1. real estate
2. apartments

SM
YOUR GUIDEBOOK TO MORE SUCCESSFUL APARTMENT MANAGEMENT
SCENTED
FOR
SUCCESS!
SELL APARTMENTS WITH
A CROCKPOT! THINK IT
CAN'T BE DONE? THINK
AGAIN. page 12
CREATIVE
CRAIGLISTING
BECOME THE KING OF
CRAIGSLIST ADS page 7
THE POWER OF
BELIEVING IN
YOURSELF
SUPER-TEES page 15
PLUS:
SNAPPY
SAYINGS
FOR FALL
& WINTER
HOLIDAYS
...AND OUR
HOLIDAY GUIDE!
OCT
NOV
DEC
10
NEW & IMPROVED
RESOURCE GUIDE
contents
October / November / December 2010
10
reader mail
4 Snowmen & Service Checklists
SEASONAL
SAYINGS
Two ideas from smart R&R readers
to attract and keep your residents!
marketing
Spice up your
advertising!
7 Craigslist: Know The Rules
Don't lose access to this valuable
resource! Guidelines to help you make it, not break it.
PLUS: What Managers Have Found For The Best Listing Success
RENT & RETAIN
MAGAZINE
A publication of
Rent & Retain Systems,
Inc.
PUBLISHER
Mindy Williams
MARKETING DIRECTOR
Katie Johnson
DESIGN DIRECTOR
Jerusha Foltz
WRITER
John Monte
WRITER
Torrie Williams
2 www.rentandretain.com
10 Sayings
For Fall, Halloween, Thanksgiving, Christmas.... and even
Veteran's Day.
leasing
12 COVER STORY: Crockpots Rent Apartments
Three recipes to tantalize propects during the day and for you to eat at night.
14 Always Be Closing
...NOT! The MORE effective sales technique. Also,
be a seller not a teller.
15 When You Believe In What You Sell...
...People believe in you.
holiday guide
16 Goofy Costumes
Add spirit with these easy Halloween get ups.
PLUS: Community Thanksgiving
29 11 Inexpensive Gifts & Craft Ideas
Easy to make with residents and
fun to give!
Oct / Nov / Dec 2010
© 2009 Rent & Retain Systems, Inc.
“Why should we need extra time in which to enjoy
ourselves? If we expect to enjoy our life, we will
have to learn to be joyful in all of it, not just at
stated intervals when we can get time or when we
have nothing else to do.”
Rent & Retain is a publication
of Rent & Retain Systems, Inc.
Editorial offices and subscription
information: P.O. Box 182234
Coronado, CA 92178 • 619-4376633 phone • 619-437-6626 fax.
Subscription rate: $79 for one
year, $119 for two years. Order
form on back cover. Write or call
for multiple subscription rates.
– Laura Ingalls Wilder
©2010 by Rent & Retain Systems,
Inc. All rights reserved.
16
CEILING
FAN
GO
S!
CEILING
And other
alternative
costume
ideas!
calendars
18 October
19 November
Fun
You’ve made the right choice by
purchasing from Rent & Retain.
It’s a surefire way to help you
stay on top of your game. Just
remember, nothing changes if
nothing changes!
activities for October,
November & December.
resources
26 Group Subscriptions
Discounts for multiple
properties.
32 Resource Guide
Thumb through our
rolodex.
35 Index
29
HOLIDAY CRAFTS
Make a gift!
© 2009 Rent & Retain Systems, Inc.
“This publication is designed to
provide accurate and authoritative
information in regard to the
subject matter covered. It is sold
with the understanding that
the publisher is not engaged
in rendering legal, accounting
or other professional services.
If legal advice or other expert
assistance is required, the services
of a competent professional
should be sought.” – from a
Declaration of Principles jointly
adopted by a Committee of the
American Bar Association and
a Committee of Publishers and
Associations.
Please check with your attorney
and insurance provider before
i m p l e m e n t i n g a ny o f t h e s e
ideas.
20 December
21 Days & Days
This publication may not be
reproduced or duplicated
without written consent of the
publisher.
Oct / Nov / Dec 2010
So set a goal that you will do at
least one idea a month. We’re
positive you’ll see the impact.
Publisher’s Right
We reserve the right to cancel
subscriptions at any time.
Photocopying without permission
co u l d re s u l t i n a co py r i g ht
violation fine of up to $10,000
per page. For more information,
please call. Phone: 619-4376633, email: info@rentandretain.
com. Thank you!
www.rentandretain.com 3
reader mail
There's Snow Place Like Home!
We found a very inexpensive way to draw attention to the entrance of our communtiy by
turning a lot of unwanted and traffic-deterring snow into our newest member of the
leasing team. Frosty won't last long
but at least he attracted a lot of
attention from people driving by on
their way home from work!
Jennifer Peters
Community Manager
Fairlane Meadow Apartments
P:313.336.5995
F:313.336.6393
Boost Service Requests and Boost Renewals
This worked really well for us: We would print the checklist on the next page and put it
in a large enveople with a brightly-colored envelope also enclosed. The outside of the
brightly- colored envelope read: ATTN: Maintenance.
Our team would deliver the envelopes and then go back around to those buildings 2
days later to pick up the colored envelopes. The residents did not even have
to pick up the phone or anything.
Michele Conner
Area Manager, Trinity Property Consultants
Seven Palms Apartments
Webster, TX
P: 281.338.8600 We are looking to hire writers for R&R. Send us
F: 281.338.7766 E: [email protected]
your articles and success stories on how you've
Rented apartments and Retained your residents
and we'll pay you for it! Send articles – written
exactly as you would like them to appear – to
[email protected].
4 www.rentandretain.com
Oct / Nov / Dec 2010
© 2010 Rent & Retain Systems, Inc.
As you know, we at Trinity Property Consultants strive to provide you with the premier lifestyle that you so richly deserve. At this time, we wish to reaffirm our commitment to you to provide outstanding service and to maintain your community as
one in which you take great pride. We sincerely enjoy having you as a resident and
it is our desire to make certain that you are happy in your apartment home and
that you are receiving the best value for your rental dollars.
Below is a service checklist, please mark any items in your home that may require
attention. Then place this form in the enclosed envelope and place it on the outside
of your apartment door within 48 hours. We will work diligently to address your
service requests in a timely manner. Please do not forget to include your apartment
number.
DOORS AND WINDOWS
Comments/Specifics:___________________________________________________
––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––
KITCHEN
reader mail
Dear Resident,
Comments/Specifics:___________________________________________________
––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––
LIVING ROOM
Comments/Specifics:___________________________________________________
––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––
(continued next page)
© 2010 Rent & Retain Systems, Inc.
Oct / Nov / Dec 2010
www.rentandretain.com 5
reader mail
DINING ROOM
Comments/Specifics:___________________________________________________
––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––
BATHROOM (please identify which one)
Comments/Specifics:___________________________________________________
––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––
BEDROOM (please identify which one)
Comments/Specifics:___________________________________________________
––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––
OTHER
Comments/Specifics:___________________________________________________
––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––
Do you have any suggestions on how we can improve this Trinity Property Consultants' community? Please use this section for any suggestions you may have
on how we can improve your quality of life at our community.
––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––
––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––
––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––
Name:__________________________________Apt. #__________
Daytime Telephone:_____________________________________
Thank you for giving us the
opportunity to serve you!
6 www.rentandretain.com
Oct / Nov / Dec 2010
© 2010 Rent & Retain Systems, Inc.
Posting ads on Craigslist is a must for many apartment communities
with vacancies to fill. Craigslist is one of the most popular websites
in the world. And, since posting is free, you get the opportunity to put
your listings in front of a very large audience with very little investment.
marketing
CRAIGSLIST:
KNOW
THE
RULES
Recently, though, Craigslist users have reported that the company is enforcing its Terms of Use more strictly
than ever and blacklisting users who repeatedly violate their terms. This helps reduce redundancy and improve quality for those searching the ads, but it also means that communities using Craigslist need to keep
informed on posting limits and restrictions in order to
ensure continued access to the resource.
SPEND SOME TIME REVIEWING FAQS
Go to www.craigslist.org/about/help/faq for helpful FAQs
and periodically revisit the Terms of Use (www.craigslist.org/about/terms.of.use). This can help you make
sure your advertising strategy complies with Craigslist
rules. Once you know the rules (limit posts to one per
city and category every 48 hours, remove old posts before adding new ones, etc.) you're ready to go.
Here are some of the helpful tips you can find more
details on at www.craigslist.org/about/help/faq:
“We provide a useful service,
helpingpeoplewitheverydaystuff
like jobs and housing and we do it
inthiscultureoftrustthatseemsto
relate to a value system where the
corevaluesaretreatingpeoplelike
you want to be treated.”
Craig Newmark
Founder of Craigslist
BASIC HOW-TO FOR FREE POSTINGS:
* How do I post a free posting?
* How can I edit my posting?
© 2010 Rent & Retain Systems, Inc.
(continued next page)
Oct / Nov / Dec 2010
www.rentandretain.com 7
marketing
* How soon does my posting expire?
