One of the most demanding jobs in real estate is that of a property manager. It’s not easy to meet the needs of property owners, renters, contractors, and coworkers. The property management market continues to draw more and more players due to its profitable nature.
According to a recent survey, there are nearly 300,000 property management businesses just in the United States. While this fact may be daunting, it doesn’t mean that you have to exit the waters while all the big fish gobble up each and every opportunity. Small property management firms are up against it when it comes to competing with large enterprises.
Smaller budgets, staffing shortages, and rising overhead can be worrisome. If you’re proactive, you can carve out your space in the market just as formidable as the top companies. Here are a few ways you can stand out amongst the competition — no matter their size.
Show Your Prospects And Clients That You’re Reliable
Being available and dependable is essential for successful property management. Even if you’re swamped with work, make sure you’re available anytime property owners, renters, or contractors need to contact you. Responding to emails and phone calls promptly will help you create trust with your property management clients while also increasing your revenue.
Being detached and inattentive to the demands of your rental market clients, on the other hand, will only damage your reputation and push clients away. This is an area where you can easily outshine your competition, as larger property management firms may not be able to show the same level of commitment to all of their clients.
Showcase Your Experience And Skills
Real estate rental and leasing, like any other industry, is subject to a slew of rules, restrictions, and protocols that might jeopardize your firm if you don’t follow them — or worse, your clients. All rules and other issues controlling the housing business will be known and understood by a successful management company.
Also, it is important to remember that residential and commercial properties are extremely different; some organizations specialize in one or the other. If your company has specialized experience in either of these areas, be sure to demonstrate that with potential clients.
Gracefully Accept (And Listen!) To Constructive Feedback
There is nothing worse than an online review that is answered by a stubborn and aggressive business owner. Not only does it escalate the initial problem, but it also shows potential clients that you may be difficult to work with in the event of a resolvable conflict.
It’s difficult to hear from tenants or property owners that you’ve let them down or made a mistake, but embracing the feedback and learning from it can help you stand out. Clients are more inclined to stay with you if they sense that you are eager to learn and suit their needs.
As a result, you may receive excellent reviews that make your competition pale in comparison to your business. Some larger companies barely bother to respond to their reviews. Remember, every company makes mistakes, but how you handle them is what really sets you apart.
Develop Strong Personal Connections
Large mega-corporations have less opportunity to form personal relationships with property owners than independent or smaller property management companies. Keep in mind that landlords are people who want their needs met — just like anyone else. When your clients talk about their experiences with other owners, you benefit from the free, positive publicity.
There are many ways to show your clients that you care, including:
- Providing information and tools to assist your property owners in achieving their goals
- Gifting your clients a subscription to trade journals and resources — both online and in print
- Sharing links to articles and other outlets, including relevant industry developments
- Updating your communication tools and technology to provide personalized reports and information
Creating a customized and beneficial experience for your clients helps to develop a solid relationship filled with loyalty.
Think Like Your Clients
Put yourself in the position of those who will be paying you to manage their homes. Are you persuaded by a possible property management company’s marketing strategies and content for the properties they manage? Do their locations appear to be pleasant and well-kept? Is there anything in the marketing that speaks to you?
The most important thing to consider is whether you’d be interested in working with them. If not, what about their approach irritates you? These are the first issues you should address because potential clients will be asking themselves the same questions when determining which property management company to work with.
Develop A Comprehensive Marketing Strategy
To maintain a strong presence in the property management industry, you’ll need a great marketing strategy. The more prominent your properties are, the more rental property management leads you’ll get. The first step is to make sure your properties are listed on the relevant sites.
Make sure your ads include a clear description of your properties as well as high-quality photographs. You might also use paid ads on both online and offline venues to promote your rental properties. Face-to-face interactions with potential clients should also be part of an effective property management marketing strategy.
Final Thoughts
It’s not impossible to stand out from the crowd, even when the competition is armed with more staff, a bigger budget, and a recognizable name — you just have to be willing to do things a bit differently. Larger property management firms may have a strong presence, but that doesn’t mean you don’t have a few advantages that they may lack.
Capitalize on the opportunity to provide excellent customer service and build strong client relationships to create a personalized and reliable experience with your clients. Those personal touches will go a very long way in helping you make a mark on those who can help you grow your business by spreading the word.
