an interest. As a professional speaker I have this opportunity each day I take the stage. I don't always feel what I am speaking about is earth shattering! But I know that my enthusiasm for the topic persuades others to listen and possibly do something different as a result of our time together.
Did you notice that 4 of the 5 items in my strategy start with the letter P? That is because when you Put the P's together, you can create something Pretty Powerful....an amazing life. For me, it is a well lived life in progress.
Tuesday, March 17, 2009
Free Conference Admission for Laid Off Executives
Check this out....I think this is a great gesture for our industry! - Kate
Free Admission to AIM Conference for 10 Laid Off Executives – CallSource Sponsors Executive Education Giveaway
Career counseling also available onsite to winners.
DENVER, CO – To meet the career training needs of the industry, ten recently laid-off multifamily executive-level professionals will win free admission to the 2009 Apartment Internet Marketing (AIM) Conference. Executives and managers who were formerly employed by a multifamily investment or management firm and recently laid off may now apply now at: http://aimconf.com/career. The application period for the “Career Transitions” giveaway closes on April 3, 2009.
The winners will be selected randomly to receive free admission to this year’s AIM Conference, regularly $595 per person. CallSource, a leading provider of call-tracking technologies and advisory services, is sponsoring the AIM Career Transitions giveaway. The 2009 AIM Conference will be held in Denver, CO from April 29 – May 1, 2009 at the Denver Marriott City Center.
Career counseling services will be available to the giveaway winners. Shirley Levey from Liberty Executive Search will be available to provide one-on-one executive career counseling to the winners.
To apply or to recommend someone to the giveaway, please visit http://aimconf.com/career.
The complete AIM 2009 Conference agenda is now available online. To register please visit: http://aimconf.com/register.
CONTACT:
Conor Lee
Producer, AIM Conference
Joshua Tree Internet Media, LLC
415.412.3761 cell
conor@jtimedia.com
Free Admission to AIM Conference for 10 Laid Off Executives – CallSource Sponsors Executive Education Giveaway
Career counseling also available onsite to winners.
DENVER, CO – To meet the career training needs of the industry, ten recently laid-off multifamily executive-level professionals will win free admission to the 2009 Apartment Internet Marketing (AIM) Conference. Executives and managers who were formerly employed by a multifamily investment or management firm and recently laid off may now apply now at: http://aimconf.com/career. The application period for the “Career Transitions” giveaway closes on April 3, 2009.
The winners will be selected randomly to receive free admission to this year’s AIM Conference, regularly $595 per person. CallSource, a leading provider of call-tracking technologies and advisory services, is sponsoring the AIM Career Transitions giveaway. The 2009 AIM Conference will be held in Denver, CO from April 29 – May 1, 2009 at the Denver Marriott City Center.
Career counseling services will be available to the giveaway winners. Shirley Levey from Liberty Executive Search will be available to provide one-on-one executive career counseling to the winners.
To apply or to recommend someone to the giveaway, please visit http://aimconf.com/career.
The complete AIM 2009 Conference agenda is now available online. To register please visit: http://aimconf.com/register.
CONTACT:
Conor Lee
Producer, AIM Conference
Joshua Tree Internet Media, LLC
415.412.3761 cell
conor@jtimedia.com
Monday, March 16, 2009
Targeted Marketing Boosts Leasing
Multi Housing News called a few weeks ago for my comments on the current state of marketing. The article was published in the most recent copy of their magazine. I am pleased to see I am in good company with comments and expertise shared by Lori Snider of Creativity For Rent and Steve Lefkovitz with Joshua Tree Internet Media.
Enjoy the read: http://tinyurl.com/cnv5r8
Enjoy the read: http://tinyurl.com/cnv5r8
Thursday, March 12, 2009
Falling Stars - Can they shine again?
Twinkle, twinkle super star how I wish there were more people as good as you are!
No matter what your market conditions, the common concern among property management professionals is that you really never know what you are going to get when you hire someone. Sure there is some credible testing out there, but even super stars can become falling stars. Roll up your sleeves. This is the tough part of the job. You are not alone when it comes to the uncomfortable task of addressing performance problems.
Even in the very best organizations, almost every manager will have to deal with at least one problem employee - uncooperative, emotionally unstable, chronically late, "just getting by" performance, etc. I hope falling stars represent only a small percent of your team. Yet just one falling star on your team can mean a great deal of your attention and time. Who suffers? Well for starters, the super stars. They need your attention to nurture their motivation. You will also suffer because you are not spending time on pressing issues. Eventually you will not be satisfied with the job you are doing, that is if you too are a superstar.
Sometimes when a team member consistently under performs, the manager assumes that he or she has failed as a coach and superstars hate to fail. Try this thought on for size - a good coach helps employees get to where they need to be by creating an environment for which their true talents and skills can shine. But ultimately, it's each employee's responsibility to decide whether to be a super star, a middle star, or a falling star. Truth is, you can influence that decision but you can't control it.
