We’ve already given you some tips on “How to Catch a Millennial.” It’s no secret that this particular rental market is growing and growing fast. We all know that online exposure is key to communicating with Generation Y. And when it comes to apartment marketing, sometimes you have to get a little innovative. We also know to incorporate Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, and even Pinterest into our social media strategies, but you can’t stop there.
If you were to Google your property now, on which page would your property show? Now, do the same thing with a few of your competitors. Notice anything?
The position of your website on Google’s search engine results page (SERP) can be a major marketing asset. We all want prospects to find us, and preferably, before the competition. According to a recent Weidert Group study, after the first SERP, the chances of the user clicking through to your site diminish substantially. In fact, page 1 in Google receives 91.5% of all traffic compared to 4.8% on page 2, and 1.1% on page 3. In short, being at the forefront matters. So how can you increase your chances of scoring a spot on page 1?
We all do it. But, we may not realize it. Many of us spend so much energy chasing a good lead that oftentimes than not, our resident engagement efforts end at their signature on the lease—but, this should never be the case. Believe it or not, a resident’s relationship with their property is directly paralleled to satisfaction. Today’s residents value the meaning of “community”—they want to feel connected, involved and appreciated—and it starts with engagement.
You don’t have a website? Don’t worry you’re not alone. Many property managers and rental owners have not yet made the digital plunge for a myriad of reasons—some including lack of time, not thinking it necessary, or don’t know where to start. An apartment website is an important addition to one’s overall marketing strategy and having a dedicated site for your property is almost a necessity nowadays. The apartment leasing world is forever evolving, and now, more than ever, is the time to invest in increasing your digital presence. This doesn’t change that the fact that there are certain hesitations out there, but as with any investment, education is key. We’ve addressed a few of them below and provided a bit of reassurance for those on the fence about making the full website investment. Take a look:
As property managers, we all want more leads but we all don’t know where or how to get them. Marketing an apartment is a full-time job and takes patience, consistency and, of course, creativity. A major factor of apartment marketing includes increasing your online presence, especially since most renters now a days are conducting their apartment searches online. For those looking for some helpful tips on boosting traffic and securing more leads, you may want to consider incorporating the following tactics into your current marketing strategy.
Continue reading Increase your Online Presence, Secure More Leads
The apartment leasing industry can be quite the whirlwind some days. Between collecting rents, responding to resident complaints, inspecting units, tracking maintenance requests, managing the office and putting out an occasional fire every now and then, I’m sure all can attest to the fact that a property manager’s job is never done. Days are too often riddled with battling the concept of “too much to do and too little time,” which can be quite cumbersome, especially for those who work alone. With days like this, packed full of tasks and responsibilities, oftentimes, some of the more essential jobs like marketing, following up with new tenants, and renovations may get neglected. Rentbot asked various renters about their apartment searches thus far and developed a short list of some of their top frustrations. Take a look:
As September approaches, several apartment communities will be welcoming a new cohort of millennial apartment renters, especially those properties located in or around college campuses. The millennial generation (also known as Generation Y) is greatly impacting the apartment leasing industry. They are one of the largest renter groups today, and, thanks in part to the recession, are renting longer, marrying later and researching more. Millennials’ apartment search methods vary greatly from some of the more traditional tactics used by Baby Boomers and, in turn, should be marketed to accordingly. For those property owners interested in attracting this unique customer segment to your properties, it is important to incorporate these three things into your overall marketing strategy:
New Yorkers aren’t the only ones requesting floorplans now a days. In today’s rental market, a good floorplan is key to securing quality leads. A floorplan can make or break a unit in the prospect’s eyes. They can actually unveil more about a property than an image can by allowing tenants to visualize their physical space. Through the advancement of technology over the years, floorplans have evolved from just a simple contractor’s drawing to three-dimensional, interactive plans that allow prospects increased customization options through furniture placements and more. Some real estate developers, especially in larger cities, are now drafting unique floorplans that differentiate their properties from the competitors; thus, making them valuable marketing tools within themselves.
Tenant turnover—a phrase most Property Managers do not like to hear. For a Property Manager, there’s nothing more satisfying than a “good” tenant. These are those tenants who pay their rents on time each and every month, are pretty much silent dwellers and renew their lease every year faithfully. Though it’s always great to strive for attracting these types of long-term renters, tenant turnover is a disturbing reality that, unfortunately, many Property Managers may face at one point or another. It not only puts a major dent in cash flow—from processing costs, advertising and showing costs to repairs and more—but is just overall bad for the bottom line.
Continue reading Reduce Tenant Turnover; Keep your Renters Smiling
