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Sample Newsletters

Rent & Retain's FREE-NEWSLETTER

for Rent & Retain subscribers and Mindy’s seminar audiences

Sent to more than five thousand property management professionals in six countries.

Have a friend who would find these tips helpful? PLEASE feel free to share this with anyone you want.

Approximate Read Time: Just under 2 minutes.

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Ideas In This Email:
Suggestions, ideas, and things to do to improve your next Guidebook Ad (or any ad, brochure or sales guide).

Apartment Industry Moments of Truth

Top Six Tagline Tips

Do You Use Meaningless Words?  Improve Your Storytelling & Close More Sales

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Rent & Retain Notes:
The May/June hard copy of Rent & Retain Magazine has been mailed. The main topic: Achieving Leasing Goals This Spring. Also included: Customer Hot Buttons and how to "invest" in your customer base without spending a lot of money.

I always appreciated it when my Regional bought me tools to do my job better – so I'm offering a deep discount on group rates for all new GROUP subscriptions. We'll send the current issue of R&R, plus at least one back issue for as low as $45 each when you buy five or more subscriptions (that's $3.75 per month for each manager to be sent his/her very own subscription. Cheap!!). Sending R&R to each manager will help them increase their occupancy. And, it will make your job easier as you won't have to be the magician coming up with ideas for them each month. Ask THEM to implement the ideas they like from R&R. Just email us a list of addresses, and we'll invoice you. More info at the end of this email.

God Bless America and God Bless our troops.

Thanks for YOUR support!
Mindy Williams
President, Rent & Retain Systems, Inc.
619-437-6633, www.RentandRetain.com email: mindy@rentandretain.com
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MY LIKES/DISLIKES FROM A LOCAL GUIDEBOOK ADVERTISEMENT

When I visit other cities I always flip through their rental guidebooks to see what's happening in that market. Here are some suggestions, ideas, and things I liked from a Denver Guidebook. Check out the list and how other managers present their best features.

My #1 suggestion: Include written directions and a map. After polling my seminar audiences, about half of the crowd prefers written directions, the other half a map. So make sure you don’t eliminate half of your potential customer base by not giving them THEIR best way to reach your community.

APARTMENT AMENITIES & FEATURES
Hunter Douglas blinds
Energy-saving, programmable thermostats
Energy-efficient dishwashers
Extra phone lines
Pre-wired for multiple phone lines, fax and modem
Extreme closet space
Entertainment kitchen
Custom maple cabinets
Self-cleaning ovens
Frost Free refrigerators with ice makers
Custom dry bars and spacious pantries
Custom Accent walls available
Attached study with built-in desk
Pre-wired intrusion alarms
Massive windows with stunning views (stapletonapartments.com)
Exposed ceilings
Free DVD player
Rustic brick fireplaces
Holographic fireplaces in select apartments
Private garages with door openers

COMMUNITY AMENITIES & FEATURES
On site playscape
Largest apartment fitness center in Longmont
Stadium-style movie theater
Free resident parking off street
Well-lit walkways and paths
Parent Suite available (obviously for student housing)
Free fax and copier
Free video library
Complimentary DVD library
Wifi in clubhouse and pool
Wifi at the pool
Wireless Internet and coffee bar
Hot Zone in clubhouse and pool areas
$30 application fee
New landscaping
Trash chutes
Walk Up Closets (866-543-4008) QuailRidgeThorton.com
In-room dining from (restaurants named here)
Pets welcomed and adored
Private dog-walking park
Cardio theater
Complimentary Starbucks coffee
Mountain bikes available for resident use
Smart card laundry facility
Steamy hot tub (would be fun to say “McSteamy Hot Tub”)
All season hot tub
Steam room
Mediation room
Location: Close to CSU
Complimentary downtown shuttle
Walk to (list of shops here)
Less than 3 miles from the mall
2 mile walking path along lake
1000 yards to the light rail (Good job!! That’s SO much better than “close to the light rail.” And, hey! They subscribe to Rent & Retain. Good job Alexan City Center!)
Wine room with private dining area

UNIQUE MENTIONABLES
Vintage cottages available
Stained concrete
Member of the City of Arvada’s Crime Free Housing Program
School bus delivery and drop off
Brighton K-8 Charter School
Bilingual staff
Complimentary tanning bed
Free tee time available at Green Valley Ranch Golf Club
Up to 2 pets welcome
Doggie Fitness Center (Hawthorne Hill Apartments ForRent.com/hawthornhill)
One ad had a thumbnail picture of a dog – really makes it stand out!
Specials change every two weeks (I don’t particularly care for this one!)
12-person hot tub (numbers mean more than Large Hot Tub)
A friendly staff who’s passionate about your happiness (Amli at Lowry Estates)

OF INTEREST…
It was page 57 before someone mentioned their Maintenance (interesting!)
It was page 76 when I first saw Military discounts and Se Habla Espanol
It was page 139 before someone mentioned 24/7 online service requests
On page 139 was the one and only resident testimonial
Page 205 was the first time I saw a 3-D floor plan graphic
It was page 224 before I saw “Credit Cards Accepted.”

