When you meet someone new what is the first thing you notice? Perhaps it is how they look, what they’re wearing and how their hair is done, their smile, or lack there of. You notice the appearances before they ever open their mouths to welcome you. This is true of renters as well. When they walk into your office the first thing they see and judge is your appearance. This fist impression can make or break an interview and showing.
Consider for a moment that the potential renter entering your property is looking for a place to live, somewhere to make a home and settle down. They want to know it is taken care of and properly and professionally managed. They are going to trust you to take care of their new home, so they want to know that you are serious about your job, and take their interests and issues seriously too. Your appearance will say a lot about what they can expect and if it is the right place for them.
Two important factors to this first impression are:
1. Dress: How you dress sends a distinct message about you and how seriously you take your job. Put together two people, perhaps their new vendors you are interviewing, one is wearing dirty jeans and a ratty t-shirt the other is in khakis and a clean polo shirt. Which one do you hire? While you do not expect them to remain clean and neat as they are mowing the lawn or pushing snow but that first impression tells you how seriously they are taking your time and their business. This same things applies to property managers and leasing agents. Wearing flip flops and a low cut top tells the potential renter that you take your job as seriously as your everyday errands. However, taking the extra effort to dress professionally (khakis, dress pants, nice tops that are not too tight or low, polos etc) tells your potential renter that you are serious about your job and their money.
Some properties will argue that they do not want to intimidate their potential renter. The renter is wearing flip flops so the leasing professional dresses to match so that they will feel comfortable. This argument is sketchy at best. Do you as a leasing agent or manager want to walk into a bank and find your banker wearing what you are wearing to make you more comfortable, how about your accountant or lawyer? No, They are working with your money and your interest and you want to know they are intelligent, well informed, professionals who are going to take your time seriously. Not to say that you should be wearing a three piece suit, being a property manager may mean getting into the gritty details and helping out the maintenance guy but that doesn’t mean you can’t put the right foot forward when meeting potential renters. They will respect you more and take you more seriously as well as trusting you to handle a very important subject, their home.
So leave the flip flops for your time off, and buy jeans that you can’t see through and make sure the shirts you are wearing are appropriate for the situation (not to tight or low, clean, professional, not the sort of thing you wear to the bar). Just because many of your renters are younger, in their teens and twenties, doesn’t mean they don’t take things seriously and consider every angle. They are not looking for friends but a manager who will take them seriously and take care of their home as if it were their own.
2. Office: When first meeting a potential renter what impression does the office give? Does it tell them that you have trouble staying focused and organized and you might lose their rent check or maintenance request, or does it tell them that you are good at your job and are on top of everything that comes to you. You are busy, so your desk is never going to be spotless or completely clear, that is understandable, but you can maintain some order and be sure that the information you need for the next appointment is at hand. A renter wants to see that you have things under control. They want to know that you can handle your job. If you desk is covered in a jumble of papers they get a different message. If they sign a lease with you they need to know that will be able to find your phone and answer their question without much delay and a messy desk and office says something else.
Something to recognize is that the tenant is signing a contract that requires them to pay thousands of dollars. They need to be comfortable that they are getting a good deal and a top notch manager. A cluttered and messy office says anything but spend your money here. Also have your office prepared for any appointment you set up. The worst feeling to a renter is making an appointment and having the manager leasing agent seem flustered and unprepared. Have the paperwork at hand and the keys ready to go so that they don’t have to wait while you shuffle through papers and figure out which unit is open for viewing. Know that they probably have other appointments set up and their time is important, if you waste it they will be less likely to favor your complex.
Realizing that some people are not tidy, they know where everything they need is but it doesn’t look good there are other options. Don’t bring potential tenants into your office. Find an alternative meeting spot. Gather all your paper work and keys and meet them in the community room or the picnic area or some other common area that will give them a great view of the complex and avoid the unpleasantness of a messy office. Just be sure you are clear on where to meet so the renter doesn’t get lost.
Finding a place to live is a stressful time. A renter wants to be comfortable at the complex as well as being comfortable that the person running the property has their head screwed on straight. They want to know that anything that comes up will be taken care of efficiently by the manager. Their first impression of you goes a long way to getting them to sign a lease. But, if you are dressed down to make them comfortable you do exactly the opposite. You tell them they are not important, that you are not serious about your job and they will have little faith that you will take them seriously. Also if your office is a mess you tell them you are scattered and unorganized and it’s hard to trust a rent check to someone like that. Take the time to organize and prepare for each appointment. Be sure you dress appropriately to show them that they are important and you are professional, and if you don’t have time to clean your office meet them somewhere else. Be sure to put your best foot forward so that their objections can not be about you.
How do you dress for success? What are some tips you can give us? Comment below.
Also see our article on Apartment Showings and our other Tips for Managers!
