It's Lonely at the Top - an eMarketEngine Story

ATTENTION BUSINESS OWNERS 

1. Are you still using email lists and fish bowls to collect your customer's contact information? 
2. Do you find yourself waiting on people to patronize your business, instead of actively bringing in new customers? 
3. Have you ever wanted a marketing solution that was affordable and could be implemented quickly? 

If you answered yes to any of the above questions, I have a solution for you.  Watch the video and fill out the form below.

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California Dreaming, Information on Buying a Home in CA

Hello I am Yolanda Dawan a Northern CA business owner of a company I like to call The Omega Group. The Omega Group provides information and tools that are industry specific as well as information on how to help you navigate in the world of property management, leasing and marketing. 

I have been in the Real Estate & Management Industry since 1996.  I started as an onsite manager of a 26-unit complex in San Leandro, CA.  After working there until the property was sold 6 years later; Along the way I discovered that this was the industry I wanted to be in.  With my new found career path I set out learn as much as I could about the real estate industry (and trust me there is a lot to know and the information keeps changing).  

My education includes, CSU -East Bay (formerly CSU Hayward), BOMI- Building Owner's and Managers Institute, IREM - Institute of Real Estate Management and last but certainly not least the Department of Real Estate.  Which brings me to my topic today, recently I was online searching for other information and ran across a guide for First Time Home Buyers, which can be found at www.dre.ca.gov using the Resources tab for Buyers and Renters. I have assembled some of the information to present it to you.

     Before buying a home there are some things to consider, such as the reason for the purchase, is it income property or is it the home you intend to live in.  Changes to your taxes, financial burden, maintenance and long time effects of home ownership.  There are some benefits such as taxes that you can claim at the end of the year, mortgage interest and the equity that is being built up over time.  Home ownership is not for everyone so consider whether this is something you would like to to before you get stuck with a 30 year mortgage you can't afford. 

CREDIT

     Having a good handle on what your FICO (Fair Issac and Company) score is and that of your Spouse or other responsible party that is buying the house with you will help in the buying process.  Too many times people think their score is either higher or lower than it actually is.  Either way can get you into trouble if you are solely relying on the banking system to tell you what you can afford. Credit card debt, income, past transactions or charge offs, Evictions and Judgements all play a role in that number. 

For about $10 - $20 you can order a credit report by mail or by phone.  Here are the 3 credit bureaus to use.

Transunion - www.transunion.com 

Equifax - www.equifax.com

Experian - www.experian.com 

In addition these bureaus can help you clean up any bad stuff or remove any false information. Always seek out a certified credit counselor who specializes in credit clean-up. One final thought, once you are ready to move forward with a home purchase, selecting the right real estate professional is very important. A few things to consider is the company the agent works for, is the agent familar with the area you want to purchase in.  Do they have a valid current real estate and/or broker license?  Remember you are the boss and you can hire or fire them at will if your needs are not met.  Spend some time in your search and ask friends and relatives for referrals. 

That's it for now, more on my next blog.

By the way I have website MyOmegaGroup.com that has some tutorial video blogs with powerpoint presentations on general topics like Hiring a Contractor or How to Institute a Resident Retention Program.  The video blog is called Time Waits For No One Tip of the Week (a little long I know)  Feel free to check out some of the content here  - TWFNO - Tip   


 Cheers

CALIFORNIA DREAMING

 Resources:

California Department of Real Estate (2003) - Property Quest: Guide to First Time Home Buyers - http://www.dre.ca.gov/pub_propertyquest.html

Happy Thanksgiving!

Yolanda Dawan and The Omega Group would like to wish you a Happy Happy Thanksgiving Day!

