Multifamily Florida - Summer 2020 - 19

"You must be 'on' the entire time," she says. "Ask
questions throughout the tour after your points are
being made: 'What do you think of this?' 'Are you okay
with that?' 'What do you think so far?' 'Do you have
any questions?' Keep it moving.
"Having this interaction is so important because
you cannot see them; you are not getting your usual
body-language cues and facial expressions to help you
gauge their interest or displeasure.
"However, don't turn your virtual tours into a
creativity contest for your staff. This is not the place
for this. Be creative about how to market it, such as on
social media. But if you try to be clever during the tour,
it can become a distraction for the prospect."
Before the tour, Trosien says to list things that the
prospect has shared that they are interested in seeing
and be sure to include them.
"If they want a 'western view,' then give them one,"
she says. "And right now, balconies are hugely popular,
especially for prospects who didn't have one before.
During shelter-at-home, this might be their only (or
primary) window to the world.
"And even if they didn't emphasize the kitchen, you
should. Spend extra time in the kitchen. During this
pandemic, people are doing more cooking and baking
from home. Highlight that."

Remember, Trosien says, "whether they will be leasing
for a few hundred dollars a month in rent - or a few
thousand - signing a lease is a major investment. You
need to treat it like that no matter what class property
you work at."
Even though your amenities are closed, show them.
Your residents will be using them at some point. If it's
difficult to do, make sure you have a recorded video
that highlights the amenities to show them or to send
to them.
For recorded tours, make sure to do them shoeless. There is nothing worse than the distracting
echo of footsteps. And please: Put the toilet seat
down, she says.
Finally, it's tough, Trosien says, but at the end
of the tour, you must ask the prospective resident:
"Was there anything you didn't like?"
This is mandatory because, "again, you have no
idea what they are thinking because you weren't
able to see their reactions to things," she says. "And
if they say something was not right, be ready to
respond to it."

their personal cell phone numbers made available
to the public. One benefit to Zoom is that it doesn't
capture or display cell phone numbers or other
contact information.

A Word About Privacy

Technical Difficulties

Privacy for leasing professionals is an important
aspect of this process. On-site staff do not want

Most technology needed to do a strong virtual tour is
surprisingly affordable.

FA A H Q.O R G

Hundreds of Dollars, Thousands of Dollars

http://www.ettflorida.com http://faahq.com

Multifamily Florida - Summer 2020

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Multifamily Florida - Summer 2020