Hi, My Name Is...

Without a doubt, the biggest problem I had when I was leasing was forgetting to tell people my name. It was a problem I knew I had, yet it was just the one thing that I always seemed to forget. It's something that was so simple, yet I could just never seem to remember it! I guess I'd just get so excited when someone would walk in the door and I would anxiously help them find what they were looking for, so I'd forget about that tiny detail. Often times, it wouldn't even come up until the end of the tour as I handed them my business card. I'd then say something like, "oh, and my name's Morgan," but it was obvisously a little late! I missed a golden opportunity to establish a connection in the beginning.

Who knows how many more leases I could have gotten if I had just done things a little differently. I could have connected with more people, gotten their trust earlier. You see, there's a lot of value in exchanging names and setting the tone for your relationship together. When you give someone your name, you're connecting with them. You're allowing them into your life by sharing the most personal detail you have. You're bringing your interaction together to a personal level, showing them that you're personally here to help them and that you genuinely care. This can go a long way in generating a sale. People will feel more comfortable with you and will be more likely to sign a lease with you.

If you're like me and find it difficult to remember to share your name, then I highly recommend name tags. At least if you can't remember to share your name with your prospect personally, they can still see it and form a connection with you in their own mind. Name tags also help residents identify team members they haven't met yet and can curb some confusion that may take place later.

One thing I've seen on name tags in restaurants, theme parks and even car dealerships that I love is the hometown of the person underneath their name. This is a great conversation tool. People will likely have some kind of connection to the town and comment about it. It's a great icebreaker and relationship builder.

Another great idea would be to have plaques or signs when you walk in your leasing office introducing your team members. You can have their photos, names, titles, even a brief description of them. Again, you're establishing a connection right away and your prospects will immediately feel like they already know you.

My name is...
Morgan Oney :)
www.getmoreleases.com & www.mynewsletterconnection.com