To all my friends and family I wish you a Happy Thanksgiving.  We all have things we wish we could change and things that could be better.  However let's put all that aside and just be thankful for all of our blessings and the people in our lives that make life worth living.  Happy Thanksgiving Blessings, Yolanda   http://youtu.be/rCJ78Ttzuf4

TWFNO Guest Blogger James McGee/Rhapsody In Step

Welcome Guest Blogger - James McGee

Today I have my colleague James McGee who will tell us about his business and future promotions with his company Rhapsody In Step.  If you would like to guest blog or have some content to share, give a shout out to me by email or video.

Yolanda Dawan here, if you are viewing this for the first time welcome, if you are one my faithful viewers welcome back.  I'd love to get some comments and some topics that are of interest to you.  

Rhapsody In Step can be found at www.comf5.com/live/plan2bfree 
Coming Soon to a internet site near you catch Rhapsody In Step on their live channel Wednesday's from 8 to 9 pm PST.

Hit James Up at James@Rhapsodyinsteptv.com

Subscribe to Entrepreneur Magazine online by Clicking Here.  The online site is informative and insightful in today's Marketing platform.  Entrepreneur also offers information on Start-ups, Money, Franchises, Technology and more. - Yolanda Dawan

How to Adopt a Sales Mindset

Thirteen simple rules to become your own sales superstar.

BY Harvey Mackay | November 7, 2011|

inShare2,789

As a business owner, you're in sales whether you think so or not. Every day you have to sell yourself -- and your product or service -- to grow your business. If you're not sure you have the personality to succeed in selling, consider these 13 simple rules to create a superstar sales mindset.
1. Stay hungry. Every good salesperson I've ever encountered is driven. They have a strong work ethic and a high energy level. They work harder and longer than their peers. When the economy is poor, they are still out there pounding the pavement, making calls.
2. Never compromise your integrity. I've always believed that telling the truth is the best policy. In business, especially today, it's a must. A few years back, the Forum Corporation in Boston studied 341 salespeople from 11 different companies in five different industries. Their purpose was to determine what separated the top producers from the average producers. When the study was finished, the results were startling. It was not skill, knowledge or charisma that divided the pack. The difference came down to one trait: honesty. When customers trust salespeople, they buy from them.

3. Stay positive. Your attitude, not your aptitude, will determine your altitude. Success is 90 percent mental. You can alter your life by altering your mind. In tough economies, it may not be your fault for being down, but it is certainly your fault for not getting up. You have to be a believer to be an achiever.

4. Be authoritative. Sales superstars know their products backward and forward. They also know their competitors' products and are prepared to point out the differences.

5. Get prepared. I still remember the old Boy Scout motto, "Be prepared." Well, it's true. It takes a lot of unspectacular preparation to produce spectacular results.
Related: Four Signs a Sales Pro Will Be a Good Hire

6. Mind your reputation. You can't buy a good reputation -- you must earn it. If you don't have a positive reputation, it will be difficult to be successful in whatever you do.

7. Be genuine. I have never known anyone to buy from someone they don't like. Likability matters. Are you genuine? Pleasant? Easy to talk with?

8. Put your best foot forward. You never get a second chance to make a good first impression. Are you neat and well groomed? Underdressed or overdressed?

9. Set goals. Winners set goals; losers make excuses. Goals give you more than a reason to get up in the morning; they are an incentive to keep you going all day. They must be measurable, identifiable, obtainable, specific -- and put them in writing.
Related Video: How to Find Customers on Social Media

10. Become a customer-service fanatic. I've often said the sale begins when the customer says yes. Good salespeople make sure the job gets done on time— and done right. There's one thing no business has enough of: customers. Take care of the customers you've got, and they'll take care of you. You must have a fanatical attention to detail.

11. Remember to listen. You can't learn anything with your mouth open. For too many people, good listening means, "I talk, you listen." Listening is a two- way process. Yes, you need to be heard, but you also need to hear others' ideas, questions and objections. If you talk at people instead of with them, they're not buying in -- they're caving in.
Related: Seven Ways to Avoid Competing On Price

12. Keep it all in perspective. It is impossible to underrate the importance of a sense of humor. When there are inevitable setbacks along the way, learn to laugh about them.

