I have to unload a pet peeve. It is the peeviest of my marketing pet peeves for on site teams. I feel so strongly about it that whenever I see it, I want to grab the object of my ire and rip it up in to itty bitty pieces that can never EVER be put back together. Do you want to know what it is?
A large banner, costing a lot of money, that says "NOW LEASING!!!"
Yes, I'm serious. This fills me with a sense if annoyance that is only second to being given a tour while the leasing consultant cheeks a jolly rancher. I mean, come on. When are you NOT leasing? And, how much did you pay for that banner that announces what you do on a daily basis in the marketing equivalent of a Ben Stein monotone voice? $30? $50? $100? If it was more than a buck-two-five, you paid too much!
Here's a short list of things I find FAR more banner worthy:
NOW RENEWING ALL LEASES! (Just because I've never seen it before and think it would look cool!)
NOW ACCEPTING NEW NEIGHBORS! (As people stay closer to home, who they live by matters more. "Neighbors" is better to say than "renters" or even "residents" right now)
IT TAKES ALL KINDS, AND SO DOES OUR COMMUNITY! (You've gotta celebrate fair housing!)
DO YOU NEED NEW NEIGHBORS? WE HAVE PLENTY OF GREAT ONES IN STOCK!
WINDOWS IN THE KITCHENS, STORAGE IN THE BEDROOMS & SMILING CUSTOMER SERVICE! (A higher level of service is crucial in the current economy! Be proud that you give Ritz Carlton service without the gold card price!)
THE BEST HOMES, THE BEST VALUES, & THE BEST TEAM IN TOWN! (Value is EVERYTHING out there right now!)
SIMPLIFY WITH A LIFE AT COMMUNITY NAME!
WE HOST BINGO/SALSA DANCING/COOKING CLASSES/KIDS CLUB ONCE A WEEK! DO YOU GET THAT AT YOUR HOME?
GREAT NEIGHBORS AND GREAT VIEWS!
A BIG banner that has the "AS SEEN ON TV" symbol on it with your name. (Put it on the roof of your club house if you work a property near a freeway. I promise, you're seen on the traffic cam EVERY MORNING if you're in Seattle!)
These things are far more fun on banners than "NOW RENTING," is, no matter how many exclamation points you put after it. Signage by Tom Wolfe does not make things sell. Originality and creativity will get people's attention more often than anything else.
What else have you seen out there that has caught your eye?
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Heather is a consultant, staffing facilitator, recruiter and trainer in the Seattle area with Career Strategies Inc. Check out more of her property management ideas at www.behindtheleasingdesk.com .