Cathy Otterbine

Expert on: Closing Skills, Communication Skills, Creative Thinking, Customer Service, Fair Housing, Follow-Up, Hiring, Leasing Skills, Marketing Strategies, Resident Retention, and Time Management

About Cathy Otterbine:

Cathy began her experience in the apartment industry over 20 years ago as a leasing consultant on-site for 810 units. She knew she had found her niche when she was awarded the top leasing award for 435 leases her first eleven months. She progressed through the ranks to become a marketing and training director, which eventually led to running a management company.
Her vast knowledge coupled with electrifying delivery has made her an industry favorite. She currently speaks on over 50 different topics covering every position from porter to president. Her unique combination of sophistication and humor packs every seminar with knowledge and practical ideas while you laugh and relate to her real life experiences.
Cathy currently provides training for management companies nationwide offering the industry powerful information and dynamic ideas. In addition, she supports Apartment Associations throughout the nation and has spoken at NAA, TAA, IREM and Multi-Housing World. Cathy offers private seminars customized to meet the specific needs of individual management companies. This multi-talented lady is one you won’t want to miss!

Topic Descriptions

Attitude: Your Priceless Possession
Attitude will determine your success and how long you can stay on top! In this seminar, explore how attitude can empower everything you do . . . and you’ll learn the most exciting truth of all!
Attention, all on-site staff: Are you using your priceless possession?

Fired Up! The Art Of Motivating Your People!
Our people are our most valuable asset but we somehow manage to send messages to the contrary. Believe it: If you give an inch, you’ll get a mile! Learn about creative ways to send a positive message and win admiration, dedication and loyalty with “little things” that turn a group of individuals into a closely-knit team.
Corporate Personnel, Managers, Assistant Managers, Marketing Directors, Maintenance Supervisors - be prepared: This seminar will offer constructive criticism to those already at the top and those on the way! You’ll laugh, you’ll cry, you’ll learn!

Give It Up! (Delegation)
“Never mind, I’ll take care of it.” “Just put it on my desk and I’ll do it myself.” Sound familiar? Plan to attend this essential management seminar and gain career strength – because delegation clears time for your important managerial tasks such as planning, directing, organizing and motivating.
Designed especially for busy Upper Level Management Personnel, Managers, Assistant Managers, Leasing Directors and Maintenance Supervisors.

Lead and Succeed!
Leading and managing people presents our biggest challenge and often our biggest headache – but can also be the most rewarding experience of our lives. This session is packed with ideas for using powerful people skills that will put you light years ahead of your coworkers and your competition. (When you start getting exceptional results, you’ll make them wonder just what you’re doing!)
An important learning experience for Corporate Staff, Marketing Directors, Managers, Assistant Managers, Senior Leasing Personnel and Senior Maintenance Personnel.

Customer Driven
This seminar explores factors affecting the success or failure of companies. The message driven home concerns the critical need for (and the importance of) customer service, with applications for resident relations and the entire leasing, management and maintenance processes.
For absolutely everyone who comes in contact with prospects and residents.

Front Line Customer Service
It’s not enough to smile and make promises. Residents want ACTION! Learn tactical maneuvers for front-liners and 10 principles for creating resident satisfaction and long-term loyalty.
A “MUST” for Supervisors, Marketing Directors, Corporate Staff, Managers, Assistant Managers, Leasing Consultants and Maintenance Personnel. Source: Front Line Customer Service by Clay Carr.

Dances With Wolves: How To Deal With Difficult People
Don’t miss this entertaining and extremely enlightening approach to dealing with your boss, prospect or resident, employee, spouse or child. Leave with a warm heart and valuable insight.
A “MUST” for everyone who feels stress in business or personal relationships.
Be A Nutcracker (How To Deal With Nuts And Not Crack! )
Yes, it’s easier to work with people than against them – but that’s easier said than done. Learn how to work less and accomplish more. Tackle 12 conflict-creating personalities such as “The Critic,” “The Martyr,” “The Perfectionist” and “The Cynic.”
If they’re driving you nuts, learn how to stop it right now! This seminar is for absolutely everyone.