13. Develop a thirst for self-improvement. You don't go to school once for a lifetime. You are in school all your life. Sales superstars are constantly working to become better. They take courses, read books, listen to audiotapes and inhale everything they can to improve.
Bottom Line: A salesperson tells, a good salesperson explains… and a sales superstar demonstrates.

Adapted excerpt from The Mackay MBA of Selling in the Real World by Harvey Mackay (Portfolio Penguin, Penguin Group (USA) Inc., 2011).

Touch Pro Mobile App is Here!

Introducing the new Touch Pro Mobile App from comF5(R)

 

 

Create a custom app for small businesses and individuals

 

Use Touch Pro to Communicate: 

 

Your current and new customers are just a touch away with a large variety of instant notification and communication features.

 

Use Touch Pro for Social and Community:

Let your customers take your business viral with built in sharing capabilities over email, Facebook, SMS, and Twitter.

 

Use Touch Pro for Integrations:

 

We can integrate your App into many of the web's most powerful services ranging from OpenTable, your blog, WuFoo, YouTube and many others.

Use Touch Pro for Location Base Services:

 

Exciting gps and location based services for rewards programs,directions, leveraging other points of interst.

 

Here is a list of features from Touch Pro - http://www.comf5.com/touchpro/features

• Powerful way to establish and maintain communication with customers
• Expand your brand beyond your customers with Social Network integrations
• Industry leading integrations with exciting 3rd party services
• Use media and video to put your message in your customers hands
• Your App is completely editable and customizable via a back office editor

 NO CONTRACTS, Includes Apple App, Android, HTML5 App. 

Introductory Pricing, for more information Click Here or Email me to find out how you can monetize this feature and use it for your own business. 

6 Allies for Social Media Success

SmartBlog on Social Media

6 allies every corporate social media effort needs to succeed

By Jesse Stanchak on August 30, 2011 | Comment on this post

You’re convinced there’s a case for using a particular social tool as part of your job. But you look around you and it seems like you’re the only one. Your boss thinks it’s too risky. The department head thinks its a fad. Your contemporaries are all stressed out enough as it is without adopting some new tools. How will you ever build organizational support for this?
The answer lies in being able to look outside your own little work group and find allies in unusual places. The good news is, you’re far from the first person to have to do this. There are well-worn paths for building a coalition of support for social tools within an organization.
Here are the six people who are most likely to help you get a social media effort off the ground:

1. The pet project master. It’s easier to advocate using social media as part of an existing project than it is to make the case for launching a whole new initiative. Find a project that’s unsinkable and convince someone on that team to let you help promote their efforts through social channels. If you do a good job with that limited assignment, it will become much easier to make the case for broader social media initiatives.
2. The customer service advocate. Someone, somewhere in your organization is obsessed with how customers perceive the organization’s brand. If you’re a retail company, this is probably someone who handles quality assurance or customer complaints. In a B2B firm, you’re looking at an account manager of some kind. In a nonprofit, they might work in fundraising. The job title isn’t important — what matters is that they are consumed with making sure everyone who interacts with the brand comes away smiling. Tell that person you want to adopt a tool that will make it easier to answer questions and address complaints before they get out of hand — now you’ve got the staunchest of allies.
3. The old guard. If you work at a very traditional organization, having a sponsor who’s been with the company for years and years will greatly improve your odds of being taken seriously. If you feel uncomfortable asking for their support outright, ask them for advice on how best to win over others. In the course of that conversation, you’ll have the chance to explain to them why you feel the company needs to use social tools — and a chance to get this person emotionally invested in your success.
4. The HR chief. Social tools have a lot of potential as recruitment devices. They can also be used to great effect to increase employee collaboration, which tends to increase job satisfaction. If you can get a company using social tools for anything, even if its not in your department, you stand a better chance of being able to make the case for expanding the company’s social media presence down the line.
5. Your doppleganger. Chances are there’s another person in another division who’s had a similar interest in putting social tools to work. If you can work together with that other person, you can make the case that social media is part of a broad interdepartmental effort, which can be mighty appealing in traditional organizations that suffer from chronic siloing. Now you’re not selling technology to your executives, you’re selling collaborative innovation.
6. The lawyers. It’s easy to think of your legal team as a bunch of worrywarts with an endless supply of “no” on hand. But try to remember that they exist to protect the company. If you come to them first and say, “Here’s what I want to do. Help me stay out of trouble,” there’s a good chance they’ll help you draw up some guidelines that will do just that. Then when you meet with your CEO, you get to tell them, “The lawyers say it’s alright” — which might be the most comforting phrase in the corporate handbook.

