Are you planning a retreat or conference for 2012?  Would you like your team to experience Brainstorming 2012, too?  We have the perfect, budget-friendly solution for you!

Register your team for Brainstorming 2012 (if you do it by December 30th, you'll pay ONLY $225 per person for the complete event experience, including Trendstorming, Active Educational Sessions, the Interactive Multifamily Marketplace, and more!) AND we'll help you plan your corporate event on the Monday and Tuesday before Brainstorming begins, or the Friday at the end of Brainstorming week, so your event will occur seamlessly with ours!  Our 2012 Group Discount also applies, so for every five participants you register, you'll get the sixth FREE; and this year's accommodations are also amazingly affordable at only $119/night for a single/double SUITE at our host hotel; making Brainstorming an even MORE affordable destination for your corporate team event!*

You'll receive:

• Complimentary event space in the Rio Pavilion area (our Brainstorming event area) on Monday, Tuesday, or Friday of Brainstorming week**.
• Complimentary internet access in the event area.
• The benefit of our amazing industry-wide connections to help you staff your event with our famous Brainstorming Facilitators, a special Keynote Presenter, or Professional Multifamily Trainer(s), if needed, at a fabulous rate!
• The opportunity to let us arrange for your audio-visual equipment and catering needs; so you'll receive the benefit of any discounts or reduced pricing we're able to negotiate in conjunction with Brainstorming.
• All the free advice you can use, anytime you need it, to help make your conference or retreat a spectacular success thanks to our combined decades of professional event planning experience!

Space is LIMITED and will be allocated on a strictly first-come-first-served basis to teams that are fully registered and paid, so don't wait!  Register your team at www.Brainstorming.Multifamilypro.com and contact us NOW at info@multifamilypro.com or call 727.940.5211 to get the planning process started!

We're looking forward to hearing from you soon!

- Team Multifamilypro

**Complimentary space in the Rio Pavilion is available beginning at 12:00 AM on Monday, 11/5 and ending at 5:00 pm on Tuesday, 11/6, and from 12:00 AM through 11:59 PM on Friday 11/9, 2012.  Several spaces of various sizes (from approximately 2,000 to 9,000 sq. ft.) are available; and we'll help you choose the best space based on availability, your agenda, the size of your group, and your event set-up needs. If you need space other than / in addition to what's available on a complementary basis, we can help you arrange that, too; though the hotel may charge a nominal fee depending on your needs.

*You may change the name on a paid Brainstorming registration at any time, so once paid, your registrations are still secure even in the event of turnover. You may even purchase seats now for individuals who are yet to be determined ... just type "TBD" in the attendee name on the registration form and let us know who'll be attending later! You might also find it useful to know that many companies handle securing the expense of nonrefundable airfare with a signed agreement that the employee will reimburse the company for the cost of the fare in the event that the individual elects to change employment and/or is terminated before the travel date (be certain to consult your legal counsel for advice before implementing such an agreement).

Here's an excellent way to recruit associates. I did this to get potential leasing candidates, but it could be used for any position. It was a huge success!

One of the issues we determined needed immediate attention was
recruiting. My suggestion was to host a FREE SEMINAR on what it takes to be a leasing consultant. We decided to try the idea and target individuals in the retail and restaurant markets, because as a leasing person they would have better hours.... no more night shifts and better benefits and perks.

To prepare, we secured the use of a training room for a two-hour session. We placed an ad in the restaurant section of the newspaper on Friday, Saturday, and Sunday. It was also placed in the retail section on Sunday. Seating was limited to 30 participants.

We created handouts using the Leasing Consultant Job Description Welcome Page. Candidates were paired up and used the sheet to gather information, so they could stand and introduce each other. (A great way to identify outgoing personalities!) We also distributed our Human Resource brochure, pens with the company job line number and email address, and blank job applications

We had attendees sign in with their names, phone numbers, and current job industries.

WOW!! What a success! We had over 40 people call and sign up. Twenty actually showed up. Out of the 20, 19.... yes 19, are good candidates! Eleven stayed and filled out an application. The Regional manager set up interviews for the next day.

We have even had several candidates stop by the area office to fill out an application because they could not make it to the seminar. A few have called and asked when will we offer the seminar again!

The following is a breakdown of where these candidates are from:

4 - no current job

2 - retired

1 - student

2 - convenient store

2 - restaurant

1 - federal government housing

1 - medical records clerk

1 - telemarketing

1 - retail

1 - receptionist jewelry shop

1 - real estate paralegal

1 - payroll/benefits

1 - field interviewer

1 - clerical

Contributed by Donna Olson,  when she was the SW Regional Education Director, Equity

1.   Don't use the word "take-over"—ever when changing apartment management companies! This implies a hostile environment and immediately puts existing employees on the defensive. Use instead "transition.”

