Whether you’re new to trade shows, or an old pro, here’s five ideas guaranteed to increase sales at your next show.
Program Titles
- When Renting Your House is a Matter of Financial Survival
Mark S. A. Smith: Whether you’re new to trade shows, or an old pro, here’s five ideas guaranteed to increase sales at your next show.
Greet visitors quickly
A trade show isn’t a cocktail party. You don’t have to open a conversation with meaningless pleasantries, like,
“How are you?”, or
“May I help you?”
When you first see a visitor, gently offer a handshake, and introduce yourself and your company. This immediately sets the tone of the conversation, and establishes basic rapport.
Qualify visitors in seconds
The most important thing for you to know is the responsibilities of your visitor. This lets you know what questions to ask next. Your questions to a CEO will be different from those to a technical person.
Your approach with a consumer will be different from with a corporate buyer.
Rapidly qualify your visitor by seeking to disqualify them as a buyer. Keep looking for the deal killer — the one thing that means you can’t do business. The instant you find that deal killer, stop the conversation and move your visitor along.
Ensure 100% after-show contact
As you get contact information for after-show follow up, ask your visitor,
“Is the the best number to reach you?”
Frequently they’ll give you their direct dial line, home number, lab number, or car phone number.
Double your leads
Whether they can do business with you or not, ask every visitor,
“Who can you think of that would benefit from what we do?”
Almost everyone can give you a name, virtually doubling the number of leads you’ll get from your show. When you contact these referrals, use the visitors’ name and where you met them as your introduction.
Move visitors along
When it’s time to move your visitor along, restate what will happen next, even if it’s,
“I’m sorry I can’t help you.”
Next, offer a handshake, and then say,
“Thanks for stopping by.”
This three step process moves visitors along every time.
Mark S A Smith, Building Strong Channels, we develop strategies and implement tactics to build value, drive demand, form a powerful network, and protect profits.
I bought my first house straight out of college. Money was easy; you only needed a small down payment.
Two years later, I was assigned by my employer to an over-seas location, and I became, by accident, a landlord.
Because of the economy in the 1980’s, I had a house that was worth LESS than the mortgage. I was forced to be a landlord until the market turned around.
Because I wasn’t in town, I had to get a property manager to rent the house, look after the place, and manage tenants. They did the best they could, but the rental house stayed vacant about 20 percent of the time. So, many months I had to pay the mortgage out of my pocket, and repairs from careless tenants were eating me up. I was frustrated.
When Renting Your House is a Matter of Financial Survival
I had to create a fool-proof system that let me quickly rent the house to people who would pay their rent, on time.
I had to select renters that wouldn’t trash the place, wouldn’t call me in the middle of the night with emergencies, or complain every time a faucet leaked.
And I figured out how to do it.
Someone said,
“Hey, why don’t you make this available to others?
Why don’t you write a book?”
Even veteran landlords found the information interesting, exciting, and they used the ideas to get higher rents.
After years of testing and refinement of the Accidental Landlord system, you can benefit from my experience, pain, and hassle. You get to tap into my 23 years of being a part-time landlord.
Why Do You Need to Rent Your House?
Maybe you’ve just bought an investment property and want to manage it yourself. This manual will show you how to get the house rented fast to people who won’t trash it.
Maybe you can’t sell your house, but you’ve got to move. You’re an accidental landlord, and this manual will help give you peace of mind because you’ll know exactly what to do and how to do it.
Maybe you’re ready to downsize, but want to keep your house for cash flow. This manual will let you discover how to create the most cash flow from your home and not have your renters calling you all the time, driving you crazy.
No matter why you want to rent your house, this manual can help.
Even if you’re a seasoned landlord, I’ll bet that you’ll discover tips and tricks that you don’t yet know that can help reduce your headaches and help you collect higher rents.
Everything You Need to Know to Rent Your House at the Right Price to the Right People
As a sales and marketing, I’ve brought in everything I know about selling, psychology, and marketing. (I’ve written 8 books.)
I designed this system from scratch to let people who needed to rent their home do so painlessly and easily.
It assumes that you know nothing about renting your house, it’s specifically for new landlords. It will save you money, save you time, and eliminate all the headaches possible.
You will learn what to say and do to get rents that are at least 10 percent higher then other houses in your neighborhood! (I show you how)
What’s that worth to you each month? $50, $100, $200 more in rent?
Think about it this way, in the first month, you can make back two to ten times what you invest!
Makes Landlording Easy!
You’ll also know how to make doing background checks a breeze. I tell you exactly what to say when you call references.
You get a complete step-by-step system that makes it easy for you to find headache-free renters who will pay the rent on time and let you live in peace.
What’s that worth to you?
Is it worth the price of a nice lunch for two?