See the full article here

How are you advocating for social media adoption within your organization?

The Pro's and Profits of Podcasting

HubSpot Article by Angela Bray - 6.23.11

It's 2011, and chances are you find it convenient to listen to things on the go. Podcasting now has it's place as a popular medium of mobile media; recording can be as simple as plugging a mic into a laptop, and listening becomes a leisure activity while playing on an iPod.

Similar to watching TV shows on demand, podcasting is used as a platform for adversiting. It is effective in the marketing world both for the marketer and the target audience. It is a cheap (possibly free) way for marketers to create a campaign or ad to promote a product, service, or idea. Target customers can listen to the audio at their convenience: on a run, at the gym, in the car, etc.

In his Rise to the Top interview with David Garland, Marc Maron, creator and host of top online comedy podcast, "WTF," talks about the evolution of podcasting, its differences from other media mediums like TV and radio, and what makes a successful show.
Maron has also run a variety of shows including his own and others on Comedy Central, as well as 44 appearances on Late Night with Conan O'Brien.

What is podcasting all about, and how can it be profitable?

Read more: http://blog.hubspot.com/blog/tabid/6307/bid/17366/The-Pros-and-Profits-of-Podcasting.aspx#ixzz1QDm21ops  

Posted by Angela Bray - June 23, 2011

Maron says podcasting is all about unscripted, in-depth, casual conversation. The medium itself is completely free, allowing freedoms that don't exist in the TV and public radio worlds. Maron references the fact that he can say and do whatever he wants without somebody else telling him otherwise.

Profit from podcasting can come from a mixture of things, and Maron's show went through an evolution beginning with donations. As numbers grew, advertisers came into play.
"WTF" offers pay shows, which are unique, live episodes that are available for purchase. Selling merchandise also rakes in its portion, and now the show has advanced to iPod/iPhone/iPad/Droid apps.

What makes a successful podcast show? Building an audience.

Why is building an audience important? Because putting all the work into producing something without attracting a following would just be a waste of time. While you benefit your audience, your audience can also benefit you. As consistent listeners grow to appreciate your content, they will also share your content and grow in number, expanding your reach.
Strive for an active audience. An active audience will contact you, post comments with feedback, and engage with you. Being aware of little things such as what they liked and didn't like about your show will help you to improve your podcast and in the long run. The more knowledge you have of what your audience wants, the more successfully you can craft your content to be effective.
Expose the "inside world" ("behind the scenes"). Many people value information that is not exposed to the public. Offering an exclusive opportunity to obtain information not readily available to the public will make your podcast more appealing and exciting.
Integrate and involve the audience with personal issues. Individuals know the most about things they have personally experienced. Invite your audience to talk about issues they've experienced in their industry to keep your podcast engaging.
Encourage conversations with an organic nature. People are more likely to respond to questions and open conversations rather than statements. Open up questions to be answered by anyone, whether they leave comments virtually, you give a shout-out on the show, or even invite audience members to appear as guests.
Allow authentic emotions. When people participate on an emotional level, others are more likely to relate and become more one engaged with your show.

