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Current Seminars Offered

***BRAND NEW for 2011/2012!**** Eyes Wide Open: Retaining the [Post?] Recessionary Resident
We throw them a party.  We send the handwritten note. We even remember their dog’s name.  Still, when renewal time comes around, the turnover rate rolls to 60% and that notice to vacate is still always a big possibility, leaving many leasing professionals wondering, "WHAT DO THOSE RESIDENTS WANT?!"   In this workshop, Heather will help you get to the bottom of this conundrum!  Starting with great information on the mind-frame and psychology of the recession and post recession consumer and exploring data from leading industry research companies, she will give you a better understanding of how to save your customers by knowing, and being, what they’re looking for.  Taking it a step further, Heather will then work with your employees to walk them through a resident retention plan that actually works – one where service is the keystone holding your community together. We begin with the basics, and work our way though dependable research data that will justify a change in your company’s way of thinking when it comes to marketing and resident retention!
 
***New for 2012*** Mananging the High Maintenance High Performer
In most management situations, the squeaky wheel gets the grease, and the majority of our attention and energy. 66% of people report to Gallup they're actively looking for a new job, so we are in danger of losing star employees to opportunities where they can seek greater growth and career minded focus. Despair not – you don't have to lose these High Performers! If you know the secrets of motivating these superstars while holding back their tendency to supernova, they can produce some of the most amazing results you'll ever see out of any employee!  In this session, we will discuss what motivates the high maintenance employee, what engages them, what they want out of the workplace interaction, and the bounty of gifts that they bring to the table. Topics covered will be the psychology of the high performer, how to facilitate the high performer to engage with the team, methods for diagnosing performance problems, managing and focusing a challenging employee and how to seek out the high performers during the hiring process.
 
***HOT TOPIC 2011 ***   Customer Conversations
According to Socialnomics, 78% of customers trust peer recommendations.  This means that, while you might hate it, Apartment Ratings, Yelp, and other review sites are an important part of your marketing strategy!  Do you know what people are saying about you?  Or even how to find the places where they're talking?  Responding to reviews and monitoring online reputation is one of the most intelligent things that we can do as property management professionals, if we know how to do it correctly.   It shows we're listening and that we care about our asset and our customers.  This session shows you the dos and do not dos of responding on ratings sites, as well as gives you tools to watch your online brand.
 
 
***WIDELY LOVED***  Digging Up The Dirt on Grass Roots Marketing!
Also known as Heather's "Post It Note" Session, this workshop is 3 hours of creativity inspiring, though processing, and action planning idea making for your teams!  More than just a firehose of ideas, this class is an experience in teaching your teams to think and develop marketing plans and resident events that range from simple to the more complex, from free to needing a budget, and from Facebook integrated to as low tech as you can get!  There's something in this class for workers from every generation to help you plan events that can help you plan marketing and events for prospects and residents in every generation!


***NEW for 2011/2012*** A Yellow Brick Road-Map for Fair Housing

Ignorance is far from bliss when it comes to fair housing laws and the way they affect our jobs in the multifamly housing industry.  Fair housing laws are often the most misunderstood areas for young leasing consultant- as well as the industry vet! - and it is imperative that those who work with clients, marketing, retention, policy building, and management have a good grasp on what these laws actually mean.   Far from  your usual fair housing course, this class takes you beyond the laws on paper and offers critical thought and discussion about why fair housing is essential, important, and something that only the the ignorant should fear.
 

***HOT TOPIC 2011***  Green What You've Got!
They say it's all the rage, but going green isn't just trendy and good for humanity - it's also helpful to your bottom line!  In this session, Heather discusses the projects and behaviors, small to large, that your on site teams can put in to practice to improve both the planet and your NOI.  Your carbon footprint can be a marketable tool when coupled with effective management techniques and easy technology upgrades.  Or, if you're not the high tech type, try the low tech/no tech solutions that are offered - things so simple you can implement them the minute you get back to your office!
 
 
Award to Reward and Retain Who You Train!
Did you know that replacing an employee who makes only $35,000 a year can cost a company between $45,000 and $60,000?  Good talent is hard to find and it's even harder to keep in an incredibly aggressive and competitive market place.  Let me teach your managers how to better communicate with their employees and how to reward them in a more productive manner.  We will talk about the best ways to encourage employee engagement and loyalty in the world of property management.  This seminar can be a 1 hour, 3 hour or a full day class, depending on your need of focus and depth on different areas.

 
 
Social Media Online Brand Building and Marketing Basics
Technology moves fast.  In fact, according to Moore's Law, every 18 months we can expect the current technology that we work with to double.  This simple fact can make it seem overwhelming to keep up with advances in the rapidly growing field of social media. And while the power of social media as a marketing tool is obvious to many, jumping in to the social media game is something there are still a lot of questions about.   Apartment communities have to ask themselves thing like, "Do I tweet?" "What am I supposed to blog about?"  "Should I Facebook?" and,  "What the heck would I put on a YOUTUBE page?"  In this session, we will explore different pros and cons of each platform and tips and tricks for using each, such as how to integrate everything together, and how to use the tools so that the public opinion of your properties isn't, "#FAIL."   Attendees learn how to create compelling online content that encourages return visits and still stays true to the core of creating genuine personal connections.  This session can be an abbreviated 1 hour session or a 3 hour session with extended training on the different platforms.  It is excellent to partner with a half day consulting session on new marketing trends and techniques for a mangers' full day training session.

 
 
Figuring out Facebook
This three hour class is dedicated to Facebook "Like" Pages.  

