2. Making a connection - marketing yourself

Marketing yourself to get what you want. How do you do it? Basically it boils down to what is the interest of the other party you are marketing to.

1. First impressions.
If you really wish to get the house you like and has a chance to talk to the Landlord, you have one foot at the door. In this case, first impressions count. Obviously, if you dress in dirty clothing, you are out of the game.

2. Be Prepared.
If you bring along your testimonials and character references to let the Landlord view them, it will be great. No doubt, the Australian Landlord leaves it to the realtor to view your papers and do the necessary check up. You assume all realtors are professionals and honest. Like all service providers, there are black sheep and laggards. Therefore, if the Landlord has viewed your papers and if the realtor said bad things about you owing to various reasons, the Landlord will notice the discrepancies.

I have Singapore students e-mailing to me wanting to see practice in Toa Payoh Vets without saying much about why I should welcome them. I am surprised that many of them don't even bother to send in their resume or character reference. One girl from a top JC even told me that she had not started her "resume-writing" course yet and therefore did not have a resume. Some applicants come without bringing in any educational certificates for the interview. Some mothers accompany the girl or two girls come at the same time.

3. Know what the Landlord likes to talk about. At the first meeting, both of you will talk about the rental house. It does not stop you from chatting about the Landlord's profession, hobbies and families. Although such matters may seem invasion of privacy, you may not want to talk about such topics in case the Landlord gets offended. If you don't try, how do you know? If the Landlord says he loves Bali, you can carry on the conversation about Bali (if you have read widely). What is Bali famous for? Why is it so attractive to Australians? Culture, Nature, Beaches, Business, Dances, Arts.....................................

As you engage the Landlord in his favourite topic, he remembers you. All other students usually talk about terms and conditions and yet you are able to carry on a conversation of interest to him. Obviously, you must be well read to be able to do it. But if you can do it, I can say that 99% of the time, the Landlord will favour you as his tenant.

4. Follow-up. If you read about successful people, many of them do follow-up.

In conclusion, making a connection to the prospective customer/landlord is what will enable you to be more successful in closing the deal.