Read more: http://blog.hubspot.com/blog/tabid/6307/bid/17366/The-Pros-and-Profits-of-Podcasting.aspx#ixzz1QDmM5kxw

Time Waits For No One Tip #4 - 10 Things to Know Before You Hire a Contractor

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The 10 Things to Know Before Hiring a Contractor

1. Clearly Define Your Project - I can’t tell you how many times people have come to me after they have spent 2x as much on a project and did not get the results they wanted.  Before deciding to hire a contractor you must have the project scope clearly defined.  If you are not sure of what you want, how is the professional supposed to bid on the project? This will help you minimize costly overages and change orders. 
2. What is Your Budget for the Project? It is great to have dreams and aspirations of what kind of house, bathroom, building, remodel or renovation you may want.  But, it is entirely a different thing to have the budgeted amount of money to pay for it.  If you know that you need all work completed for $55,000, then you must take into consideration all aspects of the job. Which are the labor, materials, fees, permits, insurance, etc. and things that will ultimately be out of your control. Set aside some money for changes and weather related delays.  
3. Referrals are a good starting point to find qualified contractors. Get a referral from someone you know and trust. This cuts down on the guess work for you.  However it is always practical to have at least 3 separate bids for the same project so that you can make sure all aspects of the job are covered and you get the best possible contract price.

It is always practical to have at least 3 separate bids for the same project from 3 different companies so that you can make sure all aspects of the job are covered and you get the best possible contract price.       

4. Check to see if the company’s credentials are in good standing and not expired. This includes the contractor license, insurances and sub contractor agreements for all tradesmen that are hired. (i.e. painters, carpenters, roofers).
5. Check References - Has the company worked on a project like yours? How did they do?  Was the previous customer satisfied?
6.  Are they familiar with the current area the project is in? California’s construction laws, requirements, building codes, permits, ordinances, etc. vary from city to city and county to county.  IT IS NOT STANDARDIZED ACROSS THE BOARD. Yes there are some Federal and State Guidelines but for specifics you must go to your local Planning Department. Do Not Assume that just because they have performed work in your state or region that they are familiar with everything.    
7. Establish a Deadline for accepting bid proposals. Once you have established the bid requirements for your project. Provide each bidder the same deadline to have the bid proposals back to you.  This is important because it will affect the start date of the project. 
8. Review the proposals carefully.  - Sometimes if specific project materials are not specified a contractor will insert a brand or type of material that could be “standard” for use with your project.  However, if you are not familiar with the “standards” have someone from the company explain what types of materials will be used and why.  Just like everything else there is a high level range, medium and low range of products and materials to be used.  Know where your budget is in this area so you can keep your materials cost within the specified limits.
9. Establishing a Contract For Services – Most companies will have their own contract for you to sign.  However, just like with all contracts you should know what you are signing and have full comprehension of your rights and ability to cancel the contract or to change it.   It is also upon you to understand when payments are due and under what terms they will be paid.  Some contracts allow for payment of a certain percentage prior to commencement.  Some require payment once the contractor has established “Agency” status.  Meaning as soon as they perform any work on your behalf.  You being the “Client”.   Additional payments are then usually made after certain phases of the job are “complete”.   
10. Do Not Pay the Entire Amount Due Before Work is 100% completed to your satisfaction.  Make sure all mechanics liens have been removed or are a condition of Final Payment.  Inspect the area to make sure the contractor has performed work within the specified guidelines and bid requirements. It is NEVER okay to make final payment prior to completion.  Please understand that once you have made this payment there is nothing holding the contractor to you but his Integrity.

Review of The 10 Things to Know Before Hiring a Contractor

1. Define Your Project
2. Establish the project budget
3. Get Referrals
4. Check Credentials – Licenses, Insurance etc.
5. Check References – Prior customers, projects completed.
6. Familiarity of project location and planning dept. processes.
7. Establish Bid Proposal Deadline to accept bids.
8. Review proposals carefully
9. Review Contract For Services Carefully
10. Withhold Final Payment until all work is completed and liens have been removed. 

