Don’t CLOSE Your Prospect… Instead “Commence!”

Leasing toward a long-term relationship�

�I�m gonna close you!” Sounds like a threat, doesn�t it? CLOSE YOU! Yikes, I don�t wanna be �closed�! Who would? The concept of closing signifies an ending or finality of something or someone. We close this chapter of life. I close myself off from relationships. He is closed to making that change. They closed the casket.

This sales idea of �closing a prospect� has its roots in the manipulative sales techniques of the past. In many industries, the sales cycle focused on hammering the potential buyer with a bunch of slippery and unscrupulous hard closes. This deceived the customer into making a decision that might be more in the salesperson�s best interest than theirs. Not a good strategy for a long-term relationship!

Prospects come to your community looking for a connection. When they buy from us they don�t take their purchase and go home. Rather, when they lease an apartment, they move in with us and stay. They are your new neighbors. They don�t want to get �closed�. They don�t want to feel manipulated. They want to feel welcomed and part of the neighborhood.

�Commencing� Your Rental Prospect

We don�t really �close� our rental prospects; we commence! When we lease to a new customer that is not the ending. We are just getting started. It is a fresh, new beginning. We commence! We commence what will hopefully be a long-term manager/resident relationship.

Stop closing and start COMMENCING. With a new neighbor and a future renewal as the end goal, imagine how that will impact your leasing presentation. Create a new resident, not just a lease�or your next commission. The result will be people who move in and stay.