Lamb in Outer Space and Other Property Management Marketing Tools

Um, attention grabbing, isn’t it?

(Photo found on geekstir)

The truth of the matter is, more than half of all property managers are self employed. That means you get to set your own hours, pick your own clients, take as many vacations as you want…and find all of your own business.

Some of the best property managers in the business have difficulty making a living because they are simply unable to market themselves well. Regardless of the stellar property management services you provide, if no one can find you, your business won’t take off.

So, while we may all be laughing at the photo of Brad Lamb’s head pasted onto a sheep’s body in outer space which is wearing socks, apparently, Mr. Lamb and his team are doing something right. Not only do they have an HGTV show in Canada called “Big City Broker”, but they are known as one of the most successful private real estate groups in North America.

Are you still laughing?

Yeah, I’m feeling a little sheepish too (badum ching!). Well, here are some easy things to consider when marketing yourself and your property management services to the masses.

1. Choose a niche – whether or not you’re a property management all star, it’s easier to focus your marketing effort on a specific group of people, at least to get started. Don’t worry about showing off your versatility, with success will come the opportunity to expand. Pick the type of property or area you’d like to focus in and build your way up from there.

2. Brand yourself consistently – like when choosing a niche, use a logo, brand colors, or slogan consistently. It might seem boring, but building up a presence requires making yourself familiar to your audience.

3. Use the internet – obviously, if you’re reading this post, you already have some knowledge of what the internet can do for your business, but it’s amazing how many quality managers are still only in the phone book or have only a simple landing page with their contact information. Take advantage of the web’s resources and make yourself more visible:

• Create an interactive website that potential clients can use as a resource
• Utilize social media; make yourself easy to find and a voice within the online community
• Use online rental listing sites; make your potential client and renter pools as large as possible

4. Be creative – okay, so maybe don’t start with the photoshopped ad with your head pasted on a farm animal’s body, but use the same spirit and enthusiasm. Property managers with photo-business cards are ten a penny. Find a way to make yourself stand out.

5. Persevere – if you don’t see instant results, it doesn’t mean your efforts aren’t working. Give your marketing efforts time to be soaked up by the industry. Take the opportunity to network at real estate events or even through the online community you’ve recently joined.

In any case, when you’re working for yourself, you get out what you put in (like notoriety for being a lamb-astronaut in space). If you take the time to build a brand online and in person, you’ll be sure to fill up your schedule and have a successful management business.

A New Niche for Property Managers on the Horizon?

With the huge kerfuffle in the housing market of late, the time has come for creative solutions.

In order to combat the rising foreclosures and housing vacancies, officials are looking at potentially allowing homeowners who have fallen behind on their mortgage payments to stay in their homes by becoming long term rental tenants.

First, let’s outline the positives:

1. It would cut down on vacant homes
2. Allow homeowners to stay in their houses
3. Give banks a chance to recoup some of the loss on the mortgage
4. Provide a new type of investment

Here are some issues that come to mind:

1. How long would a homeowner have to rent his old house before being able to think about purchasing a house or even moving again?
2. How can the transfer from mortgage to rental agreement be made without disrupting the mortgage markets?
3. If a homeowner defaults on his mortgage on account of being jobless, why would it be any easier for him to pay a “fair rental amount” on his home than his current mortgage payment?

In addition, this scenario brings up another interesting possibility; if a solution like this were to be put in place, would professional property managers have a new niche to fill?

Think about it, if banks become the primary owners of homes, but the former owners have signed a long term lease to stay on as tenants, doesn’t this then revert to a traditional rental scenario? Homeowners would no longer be responsible for things like repairs, updating, or even some types of regular maintenance, and banks would need to hire professionals to ensure their assets are being well cared for.

Does this seem like a viable solution for a foreclosure market driven by both the housing crisis and rising unemployment? What other creative solutions might work to get the housing market back on track?

2009’s Top Corporate Real Estate Services Provider Goes To…

A hearty congratulations to Jones Lang LaSalle, who was recently recognized as the “best overall provider of corporate real estate services”  by the Watkins 2009 Survey of Corporate Real Estate Service Providers.

Ranked highest in every category that corporate real estate professionals were polled in –including the top ten categories deemed most important– Jones Lang LaSalle topped the list of 19 candidates and was named the unequivocal market leader and acknowledged exemplary provider in the industry. Over 200 CRE higher-ups were consulted, including members of 59 Fortune 500 Companies, 37 Financial Times Global 500 Companies, and eight government agencies.

We here at PMN, we always like to recognize excellence in the world of real estate and property management services, and Jones Lang LaSalle’s global presence and commitment to its clients are no exception.

Indeed, it is always refreshing to hear about large, worldwide companies being recognized in a positive light versus the scandals and white collar crimes that usually dominate reporting in the realm of high stakes investing and real estate. Well done, Jones Lang LaSalle, well done.