Learn The Perfect Response When Someone Responds with "No"

I'm happy to share the next of my videos for CORT in their Sofa Secrets series, a video-based educational program for apartment industry professionals. This Sofa Secret is about using one word to help you close reluctant prospects...

Ace Your Next Interview

Knowing how to handle yourself during an interview won't get you your next job on its own, but it can definitely help.  What you say and how you present yourself are vital during the process... Here are some things to keep in mind as you interview to give yourself the best chance at landing the job.

Use The Company’s Own Words

You always need to research the company you're interviewing with, and before your interview, become familiar with the company’s website and literature. As you're researching, pay attention to words that keep popping up.  Those are the key words to hit upon during your interview - they're what are important to the organization.

Using the company's key words, like collaboration, teamwork, leadership, or growth, can send the message that you have what the company is looking for.

Instead of "I don't know," say “That’s a Good Question.”

If the interviewer asks a question that surprises you, saying, "That's a good question," can give you a few moments to come up with an answer.  In the meantime, it compliments the interviewer in a subtle way.

Avoid saying, “I don't know,” whenever possible (but of course, don't lie about your experience or training!).

Share why you want the job

Of course, interviewers want to know what you will bring to their company in the way of skills and experience, but they also want to know a job prospect’s motivations for applying for their open position.

Share your career goals and how you see this position fits into your future plans, how it fits with your values, and what you would like to learn from it. Talk about what you believe you can bring to the position, and how you see yourself in relation to the company.  This helps show who you are as a person, and gives the hiring manager an idea about how you might fit in the company.

Be flexible

While you certainly don't want to be a pushover (especially when it comes to your salary negotiation), being flexible allows the interviewer to avoid complications in coordinating a second interview or even your start date.  It signals that you are willing to work with others and are ready to step into possibly changing job duties.  

Bottom line: being flexible makes you easy to get along with. 

Ask Thoughtful Questions

When you ask good questions, it shows you are interested in understanding the company. There is typically a time to ask questions near the end of an interview, so be ready with thoughtful questions that show you're engaged in the process and interested in the job.

Some good questions to ask:

• What are the biggest short- and long-term issues I would need to focus on in this position?
• What would I need to focus on differently than the previous person in this position?
• What organizational issues should I be aware of?

What Type of Person Are You?

I recently had a chance to sit down with CORT to share in their Sofa Secrets series, a video-based educational program for apartment industry professionals. CORT asked industry leaders share inside tips to help you grow revenue... check out my first Sofa Secret on "Success."

Getting to know you...

Seen at the Hotel Derek in Houston… a creative (and easy!) way to connect and spark conversations with guests! Each member of the front desk staff at the hotel has their own card in a frame that they place on the counter in front of them when they begin their shift.  As guests approach the front desk, they are able to read the fun (location specific) “questionnaire” that the staff member filled out, personalizing the hotel experience for the guests who now know a bit more about the staff at the hotel that are there to take care of them.

Consider doing the same type of thing at your property  - either having leasing consultants display these on their desks, including this in newsletters to your residents (especially for non-leasing agent employees), or, even easier, placing this on the apartment community website to introduce the staff who will be caring for new residents' apartment homes.  You may also be able to use this idea as a resident spotlight/getting to know your neighbor feature (being sure that you keep residents’ privacy in mind).

Home. It's our business.

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!

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!

Don't Tell Them What You Know Unitl You Find Out What They Need

Sometimes words come out of my mouth and I think “that is the perfect way to say that.” At other times I know that I need to put a little more explanation behind what I am saying. This title of this blog is not self explanatory, at least not when it comes to leasing more apartments. So many times I hear a Leasing Professional jumping right in at the start of a leasing presentation and “data dumping” on a future resident instead of taking the time to find out what the customer needs in a new apartment home. We are so eager to tell the customer about the apartment but at this point the consultant might as well be saying “blah, blah, blah.”

The customer is really not going to remember much of what the comsultant is saying because it does not mean anything to them. To make the things Leasing Professionals say more meaningful they should start by asking what the customer is looking for. Questions such as “what is important to you in your new home?” and “are there any special features you are looking for in your new home?” will draw out information about your customer that you will make it so much easier to make what you are saying about the apartment much more memorable. Now, when you discuss the apartment and it’s attributes you can say something like “Our living rooms have a 14 foot wall which should be big enough for your oversized couch and end tables.” Wait to tell them what you know until you can link it to what they need.

I Bought Another Pair of Shoes

I know you are not surprised by the fact that I bought another pair of shoes. I love my shoes. Today I am on a 4 day trip and I have 5 pairs of shoes with me! Years ago, no one would have imagined buying shoes on the Internet. Of course we would want to try on the shoes before we buy them. Or do we?

