The Unexpected Email I Received From A Panhanlder Today

When I lived in Chicago I was never comfortable with people on the street asking me for money. I was worried that I was contributing to a bad habit that may have put them on the street or that their story was a fraud.  When I was walking the Country Club Plaza in Kansas City, I was told that a certain panhandler sitting near The Cheesecake Factory made over $70,000.  While I tried not to pass judgment, I never understood why someone who was that good at asking a stranger for money did not get up and get a job.  After all, successful sales people have to ask people they do not know for money all the time! There were times when I thought the "loose change seekers" were better at it than I was. 

 

I have also seen many panhandlers to demonstrate marketing savvy.  They know people will read their sign so they put something worth reading.  Personally, I respect the signs that make me laugh.  Here are some of my favorites:

 

 

 


Today, my view of a panhandler changed when one of them emailed me.  For the first time in many years I have a morning routine that includes driving the same route each morning.  At one high profile corner there have been two panhandlers who are friendly and creative with their signs.  One morning I whipped through the light and saw the sign out of the corner of my eye.  The gentleman was asking for money for his BMW fund.  I found this to be an example of the strength of the Houston economy and if I were not late for a meeting I would have made a u-turn and snapped a picture for my Facebook status update. 

Each day I drove this route I looked for him again.  Finally today, the stars aligned and I caught the light while he was standing there with the sign.  I figured it would not be nice to take a picture from the inside of my car and not give him money.  So, I broke a personal rule and quickly pulled out some dollar bills.  I handed them over and asked for a picture. 

For the next 30 or so seconds we had a conversation that started with "you get it don't you". In an instant my view of this man changed.  He explained that he is a writer and is trying to get noticed.  He asked me for a card because he carries on the panhandler tradition of asking strangers for something, in other words, he is a salesperson. At this point my Mother, Linda, is probably thinking she should have told me 1000 more times not to talk to strangers!  Well Mom, talking to strangers has pulled me along in life and I felt an instant connection with this one.  His name is Tom and he is looking for a job.

 

I am impressed with the email he sent me.  Well written, complementary, researched (made two references to blogs I have written) and effective. His talent is obvious. I hope he finds what he is looking for but I will miss him on the corner.

If you would like to read Tom's blogs, please visit: http://homelesspatriot.blogspot.com/ and http://rogersparkbench.blogspot.com/

What Ashton Kutcher and I Have in Common

This is a pretty bold title for a blog! Let's start by saying I love this guy. In my life I have had a few celeb crushes starting with Rob Lowe starring in St. Elmo's Fire and About Last Night.  The day after I saw Legends of the Fall I had to leave work at 10:30 am because I could not concentrate on writing a marketing plan and had Brad Pitt on the brain. Then came my encounter with John Stamos.....well that is another blog on my personal page.  And finally Ashton. I saw him in Just Married and loved his expressions.  I was hooked.  

Of all my celeb crushes, I have never felt like I was on their level until I heard Ashton accept his Teen Choice Award.  He proudly took this opportunity to reach out to the young audience with a message about life.  I was personally touched when he shared the same thoughts that I frequently talk about in my programs.  Not only did he connect with screaming 16 year old's, he connected with me too.

The first point of his speech is that his name is really Chris and he lived an important life before he took his middle name to become and actor.  Surprisingly, he learned about opportunity before he got his role on That 70's Show.  Ashton feels that opportunity looks a lot like work.  He had jobs where he mopped floors and washed dishes and he never felt that he had a job he was better than.  Ashton respected the opportunity and saw it as a stepping stone.  I found his next point to be very important for today's 20 something generation; never quit a job until you have your next one.  When you quit without your next job lined up, you just proved to the world that you thought you were better than the job you wanted to leave and did not respect the opportunity to work.  As an employer, I steer clear of people who make this choice and do not have a really really, and I mean really good reason. Click here:

For those of you who have heard me speak in the last few years, you may have heard me close my program with this words to live by "Be Here Now, Be Somewhere Else Later". This is the key to my success and I have been benefiting from this belief for over 20 years.  I meet ambitious people who want to do what I do and the best advice I can give them is to do what you do now extremely well.  If you are a housekeeper, be the master of clean.  If you are a Leasing Consultant, stop making excuses for why an apartment is not leasing and have the highest closing ratio in your company.

