Why be dull when you can be extraordinary?

I want my property to stand out from everyone else’s in every way from my print ad, social media presence, to my sales pitch, and curb appeal. So how do we do this, how do we make a statement to our prospective renters that we are a different management company or community? It is very easy, so easy that you are going to hit your head with the palm of your hand for not thinking to use a little trick that Lisa Trosien talked about in a recent webinar presented by App Folio. Are you ready? Here is the top secret advice: Care about your residents and their voice by sharing what they have to say about your community!

It’s very simple!  Your greatest asset is your residents’ voice. They already live at your community and know what your management company can offer them. So why do we not use this great asset? Are we afraid to be the first in the market for our area to be different or are we just comfortable being the same?

I like to think that we can overcome our fears of trying something new.  Goodness knows I have tried many new things in many areas of my life. I can tell you what I would do if I had the ability to make my community stand out from everyone else.

First, I would have a testimonial board in my leasing office. I would position this where the first thing the prospect sees is my resident’s testimonial of the community.

Second, in my leasing office I would frame pictures of my residents in their apartment, using the amenities or at a community function. This simple and inexpensive decoration will show that you like your residents; you mean what you say in your sales presentation, print ad, and social media advertising.

Third, I would have additional resident testimonials in the model or mini models. I would put some over the bed in the master bedroom, bathroom mirror, refrigerator and the front door to read as they are leaving the unit. I would even incorporate Toni Blake’s “I Love This” picture book of the residents around town or around the community. I would leave it open on the coffee table as an attention grabber.

Fourth, I would create a slide show of pictures using the testimonials of residents, their pictures and pictures of the community to send as an email follow up.

Lastly and most importantly, I would incorporate resident testimonials and pictures of community events into my print ad, internet marketing, and social media sites.

These five things will set you so far apart from your competitors that you will be remembered. Why would you want to be the same as everyone else when you can be extraordinary? I challenge everyone to do something different with your presentation of your community.

By Jolene Sopalski

Link's To Names Mention in Blog:

Lisa Trosien http://apartmentexpert.com/

Toni Blake http://www.totallytoni.com/

Professionally Edited by Barbara Savona of
http://www.watchyourbusinesssprout.com/

21 Resident Renewal Ideas

Creative Ways To Retain Residents At Renewal Time

So often we focus on leasing and being creative with our marketing that we forget about Resident Retention. We think oh we don’t have to market our current residents they already live here at our community. That is the wrong thought process, marketing does not stop the moment they sign a lease, it’s a continuous thing. So let’s focus on some creative ways to market renewals and to get the current resident to stay a current resident. Especially now in these times when we are all competing for each other residents. I was reading a past issue of Rent and Retention magazine March/April 2006 and discover a fun list of 21 methods to deliver lease renewals. I tweaked some and added a little here and there! I really hope you enjoy this and have fun! There will be lots of more fun and creative ways to market current residents to stay coming your way soon!

•Remember the first initial letter is to have all the information they need to renew their lease. You can still deliver it in a fun and creative way!
1)  Wanted Poster- This is great if you have a picture of your resident. Get some cream color paper to make it look aged. Scan the picture and write “WANTED-YOU to renew your lease!”

2)  “Seems Like Only Yesterday”- Do the same thing with the wanted poster but write “It Seems Like Only Yesterday that you moved in. We’ve had a great year. Please stay for another!” This would also be cute in a card. 3)“We can’t bear for you to leave!”- This would be cute with stuff teddy bears (you can fined them at the dollar store) or go to www.plushinarush.com. Make a cute card tie it around the bear neck and hand deliver to the resident that has put in notice. You can even have a special just for them.

3)  Custom Fortune Cookie Co.- Make cookies with your personal fortunes inside. Example: There are large closets in your future! Renew Today! I have a great recipe for this contact me at jolene.sopalski@gmail.com for it.

4)  Make Posters and Hang them on the resident’s door- Make the posters have a homemade feel so it shows that you really cared about them to take the time to make a poster for them. Example: We really love you & all that you do for our community! Make it a fun poster; you could even tie some balloons to it. Check out your local scrapbook stores for clearance items. You ca also have everyone on the maintenance team sign the poster and write something nice about the resident.

5)  Giant Checks- I know you’re thinking what. Create a Blank Check and write the resident name on it. You can put your renewal special, the cost of a carpet clean, or their rental rate. In the memo section put renew today.

6)  Laminate Place Mat- Put a team photo that says “Renew your lease…Have dinner on us.” It cost less than three dollars and everything can be found at a craft store. Include a gift certificate to a restraint or a night you make dinner for the renewals. Set candled in the clubhouse, put dinner cloths on the tables have a name card with resident name, light music and you serve dinner to everyone.

