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.
If you’re looking to strengthen your resident engagement strategy you can start by doing these few simple things:
Take the conversation online.
Get your residents to interact with you on social media. Start by creating Facebook and Twitter pages for your property. Try not to overpopulate these accounts with new resident move-in specials, property amenities and vacancy ads. Instead, cater your content to your current residents. Not only will they feel a deeper sense of connection to the property brand and community, but they will be more inclined to write stronger reviews.
Don’t forget to tell your residents that you’re online, and encourage them to keep in touch. Creating special incentives for residents to like or follow you, like offering gift cards, product giveaways, or discounts also goes a long way. Use your social media channels to promote resident events, share pictures, contests, tips and solicit feedback on new policies, renovations, etc. By creating a genuine online connection with your residents, you’re likely to see a surge in web visitors, resident referrals, positive reviews, and most importantly, retention—which comes in handy when it’s time to renew.
Be personal.
Never underestimate the power of personal interaction. Plan a few events for your residents throughout the year. To increase attendance, consider conducting surveys in the beginning of the year to gauge what types of activities they would be interested in most. Also, be sure to think outside the box. Some properties have found success with forging relationships with area bars and restaurants, offering to promote their business to residents in exchange for a resident discount. By hosting regular monthly resident events, you’ll be able to quickly strengthen community ties as well as manage essential relationships with your tenants.
The little things matter.
If you’re not quite ready for a large resident outing, go smaller. Get creative—send out resident birthday cards, host a potluck or just stop by their unit once or twice throughout the year to see if they are content with the property. Trust me, they’ll really appreciate the personal touch.
It doesn’t stop there.
Resident engagement is fantastic, but it goes hand in hand with great customer service. Your engagement strategy should always be a representation of your property’s overall commitment to service. That’s where Rentbot comes in.
Through Rentbot’s online rent payments, maintenance requests, applications and virtual contact portal, we’ll nail your customer service for you so that you have more time to dedicate to planning “Taco Tuesdays.” And with beautifully designed layouts, floorplans, and HD photos, you’ll impress your new leads too—we guarantee it. Let Rentbot serve as the perfect complement to your property’s engagement efforts and elevate your community to the next level.
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.