#multifamilymonday
Selling: Best Story Wins
Belated Multifamily Monday blog post – better late than ‘skip it until next week…’
We all know that guy/gal that just has the innate knack for storytelling. They are artisans of the highest order. They can suck you in, keep you wanting, needing and desiring for every next word, sentence and punch line. They can make friends with anyone, anywhere and at any time. They are never at a loss for words, wit or prose. They sell you with body language, eye contact, superior listening skills and are always providing inspiration and motivation to act.
The best story I ever heard dates back to the seventh grade. I was selected to play basketball for a local AAU team that summer. And, the story was told while we were headed (by car) to a nearby town for a scrimmage. It was roughly an hour and a half away from our home town and there were six of us packed into one of those old style Lincoln Continentals. The boat car as my basketball buddies and I referred to it.
Our coach (the driver) was a middle-aged avuncular gentleman. Youthful for his age but very wise beyond his years. And, wow – could he tell a story.
The Tale of Furr’s Cafeteria
Furr’s is/was one of those all you can eat restaurants with the best of the best food on the planet. Or, at least I thought so in my tender years. It was here that our coach’s story started [I will tell the abbreviated version].
He and his wife were eating dinner there one night. Nothing out of the ordinary, just a nice dinner and some good conversation. That is until our coach noticed this lady staring at he and his wife. It was one of those awkward I think I know you kind of stares. This locking of eyes, uncomfortable stare and look away went out over the course of the next half hour as they enjoyed their meal.
Near the end of the meal our coach looks up and the lady is gone. But, after a quick scan a waiving hand catches his eye. It was the suspicious lady standing up at the check out counter. She was just waiving away as to suggest she was happy to see coach and his wife. And, she would look forward to seeing them in the near future. He locked eyes with her and out of instinct gave her a wave and smile. After a bit of – what a weirdo – who was that – conversation, coach and his wife get up and make their way to pay. Little did they know, they were in for a big surprise.
The waitress announces the total. It was two times the amount that he expected to hear. You can likely guess what happened. Creepy lady duped the waitress and pinned her meal on my unsuspecting coach. He was furious to say the least but paid the bill despite his better judgement.
Fuming – he walked out – telling his wife to wait at the curb while he went to get the car. As he pulled around to pick her up, he caught a glimpse of his wife engaged with creepy lady in what looked like a very heated argument. Wanting to put the night behind him, he pulls up to the curb and opens the door. He urges his wife to get in the car and she turns to do so. As she does, creepy lady grabs her trying to pull her to the ground. His wife responds by stiff arming her and manages to get into the car. But not before creepy grabs her leg and starts pulling. Coach is on the gas pulling away and the lady just keep pulling his wife’s leg. ……..just like I am pulling yours.
Pulling Your Leg
Just like that – one hour and thirty minutes after we left our home town. Just as we were pulling in to the parking lot of our opponent’s gym. Just like that – he ended the story by letting us in on the fact that he made the whole thing up.
To this day – I will never forget the dumbfounded look on all of our faces having just spent 90 minutes of our youthful lives leaning forward, crouching farther and farther to the driver’s side of the boat car. Hanging on every word that came out of coach’s mouth. Dumbfounded gave way to loud laughs, aching bellies and wounded egos. It was amazingly over the top and hilarious at the same time.
Apartment Storytelling
What is selling apartments but storytelling? Are your apartment stories worthy of relationship? Are your stories worthy of trust? Are your stories compelling enough to touch the triggers that move people to lease an apartment from you? Are they worth of being retold to friends and family? Are they worthy of rating and review? Do they peak interest and give cause for more question and more action?
Your – always appreciating the art of a good storyteller – multifamily manic,
M
Multifamily Monday: 1 = 1
We have all heard it before: K.I.S.S – The keep is simple saying that rings out in/across every boardroom, clubroom, round, square and oblong table around the world. Nothing novel here but that is the point of our Multifamily Monday blog post. We get right to the point of oft remembered but oft not practiced truths.
Get to The Point
When communicating information, we often think that backdrop or off topic analogies are going to really bring our point home. Not so much. Especially in an attention deficit economy. Few listen/hear anymore and often draw conclusions well before you have reached your second sentence. So start with the punch line and follow with the build up. Hit the crescendo and follow with the introduction.
Tell Them What You are About to Tell Them
There is a truism in public speaking that makes sense here; it goes something like this, tell them what you are about to tell them, tell them and then tell them what you just told them. It’s a frame of reference so that the audience knows what they are about to learn. It helps them track the broad topic as the stories unfold. The key being that they know what the punch line is well before it is communicated in length.
Take away: Keeping it simple starts with giving away the punch line…
Your, practicing brevity and clarity, multifamily maniac,
M
Multifamily Monday: Listen – Body Language
Good morning!
Very quick note this morning.
We could get really deep into the art of body language as it relates to listening. Speaking to things like bending your brow as a show of concern, thinning your lip to show you understand the anger , leaning in, unfolding arms and the king of them all – eye contact. While not exhaustive, all good topics and in the same respect not possible without the nugget we will put out there today.
The Most Meaningful Body Language – Listen Technique I Know
Front and center to the person you are talking with – Pick up your phone and turn it OFF. Not silence, not vibrate – OFF. Or, don’t bring it along at all. Put your what if’s to rest as we could debate that to death. If you want meaningful conversation – demonstrate willingness through action – the action of turning off and tuning in.
Your – working on listening through meaningful body language – multifamily maniac,
M
Multifamily Monday: Empathetic Listening
I love Monday – one of my favorite days of he week.
Today, we are doing a down and dirty lesson on empathetic listening or a fancy way of saying – pay attention. Empathetic listen is active listening or seeking first to understand and then to be understood. The goal being two-fold – listen on an emotional level as well as a cognitive level. In other words you aim to get a sense of how they feel and what they are thinking. And, remember empathy is not sympathy. Empathy speaks from experience; sympathy is there in support of.
Two Questions – Going Deep
When communicating with any one of your apartment residents over any issue, good or bad, use the following two questions to go deeper. If they are in your office complaining about a leaky faucet for the third time this week [and, presupposing you have experienced a persistent leaking faucet in your lifetime], stop and listen. Once they are done talking ask, “how does that make you feel. Or, suggest, “I can imagine that makes feel very frustrated or angry.
It seems obvious but many times, in our haste to get the cranky people out of our office, we don’t take time to validate their feelings. Guess what, that makes a person even more frustrated or angry. All that most people are after is an outlet to vent their anger, frustration or the such and they want the problem fixed. That is where the second question comes in. It is more cognitive in nature.
At the end of understanding their emotion; repeat the reason for the anger or frustration; “I see Mr. Ineedamyfaucetfixed; this is the third time this week you have been in to report your leaky faucet. Our service person has been over two times and still you have a leaky faucet. It bugs you because you are a light sleeper and the persistent drip against the aluminum sink keeps you up. And, you don’t think you should have to put a cup or a rag under the drip to soften the sound. You just want it fixed.”
Your – seeking first to understand – multifamily maniac,
M