Falling stars can have a detrimental impact on your entire team. If you allow them to "skate by," you reinforce their commonly held belief that "the less I do, the less I'll be asked to do." And, since your team's work does not decrease, your top performers will be challenged with more work in order to pick up the slack. Not a good strategy! Coaching the falling stars - helping them improve, or replacing them with more productive people - represents the area with the greatest opportunity for enhancing the overall performance of your work group. But, most managers are not comfortable addressing employee performance problems. That's easily understood.
Performance issues are stressful, and many of us don't have the training and experience we need to deal with them. As stated earlier, because you're a top performer, you've probably had little experience with this type of coaching. Nevertheless, there still will be problems staring you square in the face.
Allow me to address the challenges you may be facing with the newest generation to enter our workforce, Generation Y. These fresh young faces have a whole different outlook on their work. Generation Y is often viewed as idealistic, with a high level of social consciousness. They’re frequently anti-establishment and are concerned about stress on the job. They are generally outspoken and make up the largest pool of young people in the job market today and tomorrow with a staggering 78 million in this generation! For them, promises of monetary rewards and overtime pay may not interest them as much as time off to attend a party, concert or just hang out with their friends.
Keep these facts in mind when coaching your Gen Y employee. They love to learn and be part of your team but will feel like an outsider if they are not encouraged to speak up and often. For them, the job is a means to great balance in their lives. Having an advanced level of tolerance for this need will create a better relationship. This generation yearns to be past of a company that is focused on building it together and having a higher purpose. They respond best to participative management and will value flex time. They want to work but don’t want work to be their life. If you have established a positive work climate, you have a decision to make with each problem. You can close your eyes, live with the situation, and accept the negative impact of your falling stars' lower performance. Or, you can conduct a performance improvement session in which the employee will either commit to your standards - or choose to ignore the problem and face the logical consequences. Of course, opting for the performance improvement session is your best decision. Take that path, and the rest of the decisions will be the employee's. And if the person chooses not to change, let him or her quit and seek employment elsewhere. Or, follow your corporate guidelines for formal discipline and possible discharge. Your entire team will benefit from the change.
No matter what your market conditions, the common concern among property management professionals is that you really never know what you are going to get when you hire someone. Sure there is some credible testing out there, but even super stars can become falling stars. Roll up your sleeves. This is the tough part of the job. You are not alone when it comes to the uncomfortable task of addressing performance problems.
Even in the very best organizations, almost every manager will have to deal with at least one problem employee - uncooperative, emotionally unstable, chronically late, "just getting by" performance, etc. I hope falling stars represent only a small percent of your team. Yet just one falling star on your team can mean a great deal of your attention and time. Who suffers? Well for starters, the super stars. They need your attention to nurture their motivation. You will also suffer because you are not spending time on pressing issues. Eventually you will not be satisfied with the job you are doing, that is if you too are a superstar.
Sometimes when a team member consistently under performs, the manager assumes that he or she has failed as a coach and superstars hate to fail. Try this thought on for size - a good coach helps employees get to where they need to be by creating an environment for which their true talents and skills can shine. But ultimately, it's each employee's responsibility to decide whether to be a super star, a middle star, or a falling star. Truth is, you can influence that decision but you can't control it.
Falling stars can have a detrimental impact on your entire team. If you allow them to "skate by," you reinforce their commonly held belief that "the less I do, the less I'll be asked to do." And, since your team's work does not decrease, your top performers will be challenged with more work in order to pick up the slack. Not a good strategy! Coaching the falling stars - helping them improve, or replacing them with more productive people - represents the area with the greatest opportunity for enhancing the overall performance of your work group. But, most managers are not comfortable addressing employee performance problems. That's easily understood.
Performance issues are stressful, and many of us don't have the training and experience we need to deal with them. As stated earlier, because you're a top performer, you've probably had little experience with this type of coaching. Nevertheless, there still will be problems staring you square in the face.
Allow me to address the challenges you may be facing with the newest generation to enter our workforce, Generation Y. These fresh young faces have a whole different outlook on their work. Generation Y is often viewed as idealistic, with a high level of social consciousness. They’re frequently anti-establishment and are concerned about stress on the job. They are generally outspoken and make up the largest pool of young people in the job market today and tomorrow with a staggering 78 million in this generation! For them, promises of monetary rewards and overtime pay may not interest them as much as time off to attend a party, concert or just hang out with their friends.
Keep these facts in mind when coaching your Gen Y employee. They love to learn and be part of your team but will feel like an outsider if they are not encouraged to speak up and often. For them, the job is a means to great balance in their lives. Having an advanced level of tolerance for this need will create a better relationship. This generation yearns to be past of a company that is focused on building it together and having a higher purpose. They respond best to participative management and will value flex time. They want to work but don’t want work to be their life. If you have established a positive work climate, you have a decision to make with each problem. You can close your eyes, live with the situation, and accept the negative impact of your falling stars' lower performance. Or, you can conduct a performance improvement session in which the employee will either commit to your standards - or choose to ignore the problem and face the logical consequences. Of course, opting for the performance improvement session is your best decision. Take that path, and the rest of the decisions will be the employee's. And if the person chooses not to change, let him or her quit and seek employment elsewhere. Or, follow your corporate guidelines for formal discipline and possible discharge. Your entire team will benefit from the change.
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