A skill that helps in getting Token Advance faster
On 11th September 2024, I sent the following message to all potential tenants who had previously contacted me via WhatsApp about vacancies in our rental units. These users had visited our rental property website before reaching out to me.
Message:
On 14th October 2024, we will have one unit available on the 2nd floor of Sri Vishnu Nilaya. If you are interested, do get in touch with me.
More details are available at: https://1bhkhouse.com/
Arun
A few people replied, but one stood out as more interested. He responded:
“I’m interested.”
Whenever someone expresses interest, I inform them to visit the property. In this case, the interested individual was in Kerala and said he would come on 19th September. He asked a few additional questions not covered on our website, which I answered.
Next, I informed him that we only reserve the room for those who pay a token advance of ₹5,000.
Student replied:
“That’s ok. My Google Pay limit is over. I will pay this evening.”
In my experience, users who give reasons like limits or delays often don’t take immediate action.
I replied:
“No issue. However, a few other students are also interested in our property. They may reach out by 4 PM, and if they pay in advance, we will need to offer it to them. I just want you to be aware.”
Student replied:
“Ok.”
Despite this, it seemed like he still wasn’t ready to take action. So, I shared a screenshot of my conversation with another student who was planning to visit the property that evening.
Student replied:
“Opps.”
I replied:
“We have more students in the queue…”
Student replied:
“Can you share your GPay number?”
I sent him my GPay name and number, and shortly afterward, he shared a success screenshot showing he had transferred the ₹5,000 token advance.
Key Takeaways:
-
Creating Urgency Works
I didn’t create fake urgency. Instead, I highlighted the genuine interest from other students, which prompted him to act quickly. People rarely act without a sense of urgency, but when it exists, they tend to make decisions faster. -
Trust is Built Over Time
- He had been on my rental property email list since May 22, 2024 (almost 4 months when I sent availability email)
- He first reached out on August 23, 2024 (from 1 month he has actively asking) but I told him there were no vacancies then.
- He found us through our rental website, which ranked highly on Google.
- He was possibly tired of searching for an ideal house, making him more willing to secure a trusted option.
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Verification is Crucial
While urgency helps close deals, it’s vital to never skip tenant verification, especially for families or working professionals. We only rent to college students and have had no major issues so far. However, we learned the hard way when we rented to families in our early days.
When handling rentals, focus on:
- Building trust over time.
- Using urgency to prompt action (ethically).
- Verifying tenants properly before finalizing agreements.
These strategies ensure a smooth and efficient rental process.