I have a dream board, goal sheets and big plans for my life but none of them will happen if I am not taking my current opportunities and knocking them out of the park. My first job in the apartment industry was to lease apartments.  In my first two weeks with my company, Trammell Crow, I went to a week long training class where I witnessed what corporate trainers do and I knew then, I wanted to be one.  But, to get there, I had to first show people that I could do the work that I would be training other people to do.  It was in that very class that I decided that I would not stop until I was the number one Leasing Consultant in the company.  I hit that goal within a year.  I was the Director of Training 4 years later.

I wondered where Ashton was going when the second point of his speech was about being sexy.  This is a guy who could rest on his looks for his sexy but he knows there is more to being attractive.  Ashton explains that being sexy is accomplished by being smart, thoughtful and generous. In our world we are caught up in what he labels crap; the stuff that people try to sell to you to make you feel less. I have always been attracted to the smart, thoughtful and generous guy.

Over the years, I have received some nice compliments about how I look.  I always brush that off because I think I am just an average person.  It is the comments and compliments about my intelligence that make me say "thank you".  I know my expertise, and how I give to others, have opened many more doors than my looks.

Ashton's last message is about building a life not just living one.  Again, I connected.  I have not taken the path well traveled, I have carved out the life I want.  I continue to build my life based on the belief that most people are no smarter than I am.  If they can do it, why can't I?

Now, go be amazing at work today and get your sexy on!

How Important is Your Pool? Other Amenities Take Over!

When I was 19 years old, and my title was Leasing Consultant, I wondered why the people who built the property I was charged with leasing up did not load it with amenities.  This was "back in the day" when racquetball was still popular and I wanted a court!  About five years later, as my career hit the fast track, I found myself on the Board of Trustees for the National Association of Home Builders.  I had a front row seat to the work of the best research body in our industry.  One of the many facts I learned was that only 17% of our residents actually use the pool. I started to see amenities in a whole new light.

So, why do we even build a pool?  This is when my leasing and marketing hat appears and I know that it is one of the highlights of the leasing tour.  The pool is one of those checklist items that create the feeling of a lifestyle that most people desire: "On my days off, I'm going to lounge on a chair poolside, sipping a cold drink, reading my Kindle, wearing the same bathing suit I wore in college (it's a dream so we can dream that it is still looks hot on us!), meeting fabulous people!". We know this lifestyle offering helps to lease apartments, but is it your best tool for selling renewals?

If you ask people why they stay at an apartment community year after year, you will hear key points such as; I like my apartment, it is a fun place to live, my life is easy here, this is a great location, my dog loves the pet park, I have made friends here.  Rarely do we hear "I can't move away from that pool!". People stay because of the real lifestyle they create for themselves, not their perception of the life they will have when they are looking at your pool on the leasing tour. 

No matter what the age of your community, there are a number of amenities which you have, or can add, that will create that day to day life that your residents will enjoy.  Here are a few of my favorites and some new ones to consider.

1. Valet Trash Removal - Residents report that at first they do not like the fee's associated with trash removal but then they see how nice it is to no longer have to hold your breath when walking to the stinky dumpster and risking goo on your hands from lifting the lid.  One apartment resident tweeted this picture of her dumpster and called it scary and creepy. Valet trash removal is something you miss when you buy a home!

 

2. Pet Parks - We know that 63% of apartment residents have four legged family members in their home. Pet Playland, Parks and Potty areas are some of the most commented on amenities in social media.  Not only are they great for exercising a dog but they have become a social area for neighbors to meet.  One resident reports that she rushes home to get to the pet park at 7:15pm because of a hot guy, and his Jack Russell Terrier, who are always there at this time.  Here are a few things to make your pet park fun, memorable and luxurious.



Keep pets healthy and cool.  Provide outdoor pets with plenty of fresh water and shade. We love this watering hole that bubbles fresh water for pets.

Another option is to create a fun play area. Take a hint from landscapers and create artful dog play courses using plants and hardscaping to create obstacles to weave through, balance beams to walk on or tunnels to roam through. The one shown here is also people size, but you can always create one that’s just dog size. It can be your pet’s hiding spot. Even dogs sometimes need to get away from it all.

When building the ultimate Fort Whoof, add some agility pieces for the pooch who has been lounging in the residents bed all day while their Momma or Daddy was hard at work.



 Create fun seating for pet parents to gather and stay a while.

3. Add on to existing amenity areas such as your business center or resident clubhouse.  We find that many people come down to this common area to utilize the Wi-Fi and socialize.  We see people reading and working on their iPads and laptops.  Try creating a reading nook for the little residents too.  This special space is inviting and encourages quiet activity.