For More Information contact me at Realtor-Yolanda@comf5.com   

Follow Me on Twitter @OmegaYolanda - Stop by my Facebook Fan Page comF5| The Omega Group 

Measuring Internet Marketing Campaign Success

Measuring Internet Marketing Campaign Success

Time Waits For No One Tip of the Week #3 - Move In/Out Inspection Forms

What is a Move In/Out Check List? And, why is it important?

• A move in check list helps you and the owner/manager establish a clear picture of the condition of the unit prior to your move in.  It is imperative to note everything on the check list that is broken, unfinished, left off, done poorly etc.  I suggest doing the inspection before you actually move your belonging into the space so that you can have an unobstructed view of the condition.  Often times our furniture and/or office equipment could conceal a major defect that you may be asked to pay for if you fail to properly note it on the inspection form. 

An inspection form for residential homes looks something like the one below. There are more elaborate forms with greater details, but they translate to saving your skin should you ever need it. Try not to be too overly concerned with  small things but rather focus on the areas that could effect your security deposit.

Remember; no matter what the form looks like be as detailed as possible. 

• Keep in mind that what is not listed on this form as a pre-existing condition of the home or office will most likely be your responsibility to repair or replace upon moving out.  This will also effect your security deposit refund amount. 

 TAKE PICTURES PRIOR TO MOVE IN AND UPON MOVE OUT. (Note the condition of everything. This could help you in court should you ever need it).

  

Moving Out is a similar process to moving in.  Someone from the owner/management staff will walk through your space and assess a dollar amount to everything that needs to be done in order to “restore” it to “move in condition”. – Now I don’t know how many of you have ever gone through a move but is it rare to ever move in or out of somewhere without some sort of wear and tear that will undoubtedly come out of your security deposit.   However, you can learn to limit these expenditures by taking extra time to clean the area, shampoo your carpets, perform light painting, repair broken screens, bedroom door locks, light bulbs, fixtures and other minor items that are big ticket items on your inspection. 

• If you can arrange for a post move out inspection with the management, an agreement can be made as to the condition.  It is better to agree upon what work is needed and what is determined to be normal wear and tear before actually vacating the unit.  Once you have moved out, you have no more legal rights to the space and cannot attest to its condition – unless you have taken photos with a date stamp on the camera.

If you can get a document signed similar to the one below you are ahead of the game.  It is a move out form where both parties agree. 

• A unit turnover is common language in the real estate management industry to mean cleaning and turning a unit to get it back to lease conditions.  The length of the “Turn” will generally depend on the amount of repairs needed and if appliances and major work needs to be done. 

• Security Deposits are generally given back to the tenant within 21 days of the move out date.  If it has been longer that 21 days contact the owner and you may need to contact an attorney if they are withholding your deposit.

There is much more to cover on this topic so we will be revisiting it again. 

Thank you- 

To view this presentation Live at anytime or to watch an Archived show of the Time Waits For No One Tip of the Week, Click Here for Omega TV.

 

Time Waits For No One Tip of the Week #2

Effectively Reading Your Lease.

 

Before signing anything it is important to read your lease.  The basic information such as Name, Company, Rent Amount/Rate, Commencement Date/Lease Begin and Lease Termination /End Dates is key pieces of information.

If this information is wrong STOP and bring it to the attention of the Agent/Owner so that the proper changes can be made.  Once changes have been made re-read the section to make sure it is correct.

 

•  Never believe what someone tells you about the lease you are about to sign.  Ask them to show you where the information is that you requested.  “It’s in there don’t worry about it”. – Will not stand up in a Court of Law.

•    ALWAYS! ALWAYS! ALWAYS! Get a copy of anything you sign…Especially your Lease Agreement.

Leases and Lease Amendments can be tricky some information in these agreements only serve to negate other information. Be careful to understand the terms before moving forward. If you are unclear ask to have someone explain the area more clearly or have someone you know and trust with you who understands the lease terms. 