• How to set them up
• How to maintain them
• Privacy settings
• Admin rights
• Content Ideas
• Platform Integration Ideas
• and more!

  It's recommended that as a prerequisite my Social Media Basics class is taken first so that people are familiar with the platforms we will be discussing.

 
 
Are You Smarter Than A Social Engineer?

This training session helps you reduce your risk on site by covering important matters of information security.  Forget about your firewall; the easiest way for someone to steal the identity of you, someone at your company, or your residents is through a tried and true method called Social Engineering.  It's been used for years because it works, and plays to the helpful and good nature in people.  As property management employees, protecting the privacy and personal information of your residents is exceptionally important.  Some states, like California, even have specific laws about what can and what cannot be put in to computer databases or even left in physical file cabinets.  
    With the advent of Social Media in the work place, these scammers have found all kinds of new ways to become a faceless version of you or someone you care about.  This class teaches you what you can do not only to protect your identity online, but also in the real world, and gives you tips on how to recognize a potential scam.  The seminar is a must have for employees who dabble in Social Media Marketing and those who are getting comfortable with new technology, as well as any employee who works face to face with the customer, since many of these techniques are multiple avenue attacks, both physical and cyber. 

 
Learning Objectives:

• How to spot the "Come On" lines that scammers and spammers use.

•  Examples of common identity theft mistakes that we make every day and ways to avoid them
•  Ways to guard your identity, and your property's identity, online
•  Explanation of what a "proxy" is and how you can check to see if you have a rouge proxy installed on your machine to scoop passwords and other information, as well as other common scans anyone can run on a computer to check their systems against hackers
•  Ways to protect yourself against common Craigslist Rental scams
•  How to guard against the in person identity thief
• Ways to help your residents guard their privacy   

 
 
The Science of Conflict Resolution

In our field, conflict is inevitable, whether it be with our coworkers, our managers, or our residents.  The great thing about human conflict is that we all come to the table equally armed with the same tool:  A Human Body.  This seminar teaches why a body reacts the way that it does to conflict, how to control the feelings in your own body, and how to use what is happening in the other person to your advantage in controlling and calming the situation.  This is a 1 hour seminar, great to book for tradeshows or it can be paired with another shorter class for a half day training session.
 

 
Avoiding the Management Mistakes of an Evil Overlord
Did you ever take a moment to contemplate the people management skills that must go on in evil organizations like the type you find in James Bond movies? Though it works in the movies, managing with power and an iron fist of fear isn't always the best route to take when it comes to working with people.  Inspired by the Evil Overlord List and brought to life with media clips from movies, books and real life situations, this seminar focuses on the humorous mistakes that can be made by management when communicating with mid-level and lower staff, and discusses ways to improve and clarify messages with your employees.  This class has a one hour version and also a 3 hour version, and is a great companion to the half day versions of Award to Reward and Retain Who You Train! or Leadership Lessons from the Playroom.
 
 
Leadership Lessons from the Playroom
Contrary to what people say about, "Natural Born Leaders," leadership isn't just a talent that's given only to a select few.  Like running a computer or maintaining a relationship, leadership is just a business skill, and tools are needed to keep every leader running at optimal performance.  This seminar covers topics like communication (verbal and non verbal), persistence, momentum, strategic choices, mentoring, and method building, just to name a few.  For the kid in all of us, Heather taps into your head by teaching her content through strong metaphors of toys we all loved as kids.  Funny and a regular crowd pleaser, this seminar comes in a 90 minute abbreviated session and a 3 hour course, and acts as a great companion to Avoiding the management mistakes of an Evil Overlord or Award to Reward and Retain Who You Train! to give your teams a full day of training and energizing ideas.

 
 
Creative Customer Service
In rough economic times, people have less money to spend and are far more choosy about who they spend it with.  Customer service, which had been less emphasized over the last 15 years, has been revived as a "tool" for gaining the competitive edge.  Tips, tools and tricks will only take you so far in the ways of providing customer service.  In this hour long session, let Heather teach your teams how to tap in to the mind set that will allow them to go above and beyond for behavior that rates a, "RIGHT ON!" from your clientele, and boosts your resident retention numbers.  This class pairs excellently with The Science of Conflict Resolution,  A Mention on Resident Retention, or 25 Easy Ways to Keep your Job and Make your boss happy

 
 
25 Easy Ways to Keep Your Job and Make Your Boss Happy

Did you ever make your teacher cry in school?  In 6th grade, reducing a leader to tears can be a rite of passage, but after Junior High, it kind of loses it's luster, and you become the obnoxious employee who no one wants to hire and everyone hopes will quit...soon.  In this class, we will talk about 25 very common behaviors in the workplace that are surefire ways to, either on their own or in tandem, annoy, distress, enrage, or depress any boss.  Heather will discuss ways to identify and overcome irritating office behaviors and mindsets that people often do not even know they are displaying to others. 
 
 
Seven Deadly Sins of Property Management
Working in the multifamily industry can be one of the most stressful jobs out there.  It's tempting for many employees to let go of acting on instinct and put themselves in a survival rut.  Everyday, there are common mistakes that we make on the job because we act in patterns and habits.  This seminar points out some of those habits and helps to make teams more mindful of the motives behind their actions.  To see some preview material on this seminar, please check out the Seven Deadly Sins week posts on Behind the Leasing Desk. 

Other Class Choices Include:
Social Media Content Creation and Engagement Breeding
Leasing 101: Introduction to Leasing
Advanced Sales Techniques
Basic Marketing
Orientation to the Multi Family Housing Industry
Planning and Executing Resident Events
 
And any other custom topic that your group, company or association may want!