1. Get the logistics out of the way
Before you begin your live virtual tour or tour recording, take some time to think about the fine print. What technology will you use to stream the tour? Does your prospect have a preference? Zoom, Google Meet, and FaceTime are three options for live tours, but make sure you and your prospect have the necessary technology or applications before jumping into the tour. Here are a few more things to think about before jumping into your tour:
- Test your internet connectivity throughout the apartment and any shared spaces you’ll go through on your tour
- If you’re in a mid-rise or high-rise community, consider using a Mifi as a backup in case you lose internet connection on the elevator or in the basement
- Make sure your phone battery is fully charged
- Avoid using your personal phone number
2. Prepare the apartment
Next, you’ll want to get the apartment ready to show. Here are a few pointers to get you thinking about how your apartment should be prepped before you start the tour:
- Open blinds to let in natural light
- Turn on lights in closets, rooms, and bathrooms
- Turn ceiling fans on
- Close toilet seats
- Add accessories and stage, if needed
- Clean out anything that doesn’t belong (soda can in refrigerator, papers on counter, etc.)
3. Plan out the tour and ask questions
Get your floorplan and map out where you want to take the prospect on the live tour. Here’s an example of how to map out your walking path:
Focus on the customer first. Before starting live virtual tours, ask your prospect questions to get them engaged. A great question to ask is, “Which room in your home is the most important to you?” Pay attention to their answer and ask follow-up questions to see what else they prioritize in a home. You can use these answers, later on, to sell them on the apartment.
4. Host the virtual tour
Whether it’s a virtual live tour or a virtual tour recording, you’re responsible for bringing the tour to life. However, there are a few key differences between the two types of tours:
- Live tours provide the opportunity for more personality, feedback, and questions
- Recorded tours should be shorter (under 2 minutes), while live tours should be open-ended and take as long as the prospect would like
There are also some similarities between the two types of tours. Here are some technical things to think about for both live virtual and recorded virtual tours:
- Avoid trying to show a 360° panoramic view
- Keep a steady pace while walking around, not too fast and not too slow
- If you accidentally get caught in a mirror, smile and wave!
- Take off your shoes to avoid loud, clunky noises in the background
- Don’t use background music, especially music that isn’t licensed to you, because it distracts from the tour
- Introduce the apartment with its address and a great feature they wanted (based on their answers to your initial questions)
- Explain to, or show, the prospect what the view from the apartment is
- What is the exposure?
- Where is the closest parking?
For live tours, make sure you customize it as much as possible. Try saying, “let’s go look at the (dog park, residents’ lounge, pool, etc.) since you said that’s important to you.” It reminds them you’re catering to their wants and showing them things that are important to them.
5. Close the deal
Before the tour ends, don’t forget to tell your prospect about the invisible things. All the property and neighborhood details you can’t see on a virtual tour are still important to mention. Speak a little about the management company and include any positive feedback they’ve received from current residents. Talk about the neighborhood and, if you have the resources and time, create a short video highlighting some of its best features. Finally, let your prospect know about resident and social events your property hosts. After all, 83% of residents believe socializing is an important feature to have in apartments.
Once you’re done speaking to the community’s perks, leave time for some Q & A. Prompt your prospect with questions like:
- What have I missed?
- Was there anything I didn’t get to that you wanted to see?
- Was there anything you didn’t like?
Finally, ask for the sale and clearly outline the next steps. Since they’re not physically there in front of you, you have to walk them through the application process. Send any links they need and offer to stay on the call with them while they fill it out if they’d like. Make it as easy as possible to lease from you and they’re 83% more likely to do so!
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