2.   Keep in mind that the transition, regardless of how smoothly it goes, will initially be very stressful for the existing all on-site employees.  Treat them with respect and empathy.

While the reality is that some will not prove a match with your company, they are people—parents, spouses, Little League coaches, Sunday school teachers—just trying to make a living.  And they are probably scared to death. You can rest assured that your interaction is the main topic at their dinner table tonight!

Be sensitive, professional, and kind. And don't make any career promises.

3.   Don't go onsite without a Plan. No one appreciates strangers hanging out, watching them work. You can observe a LOT while doing something productive. Just make sure you aren't overtly staring while pretending to work or making a non-essential phone call. They have eyes and ears.

4.   All Transition Team members' activity must be carefully planned, coordinated, and prioritized before anyone calls or visits the site. Nothing is more frustrating for the onsite employees than a dozen "armies of one" who are convinced their own mission deserves all of the staff's attention.

5.   Keep in mind that conscientious employees will feel that the operation must go on while you're trying to accomplish your "transition" objectives. Don't take it personally if they get up to answer the phone while you're attempting to shed light on how to fill out a form.

6.   When trying to teach your company’s procedures and policies, keep in mind that you have to "sell" the reasons why what you practice makes sense. Show the benefit to them. No one over the age of four responds to "Because I said so."

7. Catch them doing something right. While it may be that your firm was brought in to help improve the operation, no one likes to be constantly criticized. And, unless you have a busload of trained employees outside ready to walk in and assume every position, you need (at least some of) these people. Constant criticism creates terrible morale.

8.   Learn quickly to perform your own area of expertise at that property. Whether it is leasing, doing unit turnovers, or handling a resident's concern, you will make much swifter progress if you can lead by example.

So if the phone rings, and you are trained to handle a leasing call—just do it. And do it well! Actions speak much louder than words. You are demonstrating your company’s philosophies and standards in whatever you do, and you will be amazed at how much more effectively what you do is imitated than what you say is obeyed.

9.   "If you touch it, you own it." Disaster occurs when someone pops in from the "outside," stirs up the operation, and disappears.  Establish continuity and ensure results through constant communication and follow-through.

10.  Keep objectives clear. "Baby steps" are usually okay, as long as there is consistent measurable progress. So always praise the heck out of each "baby step" that is accomplished, and continue to reinforce in a positive manner the benefit of why you do what you do.

Relax! And make it fun!

by Tami Siewruk

I’m certain you’ve noticed all the talk about “benchmarking for success” over the past couple of years. It’s such a sensible approach that I’ve found myself wondering why it isn’t more prevalent in our industry. I’ve come to realize that the reason is the same as in most situations where change is called for. The biggest implementation obstacle is simply getting started. I’d like to help you become more familiar with the concept, so you can confidently get started on the right track.

How Benchmarking Really Works

A benchmark is simply a point of reference—a standard against which all future results are judged. A benchmark determines what is “normal” or average. It’s a measurement we carry into our future efforts to determine if we are above or below average. Consider that recently one of the CNN factorials stated that, “the apartment industry currently has a 50 percent turnover of all its’ tenants.” If 50 percent is the industry’s benchmark, how does your company or community stack up? What is your current resident turnover? The answer will give you a starting benchmark (a goal to beat).

If you’ve been with your company or community for several years, and have had the opportunity to observe and measure occupancy and income, then you likely know what is average and can set objectives that either maintain the status quo or call for some level of improvement or increase. Let’s say your average occupancy is 95 percent. This becomes your benchmark against which objectives for evaluating the effectiveness of all new efforts are set.

There are three basic types of benchmarking:

1. Competitive Benchmarking
2. Premiere Benchmarking
3. Internal Benchmarking

Competitive Benchmarking compares your community or company’s performance against either the best in the multifamily industry or your direct competitors.

Premiere Benchmarking involves studying or evaluating the “best of the best” in a specific area of performance. This benchmarking process calls for going outside our industry to learn new ways of improving “business as usual.”

Internal Benchmarking is the internal measurement of specific areas of performance over time. This benchmarking process involves study of individual, company, or community-wide efforts.

To help determine if you’re ready to start benchmarking for success, and to identify what information you may be lacking, use the Assessment Form below.

Benchmark Assessment

Organization:__________ Date:_____ Conducted by:_____________

Total Boxes Checked:                                  _____+_____+_____ = _____

The total of all boxes checked is your Total Assessment Score