* How can I delete my posting?
* How do I repost my posting?
* How often can I post?
* How can I post anonymously and
still receive responses?
* I have not received the email to
self-publish my free posting,
what should I do?
* I self-published my posting but I
don't see it on the list?
* Can I add a picture to my posting?
* Can I add HTML tags or URLs in
my posting?
MORE GUIDELINES
* What kind of postings are prohibited?
* What should I do if someone harasses me by posting a prank posting?
* What recourse is there for a transaction gone wrong or a person/post
that is not being honest?
* Can I post to all of craigslist's sites?
* I saw a posting that really stunk,
and I want to respond - can I?
* Do you charge for postings advertising focus group opportunities?
* I saw this great posting 6 months
ago and would like to see it
again. Can I?
* Where can I advertise my services/
business on craigslist?
MANAGERS Give Tips
For Best Results
"I find posting on Thursday for the weekend
and then again on Monday produces the best
results."
"I find posting before lunch and right
before going home for the day gets me
more leads."
"The results from the ILS's show their heaviest
traffic times are lunch time and right after 5 p.m."
"I have people call me about specific addresses when I post a specific place.... 6506C
Yateswood... only $599 TODAY!"
"If you are an Appfolio.com customer, just a few
clicks and the software can post information for
you on Craiglist."
"We change our headings... our property accepts
dogs and we have a dog park, a pool, free heat,
so I alternate headings and content but get the
overall point across I use different symbols to
grab attention. Private and Tranquil work well
too!"
"I like to look at other markets and 'steal' their
ideas!"
"Be careful if you are posting more than every
3 days - they can and will catch you - also note
that all computers in your office have the same IP
address - so trying from computer A to computer
B doesn't work either - once you are blocked - it's
over - and the company name is flagged also."
Source for part of the article:
info.propertysolutions.com/newsletters/2009/november/nov_main.html.
As seen on the Internet, May 19, 2010.
8 www.rentandretain.com
Oct / Nov / Dec 2010
© 2010 Rent & Retain Systems, Inc.
"I have pre-formatted all of my craigslist ads
based on unit types so all I have to do is copy
and paste and come up with a creative title!"
"My leasing consultant has used price per
square foot with good results."
"Also keep an eye on your competitors. I have
seen my clients comps 'find ideas' our 'keywords'
and place them in their headlines. Pretty sneaky."
"I use catch phrases, "Baby it's COLD outside...but
the HEAT IS FREE HERE!" I got a lot of calls once
winter hit."
"Craigslist will not let you re-post within 48
hours, even if you delete it."
"'FREE Rent!' always seems to do very
well. Post the details in the ad, and don’t
forget your expiration date(s)."
"Make sure you show the 'value' of what
they get for free: "2 Months FREE! ($1,800
value)."
"We gave out $5 gas cards if they saw our ad on
craigslist. It generated traffic, but seemed more
like unqualified traffic."
"Don’t use ALL CAPS FOR THE ENTIRE HEADLINE."
RESOURCES
ad.gogopin.com
GoGo Pin is an unlimited free
online ad and flyer tool that will
produce ads that stand out to
buyers and sellers.
rentsentinel.com
RentSentinel can tell you who has
flagged your ads. ($40 a month.)
marketing
Turn the page for a list of
sayings to catch attention for
your next craigslist ad.
photobucket.com
Photobucket is a free photo-sharing website and works great!
vflyer.com
vFlyer helps you stand out with eye-catching
craigslist flyers. (2 flyers a month for free, 25 flyers a
month for $19.95).
postlets.com
Postlets is free and creates your ad in HTML format
for the "flyer’ look and feel.
bakeextracookies.com
Bake Extra Cookies creates eye-catching ads and
posts them on craigslist for you. ($150+)
"People often search by key words like: Pets,
location details (near ABC Company), specific
amenities (Gym, Pool)."
© 2010 Rent & Retain Systems, Inc.
Oct / Nov / Dec 2010
www.rentandretain.com 9
marketing
SAYINGS
...to use in ads, newsletters, on flyers, on craigslist, on service
request forms, to motivate team members... it is never-ending!
FALL
HALLOWEEN
'A' is for Autumn
A Bootiful Night
A Rainbow of Autumn Colors
A HOWLIN' Good Time
As the Leaves Turn
A Spooktacular Day
Autumn Harvest
Don't be a scaredy-cat! Renew your
lease today!
Autumn Leaves Are Falling Down –
Just Like Our Deposit!
Batty over our amenities
Awesome Autumn
Boo From The Crew
Changing Leaves. Changing
Seasons. Changing The Club Room!
'Boo'tiful
Chillin' in Autumn
Carving Out The Best Deal For You
Come stay for a "SPELL"
Fallin' into Fun
Getting into the "spirit" of Halloween.
"Falling in love again. Here is a list of
reasons why you should renew."
Fangtastic!
Frightfully Delightful
Witch way is the Leasing Office?
THANKSGIVING
Falling for you
Turkey Time
Glorious Days of Autumn
Gobble, Gobble
Harvest Happenings
What a Bunch of Turkeys!
Have a good Fall, Y'all!
May the bounty of the
season fill your heart and
home.
It "leaves" you Breathless
It's an Autumn-magic day
Give Thanks
Leaf your worries behind...
Piles of Leaves - Piles of Smiles
Rakin' in the Fun
The Golden Days of Fall
Turning over a new leaf!
You COLOR my World (fall colors)
10 www.rentandretain.com
Oct / Nov / Dec 2010
© 2010 Rent & Retain Systems, Inc.
"Glad tidings we bring
with X special!."
A Special Gift
All Hearts Come Home for Christmas
Be Naughty, Save Santa a Trip
Believe in the magic of Christmas
Dear Santa, I Want It ALL. That's why I like living at XYZ
Apartments.
Dear Santa, I've been soooooo good! I deserve to live at XYZ
Apartments.
Enjoying the Holly days.
Even When It's Cold Outside Our Memories Keep Us Warm. Thanks to our great residents.
Giving feels even better than receiving. That's why we are
offering X special.
marketing
CHRISTMAS
Santa Claus is coming to town!
Santa Delivers
There's no place like home for the holidays.
Walking in a winter wonderland.
Warm Holiday Fun
No need to pout! We have the perfect apartment for you!
VETERAN'S DAY
"Some people live an entire lifetime and wonder if
they have ever made a difference in the world, but
the Marines don't have that problem."
– President Ronald Reagan, 1985
"Freedom is not free, but the U.S. Marine Corps will
pay most of your share."
– Ned Dolan
"It follows than as certain as that night succeeds the
day, that without a decisive naval force we can do
nothing definitive, and with it, everything honorable
and glorious."
– President George Washington, November 1781
© 2010 Rent & Retain Systems, Inc.
"I can imagine no more rewarding a career. And any
man who may be asked in this century what he did
to make his life worthwhile, I think can respond with
a good deal of pride and satisfaction: 'I served in the
United States Navy.'"
– President John F. Kennedy
"Integrity First, Service Before Self, Excellence in All
We Do" (US Air Force Core Values)
"No One Comes Close" (Unofficial US Air Force
Motto)
"This We’ll Defend" (US Army Motto)
Oct / Nov / Dec 2010
www.rentandretain.com 11
leasing
CROCKPOTS RENT
APARTMENTS
... and you have a great dinner!
Smells sell. So do you go the Otis Spunkmeyer route or Glade Plug-ins? What about making a quick crock
pot dinner in your model or vacant? Dinners are easy and the model will smell great and you won't have
to cook that night! What could be better?
Here are three fast-and-easy recipes to try. You can also have a recipe contest with residents – so bam! This
is a leasing/resident retention/YOU idea rolled into one. Do we have great jobs or what?!
1
box spaghetti or any shaped pasta
1 26-oz. jar spaghetti sauce
20 frozen fully cooked meatballs
1 c water
Combine all ingredients in Crockpot; mix well.
Cook on Low for 4 hours until pasta is tender and meatballs are completely heated, stirring once during cooking.
Serves 6.
12 www.rentandretain.com
Oct / Nov / Dec 2010
© 2010 Rent & Retain Systems, Inc.
leasing
1 can (10 3/4 ounces) Campbell's® Condensed Tomato Soup 1 can (10 1/2 ounces) Campbell's® Condensed Beef Broth
1/2 cup Burgundy wine or other dry red wine or water
1 teaspoon dried Italian seasoning, crushed
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
1 can (14.5 ounces) diced tomatoes with Italian herbs
3 large carrots, cut into 1-inch pieces (about 2 cups)
2 pounds beef for stew, cut into 1-inch pieces
2 cans (about 15 ounces each) white kidney beans (cannellini), rinsed and drained
Stir the soup, broth, wine, Italian seasoning, garlic powder, tomatoes, carrots and beef in
a 3 1/2-quart slow cooker. Cover and cook on LOW for 8 to 9 hours (or on HIGH for 4
to 5 hours) or until the beef is fork-tender.
