Apartment Marketing Ideas
Using a Resident Packet as a Sales Tactic?
Would you do this?
I clipped this from the Call Source Newsletter I received via email this morning.
“Every successful property in 2009 will have a New Resident Packet. This two-pocket folder organizes all the tools needed to lease an apartment, and integrates the new selling strategies into an easily usable packet. In advance, the leasing team builds the right-side pocket of the folder to include an application, pen, guest card, business card, sample floor plans, site maps and other vital leasing materials. This right-side pocket is a portable leasing station that allows a leasing consultant to be completely prepared when the customer arrives, giving them the ability to lease whenever, and wherever, the customer is ready to sign.”
I don’t know about you but I would feel this sales job and I hate being sold – I like you to be my friend first. You don’t become my friend by subtly introducing me to a bunch of FREE stuff, just like you would not encourage your friend to live a healthier life by shoving a fist full of vitamins down his/her throat. Chunk the gimmick – just be a friend. A friend without all the reasons in the world on why – you will be more well received.
It does make me wonder – do we do this sort of thing to please our superiors – it gives the perception that we are doing something useful. Do we do it because we think the prospective resident will want it? Have we ever stopped to ask people if they really cared to have it. Not sure of the stat but most people will take stuff from you even if they don’t want it. My suspicion is the stat is high that most people don’t care for the clutter.
Just my opinion on a stellar Friday morning.
M
Less is More
I ran across the following quote today and thought about the implications it has on our industry. While I know this is not new material, it does remind me that we need to be mindful of the ways we can decrease our carbon footprints.
Wal-Mart is pushing to become “packaging neutral” by 2025. No small feat. The impact of this decision has had profound ramifications in the entire consumer product industry.
Are you still printing 4 color high-gloss brochures, floor plans and portfolio binders for each and every prospect? You may be turning potential residents off unknowingly – if you are.
I bought a new car recently and was handed this giant beautiful product booklet and I thought – “what a waste” – I handed back to them and told them: 1. I would never read it. 2. I thought is was a waste of good paper. I have to believe a percentage of our consumers think the same way. While it did not dissuade me from buying the car – it did make me think about lower priced product offerings to include apartment homes.
Something to think about.
Outsource Your Social?
Found this interesting chart over at SmartBlog
Should companies ever outsource their social-media activities?
| No, this runs counter to the idea behind social media. |  58.79% |
| It depends. |  24.18% |
| Yes, if it makes sense financially. |  14.29% |
| I’m undecided. |  2.75% |
|
Curious what the community thinks – For the record – I fall in the majority.
What is in Your Lifestyle?
I really like what LIFESTYLE Communities is up to. I received the following via email today:
Mike ,
Would you like tickets to one of these concerts at The LC Pavilion?
Click here to enter the Last Minute Ticket Giveaway from Lifestyle Communities for Zappa Plays Zappa (TONIGHT!) July 8th. Enter by 2:00pm EST on 7/8/09.
Click here to enter the Last Minute Ticket Giveaway from Lifestyle Communities for First Strike Combat / NAAFS Cage Vengeance 5 this Friday, July 10th. Enter by 2:00pm EST on 7/9/09.
Click here to enter the Last Minute Ticket Giveaway from Lifestyle Communities for Collective Soul and Gavin DeGraw on Saturday, July 11th. Enter by 11:00pm EST on 7/8/09.
One or more winners will be randomly selected for each event. Each winner will receive two (2) tickets to the event. For information about the Last Minute Ticket Giveaways from Lifestyle Communities, reply to this email. For more information about events at The LC Pavilion, visit the PromoWest Productions website.
Check out The Annex at River South condos and apartments in Downtown Columbus.
Thanks,
Chip Ashby
Lifestyle Communities
cashby@lifestylecommunities
Top five things I like about it:
1. It was permission based
2. The offer was relevant
3. The sense of urgency was not invasive but rather -“hey, by the way…” or “hey, just in case…”
4. Great call to action
5. Subtle product insertion at the bottom – not as the lead
Great stuff –
The Key to Getting Things Done is…
…ACTION! It is the all important word but it means nothing unless you move, twist, jump, hop, stumble or fall. Have you been putting something off that you could otherwise move on today? Are you the lid-lifter, the discover of a new frontier or a re-inventor? How will you know if you don’t go for it? Seth has a good take on this [Here]
Apartments are our product; marketing and customer service are our game…how can we break new frontiers?
Blogs
Video Tours
Resident Feedback Portals that everyone can see and read and are hosted on our servers unedited.
24 hour offices with real physical people
Social Networks
Experience Engagements sponsored by our communities at third party locatios
Outdoor Movie Nights
Free MacBooks to the first 10 students who lease with you next school year
Merchandising
Are you afraid?
One of my mentor friends told me a story a long time ago. He started his business career as a door to door insurance salesman in the sixties. On the day he was telling me the story I had just lost a 110,000 sale and was devastated. I couldn’t stop going on and on about it. In his story he talked about going to hundreds of doors only to hear the word, NO or worse no words at all, just the slamming of a door. His answer to the rejection? He would walk to the end of the driveway, throw his hands in the air and celebrate by yelling YES!
The moral and message to me that day was, with every no or every failure, we get that much closer to a YES or success and ACTION was the Key.
Tell me what you think by clicking on the comment button below! I would love to hear from you. Oh, and have an amazing Friday! M
