Consider these 2 statements: 1.) Things happen to me. 2.) I make things happen.

A small change in a statement can make a STATEMENT! A very subtle change to the sentence, but the way you FEEL when you say sentence #1 vs sentence #2 makes a WORLD of difference.

We are all so concentrated on the BIG picture and global problems of our businesses that many times, the little details can become forgotten or lost. Everyone is worried about their vacancy rate, and their cash flow. You might have 20 apartments to lease, you're thinking about how to stretch your budget, put together a resident party, and conduct your employee reviews. Who would have time for the little details, especially right NOW?

But, consider this: It IS the little details that can get you from good to GREAT, it is the little details that can make you FEEL good or feel NOT so good. If a small change in a sentence can make you FEEL so different, what kind of small changes can you make in your business that can make you, your customers, your vendors, and your staff FEEL as empowered as statement#2: I MAKE THINGS HAPPEN ?

The most basic detail we are overlooking is how we feel. Take a fresh look at everything that effects your business, and ask the question, "How do I feel when I look at this?" Because if you ask that question and can find a truthful answer, how you feel may very well be how others feel when they look at you, your product, your office, your apartment community, your business.

Let's take for example your apartment's office/leasing space. Clear your mind and stop thinking about the million of things you have to do, need to get to, or wish you could do. Instead, clear your mind and walk into the front door of your leasing office and ask yourself, "how does this make me feel?" Does it feel warm and inviting? Does it feel cluttered? Does it feel peaceful? Is it noisey?

Take a look at these three pictures of leasing offices and see how you feel about the office and desk:

PIC#1:

 If this looks like your desk, we need to talk. The good news is, some small changes can make a HUGE difference. When I look at this picture, I feel ANXIOUS, CLUTTERED, claustrophobic, disorganized, overwhelmed. What do you feel? If your office looks even remotely like this, just think how difficult it is to lease your property when your prospect feels anxious and disorganized when sitting in your office? Additionally, they could be thinking, "If I turn in my rent check, is she going to loose it? If I have a maintenance request, will it get completed on time?"

PIC#2:

This office looks better, but only when you compare it to office #1. There is good lighting (which makes a HUGE difference on how a space FEELS), there is seating available for prospects, BUT, the seat is covered with "stuff." When look at this picture, I FEEL UNWELCOMED, BUSY, confused. This person clearly knows what they are doing, as it is somewhat organized, but it makes me feel like an intruder, as I'm not sure how I fit into this setting. (Where do I sit? If I DO get to sit in the green chair, I feel like I could be disrupting this person's "organized chaos." If I am a resident here, I would still feel unwelcome in this office. This is not how a prospect OR resident should feel when sitting in your office.

Pic#3:

This office is the best one of the bunch. Any clutter is neatly organized in drawers or behind screened cubes. The color pallet is soothing. The lighting is good. When I look at this picture, I FEEL calm, organized, welcome. This would be a great office to ask for that sale, sign leases, meet with residents. You can't tell from this picture, as this office is so small that we had to get into the closet to take this picture - there IS a desk that fits and feel as calming and soothing as this office wall. There are a few small details I would recommend on this office to create an even greater sense of calm and welcome - 1.) Paint the wall space between the credenza and upper cabinets the same calming blue/teal color that is in the upper cabinets. This will create a focal point away from the printer/scanner, and away from the overhead files. 2.) Hide the wireless router. It's wireless, it should still work in a drawer or even under the credneza. 3.) Hang the art horizontally along that wall - centered between the upper cabinets and the credenza. Again, to create a calm, soothing focal point that leads the eye away from anything that can be percieved as not calm - i.e. the printer & scanner & hole punch. Just think how many apartments can get leased in this office vs #1 or #2?

Do this exercise with your models, your print ads, your curb appeal. How do these things make you FEEL when you are looking at it? However YOU feel, you can expect your prospects, residents, visitors, and vendors to feel the same way when they walk in. It's hard to do business, conduct business, sign leases, if people feel anxious, confused or unwelcome. Make the changes necessary for your business to be successful.

If you are having a hard time clearing your mind and doing this exercise, take pictures of the space in question, and show it to your friends, co-workers, business network, and ask them how THEY feel. From there, work on making some small adjustments to get your spaces feeling calm, inviting and soothing. If all else fails, call in an expert like an interior decorator or feng shui expert. It is amazing how some inexpensive adjustments like rearranging furniture, creating focal points, creating mood with paint, hiding/organizing clutter in drawers/behind screens, etc can make you feel. This doesn't need to be an expensive exercise by any means.

If you still don't believe me, repeat these statements again:

1.) Things happen to me.

2.) I make things happen.

How do you feel? What will you choose? Make something happen TODAY!

Don't Get it? RENT SODA. GET IT!

-Daisy Nguyen in Minneapolis, Minnesota MN

Daisy Nguyen is owner and CEO of RENT SODA, a business and marketing consulting company. Become a FAN of RENTSODA, connect on LinkedIn, FOLLOW RENT SODA on Twitter, visit her website, RENT SODA, or read the blog, RENT SODA, Don't Get? GET IT! for more information and regular blog entries.