Stir in the beans. Increase the heat to HIGH. Cook for 10 minutes or until the mixture is hot.
as seen on the Internet, 7/20/10; www.campbellkitchen.com
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
1 pounds skinless, boneless chicken breasts, cut into 1-inch pieces
1 3/4 cups Swanson® Chicken Broth (Regular, Natural Goodness™ or Certified Organic)
1 cup Pace® Chunky Salsa
3 cloves garlic, minced
2 teaspoons ground cumin
1 can (about 16 ounces) small white beans, rinsed and drained
1 cup frozen whole kernel corn
1 large onion, chopped (about 1 cup)
Heat the oil in a 10-inch skillet over medium-high heat. Add the chicken and cook until
it's well browned, stirring often. Stir the chicken, broth, salsa, garlic, cumin, beans, corn
and onion in a 3 1/2-quart slow cooker.
Cover and cook on LOW for 8 to 9 hours (or on HIGH for 4 to 5 hours) or until the
chicken is cooked through.
as seen on the Internet, 7/20/10; www.campbellkitchen.com
© 2010 Rent & Retain Systems, Inc.
Oct / Nov / Dec 2010
www.rentandretain.com 13
leasing
ALWAYS BE CLOSING
NO NO NO! That is the 80's way of selling apartments.
The new way to sell is to Always Be Present.
Not to go all Oprah on you – but your customers know when they are being "sold" to.
Your customers know when you are bamboozling them.
Your customers know when you aren't being 100% honest.
Your customers know when you are reciting from a script.
Making a sale is an emotional experience. It is one person fulfilling the desires of
another.
ALWAYS BE PRESENT
spend more than 25% of conversation talking (face to face)
S Ifyouyouaren't
talking, you are telling.
S Telling is not selling.
Tellers
Sellers
SGIVE INFORMATION
SPRESENT FEATURES
SAVOID REJECTION
STRY TO WIN BY SHOWING KNOWLEDGE
SSOLVE PROBLEMS
STRANSLATE FEATURES INTO BENEFITS
SRISK REJECTION
SWIN BY CLOSING SALES.
SELLERS CLOSE MORE SALES
Anyone can read from a script or "go through the motions." Those folks aren't accessing their full potential as sales people.
Always be PRESENT and you'll make more sales (and be a better spouse, partner,
manager, friend, etc.).
ABP
always be present
14 www.rentandretain.com
Oct / Nov / Dec 2010
© 2010 Rent & Retain Systems, Inc.
What would your team members
think if they wore these shirts
every day? Would they be more
motivated and have a better understanding (and enthusiasm) for
their jobs?
What would your customers think
if they see again and again and
again as they read t-shirts that
say your company's missions?
(They'll love it!)
© 2010 Rent & Retain Systems, Inc.
Oct / Nov / Dec 2010
leasing
WHEN YOU BELIEVE IN WHAT YOU
SELL, PEOPLE BELIEVE IN YOU.
www.rentandretain.com 15
holiday guide
GOOFY
COSTUMES
GOLDFINGER
Paint one of your fingers gold.
...for the lazy & good-natured.
Happy Halloween!
Use these for your Halloween party, have
a "worst costume" contest, managers dress
as "someone you can count on!"
ALL THAT AND A BAG OF CHIPS
Attach a small bag of potato chips to the
front of your shirt. "I'm all that and a bag
of chips...."
GOD'S GIFT TO WOMEN
Cut holes for your arms and head into a
big box. Wrap the box with wrapping paper. Add a large bow and a sign that says,
"TO: Women, FROM: God".
IDENTITY CRISIS / MULTIPLE
PERSONALITY
Put "Hello my name is..." tags with random names all over your body.
MUFFIN MAN
AUTOGRAPH BOOK
Attach a muffin to your hat.
Wear a white shirt and pants. Bring different colored permanent markers and
have people sign you!
QUARTER POUNDER
BRIGHT IDEA
Attach a light bulb with a wire to your
hat or visor.
Carry a quarter and a hammer. If someone asks what your costume is, put the
quarter down and pound it with the hammer.
TIC TAC TOE
Attach a pack of Tic Tacs to the tip of your
shoe.
CHEST OF DRAWERS
Pin underwear to your shirt.
CHIP ON YOUR SHOULDER
Wearing regular clothes, glue
a poker chip to your shoulder.
CEILING FAN
Write "Go Ceilings!" on the front of your shirt.
Add other gear if you want (pom poms, big
foam finger, etc.).
GO
S!
CEILING
FORTUNE TELLER
Attach a bunch of fortune
cookies to your clothes. Wear a
scarf or towel wrapped around
your noggin.
16 www.rentandretain.com
Oct / Nov / Dec 2010
© 2010 Rent & Retain Systems, Inc.
PAIN IN THE BUTT
Wear a track suit or running clothes. Use a
marker to write the word no" several times
all over yourself.
Attach a bandage or large Band-Aid to
your bottom.
WHITE TRASH
UNDERCOVER COP
Wear all white, and attach trash (newspapers, candy wrappers, etc.) all over yourself.
Just wear your regular clothes. When
someone challenges your lack of a costume, whip a fake badge out of your back
pocket and tell them you're "undercover."
SOMEONE YOU CAN COUNT ON
Wear all black clothes. Cut out big, bright
numbers and attach them to your clothes.
STARBUCKS
Make some yellow stars out of paper or
cardboard and pin them all over your
clothes. Then take several dollar bills and
pin them on also.
SELF-ABSORBED
Attach sponges all over your body.
Adapted from the Internet, July 24, 2010.
http://costumeideazone.com/CIZ/CostumesByCategories.aspx?C=8&p=3
COMMUNITY
THANKSGIVING
Here are some classy ways to invite folks
to your gathering.
Oftentimes when the holidays roll around
families without local relatives (orphans) end up
making Mac&Cheese or PBJ’s for Thanksgiving
Dinner. We tend to forget that we can be just
as thankful for our neighbors and our community as we are for our family. So, offer a “Community Wide Thanksgiving Dinner.” Invite your
residents to a feast of communal proportions.
Make it easy by asking each attendee to bring a
Thanksgiving dish.
Please join us for a splendid feast this
Thanksgiving!
INVITATION WORDING:
A month before the scheduled date, send
out an invitation along with an RSVP to your
residents. Have them send it back to the office
and then keep a running tally of who is bringing
what. Post it on a large board where residents
can view the menu, that way if someone decides to come at the last minute they can see
what dishes are in abundance and what meals
are still needed.
holiday guide
RUNNING NOSE
Family, Fun, Football, Feast! Join Us!
Thanksgiving is a day to give thanks for all
we are blessed with. Please join us for a potluck in the club
room.
Gobble Gobble! Tom the Turkey invites you to dine with
us this fine Thanksgiving Day! Help us celebrate and give
thanks for the many blessings in our lives.
Thanksgiving is a time to surround yourself with good food,
good friends and family. If you don't have any of those (Ha!),
please join us for a Thanksgiving meal.
We’d like to express our thanks this Thanksgiving by having
you join us for a delicious holiday meal.
Help us give thanks this Thanksgiving. Dine with us....
© 2010 Rent & Retain Systems, Inc.
Oct / Nov / Dec 2010
www.rentandretain.com 17
october
SUN
MON TUE WED THU
Adopt A Shelter Dog Month
Apple Month
Class Reunion Month
Eat Better, Eat Together
Month
Emotional Wellness Month
Fair Trade Month
Int’l Strategic Planning
Month
Alternative Fuel
Day
Intergeneration
Day
Nat’l Book Month
Nat’l Breast Cancer Awareness
Month
Nat’l Caramel Month
Nat’l Chili Month
Nat’l Go On A Field Trip Month
Nat’l Kitchen & Bath Month
Nat’l Popcorn Poppin’ Month
Self-Promotion Month
Ten-Four Day
Child Health
Day
Improve Your
Office Day
World Teacher's
Day
Do Something
Nice Day
World
Communion
Day
World Habitat
Day
3
4
5
Nat’l Cake
Decorating Day
Columbus Day
Free Thought
Day
Int’l Newspaper
Carrier Day
Native
American's Day
Nat’l Face Your
Fears Day
Naval Academy
Day
Nat’l Kick Butt
Day
Moment Of
Frustration Day
Clergy
Appreciation
Day
Nat’l Coming
Out Day
10
Int’l Day for the
Eradication of
Poverty
Wear
Something
Gaudy Day
11
No Beard Day
Nat’l Chocolate
Cupcake Day
Cheesburger
Day
Nat’l Reading Group
Month
Nat’l Roller Skating Month
Sausage Month
Tackling Hunger Month
Week 1: Customer Service
Week
Week 3: Freedom of Speech
Week
Balloons
Around The
World Day
Ecological Debt
Day
Come & Take It
Day
12
Evaluate Your
Life Day
Team Building
Day
Get A Mammogram Day
FRI
6
Navy Birthday
Fortune Cookie
Day
Nat’l Bring
Your Teddy
Bear To Work &
School Day
13
Nat’l Diversity
Day
World Smile
Day
World
Vegetarian Day
1
Chocolate is
World Egg Day
Delish Day
American
Touch Tag Day
Community
Lee’s Nat’l
Denim Day
Sight Day
Service Day
Compliment
Day
7
24
18
Sourest Day
United Nations
Day
Nat’l Bologna
Day
Punk For A Day
Day
World Pasta
Day
I Love It! Day
Nat’l KnockKnock Jokes
Day
31
18 www.rentandretain.com
19
World Sight
Day
Nat’l Dessert
Day
14
Get To Know
Your Customers
Day
Brandied Fruit
Day
Get Smart
About Credit
Day
Babbling Day
21
Name Your Car
Day
2
Universal Music
Day
Fire Prevention
Day
Cranky
Co-Workers
Day
Nat’l
Chocolates Day
Mule Day
Navy Day
Nat’l
Mincemeat Day
Nat’l Tell A
Story Day (U.K.)