4. It's time to revive the sandbox! Remember the hours you spent as a kid hanging in the backyard building a city made out of toys and sand? Apartment kids need these outdoor experiences too.  Create a large sandbox and watch the creativity roll for the hands of a 4 year old.  This is another space where you will want to build in seating for the parents.  My landscapers tell me to have the area sprayed for ants on a regular basis and close off the sandbox for 8 hours following. 

5. Take book sharing to another level. Little Free Library is a nonprofit that seeks to place small, accessible book exchange boxes in neighborhoods around the world. Place one of these fun book exchange boxes next to your mailbox kiosk and create the place for community sharing. Little Free Library locations may purchase a charter for $35 that puts their library in the organization’s database and affords them discounts and information about keeping, maintaining and promoting their libraries.

 

6. In 1991 I moved into Steward's Glen Apartments in Willowbrook, IL and was blown away by the huge sand volleyball society the residents had created.  One person propped speakers from their apartment to blast tunes (of course I dated and later married him!), another rolled in a keg and everyone came down with their sun chairs for a good time. The residents supplied the ball and fun so all the apartment community needed to install was the sand court.  I know for certain there were plenty of resident referrals due to the fact that everyone wanted to live at this property and have a great summer.  Check out this fun volleyball court which will keep the ball from wondering off and does not require inside the court.  It's like a bounce house for volleyball! Could this be the new volleyball court?  Buy one for your region and it can travel from property to property.  Pretty soon, each property will want their own.



7.  Urban vegetable gardens are making a comeback.  We saw a lot of them in the early '90's and then the trend seemed to drop off.  Today, there are lotteries to determine which residents will get the coveted gardening space. 

What new amenities are you offering your residents?  Email me at kate@kategood.com and with your permission I will share them in a blog post (and give you all the credit!).

A Marketing Lesson from 6 Dollar Shirts

My cousin, Andrew, placed an order with 6 Dollar Shirts.  This could have been your run of the mill Internet transaction until he received a game changer in his email box. He found an email that, among the thousands he receives in a week, was cool enough to send to his cousin Kate.  Really people, this had to be an amazing email because I don't get emails from Andrew very often (not that I am upset, Cuz, I know you are a busy guy).

6 Dollar Shirts had already secured the sale, Andrew's credit card was approved and the shipment was on its way.  Most businesses would stop there.  The savvy marketers at this online retailer know there is more business to be earned.  A simple, crafty, creatively worded email created a stir.  Andrew shared with his friends at his office and now more people are aware of this company.  This email tickled my marketing ear and now I am posting it on my Website blog for hundreds of thousands of people to read, okay maybe just a few hundred loyal readers.  But really, this means something because before this email forwarded from my cousin, I had never heard of 6 Dollar Shirts.

Who else has told you that you look good today?  Now go on, I dare you to check out www.6dollarshirts.com and buy the "Death before Decaf" tee shirt!

How Can A Car Help You Lease Apartments?

Very simply put, creating a memorable experience will help you stand out in a crowded marketplace.

"It took 9,000 hours over a period of seven months for eight craftsmen from two families to shape a work of art that comprises roughly 2,227,000 individual parts weighing a combined 200 pounds, with each one glued together one by one. The completed sculpture, on view on the first floor of the new BBVA Compass Plaza on Post Oak Boulevard, speaks volumes of the cultural flavor of Houston and the values cherished by the city's stakeholders — and the principles of the underwriters. Vochol, the title of the piece, is a 1990 Volkswagen Beetle swathed in a mosaic of vibrant glass beads that collectively, from afar, appears to be a painted vehicle of sorts — what one would see sashaying down Houston's iconic Art Car Parade. But this art car's Mexican provenance — Mexico was home to the last manufacturing plant of this popular VW model that was assembled from 1938 through 2003 — pays tribute to an artisanal craft that at its core serves as a spiritual channel." -Culture Map





Give your sales team this type of conversation and it can open 20 doors to building rapport and connecting through a solid visual memory of what makes your property unique. While this car is a huge display, a memory point does not always need to be as bold.  It simply means that you have something notable and you take the time to share that with your prospect.  At the end of the day, when they are reviewing all their choices, what will they remember you for? I doubt it is 4 white walls and beige carpet.  Everyone has that. Try a wall mural with all the sports teams in your area like a community in Jacksonville put in their indoor basketball court.  A community in Tampa has a NYC Taxi in their courtyard. And, one smart community in North Carolina has a "stuffed person" named Gladys sitting on the couch in the model.  All are unique and stand out in the mind of the consumer.