Your multifamily property is unique in its own right. Though your community may have the ability to appeal to the masses, it is more likely that a specific segment of renters will actually call your place home. Knowing and understanding who this segment of renters is can make all the difference in your lead, conversion and retention rates.

Though it may sound a little unsettling at first to reel in your marketing and focus on a smaller audience base, you will reap the benefits in the end, I promise.  Once you learn your “target” renter, you can begin to tailor your marketing and messaging to speak directly to your prospects’ most pressing rental struggles and needs–and the conversions will soon follow. Not to mention, you’ll certainly save both time and money in the long haul by focusing your resources on the renters that are actually likely to sign on the dotted line.

Interested in learning how to determine your target?

1. Who would be most interested in your property?

Now, this first step may be the most difficult for you, but you will need to ask yourself realistically and honestly, “who do I really want to attract here?” Is it millennials, baby boomers, retirees, college students, or entrepreneurs? Consider using such qualifiers as age, location, lifestyle, hobbies, etc. The important factor to note during this process is that you’re only visualizing who your ideal renter would be in a perfect world, not segmenting who you will only rent to, as it is perfectly likely that you’ll appeal to some who do not fit within your target bubble, and that’s okay too–I mean, your property is pretty amazing, right? So, always take heed to Fair Housing guidelines when processing this information.

2. What is important to them?

The next step to identifying your target is determining what their interests and daily needs are. For instance, baby boomers and retirees may require a peaceful, relaxing environment. So, if you’re property is located in the heart of downtown, you may need to reevaluate your target market. On the other hand, if your target consists of Millennials, they may welcome this type of environment, as convenience and quality amenities tend to weigh more heavily for this market. And, if your property provides these things, then you can focus on these points in your messaging. If you need help with this step, you can also closely examine the demographics of your existing renters. Speak with a few and ask them firsthand what is important to them. Trust, you’ll get some great insight.

Once you determine these needs, you can take a deep dive into your current amenities and property offerings to see how, or if they align. Depending on your budget and flexibility, you may actually be able to amend a few of your current offerings to better serve your target or plan for upgrades in the near future.

3. Where are they?

So, you’ve narrowed down who your interested parties would be and uncovered what matters to them most. Next up is where the fun comes in–the marketing. Your messaging needs to hit your target renters where they reside most–be it specific online sites, mobile, social media platforms, designated stores, or other local areas. Millennials tend to be more tech savvy and therefore are heavy users of social media, mobile and online chat features, so a targeted Google ad campaign complemented by social media advertising may resonate more with this demographic. Make sure you cater your messaging to your designated audience on each platform, including your website.

Rentbot can help.

Once you’ve nailed down your target renter, you’ll need to leverage your biggest lead generator–your property website–in the same manner that you use the rest of your marketing channels. This includes ensuring that your messaging remains coordinated and targeted (versus overly general), your site imagery is intentional and clear, and your SEO strategy is defined.

Not there just yet?

No worries. That’s where we can help. Rentbot is committed to building and supporting property management websites specifically for small and mid-sized properties. Each Rentbot site is carefully crafted to attract your target leads, convert these leads into leases, and then retain your tenants to minimize vacancies in the long term. We’re able to do this through our conversion-optimized layouts, built-in SEO backed by targeted keyword research, and targeted ad campaigns designed by Google certified pros.

Invest in a Rentbot site today and boost your target marketing efforts to the next level, all the while saving more time and money. Try out a free 30-day Rentbot trial today and experience the benefits firsthand.

About the Author

Jonsette Calloway joined the Rentbot team in 2015. With a background in public relations, advertising and copywriting, she has helped a multitude of clients achieve their marketing and communications goals within various fields, but she particularly enjoys working with the apartment industry.