Plush Animal
Lover’s Day
9
Boss’s Day
Dictionary Day
World Food Day
Sweetest Day
Bridge Day
Garage Sale
Day
16
Nat’l Nut Day
iPod Day
Caps Lock Day
Homemade
Pretzel Day
Be Thankful
Day
Make A
Difference Day
22
Worldwide
Howl At The
Moon Night
St. Jude’s Day
Techie’s Day
Nat’l Custodial
Worker Day
Nat’l Grouch
Day
Glazed Donuts
Day
15
Support Your
Local Chamber
of Commerce
20
Change A Light
Day
8
Count Your
Buttons Day
17
SAT
Nat’l Mole Day
TV Talk Show
Host Day
23
Internet Day
Checklist Day
Frankenstein
Friday
Emily Post born
Hermit Day
Nat’l
Forgiveness
Day
in 1872
Int’l Bandanna
Day
25
26
27
Oct / Nov / Dec 2010
28
29
30
© 2010 Rent & Retain Systems, Inc.
SUN MON TUE
Nat’l Authors’
Day
All Saints’ Day
Nat’l Family
Literacy Day
1
Daylight
Savings Time
Ends
Int’l Tongue
Twister Day
Zero Tasking
Day
7
All Souls Day
Cookie Monster
Day
Election Day
november
WED THU FRI SAT
Cliché Day
Sandwich Day
Housewives'
Day
Deviled
Egg Day
2
X-Rays Discovered 1895
Nat’l Young
Reader’s Day
Nat’l Parents As
Teachers Day
Chaos Never
Dies Day
World Orphan's
Day
3
Use Your
Common Sense
Day
Nat’l Men
Make Dinner
Day
King Tut Day
4
Origami Day
Domino Day
Veteran's Day
Chicken Soup
For The Soul
Day
Forget-Me-Not
Day
Guinness World
Record Day
8
9
10
11
Homemade
Bread Day
Great American
Smokeout
Nat’l American
Teddy Bear Day
I Love To Write
Day
Button Day
Use Less Stuff
Day
World Diabetes
Day
Nat’l Bundt
Electronic
Greeting Card
Day
Spirit of NSA
(Nat’l Speakers
Assoc.) Day
Nat’l
Philanthropy
Day
World Hello
Day
Humane
Society
Anniversary
Day
Red Planet Day
Cake Day
15
Go For A Ride
Day
22
Square Dance
Day
Have A Party
With Your Bear
Day
16
Eat A
Cranberry Day
Nat’l Cashew
Day
29
© 2010 Rent & Retain Systems, Inc.
Take A Hike
Day
World Peace
Day
23
Computer
Security Day
30
Mickey Mouse
Created in 1928
Book Lovers'
Day
Marooned
Without A
Compass
Day
6
World Kindness
Day
Nat’l Pudding
Day
18
Celebrate Your
Unique Talent
Day
Thanksgiving
Day
Tie One On
Day
Int’l Day for
the Elimination
Of Violence
Against Women
Day
24
25
Nat’l Native American Heritage
Month
Family Stories Month
Military Family Appreciation Month
Nat’l Peanut Butter Lover's Month
NoSHAVEmber (Beard Month) or
Movember (Mustache Month)
Vegan Month
Lung Cancer Awareness Month
Nat’l Adoption Month
Nat’l Model Railroad Month
Oct / Nov / Dec 2010
12
Live Life To Its
Fullest Day
Pop Tarts
Invented in
1965
13
Children’s Day
Name Your PC
Day
Nat’l Adoption
Day
Nat’l Family
Volunteer Day
Absurdity Day
17
D.B. Cooper
Day
Electronic
Greetings Day
28
Sadie Hawkins'
Day
Dunce Day
Int’l Day For
Tolerance
21
5
Marine Corps
Birthday 1775
America
Recycles Day
World
Television Day
Guy Fawkes'
Day
Area Code Day
Loosen Up,
Lighten Up Day
14
Nat’l Medical
Science Liaison
Awareness &
Appreciation
Day
19
20
Black Friday
Nat’l Native
American
Buy Nothing
Day
Flossing Day
Heritage Day
Pins & Needles
Day
Int’l Aura
Awareness Day
26
Nat’l Day Of
Listening
27
Nat’l Sleep Comfort Month
Int’l Drum Month
Week 1: Give Wildlife A Break Week
Week 2: Fraud Awareness Week
Week 2: Dear Santa Letter Week
Week 2: World Kindness Week
Week 3: American Education Week
Week 3: Nat’l Hunger & Homeless
Awareness Week
Week 4: Nat’l Family Week
Week 4: Nat’l Game & Puzzle Week
www.rentandretain.com 19
december
SUN
MON TUE WED THU
Bingo’s Birthday Month
Nat’l Write A Business
Plan Month
Rising Star Month
Nat’l Tie Month
Safe Toys & Gifts Month
Universal Human
Rights Month
Write A Friend Month
Week 1: Cookie Cutter
Week
Week 1: Hanukkah
Week 2: Nat’l Handwashing Awareness Week
Week 5: Kwanzaa
World Aids Day
Eat A Red
Apple Day
Coats & Toys
For Kids Day
Int’l Ninja Day
Mitten Tree Day
Repeal Day
(The 21st
Amendment
Ends
Prohibition)
Put On Your
Own Shoes Day
Nat’l Pearl
Harbor
Remembrance
Day
Nat’l Cotton
Candy Day
Nat’l Roof Over
Your Head Day
SAT
Nat’l Cookie
Day
Nat’l Dice Day
sNat’l Fritters
Day
Wear Brown
Shoes Day
Santa’s List Day
2
1
Bathtub Party
Day
FRI
Hanukkah
4
3
Nat’l Brownie
Day
Christmas Card
Day
Take It In The
Ear Day
Nat’l Pastry
Day
Nat’l
Salesperson
Day
Human Rights
Day
Nobel Prize Day
Letter Writing
Day
Int’l Mountain
Day
UNICEF
Birthday
Nat’l Noodle
Ring Day
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
Worldwide
Candle
Lighting Day
Ice Cream Day
Nat’l
Bouillabaisse
Day
Bill Of Rights
Day
Nat’l Chocolate-Covered
Anything Day
Wright Broth-
Bake Cookies
Day
Poinsettia Day
Int’l Children’s
Day
12
Look For An
Evergreen Day
Oatmeal
Muffin Day
Violin Day
I'm Not Into
The Holidays
Nat’l Lemon
Cupcake Day
Day
13
Cat Herders
Day
14
Go Caroling
Day
Crossword
Puzzle Day
Mudd Day
Humbug Day
Int’l Human
Solidarity Day
World Peace
Day
er's Day
Nat’l Re-Gifting
Day
Zionism Day
15
16
Nat’l Date Nut
Bread Day
Underdog Day
Nat’l Maple
Syrup Day
17
Festivus
Christmas Eve
Roots Day
Nat’l Chocolate
Day
Nat’l Egg Nog
Day
Nat’l Roast
Suckling Pig
Day
18
Christmas
Nat’l Pumpkin
Pie Day
Nat’l Flashlight
Day
19
Boxing Day
Nat’l Candy
Cane Day
Nat’l ThankYou Note Day
20
Make Cut Out
Snowflakes Day
Look On The
Bright Side Day
21
22
Card Playing
Day
Tick Tock Day
Start Thinking
New Year's Eve
Pepper Pot Day
of Your Goals
Make Up Your
Mind Day
Nat’l Fruitcake
Day
23
Day
Nat’l Whiner’s
Day
26
24
25
No
Interruptions
Day
Universal Hour
Of Peace Day
27
20 www.rentandretain.com
28
29
Oct / Nov / Dec 2010
30
31
© 2010 Rent & Retain Systems, Inc.
DAYS &
DAYS
of fun leasing &
resident
retention
activities
Fast, easy and inexpensive ways to lease apartments, motivate residents, excite prospects and allow YOU
to have fun at work.
october
Shameless Self Promotion Month
…we’ll brag that 23 of our
residents have called us
home for more than 20
years.”
Go overboard tooting your
own horn! Use this “month”
as an excuse to really hit
home with folks why your
community is great.
