Do not wait for the business to come to you, go get it yourself. Residential management cannot always sit behind the desk and wait for the phone to ring like a high school boy waiting a on girl to call him on a Saturday night. If it does not happen, you wasted valuable time on the job. Like all businesses, residential properties have slow times of the year too. So instead of sitting behind the computer playing video card games during drought periods, residential management can take advantage of the slow time by promoting the business. This can be done in two ways. Residential management can promote using a computer or he can leave the residential property and promote in person.
The winter months are slow for many industries including automobile, self storage, and real estate. All are looking for ways to increase business during the drought period. Residential management and real estate agents could really benefit from one another if they work together. And it does not take much effort. Residential management could simply email a real estate agent or walk into a real estate office and meet some of the agents. Real estate agents are the first people to meet people who are relocating to the area. Who better to become friendly with than someone who shows homes to people needing a place to live. Real estate agents can benefit from residential management too. They can recommend agents to tenants who are relocating from the residential property. So it is a win-win situation. A simple email inquiry will do, but meeting them in person is better.
Join the local Chamber of Commerce. Not only will you get the occasional free meal and drink, you will get to participate in the network web of local business owners and other people hungry for business. You never know who you will be schmoozing with. They might be looking for a new residential property for themselves or know someone else who is looking. That is what networking is about, to promote your business. If you are in residential management for a self storage company, you will shake hands with many business owners who will need self storage for commercial storage products.
Residential management can get together with the homeowners association to have a neighborhood garage sale. First the residents will be happy to get rid of some old closet storage. Second, a garage sale will bring people to the neighborhood or to the residential building. If residential management puts up a huge sign that advertises we have vacancies, maybe you can get a few new tenants out of it. Have the rental contracts ready to be signed.
If residential management has a college or university nearby, put up fliers or pamphlets on bulletin boards. Residential management might be able to catch some students relocating during the winter break. If so, you will want them to think of your residential property when they are looking for a new pad. Many students transfer from other schools during the winter. Residential management will want to catch them before another residential management does. Drop off a few business cards and fliers at the registration office or guidance office. While they waiting on line at least they will have some reading material.
The possibilities are boundless. Be creative and think of other types of businesses or people that could be looking for a new apartment during the winter.
Fix the marketing, fix the sales lead problem.
The surest way to fix a broken marketing system is to collect an abundance of powerful testimonials. Today, you are going to learn how to build a file cabinet full of powerful testimonials.
If you are like most people, you are reluctant to ask your clients for testimonials. You probably feel like you would be asking for some huge, monstrous favor.
There's really no need to feel that way.
They hired you. That was the hard part. Giving a testimonial is easy in comparison.
Now it's true that some of your customers will be uncomfortable giving you a testimonial. Some are naturally very shy while others are unwilling to lend their personal credibility to someone else.
But in general, you will find that most of your customers will be happy to give you a testimonial - if you write it for them!
Here's what you need to do to build an arsenal of powerful testimonials:
1. Be aggressive. Go for testimonials as hard as you go for sales.
2. He who hesitates is dead. Go for the testimonial as soon as possible. The euphoria your service created in your customer's heart wears off quickly. The longer you wait, the less enthusiastic will the testimony be.
3. Ask if they were pleased with your service. "Were you happy with my services? What aspect did you like best?"
4. Ask for the testimonial. "Would you be willing to give me a testimonial I can use to promote my business?"
5. Have your customer refer to struggles they were suffering previous to your company riding in to the rescue.
6. Offer to write the testimonial for them. Suggest a few ideas. Get their approval on the general subject. Go write the testimonial and send it back to them. Follow-up within two days.
7. Frame their testimonial to promote a specific benefit of your service. Each testimonial should be crafted to address a specific problem or concern. For example, if your customers value prompt service, make sure you have a testimonial bragging about your company's promptness. Same for quality, communication, flexibility, reliability, budget assistance, etc. Don't collect generic "they were great" testimonials. They are useless.
8. Ask your customers how they wish to be identified. By first and last name? By first name and last initial? Anonymously? With or without their company name?
9. After your customer approves the written testimonial, try to talk him or her into recording an audio version.
10. Thank them graciously with a card or small token of your appreciation.
11. Take a picture of your client. Pictures lend credibility to testimonials. The reader is less likely to think you fabricated the testimonial. Audio testimonials are even better driving credibility but their use is limited to web sites and radio advertisements.
To see an example of how testimonials can amp up advertising copy, visit www.instantaudio.com.
Something to think about. If you make a claim, the claim is hollow.
If your customer makes the claim, the claim is gospel.
Both Kamyar Shah & Ron Roberts are contributors for EditorialToday. The above articles have been edited for relevancy and timeliness. All write-ups, reviews, tips and guides published by EditorialToday.com and its partners or affiliates are for informational purposes only. They should not be used for any legal or any other type of advice. We do not endorse any author, contributor, writer or article posted by our team.
Kamyar Shah has sinced written about articles on various topics from Internet Marketing, Home Management and Fitness. The original article is located at . Also visit our. Kamyar Shah's top article generates over 110000 views. to your Favourites.
Ron Roberts has sinced written about articles on various topics from Home Improvement, Home Improvement and Recreation and Sports. Ron Roberts, The Contractor's Business Coach, teaches contractors how to turn their businesses into a profit spewing machines. To receive Ron's FREE Contractor Best Practices Newsletter visit. Ron Roberts's top article generates over 14800 views. to your Favourites.