MAKE YOUR AD BETTER
Now it's your turn. Flip through your own guidebook. Compare and contrast the slogans, amenities, how things are presented, etc. Certainly poll your residents for reasons they love living at your community, and use that information in advertisements to draw similar residents in.

Take action now and objectively look at how your ad compares to your competitors'. The end result will be more traffic which leads to more leases!
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Apartment Industry “Moments of Truth”
Here are some Moments of Truth.  Review the list and see if you feel comfortable and that you are doing your best with each of the points.
o How the phone is answered.
o How prospects and residents are greeted.
o What your voice mail message says & sounds like.
o Curb Appeal -- signs, exteriors of buildings, landscaping, parking lot and entrance appearance, etc.
o Advertisements & Web Sites
o Directions/ signage to your office.
o The first encounter with a leasing consultant or manager.
o The office appearance.
o How resident requests are handled.
o Service Techs -- both job completion and appearance.
o Any piece of collateral we give them -- newsletters, flyers, brochures, Web site, business cards, faxes, etc.

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Top Six Tagline Tips

Here are my "Top Six Tagline Tips" to help you devise a tagline that sets you apart from the rest.   
1. Can your competitor say the same thing? If so, change it!  
2. Is it easily understood? Would anyone off the street immediately know why your community is better?  
3. The simpler, the better. Get your point across succinctly.  
4. The best tag lines are eight words or less.  
5. Can you invent a catch-phrase or word to describe your community? If it’s easily understood, you could start a new trend!  
6. Test your tag line with prospects and residents first!  


Also remember to use your tag line in all marketing and ad pieces. Consistency will sell your tag line and make it memorable.
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Do You Use Meaningless Words?
On the phone you have about 10 seconds or less to capture a listener’s attention, sound different from the competition, and make yourself sound interesting enough for them to want to stay on the line. So, don’t waste their time (and yours) with over-used, meaningless words.

On the phone you have about 10 seconds or less to capture a listener’s attention, sound different from the competition, and make yourself sound interesting enough for them to want to stay on the line. So, don’t waste their time (and yours) with over-used, meaningless words.  
Here are common words salespeople overuse today: -"cost-effective" -"leading" or "premier" -"solution-resolving” -"meet your needs" -"quality” or “the best” or “new.”  

Keep These Tips In Mind
-Be clear, quick and concise. That will be completely different from your competitor who just rattled off every amenity and feature of her apartment community.
-Ask for permission to give more information. That will draw the prospect in, making her more receptive to what you say next. An article in Sales and Marketing Manage-ment magazine suggested using simpler words vs. the sales-pitchy words: "use" instead of "utilize" "talk" instead of "have a dialogue" "help" instead of "facilitate" Listen to yourself on the next few phone calls. Does it sound like you are talking to a friend or stranger? You’ll close more sales to friends than strangers.  (Reminder, our 800 Tips To Lease Apartments book has 64 pages of how to say commonly-used words and tag lines differently. Flip this newsletter over and add it to your library today.)    

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R&R Group Discount Rate For Each Manager In Your Portfolio

Rent & Retain will make your managers and leasing consultants better after they implement the strategies from each bimonthly issue. Buy a subscription right now for every property. Inspire your team members with Rent & Retain. *SPECIAL RATE FOR 5+ properties: $45 each, per property, for the FULL year. Call 619-437-6633 for details & samples. Email Katie@RentAndRetain.com for info.

Subscription Rates for Rent & Retain Magazine:
1 subscription, $79 for the year
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All material in the Rent & Retain Enewsletter is protected by Copyright laws. Check with your attorney and insurance provider before implementing any of the above ideas.
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Privacy Statement
We assure you that your email address is kept strictly confidential and is not shared with anyone for any reason. We do not sell, rent or otherwise make available our list of subscribers. We honor your privacy.
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