Color My World!
Get to know yourself and others via the highly acclaimed Birkman Method. Learn to improve your relationships, rid your life of stress, manage your career and accomplish your goals. Are you a Red, a Yellow, a Green, or a Blue? You’ll find out in this seminar and be on your way to a better understanding of why we do the things we do at work, at home and at play.
For everyone who embraces personal growth. Source: True Colors by Roger Birkman, Ph.D.

Mental Boot Camp
Are you armed for the battles of life and career? Do you need more ammunition? Take control of your outlook, boost your performance, and learn how to enhance the lives of those around you.
Attention, entire Corporate and On-Site Staff: Attitude is contagious. Is yours worth catching?

Can We Talk? Perfecting The Employment Interview
Learn numerous techniques and more than 100 powerful, penetrating questions to make your interviews productive and successful. From ice breaking to skill-specific probes, great interviewing skills are essential for managers and supervisors . . . and for those who plan to be supervisors in the future!
Designed especially for Corporate Staff, Marketing Directors, Managers, Assistant Managers, Senior Leasing Consultants and other Supervisors.

Keep Climbing The Ladder!
Because Maintenance personnel and Assistant Managers are such key people in our industry, they’re perfect candidates, for promotion to ever-higher management positions.
For all those superstars who want to continue to climb the ladder, this is THE seminar!
It’s a look at the BIG PICTURE; the actual operations side of management; and it’s also perfect for leasing personnel who think they might want to move to the management side of operations.

Killing Me Softly
Is your job worth dying for? Well, the truth is that stress CAN kill you, although it can also be turned into positive motivation for your life.
If you think you may be among the 95 million Americans who suffer from stress, this seminar will help you identify where the pressure originates. Do your family, work, social environment (or all of the above!) cause you stress? If so, tune in. You’ll hear expert advice and proven techniques for dealing with every one of your stress-related problems.
For everyone who needs help coping: Don’t miss this fabulous life skills experience!

How To Become A Leasing Machine
Feeling discouraged and overwhelmed by new product and stiff competition? If so, you NEED this seminar, based on the #1 International Best Seller, The Seven Habits of Highly Effective People, by Stephen R. Covey.
Why do some people become superstars while others with the same ability remain status quo? Come find out! This session will definitely change the way you “do life!”
Meet a few local Leasing Machines and watch them in action as they role-play to demonstrate their talent.
Especially for Leasing Personnel and Assistant Managers, this will be an event featuring “Power-Packed Tools” and motivation!

I Need A 48-Hour Day!
REALITY CHECK! There will simply never be enough time.
Come learn ways to increase your efficiency so your workload diminishes. Time management is a necessary skill and you MUST develop it if you plan to succeed.
This is a great seminar for everyone who is working harder but not smarter: Join us and we’ll make it fun, we’ll give you the secrets of saving time and we’ll discuss the ten biggest time-wasters.
We each get only 168 hours per week. How do you use yours?

What Do Your People Say About You?
This image workshop will reveal your body style and the type of clothing you can purchase to maximize your strong points and minimize your weaker areas.
Also, there’ll be loads of tips and tricks to help you achieve that professional, “finished” look.
Want to know which colors you should wear and which you should avoid? Need information about the best ways to get the newest look in makeup?
Join us for help to make the most of what you already have – and learn how to become your most impressive self!

I’m The Boss. (NOW WHAT??)
People skills will literally make you or break you.
This seminar deals with myriad issues facing “the boss” every day.
Learn about the fatal errors of management, effective supervision techniques, what employees expect from their leaders, and tough decisions facing bosses in today’s sometimes-contentious employment environment.
Join us! This learning experience is a “must” for Leasing Directors, Training Directors, Managers, Assistant Managers, Lead Maintenance Supervisors and Corporate Supervisors at all levels.