Online shoe retailer, Zappos, changed this mindset when they started selling shoes online. In order to gain the trust of the customer, they had to not only have great shoes, but great people helping the customer buy the shoes.

In my first experience with Zappos, I spoke to a customer service agent who wanted to help me get the right size. Because the event I needed the shoes for was just a week away, we only had time for one shipment. Zappos shipped me three sizes to be certain one of them would fit. And, there would be no charge to return the pairs of shoes that did not fit. When the boxes arrived at my home, I found that one of the shoes fit perfect. Did I return the other two pairs? Nope. My assistant bought one of them! So, because they extended themselves with over the top service, they sold two pairs of shoes.

What is your company known for? Do you have a legacy of doing what ever it takes to earn the customers business? Zappos shows us it is not only easy, it is profitable.

It's Not Just A Parking Sign, It's A Statement

Marketing and retention is more than just flyers and ads. To be effective, you have to address everything you do as it is a reflection of your property's overall mission. Even a parking sign creates an impression. I spotted a apartment community whose tag line is "Our Residents Come First" yet the parking lot parking signage did not communicate this message. It says "Manager Parking Only All Others Will Be Towed"!

Being positive goes a long way. Your signage can actually reserve parking for your best customers and encourage others to participate in promoting your community in social media channels. Thumbs up to Glades Plaza for honoring their Mayor on FourSquare with a reserved parking space. I think this is much more important than reserving a spot for the Manager. Apartment communities also reserve parking for move in day so that the new resdient can have the best space that will put their moving truck close to the entrance door. Why stop there? I think we should have reserved parking for move out day also...and I am not talking about the eviction you are thrilled is finally leaving so you can re-rent the apartment to a paying customer! There are many great customers whose lives have changed and it no longer suits them to live at your community. A positive move out experience will ensure that they will continue to be brand ambassadors and refer friends to the apartment they once loved to live in. Reserve a parking space for these customers too!

There are spaces and places where you don't want your residents to park. Have a little fun with this message too. Funny trumps everything and will communicate a policy while still keeping a smile on your resident's face. Approach all decisions you make for your community with a customer service and marketing eye and not just your policy manual.

Does Anyone Work Here Anymore?

It's Friday night, you invite your best peeps over for happy hour. People start to arrive, walk in your front door, look around and you are missing. The guests make their way all the way back to your kitchen and find you munching on your favorite potato chips in the pantry. They start to feel as though they may have arrived on the wrong night! You would never think about doing this to your good friends. So why would you do it to a customer who is in control of your paycheck? If a customer walks into your leasing center and has to come find you then you have failed to make a welcoming first impression.

Last summer while on a beach vacation, I became freindly with a certain little beach bar one block from my rental house. I spotted the team members wearing these "Yes, I work here" shirts and immediatly left my vacation behind and started to think about our team members wearing them to let all of our customers know we are always there to serve and will never hide. In addition, the act of waering this shirt will serve as a constant reminder that we put customers first.

I wonder what I will find on my next trip?? Stay tuned!

My Winter Sales Strategy

I'm going to a fancy event in November. You know the kind, where you have more fun getting ready for the event than you actually have at the event. Being the fashionista that I personally express myself to be, I need the perfect dress. After all, we dress for women, not men, and women will notice what other women are wearing at an event like this.

In years past, I have started my search a few weeks prior to the party. This year money is tight, I started a few months early giving myself plenty of time to really dig hard for something on sale. As luck would have it, I found an amazing dress on my first shopping trip. I figured there may be something better to discover but I would go ahead and buy this one and continue shopping. If I found something better I would simply return the first one I bought.

Well, the event is approaching and I never took another shopping trip. I guess when I found something I liked, I stopped looking. I have better things to do with my time like shop for shoes!

My winter strategy is pretty simple, close traffic like they need it tomorrow. Too many Leasing Consultants get lazy and do not put their best foot forward when someone comes in the door or calls and they do not need the apartment for 3-6 months. I have even heard a sigh come out of their mouths and the customer can tell that this sales person only wants the quick sale. So if you are so good at that quick sale, do it. Why would you treat this customer any other way? They need a apartment and once you show them what they are looking for, you have the ability to stop their shopping efforts.

Now here is the punchline, remember that I started shopping for my dress early because I wanted time to shop the sales? Well, I paid full price. Maybe your customer will too when you truly sell them what they want.

Recently Published in Landlord Times: 6 Questions With Kate Good

1) What's your background? How did you come to be an apartment marketing guru?

