Apartment Marketing: glancee vs. highlight

Hi all

Rarely do I do two posts in a day but I could not pass this one up.

I think it goes without saying that the proliferation of platforms that draw us more and more near the people that we want to touch in some way is just crazy. And, that trend is forever taken to new heights this time of year when the famed SXSW technology and music conference in Austin, Texas kicks off. This is the conference where tech and musician startups jockey their way to internet and main stage stardom. Remaining on the tech side of things, it was in ’07 – that Twitter was the darling of the event. And, in ’09 it was Foursquare that stole the show.

Over the weekend, I caught a piece written by Robert Scoble about two companies that, by his early estimations, are the show stoppers for ’12. glancee and highlight are two to watch. The detailed piece on the two companies is over at TNW.

Apartment Marketing

A couple weeks ago I wrote a piece on the future of apartment interest graph marketing where I talked about IGs becoming the route to deep and meaningful relationships that lead to more fruitful business.

glancee and highlight speak to right to that vision. Scoble describes the two services like this;

So why will these two apps be so hot at SXSW? Well, when you’re walking down Sixth Street in Austin, new names will pop up on Highlight. You can see their titles. Their hometown. Their interests, er, Facebook likes, and how many they have in common with you. Where they are. Which friends you have in common on Facebook. Then you can message them with something like “I noticed you like the Next Web, I’d like to meet you, can we do that?” I’ve done this dozens of times walking around San Francisco and it hasn’t failed yet to get a meeting.

Apartment Marketing Gone Creepy

I will admit there is a creepy factor at play here. There is something innately weird about these kinds of services. And, in the same respect, maybe not. We do sign up to participate, right? We throw creepy out the door by opting in. That said, it might turn out to be a very cool way to speak to people who have similar interest to you and more important – your community.

It makes finding that community personality that I mention in the interest graph piece even more important.

I mean, can you imagine strolling in front of a downtown apartment community  only to have our team give you a shout out as it relates to your love the Saint Louis Rams? (The community in the link above sits right in front of the Edwards Jones Dome where the Rams play) I know, I know – it’s hard to believe anyone would care about the Rams. But, if you did and we were able to strike up a conversation that ultimately lands you in our office then we both win. If the creation of that bond is crazy compelling – it will be shared.

So much flying through my mind on this one – would love to hear your thoughts if you get a minute today. Hit me up in the comments.

The world of marketing is shifting once again and Interest Graphs are  – well – interesting.

Your always interested in the interesting multifamily maniac,

M

pic credit to TNW.com