Are Your Wires Crossed?
Make the right connection and get re-wired for strong, successful telephone sales!
By the time the telephone rings, a huge amount of marketing dollars has already been spent for advertising, imaging and promotion. If telephone sales are not up to speed, how scary is THAT??
This telephone technique seminar is helpful for everyone who answers the telephone and it’s a “MUST” for leasing personnel.

Ready, Set, Go!
This leasing seminar will take you from the very beginning “must-do’s” of the leasing process all the way through feature/benefit selling and overcoming objections. Don’t miss this one! It covers myriad subjects critical to high closing ratios!
This seminar for: Absolutely everybody who assists prospective residents.

Marketing: Ready, Aim, Fire!
WHAT’S HOT? WHAT’S NOT? Where are we headed? And . . . how are YOU going to keep up with the new high tech product on the market?
Start by popping those balloons, please, and join us for a close look at what must be done in various sub-markets if success is to be attained and maintained!
This seminar is for everyone in our industry.

Marketing: When, Where, and How?
Attention, all on-site staff members: You must have this information!
This seminar covers the basic principals of marketing and carefully explains how they must be applied to your community. For example, there really IS a terrific resident for every apartment home and you’ll find out how to identify them, reach them, push their hot buttons and retain them as happy residents for years to come.
Don’t miss this learning experience. The perspective you gain can be the foundation of your success!

New Ways To Say What You’ve Always Said
An exploration of the varied areas of the leasing process, with a great new twist! This time, we’ll look at new ways to say it – using Words That Sell , a literal thesaurus by Richard Bayan.
For all office staff members: Load your minds with unique descriptions in lieu of tired clichés! Fill your creative bag with superlatives that don’t sound stale! Want to be a super-communicator? Don’t miss this opportunity for growth!

How To Correct The Biggest Mistakes Made By Leasing Professionals
This humorous approach to a sensitive subject helps us laugh at ourselves (before the prospects do!) and learn, learn, learn. Does your capture rate vary? Do you lose control of the sale?
Don’t miss this powerful and informative seminar, absolutely terrific for all on-site personnel!

Behind Closed Doors – The Demonstration Process
Learn every aspect of the demonstration, from beginning to end, and gather fresh, new, creative ideas about presenting and selling your community!
Designed especially for leasing staff members; also great for anyone who assists prospects.

The Art Of Non-Manipulative Selling
Develop a warm, genuine, consultative selling style for use with today’s savvy prospects.
This seminar presents the use of a critical undertone while it covers the entire leasing process. It’s a great new approach for a leasing staff and for all on-site personnel who need polish!

Closing: Converting Prospects Into Residents
A look at the REAL reasons prospects lease and how to apply the non-manipulative selling approach for an effortless transition. Why turn the heat up when a slow simmer would work?
For all on-site personnel: Switch gears and learn how to turn people on; not off!

Closing: A Whole New Vocabulary
Do you know your closing style? Take the Closing Styles Survey Test to understand what will work for you – and take home ten fresh and powerful closes for your repertoire!
Leasing Personnel: Learn direct closing, indirect closing, personalized techniques and MORE!

Closing: A Fresh Approach
From the information superhighway and double-income families to single parents, the needs of prospects have changed dramatically. Better tune in, or they’ll tune you out!
For everyone who leases: Learn to meet needs as the underlying power behind the close.

Closing: Are You In Style?
From closing styles to the anatomy of a closing process, learn about 9 potential pitfalls and 10 laws of closing – for in-depth selling benefits!
Are you closing 75% of your traffic? If not, sign up today!

Closing: How To Avoid Getting “No” For An Answer
Learn to understand people and the things that make them react positively or negatively, learn to recognize buying signals, and learn to avoid getting “stumped” by an objection.
For all on-site personnel and especially for the leasing staff: Don’t miss this one! We’ll be closing all morning!

