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Undercover Leasing Part 3: Prospects Know Everything—And Nothing
Undercover Leasing Part 3: Prospects Know Everything—And Nothing
Today's prospects know more than ever… and yet somehow know less than ever.
Let me explain.
Prospects walk in loaded with information. Before they ever meet a leasing professional, they've already:
- Compared pricing at every comp
- Reviewed floor plans and availability
- Read Google reviews, TikTok tours, Reddit threads, and Facebook community groups
- Watched virtual tours (sometimes more than once)
- Mapped out commute times
- Checked every amenity list
It's impressive, and when it works well it makes everyone's job easier and the process faster.
But then there's the other side.
They Might NOT Know What They Think They Know
All that information makes prospects feel like they know what they need. But without someone helping them make sense of it, they often end up heading in the wrong direction entirely. This why YOU are still so vitally important!
One day while working at a community, I had several tours on the calendar-all of them booked online without their calling the community beforehand.
As I skimmed through the information for one of the prospects the chatbot collected I discovered something ... there was NO information. I had a name, contact information and an appointment. That was it.
So, I reached out before she came in.
Within a few text messages, I discovered that we couldn't help her at all. She had viewed information on a 3rd party site that had incorrect information. She didn't know that was a 3rd party site-to her that site was the same as viewing the community's website.
Had I not reached out, she would've shown up, only to discover we couldn't help her, wasting her time. While she sounded disappointed (via text) that we didn't have what she thought we would, I'm glad we saved her the aggravation of visiting, only to discover that this was a dead end.
This is the hidden truth of today's leasing environment...
Prospects are often highly informed, but poorly guided.
And that's where great leasing professionals STILL make all the difference. In the new marketplace your role isn't just about giving information, it's also about helping the customer intepret the information they have so that they can make a good decision.
Look, they already know about the pool and the fitness center, and that your apartments are recently upgraded.
What they need from you is guidance~helping them see how living in your community will truly improve their life. To do that, you first need to understand what they're really looking for, then show them that you're the guide who can make it happen.This is the shift that separates average leasers from exceptional ones. Instead of being a pushy salesperson, or a passive order taker, they need you to be a trusted advisor.
A trusted advisor helps a prospect feel:
"Ah… now this makes sense."
Today's renter may not need MORE information. What they need is clarity. The clarity that only you can provide to help them make sense of the information they think they know!
What's Coming in Part 4
In the next Leasing Undercover post, we'll dive into something every multifamily leader needs to hear: Leadership matters more than ever. Onsite teams are under pressure from all sides, and I'll share with you a small (yet powerful) shift leaders can make that can make all the difference to build confidence, clarity and connection in their teams. I've already begun teaching this when working with leaders, and I know you'll find it valuable!In the meantime...you might see me undercover at a community near you.
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