When it comes to giving tours of your multifamily housing community, walk-ins are always welcome, but it’s best to encourage prospective residents to schedule tours. While preparation is the most important factor, there are many other reasons why you should make this a standard best practice. Keep reading to find out why.
Sticking to a Schedule
Going into the workday, if you know how many tours you have coming in and what time they will arrive, you can better plan your day. Walk-ins are great, but they may arrive at a time when the office is closed for lunch or even while you are out giving another tour. Remember that people today have less patience than ever before due to the instant gratification of the internet. So when you schedule appointments ahead of time, you plan for your breaks and your lunch without worrying about running late or having people waiting for you to get back.
Dedicating Time to Prospects
When you can schedule out the tours for the day, you will have more time to focus on the prospective resident at hand. The last thing you want to do is rush through a tour or pitch simply because you have other people waiting in the lobby for your attention. Instead, take the time to really go through things thoroughly and give your prospective resident your undivided attention. Be sure to also schedule yourself some time after their visit to enter their guest card into your system before moving on to the next tour.
More Time to Prepare
Preparation is key when it comes to leasing. If someone shows up right as the office opens and you don’t have the model unit set up or even a brochure printed out, it can look very unprofessional. The more time you have to prepare for the day, the better the results. When prospective residents schedule a tour, ask them questions about their needs and preferences and take the time to figure out a game plan for their tour. The more personalized experience they receive, the more likely they will lease with you. Simple things like preparing a fresh pot of coffee or refilling the candy bowl before scheduled tours can go a long way in making a great first impression.
We love walk-ins, but we also love the convenience of scheduled tours. The best way to maintain both is to allow walk-ins during certain hours of the day while scheduling tours throughout the rest. Do you have any questions about tours? Ask away in the comments below.