It’s actually done in such a way where it’s a short enough read and I feel like I have my own Personal Guide by my side assisting me every step of the way with proven fail proof steps so I’m more likely to succeed from the get go!
All the Forms You Need…
For Rent Sign: You get a template for a proven for-rent sign. Just update the number of bedrooms and the phone number, and it’s ready to print and post on your property.
Application for Rental: This form gathers the most information you need so that you can choose the best, most headache-free renter.
A Magic Lease: This is the lease I’ve used for 23 years. And it keeps me from getting calls in the middle of the night, makes sure that I get paid at the first of every month, and eliminates headache renters.
Condition Report: You need this to prove any damage to your house. Without this, you won’t be able to claim the damage deposit.
Move Out Check List: Most landlords deliver this when a renter moves out. I suggest that you give it to your renter when then move in so they know what to expect when they need to move on.
Repair Order: This makes the paperwork simple when you have to make repairs.
Sample “Raise the Rent” Letter: Hey, if they stay beyond a year, you’ll want to increase the rent. Here’s how.
Sample “Move Out” Letter: When it’s time for them to go, here’s what you need to tell them.
Sample “Send Money Now” Letter: I’ve only had to send a letter like this three times in 23 years. And they were sent to people who I didn’t screen properly. I’ll show you how to avoid people like that.
Lead disclosure: You also get the federally required forms and pamphlets you must give to your renters if your house was built before 1978. The lease includes HUD approved disclosure language.
Stay clear of the law:
Reasons to Consider Renting Your Home
Temporarily moving, will come back
Buying a house for your college kid, rent out the rest
Can’t sell in the current market
Investment property
Children’s college education fund or retirement fund
Moving to a larger home
Vacation property advice
The most important secret to successful, worry-free renting
When You Shouldn’t Rent Your Home
It’s farther away than you want to drive
You’re real picky about your property
Why People Want to Rent
Newly divorced
Just moved to town
Bankrupt
Financially unable
Don’t want the commitment of a house
Expanding family
Shrinking family
Temporary living
The 10 Secrets of Landlord Success
Getting the House Ready
Leasing furnished versus unfurnished
Clean means more money
Fresh paint rents it faster
Updated amenities means more rent money
Bring in a little furniture
What should be included in the house
Prepare an information sheet
Write out a direction sheet
Prepare the lease
Get insurance
Getting the Right Rent
How to find out what others are charging
How to calculate what to charge
How to Find Great Renters
Newspaper ads
A sign on the property
Bulletin boards
Word of mouth
Place the Ad
How to choose the right newspaper
How to choose the right classification
How to write an ad headline that attracts the best renter
How to write an add that gets you the highest rent
When to run the ads for best response
Interview on the Phone
The secret to finding headache-free renters
How spend the least amount of time showing the house
What message to put on your voice mail
First, check for convenient location
Next, find out what they want
What you don’t want
Don’t schedule an appointment with everyone
Set Up the Appointments
The mass showing
The private showing
Dealing with no shows
Interview in Person
Greeting them at the door
Give them an information sheet
What to look for in a renter
Show the House
In person
By themselves
How to talk about your house so people want to rent from you
Buying signs that let you know they want to rent from you
Getting them to apply now
Common objections and how to answer them
Negotiating strategies that let your asking price
Get them to fill out an application
Review the application: what to look for
The most important question to ask
How to instantly tell how they’ll treat your property
A word on application fees
Select Your Renter
Financial criteria that makes sure you get paid
Psychographic criteria for selecting headache-free renters
Renter selection criteria that’s illegal to use
Background Checks
What to say when you call their last landlord
What to say when you call their employer
What to say when you call their references
How to get a credit report
What to do when you decide to not rent because of the credit report
What if no one’s good enough?
Make the Signing Appointment
Review the Lease
Mandated lead paint disclosures
The lease that works wonders
Optional clause — “What if we need to move?”
Optional clause — “We want to buy a house!”
Sign the lease
Sign a utility notification
Collect the damage deposit and initial rent
Set up automatic deposit for the rent
Review the Property
Give them move out instructions when they move in
Move In Time
Change the message on your answering machine
Call those you didn’t select
Relax and move on to your next project
Raising the Rent
Stable or down market
Up market
Move Out Time
The final utility reading
The move out checklist
Review the house
Refund the damage deposit
Doing the Taxes
Keep excellent records
Depreciate or not depreciate?
Handling Problems
The rent check doesn’t arrive
When they move out unexpectedly
Handling an angry renter
How to painlessly evict
Appendix of Ready to Use Forms
Application for Rental
Condition Report
Move Out Check List
Repair Order
Sample “Raise the Rent” Letter
Sample “Move Out” Letter
Sample “Send Money Now” Letter
Book Mark S. A. Smith for your Event!