•  Rent Increases are a necessary evil but you should know what a legal increase is for your area and property type.  Commercial property is very different than a multi-family residence.  Percentage of increases will vary greatly and so will the terms.  Usually this information is posted on the local housing association or other state/local sites that will tell you the maximum increases. 

The following are terms you should get familiar with.  Understanding your responsibility in any situation will help you negotiate more effectively and help keep you from making costly mistakes. 

1. House Rules – Apartments, Rentals, Single Family Homes
2.   CC&R’s  - Home Owners Associations, Merchant Associations
3.   Tenant Responsibility / Landlord (Owner) Responsibility  - aka Lessee and Lessor
4.   Types of Leases – Gross, Modified Gross, NNN (Triple- Net), Land Lease

Thank you, I am not an attorney just someone with 15 years in the Real Estate Industry with education and experience in this area.  I am sharing this information with you so you can learn and benefit from the costly mistakes that have already been made.

Realtor-Yolanda@comf5.com

To see this video check out my Live Channel page and watch the PowerPoint presentation of TWFNO Tip #2.  

This is Bob, he will explain comf5

Hello My name is BOB!

Time Waits For No One Tip of the Week - Tenant Retention Programs & CRM

TENANT RETENTION AND CUSTOMER RELATIONSHIP MANAGEMENT

Hello my name is Yolanda and I want to welcome you to the Time Waits For No One Tip of the week. 

For those of you that don’t know me or this is the first time you have heard me speak or read my article. I have spent 15 years in the Property Management and Real Estate Industry. Most of which were spent performing operations and working on construction projects.  My education from BOMI and IREM have given me valuable top rate education and experience. The acronyms stand for Building Owners and Managers Institute, and the Institute of Real Estate Management respectively.  These two organizations are the tops in the industry for producing professionals in real estate management.  Over the years I have spent many hours on tenant retention and customer relationship management initiatives to know how important they are.  You see in any area or field it is the customers that keep the company moving forward and without them, there would be no company. 

Which brings me to the TWFNO tip of the week, customer appreciation and retention programs.  If you are a property owner or manager one of things you should be doing is letting your existing tenants know that they are appreciated.  In a commercial property I used to manage we would have quarterly tenant appreciation parties.  These would be anything from pizza parties, ice cream socials to after hours parties by the pool.  The important thing to remember is once you start this program people will start to look forward to it, so it is important to be consistent.   

Events should be coordinated at a time when you could ensure the highest attendance.  Doing this lets your tenants, vendors, residents etc. know how much you appreciate them, which in turn keeps them happy.  Happy people tell others and happy people continue to come back or in a property owner’s /managers case, keep paying rent.  Resident and Customer retention is just as important as your new leasing efforts; perhaps a bit more because it is harder to change the opinion of someone than it is to make a good first impression.    

Before your first event keep these things in mind.

•         1.  What do I have budgeted for tenant retention? (This should be something that is looked at on a yearly basis to ensure a good event.  The last thing you want your customers to feel is cheated or that you are being cheap. It will be difficult to retain them if they feel you don’t care enough to spend some real money.)

•   2.  What would get the biggest attendance? (Don’t be afraid to get some feedback on this one from staff members, residents or those who have done this before. Remember, if no one shows ups to this event, that will defeat the purpose of having it. So be clear on the type of event to have.)

• 3.      Where should the event be hosted? (Don’t make it hard or inaccessible for people to get there, depending on the property it is best to have it on site because everyone is already familiar with the location.

• 4.      Invitations (Delivery of the invites are the first line of communication for your Tenant Retention Program, some thought and care should be given to the wording and its delivery.)

• 5.   Managing expectations – This is important because just having one event may not retain your existing tenants but it will be the  consistent effort over time that will make a huge difference.  

For More information on this subject or any others you can email Realtor-Yolanda@comf5.com

www.MyOmegaGroup.com