Apartment marketing

I read a line the other day that I really liked’ “Sacred cows make the best hamburgers.” It got me thinking about stuff and things in the apartment space that just need to go. It’s that whole – “we have always done it that way.” mentality. Here is a good story that illustrates the point as well –

Because we have always done it that way

Sarah was excited about helping her mother prepare Thanksgiving dinner.  She watched as her mother cut both both ends off the ham before putting it in the pan and then into the oven.

“Mom, why did you cut off both ends of the ham?” Sarah asked.

“That’s the way my mother always did it, so that’s how I do it.” said Sarah’s mother.

“But why?”

“I don’t know.  You should ask your grandmother. “

Sarah walked out of the kitchen to find her grandmother.   “Grandma, when you prepared ham for baking, why did you always cut off both ends?”

“That’s what my mother always did it,” said Sarah’s grandmother.

“But why?”

“I don’t know why.  She taught me to cook and I have always done as she did.”

Sarah was even more perplexed by this.  She found her great-grandmother in the living room and asked her.  “Great Grandma, when you prepared ham for baking, you always cut off both ends.  Grandma and Mom do the same thing but couldn’t tell me why.  They said they do as you did.  So I’m wondering, why did you cut the ends off?”

“Well,” Great-grandma said, “when your great grandpa and I were young, we only had one pan and the pan was too small.”

Which sacred cows will you turn in the hamburgers in 2010

You can focus on every area of your business from apartment marketing ideas to the way you log a service request – from curb appeal to preventive maintenance for your fitness center equipment.

Two areas I would like to focus on in 2010 are:

1. Paperless lease transactions that include signature pads much like you would see at any retail location

2. Further automating our AP process –

Sacred cows that will no doubt taste good in the way of freeing up some time to focus on re-imagining our constituents experience.

Which SCs are you prepping to grill in 2010?

I like what Seth has to say about the coming decade –

Change: The infrastructure of massive connection is now real. People around the world have cell phones. The first internet generation is old enough to spend money, go to work and build companies. Industries are being built every day (and old ones are fading). The revolution is in full swing, and an entire generation is eager to change everything because of it. Hint: it won’t look like the last one with a few bells and whistles added.

The accelerating pace of change in the apartment marketing space has been in full swing for nearly the whole of the last decade. It may have seemed slow to some and not fast enough to others but one thing can not be argued – it has changed. And, the coming decade will no doubt bring some crazy amazing uber-cool things to the apartment space.

Apartment Marketing Ideas

Don’t think of this list as another prediction or trends of the coming decade list as it is just some off the top of my head thoughts – some short term some long term and in no particular order and with no premise:

• It’s all marketing all the time – will take on a whole new meaning
• It’s not all about heads in beds as giving back un-publicly will take on some level of importance [some will no doubt exploit this publicly]
• The continued adoption of platforms like Facebook and Twitter will no doubt accelerate –
• Platforms like Foursquare will gain traction –
• User reviews will be a common element of your website –
• Blogs will finally catch real traction and, in my opinion – it doesn’t matter what the content is about as long as it is compelling and adds value – it will be your hub as it relates to the conveyor belt theory of marketing
• Monetize everything will no doubt be an operating aim for many – I think it’s the quickest way to kill your advocates – think long and hard about this one before you make a move –
• Participation will become the key initiative across platforms – look for experience marketing with heavy entertainment themes as a way to gain followers –
• Craigslist as it relates to marketing apartments will be mashed up beyond recognition and it will be compelling, automatic and anticipatory –
• Print will hang on for a bit but will look far different than it does today –
• ILSs will experience massive disruption as a result of crazy good UGC and dare I say Google – might want to think about becoming experience marketing creationists
• Employees will demand participation be a part of their job descriptions –
• Gen Y will serve Gen Y – this will be massively cool and massively frustrating for those who don’t embrace it –
• So called gurus and experts will pop up everywhere – I encourage you to become your own guru or expert [the tools are accessible to everyone, they are free and they are easy to use] –
• A/P and A/R will become 100% digital –
• Paperless offices will happen –
• True help yourself leasing will happen –
• Apartment mechanical systems will self diagnose, check your inventory, order part or replacement if necessary, schedule maintenance and notify residents all along the way –

Just some back of the napkin stuff here – no doubt there is so much more. I will be back to update often

Have a famous new year and I look forward to participating in denting the multifamily universe

M