…we’ll brag that our team
just received our Employee
Excellence in Ethics certificate.” (Ethics training is
HOT!)
Ads can say, “Since it’s
Shameless Self-Promotion
Month…
Determine what makes
your community special
(poll residents) and capitalize on it during Shameless
Promotion Month.
… we’ll brag we are the closest apartment community to
X (largest area employer)”
… we’ll brag our service
techs filled 96% of service
requests within 32 hours last
month.”
…we’ll brag our leasing consultant won top salesperson
award last month.”
© 2010 Rent & Retain Systems, Inc.
3rd Change A Light
Day
Splurge on customer service
today. Send out lightbulb
cutouts with the words
“Let Us Brighten Your Day!
Do You Need A Lightbulb
Changed? Let Us Know!”
to all of your residents.
Ask them to drop off their
Oct / Nov / Dec 2010
request at the office and
then let your maintenance
staff take care of it. Twitter,
MySpace and Facebook this
too. This is a great opportunity to sneak a referral
bonus onto the back of the
lightbulb. Ahhhh, now
we’re seeing the light!!!!
8th World Sight Day
Collect eyeglasses residents
no longer wish to keep.
Send them to “New Eyes
For The Needy” (http://
www.neweyesfortheneedy.
org/impact/drive.html).
This site has all of the information you need to run
a successful campaign from
beginning to end. www.
LionsClubs.org also has a
similarly terrific recycling
program for eyeglasses.
Call your local radio, television stations and newspawww.rentandretain.com 21
october
october
pers to get max publicity for
this event. Email this letter:
Dear Residents (And editor
of newspaper, and radio stations):
In honor of World Sight Day
we are collecting used glasses
for the needy. Everyone deserves a bright clear world and
we want to help!
Please drop eyeglasses off at
_________ from until ______.
Thank you!
Managers, follow up with
the radio stations and give
them a great story to go
along with it (with photos).
Ask them to keep a running
tab of glasses collected on
their social media sites. Let
them know how successful
your eyeglass drive was by
specifying how many people
will now have the gift of
vision thanks to their effort
and willingness to spread
the word.
9th Teddy Bear Day
Host a community Teddy
Bear Drive and donate those
soft cuddly balls of love to a
local charity of your choice.
Enlist the help of your sister
properties as well …or better yet, have a competition
to see which community
can gather the most bears!
22 www.rentandretain.com
Call your local radio stations or send them a giant teddy with a message,
“XYZ Community is hosting a Teddy Bear Drive in
honor of Teddy Bear Day.
Donations will be given to
Abc Charity (or your local
firehouse).”
Dear Radio Station:
Imagine this ...you are a little
kid and your house is on fire.
Of course you are scared, and
then -- out of nowhere -- a
fire fighter hands you a teddy
bear. That teddy bear is the
one thing that is familiar and
comfortable to you in the
midst of the devastation. We
want to help keep children
in this awful predicament.
Because of our desire to help
we are collecting Teddy Bears
for local police and fire departments to give to children
during times of crisis.
Please drop them off at ABC
Community from now until
______________.
28th National
Chocolate Day
Check out the Top Ten Selling Candy Bars
in 2010 and the year of
their introduction:
1. Snickers (1930)
2. Reese’s Peanut Butter
Oct / Nov / Dec 2010
Cups (1923)
3. Kit Kat (1935)
4. Butterfinger (1923)
5. Milky Way (1923)
6. 3 Musketeers (1932)
7. Baby Ruth (1920)
8. M&Ms (1941)
9. Oh Henry (1921)
10. Hershey Bar (1900)
Isn't it fascinating the
"youngest" candy bar is 59
years old (M&Ms)?
Design an Ad around stability and quality. Promote
your “older” community
like this:
Like These Candy Bars,
Our Community NEVER
Goes Out Of Style
It’s amazing the top 10
most popular candy bars in
the U.S. have been around
for so long! If responsible
for promoting an older
community, I’d gear my
ad campaign around this
list – quality and value will
always be top amenities
desired.
12th Chocolate
Milkshake Day
Bring your residents down
for an after-dinner treat!
This is one of the easiest
desserts ever! Give everyone a scoop of ice cream,
pour a little milk over the
top and let them squish it
around with a spoon until
it is mixed well! Easy and
yummy.
© 2010 Rent & Retain Systems, Inc.
14th National
Cream Filled Donut
Day
TOTALLY OBVIOUS!
16th Boss’s Day
Why not do something to
show your team members
you appreciate being their
boss? Treat your employees with a “My Boss Loves
Me” mug. Staffirmations
is a company whose main
goal is to get friends, employees, and bosses to wear
their worth for the world
to see. “I think therefore I
am” mentality. Check 'em
out: http://www.cafepress.
com/Staffirmations. These
are great because you don't
have to buy a huge quantity. ONE mug is just $12!
18th National
Cheeseburger Day
Bring the taste of summer
to your community tonight! Ask your residents
to bring their favorite side
dish or dessert to share.
21th Get To Know
Your Customers Day
1. Have a potluck with
your residents.
2. Twitter residents asking
for their favorite area restaurants/stores/dry cleaners, etc. Compile the info
and use it while leasing.
3. Put a fun questionnaire
on your MySpace or Facebook pages. The first 20
people who post a response
get a candy bar.
22nd Be Thankful
Day
Send out a sincere thank
you to all of your residents via Twitter, email,
MySpace, Facebook or the
ole fashion face-to-face!
27th Crush A Can
Day
...provides a great opportunity for your community to
recycle and help the town.
Ask all residents to bring in
their recycled cans (crushed
or non-crushed). Google
search or do a Yahoo
search for your local recycling center then take the
goods in and sell them for
cash. Donate all money to
your favorite local charity.
31st Happy Halloween!
It is sad that Halloween is
a bit controversial... so do
what you feel is best (and
check with your attorney
first). Here are some quickies:
-Halloween Breakfast with
cider and donuts.
-Costume Party or Parade
at your community.
-Costume Party or Parade
at your main office with
team members' kids.
-Decorate your front door
contest.
-Pumpkin Carving Contest.
-Send Halloween e-cards.
-More than 13 million (no
kidding) results showed up
when I Googled "MySpace
Halloween Layouts."
-Almost 2 million results
showed up when I Googled
"Twitter Halloween Backgrounds."
Keep it simple, keep it fun,
make it memorable.
Recycling rates high for amenities requested by residents.
You just have to love this
day! This day can be as
simple or as elaborate as
you want it to be. What is
so cool about it is that it’s
just filled to the brim with
possibilities! Here are a few
simple things you can do to
get to know your customers.
© 2010 Rent & Retain Systems, Inc.
Oct / Nov / Dec 2010
www.rentandretain.com 23
november
Military Family
Appreciation Month
A proclamation signed by
President Obama pledged
his support and appreciation for military families:
"The strength of our Nation
is measured not just by our
success on the battlefield,
but also by our ability to
support those families who
have made so many sacrifices for us." __"Time and
again, military families
have shown their heart
in the face of adversity,"
Obama said. "We have a
solemn obligation to ensure that while our men
and women in uniform
discharge their duties, we
do all we can to promote
and preserve the well-being
of their families. We must
also support the families of
our wounded warriors and
our fallen heroes who have
paid the ultimate price for
the freedoms we enjoy."
What you can do:
•Offer military discounts
this week (check with your
attorney first).
•Volunteer at or visit your
local Veteran’s Hospital.
http://www1.va.gov/opa/
vetsday or do a Google.com
search to “find a local VA
Hospital.”
•Collect money to donate
to the ARMED FORCES
CHILDREN’S EDUCATION
FUND, Inc. (AFCEF) http://
24 www.rentandretain.com
Veteran’s Day!!!
November 11, 2010
How Do You Honor Our Veteran’s?
Last year these companies showed their appreciation to Veteran’s like this:
Southwest Airlines let Veteran’s board their airplanes first on
Veteran’s Day.
Veteran’s Received FREE Meals from:
-Applebee’s
-McCormick & Schick’s Seafood Restaurant
-Golden Corral.
Knott’s Berry Farm offered free admission for a Veteran and
a Guest through Thanksgiving.
Colonial Williamsburg gave complimentary admission passes
to all military members and their families.
Mount Vernon (George Washington’s home) gave complimentary admission passes to all military members.
Lowe’s & Home Depot offered 10% off purchases on Veteran’s
Day.
What can you do?
What about teaming up with the local VFW or similar organization and hosting a spaghetti dinner or pancake breakfast?
Hang American Flags everywhere! Give the kids red, white
and blue chalk and have them draw flags. If it is cold or snowy
outside then plan ahead and ask your local newspaper for “end
rolls.” You can tear off enormous pieces and the kids (and
adults too) can make great big flags! Play patriotic music in
the office and then to wrap up Veteran’s Day, have a potluck!
What is more American than that?
Honor your veterans with drawings from the community kids
and let them know we love and appreciate their efforts and
devotion they displayed to give us freedom, liberty, and the
life-long pursuit of happiness! Is there a military hospital
nearby where you can send the messages?
