Overcoming Objections

Embrace the objection and above all, listen.

Objections are an opportunity to solve your customer’s problem. The more your customer reveals about what they do and do not want, the more information you have on how to solve their problem. Objections can stem from lack of information or misunderstanding about a product or service. If you suspect a misunderstanding has occurred, ask open-ended, probing questions to get to the prospect’s need or concern. Listening without interrupting is a great next step to a quick resolution. It ensures that you don’t appear defensive, and it, instead, communicates your sincerity in wanting to solve the problem.

Anticipate the objection.

Get to know the highs and lows of your community. Every community has great selling points and, of course, a few blemishes - just like everything else in life. Knowing all of the features, benefits and ob­stacles of your community and having the confidence to address them, is often all the renter needs to feel assured. Having that confidence often comes from being prepared in advance for questions or ob­jections. Walk the community daily. Have someone not familiar with your community walk it with you to help point out things you may have overlooked. Spend a couple hours in a vacant unit and know it inside out. Write down 10 objections that stand out to you and overcome them. For instance, if you are located at a very busy intersection, you’ll want to anticipate the objection. You might reply, “It is a lively area, which is why we’ve put some more attention on noise reduction inside each unit with new pad­ded carpeting and heavier curtains like the larger hotels utilize. Was your last apartment in a quieter setting?” Once you have the answer to that question, you can try to find a unit that’s further from the noise or point out quieter areas in the community, perhaps in the courtyard/pool area. While overcom­ing this objection, you can point out other things about the unit and community that far outweigh the noise, highlighting once again the features and benefits. Of course, anticipating the objection doesn’t mean that you need to unnecessarily draw attention to it, as it may not prove to be an issue for every potential renter.

Identify and isolate the core issue.

Objections can stem from a misunderstanding about what your Management Company and community have to offer. Isolate the objection to ensure you are uncovering what is really holding back your potential renter from signing the lease. For example, the prospective renter might say: “I hate coin laundry machines! All the other communities I’ve seen today have a washer/dryer in the unit.”  Explain that although other communities may have a washer/dryer in the unit, their pricing may be higher because of that feature.

Remember:  Objections are easy to overcome if you are prepared!

-Team Indiana