The Demand Solutions Blog

Winning The First Two Minutes of the Multifamily Sale

by Donald Davidoff | Dec 18, 2014 12:00:00 AM

businessclockAahhh, success.  The prospect walks through the door of your community and says, “Hello, I’m looking for a new apartment.  I did some research on the Internet and I saw this place and I was wondering if you have a 2 bedroom with a den available?”

As a leasing representative, what more could you ask for? 

This interaction, simple on its face, is actually quite complex.  There are three aspects that make this a critical touchpoint, and a potentially dangerous moment for your team.

  1. The leasing associate and the prospect are currently experiencing very different emotions.  While the leasing associate is probably excited that this prospect has walked through the door and “feels” qualified; the prospect is stressed, confused and frustrated. 

  2. In today’s Zero Moment-of-Truth world, the prospect has also done research on other communities, is overwhelmed with information and can’t tell the difference between your community and the others they’ve visited (either in person or virtually).

  3. The next two minutes will disproportionately impact the likelihood of success.

It is a truism that people don’t buy logically; they buy emotionally and then justify their decisions logically. Research done in retail and other environments show that from a biochemical perspective, the emotions one feels when makinga decision as big as where they will live (not to mention the size of the check they will write) are the same as when their lives are put at risk.

The most important objective during this point is the sales process is creating alignment and synchronizing the perspectives of the prospect and the associate. The key is creating a safe place for the prospect, so they can comfortably interact, share and feel.

The faster and more effectively the leasing associate can do this, the higher the likelihood is that the  interaction will be successful.   

Here are three ways you and your leasing associates can make that happen:

Have A Best Friends Conversation

They say the golden rule is to treat others as you want to be treated.  I’ve always found a better rule is to treat other how they want to be treated.

One of the most common mistakes made early in a sales interaction is that the interaction is treated like a sale.  The moment the associate is thinking “sales opportunity” this misalignment is amplified.

A better mindset is to treat the conversation, and the entire process, as what we like to call a “best friends conversation.” Regardless of what the prospect says when they enter the community, treat them as though a friend just walked into the foyer of your home.  Make them feel welcomed and allow them to relax.

Listen Intently

There is nothing that makes someone feel more comfortable as when they are being listened to.  One of the major flaws of most sales trainings is that the focus is so much on techniques, and the salesperson/leasing associate thinking about what they’re supposed to do or say next, that they never really listen to what is being said.

Create a List of Conversation Starter Questions

Oftentimes the toughest part of the sales process is merely getting it started the right way.  Don’t leave the effectiveness of your start to chance.   Create a list of empathetic, open-ended questions that will allow you to get things going.

Here are two to get you started:

  • How did you hear about us and what do you already know about our community?
  • What do you know about the neighborhood?

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