Hilton Head Leasing Tips and Tricks

This quick reference guide will help you and your team some strategies to ensure you get that prospect!  Please feel free to contact us for further assistance.

One of the first things to attract a prospective client is making sure your marketing is crisp, clean, and precise. When giving a description of the property make sure you do so in a very detailed way with short descriptions highlighting main points of the property. There are many different places and ways to market your property. If you are marketing on Internet sites like Craigslist make sure that you are giving an intriguing title description of the property. Put in such key words as Move In Special, Gated Community, Renovated Unit, and Furnished. All of these can be used to intrigue the prospective renter. If the description is too wordy and lengthy then people tend to move on to the next piece of marketing. Making it short and concise ensures you keep the person’s attention without overloading them.

Absolute Island Management assists our clients with having the best pictures for their properties. A picture is worth a thousand words and allowing for the maximum number of pictures on any marketing will bring even more attention and peak a prospect’s curiosity about the unit/complex. This in return, will bring people to contact your property for more information. Before you publish any marketing, ensure you have formatted it professionally and corrected any grammar or spelling mistakes. This will set you apart from the other properties and show the professionalism you are offering.

Once you have been contacted the next step is getting the person to the property to take a tour. When speaking to someone on the phone or even by email about a property it is vital that you are professional and you are giving them your undivided attention along with concise answers. During the conversation make sure you get all contact information for the person. This includes but is not limited to name, phone number, move in date, type of unit they are looking (bedroom and bathroom count), level of building preference if applicable, view, price range, pets, and lease term. All of this information will make it easier for you when you have the person come in for a tour or when you do a follow up call. Getting someone in for a tour is the hardest step. Following up with a person via phone or e-mail after the initial contact shows you want their business and you are willing to go the extra step for them. The follow up is a very simple:

Hello, ­­ (Prospect’s Name). This is (Your Name) from Absolute Island Management giving you a call in regards to our conversation about (Property Name). I am aware you are looking for (Unit Type) and wanted to remind you we have very select units that meet your criteria. We want to get you in for a tour so you do not loose out on the opportunity to live at (Property Name). When will you be available for a tour?

Also remind them of any specials your property is running and the expiration of that special. Overcome any excuse by giving a solution to their problem. If they say they cannot come in today then push another date that may work for them. There is no excuse that cannot be overcome.

Once a tour is scheduled presentation of your property becomes the number 1 priority.The entrance to any property can either win or loose a new resident.Taking the time with your maintenance team or landscaper to walk the grounds will pay huge dividends in attracting new business and also retaining the business of your current residents.Have all information about the property ready to give to the prospect once he or she walks in for their tour.An information booklet about the property is something great they can take with them to distinguish your property from any other they may see.Within the packet you may want to have floor plans for all units that you offer, a property map, application for residency, contact sheet so if they have any questions they can call back, and a breakdown of cost associated with living at the property.All of these will help distinguish your property from all others so go the extra mile.This will be a direct reflection on you and your property.

When any prospective resident comes into the office make sure that he or she is greeted immediately with a smile, firm handshake, and a “Hello”.Recognizing someone this way will show a caring for them by you or your staff and can win over a client making them want to live at your property.If the person is a walk in without a tour scheduled do what you can to help them.You will want to go over the basics with them as you would of someone who is contacting by phone or by e-mail for the first time.

While on the tour try to chat up the guest by asking where they are from, what brings them to your town, and why they have chosen to move. Make an effort to have your full attention focused on the prospect during the tour showing them you care about their questions and concerns. All of this are great ways to build rapport and to avoid any awkward silences during your time together. During the tour be calm, collective, and have confidence in what you are selling. A routine while showing a future resident will help you sale the property. Go over the benefits of living at the community as well as any amenities that are offered to residents during the tour. As before the first impression can either win you or lose you the customer.

The unit you are showing should be clean, neatly kept(no lightbulbs out), and at the appropriate temperature. Lead the prospect through the unit while explaining the features of it. Point out the benefits of those features (example the ceiling fan will keep you cool and keep your costs down). This gives you control of the tour and keeps everything moving forward in the right direction. After the tour your next step is to close the deal by having them fill out the paperwork needed to lease an apartment. You can do this by reminding them of specials you are running at the property and any other incentives if they were to sign up by a certain date. If they do not sign up on that particular day do not let this discourage you. As before make a follow up call to the prospect and remind them of the great opportunity they have to live in your community.