I was a servi-bar attendant who lost her job and found that I was qualified to be a leasing consultant! I was so fortunate to have my first position in the industry with Trammell Crow Residential. We were building apartment communities on every corner and did not have a marketing department. We were a do it yourself kind of property. I was highly compensated to lease apartments and therefore very motivated to create my own traffic. Surrounding myself with great people the whole way allowed me to learn from every opportunity. I made leasing and marketing my area of expertise.

It did not take long to see who the stand out marketing people are in our industry. I study everything that Jamie Gorski and Jennifer Nevitt create. Each are so accomplished and very different in their approach. In addition, I keep a close eye on the brands that serve our residents. They spend millions of dollars on marketing experts and I get to observe their work for free.

Today, I feel something like a scientist because I am willing to test ideas and see the results. This is how I know what works.

2) What has changed the most since you started your multifamily housing career?

a. Our knowledge. We used to make gut based decisions. Now we have access to data and information and we can make wiser choices for our budgets, apartment design and positioning.

b. How residents use their apartments. No one eats dinner in the dining room and American also hang on to a lot of stuff. We need things like home docking stations and places to hang a flat screen. This consumer need repositions apartment spaces to meet their lifestyle.

c. The Internet changed everything in the sales and marketing world. In some respects it makes things so much easier to market and rent because we are able to communicate more information in a well positioned way to our current and future residents. In other ways it created non geographical competitors and made marketing more challenging.

3) What has stayed the same?

Salaries. Ok, just kidding. But I don't think they have grown enough to account for a 5% increase every year over the past 21 years!

On a serious note, the basics just seem to never change and are still important. A mentor of mine, Anne Sadovsky says "we are going to keep on teaching the basics until people start doing them." I could not agree more. The basic way we lease and market to our customers still has the same theme of attaching their needs to the attributes of our community and then asking for the lease.

I find great joy and comfort in the fact that many of the same people I worked with early in my career are still in the business. I recently reconnected with my very first boss Glenn Rand. Our paths have crossed a few times and I am so excited that he knew me when I was a Leasing Consultant and is proud of my work today. I learned so much from him. It really is important to never burn a bridge. Our business cards may have changed but the people are still the same great leaders that I enjoy doing business with.

4) How has the use of technology changed the business?

Access and response. Today we have greater access and quicker responses. What used to take six hours is now done in six seconds. I don't think anyone misses ledger cards! However this has also created more work for us. Our capacity for gathering information is amazing to me. The knowledge I gather by spending 8 minutes on Twitter is exciting. I am glad to see this technology revolution unfold and capitalize on the opportunities. I expect another technology revolution will change our lives in the near future.

5) You work with apartment marketers all over the country and you've pretty much seen it all. Does anything blow your mind anymore? Have you seen anything amazing during your recent travels?

I am seeing a lot of desperate marketing and this does not make an apartment community desirable. People are still leasing apartments during this slump. Instead of decreasing value we need to increase the value proposition by adding services and access through affinity programs. People love coupons these days. Why not build a great alliance with area businesses by giving them access to your residents through a community membership program? This would be a huge win for all parties and completely fits the mind of today's consumer.

Can you believe some properties still do not have Web sites? Amazing!

6) With the overall economy in the tank and the housing bubble evaporated, the apartment market has become pretty volatile and can be very different market to market. From a marketing standpoint, give us a brief state of the industry.

The game has changed and so should our marketing message. The industry should now focus on building value and retaining our customers. Calling an apartment "luxurious" won't sell in a savings minded economy. The focus is once again on the management companies to tighten up operations and expenses and also maintain value for our investors. I think the apartment rental market will recover quicker than other real estate sectors. New construction came to a screeching halt and that will eventually push demand as new supply stands still. This means the next two years have to be about maintaining and remembering that what we have always done won't get us what we have always accomplished. It is a time of retooling and doing it better than anyone else. A company's ability to learn and appropriately change faster and smarter than anyone else will be their key to success and survival.

7) With the troubled economy in mind, what words of advice would you give to someone who's just getting into the business? What about an apartment leasing veteran who's looking to recharge in this competitive environment?

For our newcomers, welcome. I have made a lifelong career in this business and you can too. Like you, I entered during a challenging economy and it made me smart and solid. You will learn faster than your peers did because of this timing. There are a lot of paths to be followed in this business but along the way simply be a standout in your current position and the business will always reward you.

To my fellow veterans, I offer you a challenge; get involved and be an educated voice in the industry. Start your own blog and/or resource Web site. You will be amazed at how much you know and how others will grow from your knowledge. A great place to start is www.MultifamilyInsiders.com. There are so many veteran's blogging on that site. When I post a blog on this site and www.KateGood.com my heart really starts to race when I get feedback that people are reading this and asking for me. Personally, this has renewed my spirit to grow again and expand my knowledge base.
This is a big year for me, I am celebrating my 21st year in the industry and I started at the age of 18. Do the math and you will see the second reason why this is a milestone year. I am amazed at my longevity. I used to be the youngest person in the room who could not have a sip of wine at a company meeting when I was 19 or rent a car when I started business travel at the age of 22. Now, I am a veteran? It seemed to all pass by so quickly and I was never bored because I followed my precious father's mantra to "never stop learning."

