When looking to get a renter, there are several well-known techniques for closing a deal. A lot of you have probably been trained with the ABC or Always Be Closing idea. It is true for the most part, but you have to be sure that while you are closing, you are treating your client like a person and not just a business transaction. Patience and kindness go a long way when dealing with a new potential client. 

 

Don’t treat them like they are stupid. Trying to hustle a deal through can only backfire on you. Pressuring a client with deals that are “only good for today”, when you both know that they are not will only make both parties upset. People will be less likely to take the perfect apartment from you if they think that you are hard to deal with as a landlord. 

 

Do not rush to conclusions. You do not know someone’s story, and you can’t know everything they are looking for in a place to live. Listen to what they have to say to you and try to help them find their perfect place in your apartments. Talk about the local things available in town. Talk about the friendly neighbors. Help them envision where their furniture will go when they get there. These are the kinds of things that help a potential renter feel at home in a space before they even move in. 

 

Let’s compare some good closing statements and some not-so-good closing statements:

 

1.    “Do you have an appointment?”-This is not a very welcoming statement. A much better greeting would be something along the lines of “How can we help you?” Or “What are you looking for?” These are much more inviting for people who are out searching for a place to rent, and may have a huge impact on the outcome of your conversation. 

2.    “We don’t know what we will have available then.”- A potential customer who comes in looking for an apartment far in advance is more likely to turn into a long term renter. So when they come looking very early, do not turn them away by telling them that they need to hurry up and rent something. Be honest and tell the truth. If you have another potential customer on the line for the same apartment, let them know that. If you have multiple units of the same type available, let them know that there may still be something open during their time period. 

3.    “If you leave today, this apartment will not be available.” You don’t know what is going to happen. Don’t turn your customer away from making a return visit. Always leave the door open for them to contact you again. Ultimatums are not the way to score a closing. Instead, just be honest. If you are running a promotion that will be ending, tell them that. If you really think that someone else may swoop in and take the space, let them know that too. Honesty is the best policy. 

 

The words you use can make a big difference in closing a deal with a potential resident. Rushing to close the deal is not the way to get someone to rent from you. Patience, honesty, and making them feel like they belong there will get you a lot farther with a potential customer than trying to bully them into accepting an apartment space. Contact us at Occupancy Solutions today for more training and helpful tips about your rental property.