Ever heard the saying, “What goes on in this house stays in this house?” Well there’s a reason it has been and will always be a favorite quote. Personal issues are just that…. PERSONAL. Involving outsiders in things that could and should be resolved within is a recipe for disaster and as successful property managers a disaster of any kind is the last thing you desire.
The other day I found myself scrolling through facebook and I stumbled upon a status posted by a property employee announcing that flyers would be put out soon regarding an upcoming pool party.
While I get the point that they were targeting their marketing initiative from both perspectives…paper and internet, I saw an opportunity for more clear and most importantly private communication. I instantly thought to myself, they need to get their residents signed up for My Virtual Neighbor www.myvirtualneighbor.com.
As I continued to scroll I noticed that they also used the page to post announcements about rent being late and the water system being down. I freaked! Yes, if you know me by now you know that I get quite dramatic about things like this.
I immediately sent them a message letting them know what I’d observed…no I didn’t approach them like I was freaked out, I calmed down first and kept in mind that the reason most opportunities are missed is the fact that we often times don’t see things for what they are when we are in the thick of it. That’s why I love the idea of coming in with fresh eyes offering a new perspective.
What I love most about My Virtual Neighbor www.myvirtualneighbor.comis that it gives your residents a private space to discuss all the things that the public does not need to know. I honestly would suggest not telling anyone outside of the late payers themselves that anyone’s rent is ever late…. private discussion board or not. I could go into a whole other spill about this but I’ll address it later.
If the water is out or the pool is being remodeled My Virtual Neighbor is the perfect space to share the news in privacy while things are in transition.
Your public facebook page should be more so geared towards attracting perspective clients and should be used for displaying finished results. For example you would come on and post before and after pics of a remodeled pool or pictures of smiling residents and a beautiful spread of food from a successful resident party. There is no need for potential residents to see you in action while attempting to produce results. You should be focusing on wowing them with final results.
My Virtual Neighbor www.myvirtualneighbor.com is a free service and proposes to be a huge asset for property managers seeking more effective communication with and amongst their residents. Log on today to learn more about this amazing new feature or feel free to contact me directly and I’ll walk you through the process.
By Talisa Lavarry
Founder
Resident Keepers LLC.