Apartment Social Media
Purchasing feedback: I will pay you vs. I will give you something free
Read the following tweet this morning [RT @[xyz] @[abc] Suggest that you give away a free Flip to every prospect/resident that creates a [management company] Experience Video, Beats free rent] – it really got me thinking.
I have read both sides of this issue and have taken the position that if you disclose that you are paying for and or giving something away in exchange for an endorsement then frankly it’s okay. It really comes down to what is in the eye of the beholder. And, I think, at the end of the day, if a person really wants a product/experience they will go and get it/have it despite the persons of influence in their lives. They may read and listen but if they want it – they want it, period.
My real point here is that the above tweet implies that it’s okay to give away a Flip in exchange for an endorsement. Moreover it specifically states that it’s better than giving away free rent. On that point I ask: What’s the difference? – give away free rent or buy 20 Flips to give away – either way you hit the bottom line. Sure buying the Flip is cheaper and brings along a novelty that escaped the free rent give away long ago but it’s still an expense. It’s just a different form of currency. Marry it with a “you get the Flip free “if” you give me an endorsement and you have really marred the picture but I will leave that for future conversation.
For now – I really wonder what the community thinks – Is the Flip, used in this sense, a form of currency that could be construed as purchasing feedback? If so, is that okay? Would it pass a Yelp sniff test? Do you think the masses really care? Would you give equal stage to people who would speak conversely about your brand experience? Is it better than free rent? If so, why?
Using Wave to Market Apartments
Can you imagine a service that combines email, instant-messaging and document sharing? Well now you don’t have to; Google Unveils a Conversation Service called Wave – WSJ.com.
This struck me as I am currently working on a piece that is relative to
the next generation of the Internet; Web 3.0 or the Semantic Web and in
my opinion this speaks directly to it.
This is a fascinating topic in that it really boils down to search
engine sites racing to organize web content around a set of standards –
standards that would ultimately give meaning to web pages. Meaning so
precise that any search term you typed in would yield the exact person,
place, thing or in our case apartment that you were looking for.
Imagine searching for a $612 second floor one bedroom apartment facing
Forest Park in Central West End of St. Louis and boom you get it. Add
the words; near someone I know and boom you find one right next to one
of your Facebook friends. Google’s Wave is for all intents and purposes
a way to organize conversations in such a way that they have a more
precise meaning to the end user. How might something like this be
useful in our space?
Using Wave we could generate a message on the topic of a recently
vacated apartment home and the need for a new resident. We could then
send it out to our permission based user set [read: resident
evangelists]. Maybe we tie an incentive to it or maybe we don’t. The
point is the evangelist would then go to work finding their next
neighbor all the while content is being organized. Each time that
happens Wave gets smarter and each time the end user gets a richer
experience in yielding exactly what they search for. And, over time the
scenario above becomes more realistic. It all makes my spin. You think
social media is fun? The Semantic web will bring a whole new meaning to
apartment marketing. And, just when you think you can’t take anymore
the Web in things will be in full force.
And, with that I must hit the publish
button as it is 2:33AM and I have a big day planned with my kids.
Have a famous weekend.
M
Related Story:
Will Google Wave Eliminate the Need for PR as Media Relations?
Rentwiki – The Classy Approach to Sales
I really enjoy the Rentwiki approach to sales. Below is an email they sent out on the eve of AIM – just classy if you ask me. Looking forward to meeting up with them.
Because a party should be a party w/o shop talk I’ve included a few bullet points below for your review. You can expect me to not talk about work unless you truly want to.
RentWiki is a brand new Internet Listing Service that provides peer advice on where to live, social networking, and the latest and greatest in apartment advertising on the web.
- WE upload all of your content for free; YouTube videos, any virtual tour, and unlimited photos and floor-plans
- Facebook and Twitter integrated; bringing more content, connections, and social networks to your prospects allowing them to answer questions and give neighborhood advice so you don’t have to.
- Free Widgets including Walk Score and contributed content sharing for your own corporate or property website
And you only pay $10 for every LEGIT renter lead. That’s right… the least expensive cost per lead in the industry (you’ll pay $40+ per lead elsewhere)!!
- We review EVERY lead, eliminate the trash and duplicates, and only charge for the true legit renter lead
- Why do we do this? So you don’t have to!! Our goal is to deliver quality not to inundate you with a ton of leads to filter through in order to find the legit ones.
- Set your monthly lead limit, change it at any time you wish, and come and go as you please… WE HAVE NO CONTRACTS!
Anyway… looking forward to hanging out with you at The Lucky Strike on Thursday night from 7-10PM!!!!
Feel free to call w/ any questions!!! Seriously… I love to talk about work but I know you wont at a party!!!!
—
Steve Wiley
WikiDirectorDudeman, National Sales
www.RentWiki.com/blog
http://twitter.com/WikiWiley
c: 404-771-7302
f: 770-458-2522
support: 877-458-2520 support@rentwiki.com
wiley@rentwiki.com
Apartment Community Blogs – Are they the Real Deal?
The Daily Sauce is the real deal; this content is never paid for.
I receive this blog via email on a daily basis and am very impressed by the fact that each and every post leads with the above disclaimer. The Daily Sauce posts three snack sized sound bites on local businesses or happenings in and around the Saint Louis area and the fact that they are not paid for the content gives me an innate trust for what they have to say.
I see the trend emerging where more and more multifamily players will embrace a blogging strategy for the reason of increasing traffic to their respective web sites. It’s well worth the effort for a number of reasons we have discussed here in the past but one thing I would caution you against is paying third parties to pen your posts and or accepting payments from vendors in exchange for glowing reviews. I think in either case the content is marred.
I am certain there are others schools of thought out there on the subject so please feel free to drop us a comment.
We will undoubtedly post more on the subject of community blogging in the future.
Until then – have a stellar weekend.
M
Is Social Media Making You Tired?
I received the following message on 4.20.9 from a person I would consider a treasured mentor in my life;
Subject: So I’m worried about you
I would like you to read “The Mindful Brain” by a guy named Siegel. I think you are dis-attuning yourself to a deeper level of awareness and consciousness with this twitter/30 second thought process/Facebook life. These are cruise ship recipes, not intimate meals where the provenance of your food is known. This must seem so contrary on my part to say and I surmise you think your are enjoying the height of a social media experience. Maybe so but I say this only with concern for you. Take stock, my friend, and when you do be sure you still have long walks and ample period for reflection. If you can do that and do this, more power to you. [End]
My instant reaction – thank the one that governs all that is and ever will be as I have never been so tired at any span of my professional career. Up at 5:00 and down at 1:00 or 2:00 every day of the week. The culprit? Social Media coupled with an addictive personality.
With some irony, the message above came to me two years to the day that I left Equity Residential. Sign? – Maybe a little far reaching but it quickly took my mind to two songs that stir my being every time that I hear them;
Down in a hole – Alice in Chains
Comfortably Numb – Pink Floyd
I have long considered myself a mindful person – one who takes the time to be thoughtful of the world around me. One who cares about the origin of stuff and things and the deeper thoughts and feelings of people. That is until two years ago when I put work and social media before family and just two days ago I was heavily reminded of it. Until that time I’ve been down in a hole and comfortably numb – Tired. Dis-attuned as my friend so eloquently put it.
All that being said, I am under no illusion that I will walk away from the cherished relationships I’ve developed by participating during the height of social media – I will however, with no doubt, be more mindful of the time I spend participating.
And, to my friend, thank you for being mindful of my being. I will be taking stock.
To all, thank you in advance for allowing an occasional off topic message.
Have a mindful rest of the week.
M
