The art of persuasion begins before your prospect steps foot on your property. In this month’s sessions of Leasing from A to Zumper with Lisa Trosien, she teaches us why persuasion plays a huge role in every aspect of the selling journey. Here are the 5 key takeaways from our latest learning series session.
1. Start with the “pre-suasion” tactic
Before a prospect even comes to tour, you can use persuasion to your advantage. Whether you call the prospect or they call you, speaking to them ahead of time is a great place to start the “pre-suasion” tactic. Ask your prospect why your listing caught their eye. Was there something, in particular, they liked about your ad? Asking them what they think will get your prospect thinking about why they like your property. They’ll start selling themselves on it before they even tour it.
2. Prepare for the tour and nail the first impression
First things first: always schedule a specific appointment time and never let a prospect think you aren’t busy. Prepare for your prospect’s arrival and crush your first impression with these tips:
- The Weight Metaphor: things that are heavier are of better quality. Print out floorplans with thicker outlines for each room and, if using paper applications, place them on a thick clipboard.
- Social proof pressure: In your office, showcase framed testimonials with photos (if possible) and use electronic photo frames to highlight awards or recognition your community has won.
- Reciprocity: The idea here is if you give something to a prospect, they’re more likely to want to do something for you (like sign a lease).
- Offer a variety of refreshments that account for all types of food sensitivities
- Consider including a small gift
- Coupon upon arrival (only good that day)
- Echo effect: In studies done with restaurant servers, repeating diners’ orders resulted in 70% higher tips. Use the echo effect when talking with prospects to let them know you’re interested in hearing their needs. It also helps weed out the dealbreakers early on.
3. Remember to keep your options simple
When making a purchase, buyers can be reluctant to pick an option (even if they like it) if it’s their only choice. This is called single option aversion, and you can avoid it by never showing them one single option unless it’s all you have available. When showing two options, never show side-by-side units or units on the same floor; it makes them think there’s something wrong if there are two units available in the same location.
Experienced professionals can use something called “The Bounce”, where you can show two apartments—one that’s not your nicest but it’s within their budget, and one that’s really nice and maybe just a bit above their budget. Still, these are still two options and your prospect won’t feel overwhelmed by choices.
4. Let prospects get their “foot in the door”
The “foot in the door” tactic is all about letting prospects see themselves in the apartment. Let them touch items and appliances in the unit, open cupboards, check out the ice maker, and peek in the closets. If they like the way it looks and feels, they’re more likely to lease.
5. Facilitate self-persuasion and close the deal
As you’re wrapping up the tour, start asking questions that lead a prospect to self-persuasion. Let the prospect talk about the things they liked about your property. Here are a few examples of things to ask:
- So why do you think this is a good fit for you?
- What do you like best about this floorplan?
- When are you thinking about moving into our community?
Once they’ve expressed interest in moving into your property, make it easy for prospects to lease from you. Remind them of their options (“did you like unit 1 or unit 2 better?”) and keep it simple so they aren’t overwhelmed by choices. If they’ve verbally agreed to lease, get them into your leasing office and draw up your paperwork right then and there. Requiring a holding deposit is also a great way to encourage people to stick to their verbal words.
Finally, make prospects feel important and they’re more likely to want to rent from you. Always do your best to make a prospect feel comfortable, important, and taken care of before they even step foot on your property.
Don’t forget to register for our upcoming sessions!
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