Here is an idea that can you can put into practice every day of
the year. There’s no need to save your appreciation for someone
great for one day a year!!! In the area where I live we have
a very large military presence. Watching the sacrifices that
our local service members make is touching, to say the least.
In our community we like to honor our local military personnel by “buying a Marine a meal.” Often times, individuals in
our local community will pay for the meal of a single military
person in a restaurant as a gesture of appreciation. It feels
good to know that, if even in a small way, you’ve made a difference for someone who is willing to give up his or her life to
protect our nation. Try it and pass the word along.
Oct / Nov / Dec 2010
© 2010 Rent & Retain Systems, Inc.
www.afcef.org.
Contributions by mail can
be made by sending your
donations to:
Armed Forces Children's Education Fund, Inc. (AFCEF, Inc.)
PO Box 96503-35230
Washington, D.C. 20090-6503
(858) 232-5719.
•Collect money to donate
to the Fisher House (www.
fisherhouse.org).
What's the Fisher House?
For 20 years, Fisher House
has supported our troops
and veterans by providing housing for their loved
ones during their care and
rehabilitation at military
installations and VA medical centers around the world.
More than 130,000 families
have crossed the thresholds
of Fisher Houses around the
world. In March, 2010 they
were chosen as a recipient
of President Obama's Nobel
Prize award money.
Fisher House Foundation
111 Rockville Pike, Suite 420
Rockville, MD 20850-5168
[email protected]
(301) 294-8560 or toll-free (888)
294-8560.
Visit these sites for other volunteer or contribution opportunities:
www.operationuplink.org
www.uso.org/howtohelp/
www.cellphonesforsoldiers.
org
www.militaryfamily.org.
A BIG thank you from your
Rent & Retain buddies to
our military families. We
know firsthand what it is
like, and we thank you. It's
not something you "get,"
it's something you get
through.
2nd Cookie Monster
Day
Things to do:
•Give cookies to prospects
and residents.
•Rent a Cookie Monster
costume and be a Monster
Directional.
•Host a Sesame Street party
for the kids of your community.
•Post on your MySpace/
Facebook/Twitter sites
that you are giving away
Cookie Monster dolls to the
first 5 people who submit
an application today (great
for families). Amazon.
com and ToysRUs.com sell
Cookie Monster dolls.
CLOCKS FALL
BACK ON SUNDAY!
GOOD IDEA:
November 7th
Daylight Savings Time Ends
Hang signs throughout your community
reminding residents to turn their clocks
back today. Post it on your MySpace and
Facebook pages, and Twitter the 411 to
them.
© 2010 Rent & Retain Systems, Inc.
Oct / Nov / Dec 2010
www.rentandretain.com 25
november
Rent & Retain
"If we don't have
$49 a year to
spend on each
manager for this,
then we need to
get a serious grip."
-Management Company CEO
Give Rent & Retain Magazine to Each of Your Managers This Holiday.
Discount starts when you buy FIVE or more subscriptions.
Not many of us have huge budgets for employee holiday gifts this
year.
So why not give your employees a gift that will ultimately help you
make money through higher occupancy? That's right! A subscription to Rent & Retain is inexpensive and useful!
You know Rent & Retain Magazine helps you lease apartments
and retain right now. R&R is a super supplemental tool to help
you inspire your team members -- so send a copy to EVERY one
of your sites.
To quote a CEO of one management company, "If we don't have
$49 a year to spend on each manager for this, then we need to
get a serious grip." :-)
Just email us a list of your managers, and we'll mail R&R directly
to their mailbox. We can invoice you, or you can pay through our
secure site (rentandretain.com). Cost is $49 per property for the
year BUT YOU MUST BUY A MINIMUM OF FIVE SUBSCRIPTIONS to get the corporate discount. Email us if any questions
[email protected].
Our goal is to make success as easy as possible for everyone
involved, and to help your on site teams make their jobs joyful and
rewarding -- as well as to attract happy, fun residents!
Do it now -- we are keeping our fingers crossed you have $49 left
in each community's budget to make this happen.
P.S. Test drive us! We'll send enough copies for you to share at
your next managers' meeting. Just let us know where to send and
how many.
P.P.S. Inspire your team members and INVEST in them so they
can do their jobs better. What better way to motivate them than
to show them you believe in them?
26 www.rentandretain.com
Oct / Nov / Dec 2010
18th Great American Smokeout
Join the Fun! We love the
Cold Turkey Sandwich idea
(read below). Get together
with a sandwich shop and
give out turkey sandwiches
to folks at lunch who quit
smoking today. This is a
GREAT activity for employees in the main office.
Scoop: The rules are
simple: You just quit smoking for the 24 hours of
the Smokeout. Each year
during the Great American
Smokeout, the American
Cancer Society (www.cancer.org, 1-800-227-2345)
promotes local and nationwide activities that focus in
a light-hearted way on the
benefits of not smoking.
Here are some previous
years' activities:
* A national sandwich
shop company gave out
free "cold turkey" sandwiches and cookies to smokers
who turned in at least a
half pack of cigarettes.
* Newborn babies at
Washington's Columbia
Hospital received T-shirts
that said "I'm a Born Nonsmoker."
* "Don't Let Smoking Be
an Obstacle" was the slogan for a Houston activity
in which smokers ran an
obstacle course consisting
of oversized cigarette packs,
matches and ashtrays.
© 2010 Rent & Retain Systems, Inc.
moking.com/kopykit/reports/
smokeout.htm).
27th Nat’l Day Of Listening
53 Kids in our Community
Came To Our "Reading Is
Fun" day last month!
Use these Days & Days events in ads
because:
•If you put a picture in front of clients,
they'll get it in 10 seconds.
•Numbers in ads make your point more
memorable and descriptive.
•Plug your resident events and sense of community as much as possible.
* Preschoolers in Texas
played "Gonesmoke, a Tale
of the New West," wearing
red bandanas and Smokeout deputy badges.
GREAT sites to help you
host an event for the
Great American Smokeout: http://www.ucanquit2.org/facts/gaso/Ideas.
aspx. We especially like the
Quit Kits idea (gum, mints,
healthy snacks, and information about how to start
quitting and get through
those cravings).
http://ww2.cancer.org/
docroot/COM/content/
© 2010 Rent & Retain Systems, Inc.
div_Northwest/COM_5_1x_
Great_American_
SmokeoutbrCreating_A_
Smoke-Free_Workplacebr.
asp. This site includes
details on how to set up the
event and we especially like
this idea: Create a competition between departments
or regional offices to collect
the most "kept" pledges to
quit smoking.
Contact the American Cancer Society for information
on how you can participate, either as a "quitter" or
as a volunteer.
(As seen on the Internet July
7, 2010, http://www.quitsOct / Nov / Dec 2010
Studies show we only really
“hear” about 25% of what
the other person said. That
means if you talk with your
boss, customer, friend, or
spouse for 10 minutes, s/
he only really hears about
2.5 minutes of the conversation. Yikes! That’s not great
if you are in sales (or trying
to convince your boss you
need a raise!). Remember to
use more descriptive, colorful
words to keep her attention,
and add pictures as often as
you can.
“If you put a picture in front
of clients, they'll get it in 10
seconds. If you put 20 pages
of insurance documentation
in front of them, it puts them
to sleep."
- Terry Balding, Insurance
Agent
december
10th Salesperson's
Day
What is working and what
isn’t? Assess your community -- what makes it great
and what needs improvement. Take a look at your
resident activities; are they
serving their purpose? What
can you do to pack a bigger
punch each time you hold
one (What's missing? Are
YOU excited to attend?). Ask
residents for their input on
www.rentandretain.com 27
Q&E
Quick
& Easy
Ideas To
Do
Host…
•Recipe Exchanges
•Recipe Contest
•Pot Lucks
•Twitter/MySpace/Facebook
Discussions and Discounts
…to celebrate and promote:
OCTOBER
Apple Month
Eat Better, Eat Together Month
Nat’l Bake & Decorate Month
Nat’l Caramel Month
Nat’l Chili Month
Nat’l Popcorn Poppin’
Month
Sausage Month
december
are an awesome way of
getting fast feedback from
your customers.
Figuring out what is good,
bad or ugly about your
community is the first step
in becoming a super-star
community! And, expanding on what already works
will only make it better!
Remember people are buying an experience from you
-- their feelings really come
into play when they make
a decision. Find out what
works, and work it.
13th I'm Not Into
The Holidays Day
Do you have a cranky coworker? Defeat crankiness
with surprise gifts! Boost
your co-workers self esteem
and mood with Staffirmations! http://www.cafepress.
com/Staffirmations has the
cutest and truest ways to
bring someone right out of
their funk :0)
Find out what works, and
work it.
31st New Year's Eve
•Change batteries on your
smoke detectors today.
•Set your goals for 2011.
•Have a noon-day party
and count down to New
Year's at noon.
•Drink responsibly -- or
better yet -- go to bed early
and get a great start for
2011!
•Cheers to another great
R&R year! Thank you for
your support!