Open The Door – Close The Lease!
This power-packed seminar is a combination of the high points of Showing It Off – The Demonstration Process and Gotcha Covered – Overcoming Objections. Come see how easy it is to close the lease during the demonstration process. Learn feature- benefit selling, learn which rooms to demonstrate first, gather marketing ideas to help cinch the sale, and begin using new and creative ways to overcome inevitable objections and secure a successful close!
A fabulous learning experience for all Leasing Personnel!

Advanced Closing: Reality Leasing On The Fast Track!
PERFECT for the seasoned leasing professional, this seminar addresses the psychology of selling, types of prospects, strong techniques, challenging scenarios, and tough objections.

Follow-Up: Going The Extra Mile!
The national average closing ratio is 32%. If prospects aren’t closed on the first visit, you’ll need unique, new, fresh ideas for your follow-up so they’ll put you at the top of their list.
This seminar is for leasing personnel and others who assist prospects. Join in and learn about sure-fire ways to make them WANT to come back and lease. Don’t lose the leases that are right at your fingertips!

Does It Make Cents?

This “operations-minded” seminar exposes leasing personnel to the concept of net operating income and the countless ways leasing performance impacts the bottom line! Need new wallpaper or carpet to close the sale? Just watch what happens when expenses go up and rents go down . . . or vice versa! If your company promotes from within, you must have this knowledge!

Fundamentals Of Property Management And Marketing
Employers: Don’t take a chance on the skill and knowledge level of your new-hires.
This fundamentals course covers the basics of various management and marketing systems, explained in easy-to-grasp segments, for a solid overview of how all the pieces fit.
From curb appeal to resident retention programs, from The Greeting to “saving” a potential move-out, attendees will achieve an extraordinary comfort zone – and so will you!

Raising Rents Without Raising Cain!
Yet another rental increase? Don’t miss this seminar! Learn to use a proven system including how to plan components of a sample letter to residents, how to overcome
really tough objections, and how to present a sophisticated explanation of market conditions to diffuse the anger of irate customers.

Smooth Operator
From scheduling make-readies and move-ins to preparing for inspections and analyzing your current marketing strategies, you’ll learn how everything you do affects the value of your property!
Come see (and perhaps be amazed!) at what happens to the N.O.I. when you raise occupancy just 5% and lower expenses just 2%!
Managers, Assistant Managers, and all employees who are on the fast track to a management position: Join us and catch a glimpse of the “Big Picture.” You’ll leave with some foolproof techniques to assure you of having a “smooooooth” operation.

May I Ask Why You’re Moving?
A great learning experience for the entire on-site staff, especially maintenance personnel, this session puts the spotlight on how various staff members affect resident satisfaction. Because resident retention begins on the day the lease is signed, this seminar takes attendees through the move-in process, lease renewals, rent increases, resident services, resident activities and much, much more – ending with the thought that if we’ve done it right they probably won’t be moving!

Move ‘Em In. DON’T Move ‘Em OUT!
Half this seminar comes from The Power of Leasing (covers each step of the leasing process) and half from May I Ask Why You’re Moving? (covers resident retention). Re-formatted to fit an operations outlook, the content is mega-comprehensive.
Attention, On-Site Office Staff: Get this blast from two extremely popular seminars so everyone who deals with residents can be exposed to dozens of powerful ideas and techniques!

Fair Housing: Learn, Understand, and Have No Fear
Beginning with a simple explanation of a complex set of laws, this seminar fully explores the way leasing and management personnel are required to assist prospects and residents. It also presents the owner’s or management company’s compliance responsibilities and it explodes myths and misconceptions (No, we don’t have to offer an apartment home to EVERYONE!).
If you deal with prospective residents and you don’t understand the Civil Rights Act, the Fair Housing Act, and the Americans With Disabilities Act, this is the learning experience for you!

 

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