training series live!: how to make your residents work for you

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How to make your residents work for you Stephanie Graves, CAPS, CAM, NAAEI Faculty Q10 Property Advisors

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How to make your residents work for you Stephanie Graves, CAPS, CAM, NAAEI Faculty

Q10 Property Advisors

• To hear the presentation:

– Listen using your speakers

– Dial-In

• (646) 307-1719

• Access Code: 786-924-363

• Questions?

– Send them and we’ll cover as many as we can at the end of the webinar

– Follow @AptsCom

• This session will be recorded for future reference

Housekeeping tips

• What it means to build a referral culture

• Eliminate or reduce the need for FREE RENT!

• Reduce OUTREACH (on your own)

• Identify the keys to a successful resident retention plan

• Use testimonials to get more leases

• Train your residents to be your biggest fans

• Build your brand with resident reviews and referrals

What’s in store

Stephanie Graves,

Trainer, Motivator & Crazy Marketing Gal

Why you should listen today?

• Over 20 years in building, managing and operating

apartments!

• These techniques have reduced advertising costs by 22%

(on average) by effectively managing and maximizing

referrals.

• If you do it they will refer!

• These techniques will save you money and time!

• If all else fails, I’m an ordained minister so I wouldn’t lie!

Be Referable…

Your residents have to be able to remain friends with the people they refer!

Treat referrals like GOLD – follow up, deliver, embrace them!

Communicate with the referring resident.

Provide a product of which your residents can be proud.

YOUR TURN!!! POLL TIME

What is the value of the resident

referral incentive you are currently

offering your residents?

*we realize it may vary according to market

conditions; but estimate the average amount

offered for this poll

Be Everywhere…

Packages,

mailboxes, etc…

Online Referrals

Be Everywhere!!!

A Sense of Community = More Referrals!

2.8

1.0

0.0

0.5

1.0

1.5

2.0

2.5

3.0

Sense of community stronger herethan at other apartments

Sense of community weaker herethan at other apartments

Ave

rage

# o

f Ref

erra

ls p

er R

esid

ent

A residents who works at Brown

Elementary came to the Italian

Dinner last night. This morning he

started bragging on The Woods

Apartment Homes. One of his

coworkers came today at lunch

and filled out an application for a

two bedroom and garage at

MARKET RATE!

Property Manager @ Woods

Apartment Homes

Be Thankful

Commit to keep your resident informed

regarding the people they refer to you.

• Send them a thank you note!

• Notify the referring resident when the person leases rather

than the resident having to check on whether their friend

leased!

• Thank them again when the person moves in!

• Publically thank them in newsletters or on notices in the

office, mail room or public areas! It not only thanks them but

serves as a reminder to other residents! (maintain privacy)

Mr. Jones:

Just wanted to drop you a line to say

THANK YOU!

John visited our community this week and

told me that YOU sent him! It is an honor

that you trust us with your friends and we

truly appreciate it!

He is thinking about leasing here and

when he does I’ll let you know so you can

welcome him and earn your FREE

RESERVED parking space for 2 months!

Thanks again,

Leasing Specialist Stephanie

Snail Mail

How do you currently

reward your residents

when they refer someone

to live at your community?

Your Turn -- POLL

Why Eliminate FREE RENT?

When you give away free rent it is a silent

appreciation that…

1. Is only experienced by the resident

2. Is an internal credit that goes on their

ledger but it not tangible

3. Typically if it’s over $50 you have to give

them an I-9 for earnings – who wants

that???

• Lunches, gift cards, monetary in other

ways

• Promotional items, shirts, bags, etc…

• Apartment Upgrades, new faucets, ceiling

fans, etc…

• Contests, refer so many….

• Tiered programs – refer so many in so

many days earn…

• Maintenance men by the hour!

Tiered Programs

Fair Housing Considerations

Document it in your community policies, “all

work orders are complete in the order they

are received. The only exception to this is for

our VIP Resident program of which everyone

is eligible for by simply referring 3 residents in

a 90 day period. For full details refer to the

resident referral bonus guide.”

Still Skeptical???

What about coupons for

maintenance handyman

help in the referring

resident’s apartment?

Contests Are Great!!

Client Testimonials

Client Testimonials

Client Testimonials

Can use their name OR

create codes for each of

your residents that they

can use on their own

personal referral cards!

Your apartment here

Client Testimonials

Documentation

• Resident Referral Form – signed by both

referring and referred resident

• Clear Resident Referral Program Outline

– outlines how someone is referred

• I-9 when needed

• Check your local laws for compliance

Documentation

The selfish truth about word of mouth (why referrals don't happen)

Of course you will be eagerly and often referring your friends and neighbors to your dentist, insurance

broker, lawn mowing guy and that book you just read.

Actually, not so much.

But I thought you liked it?

Well, whether or not we liked it isn't what motivates us to take the risky step of referring something (or

someone). Instead, the questions that need to be answered are:

• Do I want to be responsible if my friend has a bad experience? Will I get credit if it works, blame if it

doesn't?

• Does sending more business in this direction help me, or does it ultimately make my service provider

more busy, or overwhelmed, or encourage her to raise her prices?

• Will the provider be upset with me if the person I recommend acts like a jerk, or doesn't take his

meds, or fails to pay his bills?

• How does it make me look? Do people like me recommend something like this? When I look in the

mirror after recommending this, do I stand taller?

• Is this difficult to explain, complex to understand, filled with pitfalls?

• Does it look like I'm getting some sort of kickback or special treatment in exchange? Is that a good

thing?

Being really good is merely the first step. In order to earn word of mouth, you need to make it safe,

fun and worthwhile to overcome the social hurdles to spread the word.

Homework… Think about this!! SethGodin.com

Find Me, Love Me, Need Me???

Stephanie Graves

[email protected]

713-206-1000

(yes this is my cell!)

Facebook Feed:

www.facebook.com/stephaniegprofessionalme

Thank you!