October is Bake & Decorate Month and Lemon
Cupcake Day is December 15th. Easy and Delish!
NOVEMBER
Nat’l Peanut Butter
Lover's Month
2 Deviled Egg Day
3 Sandwich Day
25 Thanksgiving Day
DECEMBER
4 Nat’l Cookie Day
7 Nat’l Cotton Candy Day
8 Nat’l Brownie Day
16 Nat’l ChocolateCovered Anything Day
28 www.rentandretain.com
Oct / Nov / Dec 2010
© 2010 Rent & Retain Systems, Inc.
GIFTS &
CRAFT
IDEAS
... for your next Kid's Club, Team Meeting or To Make At Home
CHOCOLATE SPOONS (OR PRETZELS)
Go to your local dollar store or discount supermarket and stock up on plastic spoons.
Melt chocolate in the microwave on 50% power for one minute. Continue melting
in 10-second increments at 50% power until smooth.
Dip spoons until generously covered with chocolate. Roll them in crushed peppermint candies, sprinkles, chocolate shavings or drizzle them with melted white or
milk chocolate. Lay them on waxed paper lined cookie sheet to cool down. For
chocolate-covered pretzels, substitute pretzels for spoons.
holiday guide
Inexpensive
PEPPERMINT CANDLE
Buy a large, plain, white unscented pillar candle and peppermint candies (round or
stick). Unwrap the candies. Using a hot glue gun or glue dots (found at craft stores),
glue candies all around the sides of the candle. Simple! You can do this with cinnamon sticks too.
MEMORY JAR
Great for bosses or grandparents or a retiring co-worker.
Ask people to send memories and pictures of the recipient. Put them all into a decorated jar. The recipient will love opening the jar to read the contents (or put the
items into a scrapbook).
© 2010 Rent & Retain Systems, Inc.
Oct / Nov / Dec 2010
www.rentandretain.com 29
holiday guide
SOUP CAN TEA LIGHT HOLDERS
Take a regular soup can and decorate with acrylic paint. Poke holes all over the can with a
nail. Add a small candle (votive or tea) inside.
RECIPE BOOKLET
Ask residents to contribute their favorite holiday recipes. Have the booklets printed online (www.kodakgallery.com, createmycookbook.com or www.microsoft.com/windowsxp/
articles/recipebook.mspx) or even photocopied at Kinko's.
PERSONALIZED
AFFIRMATION MIRRORS
Buy small mirrors (8×8) mirrors
from Ikea or the Dollar Store.
Print out the words (FUN! FABULOUS! GREAT! CHAMPION!)
onto clear contact paper. Etch or
"stick" or trace the words on the
mirrors.
Glitz up the mirrors with rhinestones, beads, whatever!
PERSONALIZED TSHIRTS
With fabric pens or paint, write
"#1 Dad," #1 Mom," or #1 Boss"
on a T-shirt or sweatshirt.
STAFFIRMATIONS
One of the best ways to motivate employees is to tell them
who they are, and not who they aren't. A mug or t-shirt that
sports the message "My Boss Loves Me" or "I Am Appreciated"
is bound to bring a smile to your employee's face. How about
co-workers? Tell them how much you appreciate them by
giving them a cute ringer tee that says "I Am Loved" or "I am
caring, smart, loyal, joyful and fun to be with".
Check out these easy and fun gifts at www.cafepress.com/
staffirmations. What's great abou this site: No minimums on
how many of each item you need to buy. Need only 1 "my
boss loves me" mug? No problem! Just $12.
FANCY CANDY APPLES
You will need:
Red Delicious or Granny Smith apples
Semi-sweet Chocolate (about a half cup for each apple, depending on taste)
Wooden Sticks or Skewers
Cellophane Wrap
Toppings of your choice (peanuts, coconut, cookies, etc.)
Melt the chocolate in a double-boiler on the stove. Skewer the apples and dip into melted
chocolate. Roll into a topping and allow to dry. Wrap in cellophane and add a pretty bow
for a festive look!
FELT-BACKED TILE TRIVETS
Buy neat-looking tiles from a home improvement store. Using a hot-glue gun, add a layer
of felt to the back of a 6x6 (or larger) tile. Done! Use this to protect tables from hot drinks
or dishes.
30 www.rentandretain.com
Oct / Nov / Dec 2010
© 2010 Rent & Retain Systems, Inc.
Salt Dough Ornament Recipe
4 cups of flour
1 cup of salt
1-1/2 cups of hot water
holiday cookie cutters
decorations - glitter, paint, beads, etc.
Directions:
1. Make the dough.
2. Use Christmas cookie cutters to cut a variety of snowmen, Christmas trees and stars.
Use a toothpick or straw to make a hole for
hanging (make the hole a bit bigger than
normal as it may close a bit upon baking).
3. Using a microwave-safe plate (not paper or cardboard), microwave a plate of your ornaments for 1 to 4 minutes, increasing the time by 1 minute increments until hardened.
Let the ornaments cool completely before decorating.
CANDY CANE VASE
You will need:
30 to 40 Candy Canes
2 strong Rubber Bands
Clean Tin Can (old coffee cans are great!)
Evergreen Trimmings - cedar, pine, spruce, juniper or holly
Wire-edged Ribbon
Instructions:
1. Place a strong rubber band around the middle of the tin
can.
2. Begin inserting wrapped candy canes into the rubber
band so the hooked part of the cane faces outward. The
candy canes may tilt at first but will stay upright once the
last ones are in place. Put a second rubber band around the
outside of the candy canes.
3. Tie a wire-edged ribbon over the rubber band and make
a nice bow.
4. Add sprigs of fresh evergreen trimmings to the tin can.
Gorgeous!
© 2010 Rent & Retain Systems, Inc.
Oct / Nov / Dec 2010
holiday guide
MICROWAVE SALT DOUGH ORNAMENTS
"Christmasgiftsuggestions:
Toyourenemy,forgiveness.
To an opponent, tolerance.
To a friend, your heart.
To a customer, service.
To all, charity. To every
child, a good example.
To yourself, respect."
– Oren Arnold
www.rentandretain.com 31
Rent & Retain Magazine’s
INDUSTRY
RESOURCE
GUIDE
FREE full color marketing materials for each participating
property. Ask about our Rent & Retain special pricing!
Property manager Terry Ragland leased 17 apartments in one
week with the AIM cruise promotion. Others have increased
renewals up to 100%... Call or email us for a free marketing kit.
AIM (Advertising Incentives &
Marketing) *
Apartment Guide *
3585 Engineering Dr #100
Norcross, GA 30092
678-421-3000
www.apartmentguide.com
6056 Dovetail Drive
Agoura Hills, CA. 91301
1-866-541-9090
www.AIMcruise.com
AIM is the #1 provider of Cruise incentives for the multihousing industry.
As rental markets ebb and flow, property management
companies are on constant watch for the latest trends to
differentiate their properties from others in community.
Aim’s Cruise incentive program is helping property managers
throughout the country to increase leases, retain more
residents and reduce concession costs. Management
companies are utilizing this effective incentive program
by offering residents a 5/Day 4/Night Cruise for Two to
Mexico, the Bahamas or the Western Caribbean on every
new lease or renewal. Many lease ups have implemented
the Cruise promotion with outstanding results. Aim offers
the best price, customer service fulfillment... Guaranteed!
All cruises are booked on well-known luxury superliners such as Carnival. These packages are loaded with
all the great amenities like a 4A stateroom, gourmet
meals and snacks, shows & entertainment and 24-hour
complimentary room service. The best part is its high
perceived value of $1798.00 to the resident, and its $139$169 cost per certificate to the property! AIM also includes
32 www.rentandretain.com
Apartment Guide - the Consumer’s most trusted Rental
Housing infor-mation provider for over 32 years. Attracting
more than 3.5 million online visitors monthly & 20
million print readers annually, Apartment Guide and its
sister media product, Rentals.com, connect apartment
homes & pre-qualified residents quickly and easily. User
studies show 1 in 3 consumers reuse Apartment Guide
as their primary source of rental housing information.
Cruise 4 Two
Coastal Marketing & Incentives, Inc.*
4815 El Camino Real
(866) 541-8077 x 16
www.Cruise4Two.com
Fax: (805) 460-9798
Cruise4Two & Coastal Marketing is the leading provider of
5-Day 4-Night cruise incentives for companies nation-wide.
Providing quality incentive marketing solutions for both our
client’s and their employees, we will help you to be more
successful in today’s competitive business environment. The
Cruise certificates are very cost effective as low as $145.00
per certificate.
Oct / Nov / Dec 2010
© 2010 Rent & Retain Systems, Inc.
Let’s face it; earning your residents loyalty is more challenging
than ever. Those that can reward and build a relationship
with their residents will be the ultimate winners. People
love to take cruises. It’s a chance to get away and experience
something totally different – with friends or family. Plus,
cruise incentives perform better than any other type of
reward, discount, amenity or travel incentive program.
