Read to the bottom of this post as I have an offer for you.
In some respects I hate that I am about to suggest this and at the same time I think it might have merit if executed properly. We know that there are on average ten or so touch points in an average resident cycle. In other words there are no less than ten opportunities to communicate with a resident.
That in mind and under the guise to satisfy a need by small company regional managers for on-site property managers to do grassroots or outreach marketing, (I really don’t believe in this kind of marketing, it’s tacky and terribly ineffective) I propose the following.
Think about the communication pieces as opportunities to create ad revenue from your hyper-local retailers, service providers and restaurants. You could create an inventory of ad space that you could then sell to your vendors. Think about your welcome letter being sponsored by Subway or your service requests sheets being sponsored by Home Depot or your renewal letter being sponsored by Target or Bed, Bath and Beyond. Think about your resident notices about dog poop being sponsored by that big pet store (the name escape me at the moment).
And, if you don’t have a community blog, get one now. It also creates an opportunity to do some hyper-local advertising. One thing that Google has taught us is that relevant ads get clicked on or used if you will. The fact that we have all this hyper-local information right at our finger tips gives us the most relevant information that any resident would appreciate. Or, at least I think so.
What do you think?
The first five people to send me an idea in the comment section will be registered to win a copy of this book;
Technorati Tags: apartment touch points, apartment marketing, multifamily marketing, mike brewer
0 Responses
I like your ideas of sponsorship by local merchants… but what about a “Welcome Basket”? Solicit coupons and small gifts from local vendors and retailers… restaurants, movers, babysitters, gas stations… the list is endless! Ask the donor to give you a retail value of the item.
Put all into a “welcome basket” (that you bought at the Dollar Store) and attach a retail value to the whole thing. Offer it as a move-in bonus for your potential tenant. “Sign up today and get this Welcome Gift Basket worth $400!” Local merchants love the FREE advertising – remember to tell them that ‘new move-ins’ are forming new buying habits. If they don’t get the new move-ins as customers, their competition will!
I like your ideas of sponsorship by local merchants… but what about a “Welcome Basket”? Solicit coupons and small gifts from local vendors and retailers… restaurants, movers, babysitters, gas stations… the list is endless! Ask the donor to give you a retail value of the item.
Put all into a “welcome basket” (that you bought at the Dollar Store) and attach a retail value to the whole thing. Offer it as a move-in bonus for your potential tenant. “Sign up today and get this Welcome Gift Basket worth $400!” Local merchants love the FREE advertising – remember to tell them that ‘new move-ins’ are forming new buying habits. If they don’t get the new move-ins as customers, their competition will!
You nailed it, Mike, but I think the number of touch points could be increased significantly through digital mediums.
Our industry can take a clue from the out-of-home advertising industry, which is making the switch to digital displays in a big way. We’ve seen a lot of success by locating networked displays in the leasing center, mailroom, elevator, parking garage, etc. Obviously, it has to be minimally intrusive, but these screens drastically increase the amount of available “inventory” and potential impressions throughout the property.
Your point is well taken that it needs to be executed properly… otherwise, it ends up being more annoying than a TBS promo (tinyurl.com/5jjr2s).
On the blog, I like the feature that LifeAt offers in their “Marketplace” and “Neighborhood Guide” sections — they place basic listings for all the local businesses… it would be easy to extend this concept on a blog by allowing those businesses to “enhance” their listings for a price.