#36- Fall Apartment Marketing Plan: Small Idea, Big Impact
APARTMENT MARKETING MISCONCEPTIONS
One of the biggest lies that we’ve been taught to believe is that bigger is better.
That to have a thriving community, we need the latest amenities, the most over-the-top giveaways, and host events to rival a Kardashian bash.
Keeping up with the Jones’ is a real thing in multifamily. And if you’ve become a victim of this lie, you aren’t alone. When you feel good about what your community has to offer, a new guy on the block pops up flaunting a mind-blowing amenity package, and all of a sudden, you feel like your community is the Jan Brady to their Marsha.
So we have been taught that we always have to “Go big or go home!”
WHAT MATTERS MOST IN APARTMENT MARKETING
If 2020 has taught us anything, it’s that small, meaningful things matter most. They can be little moments or small luxuries that we didn’t know where luxuries (hello, toilet paper).
It’s the little things that count. And I’m here to tell you that little things don’t have to equal boring things.
You can take a small idea and execute it simply, and it can have a more significant impact than something HUGE executed poorly.
You can also start with a small little idea and incorporate it in unexpected ways to a lot of areas of your marketing and retention.
Here is the real bonus: they take less time, less energy and less mental bandwidth and still make a significant impression on your residents and prospects. As a busy property manager navigating running an apartment community in 2020 amidst a global pandemic, conserving your time, energy, and bandwidth is critical. And it’s never been more critical to create meaningful living experiences for people.
FREE APARTMENT MARKETING IDEAS
✓ Sample Planning Calendar
✓ Social Media Checklist
✓ 1 Canva-Compatible Design
✓ 1 Simply Social Sample
Graphic + Caption Template for Social Media
✓ 1 Resident Event Ideas Printable
✓ 1 Resident Appreciation Idea
✓ 8 Leasing Tips Printable
FALL CREATIVE HOLIDAYS FOR APARTMENTS
I want to show you how you can keep it basic but still have an impact. The month of September has a ton of creative holidays:
September 7 - Beer Lover Day
September 13 - Grandparents Day
September 20 - First Day of Fall
September 29 - Coffee Lovers Day
September 29: National Coffee Day
For this example, I picked this creative holiday because it is more likely to have mass appeal. In fact, recent stats show that over 50% of Americans over 18 years of age drink coffee every day. This represents over 150 million daily drinkers.
1. ENGAGE ON SOCIAL MEDIA
APARTMENT INSTAGRAM POST FOR
Residents & Prospects
Caption Idea: Are you a one-cup, six-cup, or the limit does not exist person? 😜We love exploring all the different ways to brew coffee from pour-over to french press, and even cold brew! How about you? What's your brew of choice? Tag us in your homebrews, and we will share on stories! PS: Don't our upgraded kitchens, cozy living areas, and private patios make it all better, though? (adjust amenities as needed)
#coffeeday #coffeeoclock #coffee #alldayeveryday
2. highlight a local business
APARTMENT CROSS PROMOTION
This is a win-win. You highlight a neighborhood business that more than likely needs the extra traffic, and you are highlighting a hot spot in your neighborhood to showcase all that your community has to offer.
Caption Idea: Where do you like to get your cup of happy? Our favorite spot is _________ (insert local coffee shop & tag them) which is only a ______ minute walk from our community. They have the best _________ (drink) and we might be a little obsessed with __________ (a bakery item or a cozy feature of the location). The best part is they are still open for business! Their hours are _______ and you can call ahead to have your coffee waiting for you!
3. UPGRADE TELEPHONE GREETING
Try this easy apartment telephone technique:
“Thank you for calling Sprout Apartments where we are celebrating National Coffee Day today! This is Barbara, how can I help you?”
Bonus Ideas: Offer a $5 Starbucks or local coffee shop gift card after someone completes a tour.
4. Surprise Gift Card
INSTAGRAM GIVEAWAY FOR APARTMENTS
Keep residents glued to your social media channels with surprises. A great apartment marketing tip is to keep residents wondering, “What’s next?”
Purchase a couple of digital gift cards for Starbucks or a local coffee shop
Post a notice on your social media, followed by a screenshot of the gift card barcode.
Sprout Members: Grab the image to the right by searching for Daily Dose #229 inside of your member dashboard.
First come first serve until it runs out! If you are feeling generous, you could refill it midday.
5. UPGRADE YOUR monthly renewals
RESIDENT APPRECIATION GIFTS
Option 1: Send out an email to all of the upcoming renewals that you have a goodie packet waiting for them at the office. They can pick up at their convenience.
Option 2: Purchase these door hanger bags and add a coffee surprise with a renewal notice and leave it at their door.
6. HOST a grab-n-go RESIDENT event
Not hosting in-person events? No problem. Host an early morning event at the gate where hand goodie bags with a breakfast treat and instant coffee.
This event will be a BIG hit for busy moms and dads who didn’t get to enjoy a full cup of hot coffee while getting the kiddos ready!
7. Add a referral reminder to your grab-n-go event
How do you make a grab-n-go coffee event even better? Add a referral reminder to make it a two-for-one: retention & referrals. Remind residents of any referral bonuses. Many people are looking for a way to make a few extra bucks these days!
Bonus points: Use your “The Greatest Form of Flattery is Referrals” mug daily for a subtle cue to remind residents to renew!
8. Incorporate it into your welcomes for the new month
We all know retention starts on day one, and we are not above buttering up our newest residents with cookies & coffee.
Leave treats in their new home as a welcome surprise! If you have branded coffee mugs, add those to your gift basket.
Bonus: Let them know how they can contact you in case of an emergency or those new move-in questions.
9. Make a fun APARTMENT
follow-up GIFT
Decide whether you want to mail out coffee packets or gift cards (or both if you like).
Put the item in the envelope of your choice along with a customized flyer or an instantly downloadable flyer with a business card (you can use the full page flyer in a regular envelope or the 1/4 page flyer in a tiny envelope).
Put a fun stamp on it and mail it off!
Follow-up: ✅
Email Option: You can do a virtual “Thank You” by emailing your prospect a virtual gift card with the email banner we’ve provided above. Here is a mad lib that you can copy and paste should you decide to go that route:
Hi there _______ (prospect name)!
You toured ____ (unit) at ______ (apartments) on ______ (date), and we just wanted to follow up with you to say THANK YOU! Thank you for considering _______ Apartments as on option for your next home. We know how important that decision is, and we are honored to be a part of it. Attached you will find a _____ (coffee shop) gift card especially for you! Please enjoy it and continue to think of us when you are ready to choose your next home.
Sincerely,
________ (name and professional title)
10. Build your outreach marketing campaign around the theme
Option 1: The coffee packets route:
Put a handful of coffee packets in treat bags or mason jars
Add a flyer and a label with your information
Option 2: The gift card route:
Purchase a Starbucks gift card (amount dependent on the size of the business you are targeting).
Bring that in with plenty of business cards and/or customized flyers.
Option 3: The Easy Route:
Grab these already done-for-you “Say Yes to the Address” bundles with coffee and cookies!
11. Have a full-blown event
Our favorite idea: Host a virtual class!
Partner with a local coffee shop for fun classes OR invite your residents to a virtual tour at one of these locations around the world:
Finca Casanga - Panama
De La Gente - Guatemala