“The high perceived value of the cruise allows us to compete
in a very soft market without having to resort to offering the
huge concessions our competition is offering. The pairing of
the cruise certificate with a modest discount has been an
unbelievable success!” Chris Pratt Property Manager
Whether you want to increase new leases, retain more
residents or just reduce concession costs Cruise4Two is
here to make it happen. We include high quality full color
marketing materials for each property including; Posters,
Door Hangers, Desk Displays, Kitchen Counter and Bathroom
Sink Counter Toppers, Cruise Flyers, Be-back Cards, Renewal
Door Hangers and Flower Leis ( A Party in a box) at no
additional charge. You’ll also be treated to the best customer
service in the travel incentives industry…Guaranteed!
As the leader in the premium and incentive industry, we
have travel programs to fit every budget and every type of
promotion. Plus, we can ship travel certificates overnight
which is ideal for those who are busy and are putting
together that last minute marketing campaign.
(866) RENT-002
[email protected]
www.propertybridge.com
PropertyBridge is a leading provider of electronic
payments for the multifamily housing industry. Many of
the largest and most respected property management
companies nationwide use our award-winning web-based
platform to efficiently and cost effectively collect resident
payments.
The PropertyBridge Payments Platform enables residents
to pay rent and lease-related transactions using credit/
debit cards, Automated Clearing House (ACH), check
scanning, PIN-less debit, and cash payments at 40,000
MoneyGram agent locations, including Walmart. Our
flexible payment solutions can be fully integrated
with your accounting systems allowing organizations
to centralize payments and streamline core business
processes.
We’re owned by MoneyGram, a global financial services
leader that processes $250 billion annually. With 2500+
employees worldwide, 100 years of experience and worldclass call and data centers, we have the infrastructure to
meet your reliability, security and support needs.
PropertyBridge understands the importance of electronic
payment adoption. That’s why our service includes
sophisticated marketing programs, adoption reporting
and dedicated account management to help you achieve
a high ROI. As a result, our clients enjoy some of the
highest adoption rates in the industry
Grace Hill Inc. *
3633 Wheeler Rd., Suite 230
Augusta GA 30909
866-472-2344
www.gracehill.com
[email protected]
Grace Hill, Inc. is the multifamily industry’s leading provider
of state-of- the-art online education. The company’s
Apartment Management Learning Center provides dozens
of property management specific courses, including Fair
Housing, Leasing for A Living, Mold Awareness and Mindy
Williams’ Resident Retention course. Free course previews
are available in our Learning Center online at www.gracehill.
com.
© 2010 Rent & Retain Systems, Inc.
PropertyBridge
Interested in learning more? For more information
on PropertyBridge and its leading family of payment
solutions call us at (866) RENT-002 or email us at info@
propertybridge.com. Rent & Retain subscribers get a free
Cost Savings Calculator at www.propertybridge.com/
retain. Find out how much your organization could be
saving by automating payments!
Oct / Nov / Dec 2010
www.rentandretain.com 33
Property Solutions International, Inc.
522 South 100 West
Provo, UT 84601
Phone: 1.877.826.9700
Fax: 1.801.705.1835
www.propertysolutions.com
[email protected]
We are proud to serve numerous NMHC Top 50 and other
firms such as Riverstone, Colonial, Lane, JPI, BRE, Bozzuto,
Gables, Forest City and Picerne.
Property Solutions International, Inc. provides industrychanging property management software to the multifamily
housing industry. (more)
Property Solutions prides itself on accomplishing the
following three objectives:
Reducing Manager Stress
Increasing Resident Satisfaction
Enhancing Profits
Property Solutions achieves these objectives by providing
easy-to-learn software that effectively integrates apartment
community website features with existing property
management software.
SatisFacts Research *
2360 W. Joppa Road, Suite 322
Lutherville, MD 21093
Phone: 866.655.1490 x123
[email protected]
www.SatisFacts.net
The Strategic Solution
7015 Woodridge
Flower Mound, TX 75022
(817) 430-4549
www.thestrategicsolution.com
The Strategic Solution, a Dallas-based operations support
company, offers on-line policy and procedure manuals. These
manuals may be purchased “off the shelf” or customized to
your company’s specific information. Leasing & Marketing,
Management & Operations, and Maintenance (English or
Spanish) manuals are available. This web-based version
allows you to edit and update easily on an on-going basis for
immediate availability to your team. Features include: real
time updates, one page standards and quizzing capability.
For an online demo and information about other products,
go to www.thestrategicsolution.com.
RentandRetain.com
[email protected]
Having worked with over 1,000,000 units nationally,
SatisFacts is the industry’s premier resident satisfaction
research provider, as well as the industry’s leading
authority on resident retention. Our Resident Relationship
Management Services™ are powerful tools that help clients
reduce costly, controllable turnover and increase ROI!
Ensuring quality service requires com-munication. Our suite
of products delivers critical feedback throughout the resident
life-cycle. “Annual” phone, web and written surveys are
effective management planning tools, and our web-based
Insite™ Move-In, Work Order and Pre-Renewal customer
service tools provide on-going feedback. From only $299/
community/year, Insite™ is a cost effective, 24/7 customer
service safety net which replaces time-consuming and
burdensome in-house response card programs.
34 www.rentandretain.com
Other services: associate and client satisfaction survey
programs; takeover studies; work-time analyses and
consulting services; education and support programs.
You love it, so share the love! We offer a $20 referral bonus
to you if a friend buys a subscription ($79) on our website.
(Just have them put your name in Promo Code box.) Easy!
* Member of the
National Supplier’s
Council
Please tell our vendors you saw their listing
in Rent & Retain! If interested in being listed
in the Resource Guide, please contact
[email protected].
Oct / Nov / Dec 2010
© 2010 Rent & Retain Systems, Inc.
A
Always Be Closing, 14
B
Bonus Updates, 28
C
Checklist: For Apartment Service, 4–6
Christmas Sayings, 11
Community Thanksgiving, 17
Contents, 2–3
Craigslist: Know The Rules, 7–9
Craigslist: What Managers Have
Found, 8–9
Crockpots Rent Apartments, 12–13
D
Days & Days Of Fun Leasing &
Resident Retention Activities,
21–28
December Calendar, 20
Discounts For Multiple Subscriptions,
26
F
Fall Sayings, 10
Free Bonus Updates, 28
Frosty At Fairlane Meadows, 4
G
Goofy Costumes, 16–17
H
Halloween Sayings, 10
Holiday Guide, 16–17; 29-31
I
Industry Resource Guide, 32–34
L
O
October Calendar, 18
R
Reader Mail, 4–6
Recipe: Slow Cooker Tuscan Beef Stew,
13
Recipe: Southwestern Chicken &
White Bean Soup, 13
Recipe: Spaghetti 'N Meatballs, 12
Resource Guide, 32–34
Resources: For Online Marketing, 9
S
Sayings: For Holidays, 10–11
Service Checklist, 4–6
Slow Cooker Tuscan Beef Stew, 13
Southwestern Chicken & White Bean
Soup, 13
Spaghetti 'N Meatballs, 12
Staffirmations, 30
Subscription Discount, 26
T
Tellers vs. Sellers, 14
Thanksgiving Sayings, 10
V
Veteran's Day Sayings & Quotes, 11
W
What Managers Have Found, 8–9
When You Believe In What You Sell,
People Believe In You, 15
www.ad.gogopin.com, 9
www.bakeextracookies.com, 9
www.photobucket.com, 9
www.postlets.com, 9
www.rentsentinel.com, 9
www.vflyer.com, 9
Always Be Closing, 14
Crockpots Rent Apartments, 12–13
When You Believe In What You Sell,
People Believe In You, 15
11 Inexpensive Gifts & Craft Ideas,
29–31
Community Thanksgiving, 17
Days & Days Of Fun Leasing &
Resident Retention Activities,
21–28
Service Checklist, 4–6
11 Inexpensive Gifts & Craft Ideas,
29–31
Christmas Sayings, 11
Community Thanksgiving, 17
Fall Sayings, 10
Frosty At Fairlane Meadows, 4
Goofy Costumes, 16–17
Halloween Sayings, 10
Thanksgiving Sayings, 10
Veteran's Day Sayings & Quotes, 11
© 2010 Rent & Retain Systems, Inc.
LEASING
Crockpots Rent Apartments, 12–13
M
November Calendar, 19
Craigslist: Know The Rules, 7–9
Craigslist: What Managers Have
Found, 8–9
Frosty At Fairlane Meadows, 4
Resources: For Online Marketing, 9
Sayings: For Holidays, 10–11
RETENTION
HOLIDAY GUIDE
N
MARKETING
LEASING
Leasing, 12–15
Marketing, 7–11
My Mission Super-Tees, 15
index
11 Inexpensive Gifts & Craft Ideas,
29–31
Oct / Nov / Dec 2010
MANAGERS
Discounts For Multiple Subscriptions,
26
Staffirmations, 30
What Managers Have Found, 8–9
www.rentandretain.com 35
Rent & Retain Systems, Inc.
PO Box 182234
Coronado CA 92178
*All prices guaranteed through 1/1/11
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if you work the system.
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