It doesn’t matter if you’re a retail newbie or seasoned industry vet, everyone can use a refresher on how to canvass. Which is why JLL has implemented a Specialty Leasing boot camp, facilitated by Tracey Hatley the Director of Specialty Leasing for JLL. In this course, attendees dive into the fundamentals, and receive training on how to navigate the changing retail landscape to ultimately engage the right merchants to create unique retail experience for shoppers.

During the first boot camp, held this past summer, attendees brainstormed with peers, discussed current leasing challenges, received hands-on negotiation training and learned new ways to face rejection when cold-calling. Participants walked away feeling motivated and energized, ready to use the best practices they learned.

Day one was all about canvassing. The group participated in a canvassing scavenger hunt at two Atlanta malls. During the activity, they talked about the art of canvassing different stores and evaluating signage and merchandise layout. The activity was designed to gage their canvassing skillset and ability to identify potential retailers. They kept a lookout for: unique concepts they hadn’t seen before, potential expansion operators/concepts, exceptional visuals, and great store signage and merchandise layout – and of course the bad signage and visuals.

Day two focused on Specialty Leasing fundamentals. The group discussed sales approaches, how to evaluate space and the rent they should ask for, how to evaluate sales and master negotiation tactics. They also took a look at each individual property’s forecast for the year and helped plan one particular property’s remainder of the year.

One attendee shared that, “this was the best training I’ve ever attended.” At the end of it all Tracey found the boot camp to be, “An eye opening experience. It helped us to understand that when we take on properties, the knowledge base they need may not always be there. Our initiative moving forward is to continue holding more boot camps to get more field employees involved and motivated.”

For more information on having your properties’ Specialty Leasing Managers go through boot camp please reach out to Tracey Hatley.

Tracey Hatley
Director of Specialty Leasing Services
Office: +1-678-765-7628
tracey.hatley@am.jll.com