Right Time...Right Place...Right Seat...Right Here...Right Now!

I am so excited to be presenting at the annual VAMA event (one of my very favorites) on April 22nd and 23rd! If you are looking for some fresh new perspectives on leasing, marketing, customer service and your own personal development, you will want to make sure you attend my sessions! Here is a snapshot of the three unique, educational sessions I will be presenting...

 

Relationology: Why Winning With People Is Important to Your Success

Have you thought about the effect that your style of relating, communicating and interacting with the people in your life, has on your life? Often times the secret to success is not found in what you know, or even who you know, but rather how you relate to the people you know-or want to know. Winning with people is crucial to your success, so aim to win, every time!

 

"Well I Didn’t Know I Couldn’t Do That . . ." and Other Famous Last Fair Housing Words.

Two important situations that could get a maintenance professional into fair housing hot water!

 

As the Lines Blur between Marketing and Technology, How Do Multifamily Marketers Become Consumer Technology Managers?"

In the last 5 years, marketing has become a more technology-driven, data-oriented career path. The rise of technologies, specifically focused on creating, disseminating and tracking marketing campaigns has created a cross-functional job description, wherein marketers must become technologists. In order to better understand customer demographics, customer needs and customer communication channels, marketers must gain an understanding of the fundamentals of their company’s technology to create a holistic marketing technology strategy.

 

Disneyland Uses Great Service Hero Stories To Maintain The Magic

How a Disney employee took responsibility for creating Disney magic for a seven year old child, even though it wasn't his job.

 

Spring has sprung... it’s maintenance season! After the winter thaw come the winds, the rain, the leaky pipes and roofs, the cracked paint, the weed surge, the potholes, need I say more? It’s a time when property maintenance becomes a frantic rush to stay ahead of the routine schedule, so you can also tackle the unplanned issues.

 

According to a study conducted by SMS Marketing in 2012, 65 percent of online shoppers read only 2-10 reviews per buying decision vs. 58 percent in 2011. In addition, Nielsen reports that consumer trust of online reviews has increased to 70 percent worldwide, up 15 percent in the last four years. What this tells me is that more people are reading fewer online reviews to make their shopping and purchase (or rental) decisions. Bottom line: Renters will pay the most attention to the first few reviews listed on rating and review sites, so we better hope those reviews are positive! If you’ve had your head in the sand about online reputation management, the time has come to stand up and see the light. The good news is that, while it may feel like your residents are out to destroy you on the public forum of ratings and review sites, there are now more tools and strategies available to help you showcase the truth about how well your team takes care of your residents and community! Authored by: Jen Piccotti

 

U.S. apartment rents rose 3.2% in the first quarter as occupancies climbed and newly constructed projects commanded higher leasing costs, softening the impact of an increasing supply. Effective rents, or what tenants paid after any landlord breaks such as a free month, averaged $1,089 a month, up from $1,055 a year earlier, Reis Inc. said in a report. The vacancy rate fell to 4 percent, down from 4.4 percent and the lowest since the third quarter of 2001, when it was 3.9 percent.

 

Ratings and reviews are becoming increasingly important to apartment communities, especially those with an online presence. But negative comments posted on Google, Yelp, and the like can derail marketing and management's efforts to appeal to prospective residents and cater to existing ones.

 

The 2014 NAA Education Conference & Exposition, June 18-21 in Denver, is more than just the largest and most important rental housing event of the year, it’s your opportunity to leverage the leading education, cutting-edge multifamily housing products and services and unbeatable networking opportunities only an event like this can provide.

 

Register now for the VAMA Conference at the Omni Richmond Hotel on April 22 and 23.

 

Have you ever wanted to earn an NAA professional designation like NALP, CAM, CAPS or CAMT but need some assistance with the cost? The Debbie Mills Education Scholarship Fund may be your answer!

 

VLA's monthly meeting featured Brian Gordon speaking about upcoming legislative changes as well as a surprise visitor, US Senator Mark Warner!

 

Congratulations to all our Award Winners! Click through to find out who won.

Save the dates for our upcoming education sessions including speakers Chip Dicks and Leah Brewer.

 

They came, They learned, They competed! Find out who won the Maintenance Mania Competition and how long it took them!

 

Many of you may already be familiar with Laura, however if you are looking for a delightful read please keep scrolling!

 

Wrap up of March's Power Close discussion by Alethea Parker - Click here to learn more about Relationship Selling and the power close.

 

Save the date - May 14, 2014. Click here for Sponsorship opportunities!