You spend thousands each month in advertising to get the phone to ring. But if you haven’t armed your leasing agents with a killer telephone script, you could be missing out on converting potential renters. Follow these seven steps to build a telephone script that is both easy for agents to follow and engaging for prospects.

1.    Standardize the greeting.

‍All leasing agents should answer the phone the same way every time. Open with a welcome or thank you for calling. Be sure to include the property name and the leasing agent’s name in the greeting. But just as important as what’s said is how it’s said. Train agents to speak clearly and not too quickly. Their jobs are often fast-paced, but they need to slow down so callers can understand what is said.

2.    Allow for (reasonable) deviation when appropriate.

After the greeting, consider providing direction rather than strict scripts for the rest of the conversation. When employees read word for word from scripts, it shows.

Instead, set expectations on how the leasing agent should direct the conversation, what types of information should be shared and gathered, and what next steps should be. If you have certain words, phrases or questions you want leasing agents to state verbatim, such as “Mediterranean-modern architecture,” say so. Otherwise, allow agents to find their own voice.

3.    Collect guest card info up front.

‍One seamless way to do this is to have agents ask for the caller’s name and callback number in case they get disconnected. Tell agents never to rely on the number that shows on caller ID.

4.    Have your agents direct the conversation.

Leasing agents should treat every inquiry as an opportunity to gather information. If a caller inquires about availability, the agent should ask how many bedrooms they’re looking for and how soon they’re looking to move. If they want to know about the neighborhood, they should ask where they’re moving from. If they’re calling to inquire about your pet policy, asking what kinds of pets they have is a natural.

5.    Build rapport judiciously.

Prospects are much more likely to sign a lease with someone they feel a connection to, so encourage your leasing agents to build rapport from the very first phone call. An easy way to do this is to comment on relatable information the caller divulges. “Oh, you have a Springer Spaniel? I had one growing up! Great dogs, aren’t they?” Or, “That area code … Are you from Florida? I used to go there every summer.”

6.    Talk up the amenities.

Chances are, prospects have already looked at your website or listing before calling, so there’s no need to provide a laundry list of amenities. Instead, use the time to get descriptive about a few amenities that will most appeal to the caller.

This is where that rapport-building pays off. “Sparky and you will love socializing with other dogs and their humans in our perfectly manicured pet park!” Be sure to include a benefit along with the amenity, giving prospects a reason to appreciate it. And use descriptive words that bring amenities to life, even if it means breaking out a thesaurus. Expansive countertops and soaring ceilings are much more attractive than big and tall ones.

7.    Set an appointment.

The moment you’ve been waiting for! Leasing agents should always close by attempting to get the prospect to take the next step—usually coming in for a tour. Rather than simply offering an appointment, relate back to a detail garnered during the conversation. “I’d love to show you where you and Sparky can play ball. Are weekdays or weekends better for you?”

Having a generalized script with plenty of room for customizing the conversation can increase a leasing agent's likelihood to convert leads to prospects. But how do you know if your script is working or if your agents are actually using it? LeaseHawk can help! We measure agent performance for your teams, i includes trained analysts that evaluate and review your employees’ calls with actual prospects, so you can easily identify areas that need improvement.

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