Kate Good has been leasing apartments her entire adult life. 12 years ago, she decided to start her own business as a professional speaker and marketing solutions expert. She consistently receives the highest marks possible for her content, presentation style and audience involvement. Never one to fall short of exceeding expectations, Kate insisted on answering 7 questions for this 6 question interview. Visit www.KateGood.com for her content rich blog and free leasing and marketing ideas.

The Landlord Times: Your source for multifamily and apartment news and landlord, property management, property maintenance & real estate investing tips.

Marketing 101: Desperate is Not Desirable

Wendy Muse with Tarragon Residential sent me a photo of a hilarious banner which reads “As Long As You are Breathing, We Will Rent You An Apartment.” Can you believe it? Whenever I show this banner in my seminars and keynote speeches, the crowd roars with laughter. Many simply think it is funny and some recognize the desperation in this marketing attempt and are laughing because they know it just won’t work.

Desperate is not sexy. Desperate is not professional. Desperate is a last ditched effort to effect change. I have made a hobby out of observing human behavior. Recently I was on vacation in Hawaii where my dear friend Janet married her middle school sweetheart. There was a group of single women vacationing together and they all seemed to be looking for a vacationship. One by one, each of the women met someone to flirt with and pulled away from the group. The women who was left was wearing the most provocative outfit that left little to the imagination. She just had the look of desperation. She may have been the coolest chick in the group but she looked like she would settle for anything. Not sexy if you get the picture. The first gal to meet someone was elegant and carried herself with amazing poise and confidence. Men found her irresistible. People are attracted to confidence, not desperation. This is true with people and product marketing.

While I support honest marketing, desperation will never work. Another banner in Dallas, TX reads “Save Kathy’s Job, Lease at Gentry’s Walk.” Kathy seems to be standing on the corner begging and it seems she would accept any applicant. Don’t lower marketing message to say our flood gates are open and it is a leasing free for all! The type of resident you really want will never fall for it. Instead you will get people who are possibly not qualified to live there because of a poor credit record. However, that risky resident knows you need them and they will take a shot thinking you will over look their past eviction because you want to increase occupancy.

I know it is tough out there. I am not just a professional speaker, I also have a healthy consulting practice that puts me in the seat of the leasing and marketing role every day. I know we are no longer order takers and advertisers. Today we have to be seasoned sales pros and marketing strategists. Desperate marketing seems to be popping up all over but it is more than likely an attempt by someone who has run out of ideas.

I'm interested to hear about the desperate marketing in your town. Even better, I love to see examples of this marketing. We have a lot of fun showing these photos in my programs but it also serves as a good example of what not to do. So, send me pictures of desperate marketing in your town. My email address is Kate@KateGood.com . The best photos will be rewarded with a special gift from me!

The Three Things Rule

I was once asked by my very first property manager, Glenn Rand, to make a list of “100 great reasons to live at The Hamptons.” I will admit it now, when I got to around #54 I started to repeat. Honestly, was anyone even going to read all 100 reasons? I had better things to do with my time like eat some frozen Otis Spunkmyer cookie dough! There are many great things about your apartment community. We have all been trained to successfully demonstrate all the features and benefits. But the truth is, the customer only remembers what is important to their own personal needs. A wise leasing consultant knows that when people’s needs are met, the buying decision is made. Isn’t that what we want? Yes, people to make their buying decision while standing in our model or vacant apartment. Then we slide in the application conveniently located in the kitchen drawer or our leasing kit.

Getting to the buying decision is not so hard when you take the time to discover what the potential resident’s needs and wants are. To do this we have to ask open ended questions that get the customer talking about themselves. In their answers, listen for what might be a deal breaker and what will be a deal maker. I have found that most people have three things they need and want. If you meet these three things you are a sale maker.

Once you have heard what the customer is looking for, successfully demonstrate the apartment by using their needs and wants and link them to the features and benefits of your apartment community. By doing this you are personalizing your tour to custom deliver the information this individual customer needs to make a decision.
So what happens if they don’t lease right away? Use those three things that were most important to the customer and talk about them in your follow up notes, phone messages and emails. If you become really good at drawing out their three things and linking them to your apartments, you show the customer that apartments are not one size fits all and this apartment was made for your customer.

Deliver a Little Sugar

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.