7)  Recordable Cards- Are a great way to get someone to renew…example have an Elvis card you could record “Don’t be a hound dog! Renew your lease today!”

8)  Inflatable Monkeys, Whales, Smiley Faces, Lions, Guitars- These can be found all over check the dollar stores or party stores. Attach a sticker or card that says “Don’t monkey around! We want you to stay!” or ‘It would be music to our ears if you tell us you’ll stay for another year!”

9)  Balloons( non-Mylar)-This is a great way to deliver you letters, attach some balloons to the letter if the residents not home then tie to the door knob or knocker.

10)  Movie Posters- Get a picture of a movie star, example Brad Pitt attaché the following saying or whatever to match the movie star picture. “It would be the Pitts if you moved. Please renew your lease!” This makes the renewal letter fun and catches attention.

11)  “Whoopee!”-It’s time to renew your lease. Attach this note to a whoopee cushion from a party or dollar store.This will make a good laugh for the resident.

12)  “Any way you slice it…we want you to stay!”- Attach to a pizza box or a gift certificate from a pizza place or an invite to a pizza renewal party.

13)  100 Calorie Pack- “Don’t Dessert Us!” attach this to a 100 calorie snack pack.

14)  Renewal “flex days 7-3/10-7 techs too!”- Come in from 7 a.m.-7 p.m. to renew your lease. We’re open for you!

15)  News Paper-“Great News! It’s time to renew!” put this in the headline of a newspaper…like the daily paper or make your own from a print shop program. I thought it would be great to get the Sunday paper with the coupons and do this with!

16)  Mylar Balloons- Get some cute Mylar balloons from the dollar store and attach the renewal letter. Give this to the resident either in person or tie to the door.

17)  Drive Thru Rent Payment (Two Birds with one stone) - I love this one a lot. Make sure you have all your renewal notices ready to go in the morning. Stand at the entrance to your community and collect rents. Be sure to hand out some breakfast items with a Thank you for paying rent. Have your renewal letter attach to the breakfast items and give to the resident as they leave. Let them know you hope they stay. Be sure to advertise this a week before rent is due.

18)  Sunglasses or Field Glasses- “we’re looking for you to renew” attach to the letter.

19)  Turn a Candy Bar into a renewal notice- example: 100 grand bar, “ You are worth more than a 100 grand” renew today! You can even make a customer renewal letter wrapper by going to http://desktoppub.about.com/od/candywrappers/l/bl_cwbaby.htm there are templates here for you to use.  Side note this works and is a lot of fun!

20)  Renewal Party- A theme party; example a murder mystery dinner is a lot of fun and you can have the papers ready for them to sign. They get dinner, entertainment and you get a renewal. 

21)  Hang Around- Saw this on multifamily pro and loved the idea! Get some colorful hangers ( Dry cleaners-Great way to start a business partnership, dollar store, or walmart) attach a  note that says "We Love For You To Hang Around another year!"

Now the point is to make personal contact with the resident (just like when we go out marketing). So deliver the items personally and if the resident is not home leave a note saying they have a package at the office. Once they come in give them the renewal notice and see if you can get them to renew.. Once the resident renews don’t forget to send them a Thank You Card. It would even be nice at the six month period to send another Thank You Card ( maybe with a lotto ticket or a free appetizer from a local restaurant) for being a great resident! 

Jolene Sopalski
Leasing Specialist
WRH Realty Services
www.wrhrealty.com
Jolene.Sopalski@gmail

* If you would like the nice pretty version with clip art email me at jolene.sopalski@gmail.com* Stay Tune For Much More fun stuff!

* Originaly posted on Multi Family Insiders on Jul 28,2010*

Jolene Sopalski: Leasing & Marketing Ideas For Multifamily Housing Industry: How Important Are Resident Activities to you and y...

Jolene Sopalski: Leasing & Marketing Ideas For Multifamily Housing Industry: How Important Are Resident Activities to you and y...: "Resident Activities are very important selling tool for us! I remember four years ago when I was on the apartment hunt looking for an apartm..."

How Important Are Resident Activities to you and your community?

Resident Activities are very important selling tool for us! I remember four years ago when I was on the apartment hunt looking for an apartment community that was going to be home for my self and three children I wanted something that I could find living in a neighborhood but with in an apartment community. I must have look at ten different community's and left each one disappointed. Several times I ask what do you do for the residents and got oh well we have these great amenities. I wanted to feel connected to my community and get to know my neighbors. I know its a crazy thought but I really wanted that.

See I was a single mom going out on my own for the first time sense having kids and previously had only lived in student housing(which trust me there are lots of activities going on it was allot of fun) so I knew that I would need the connection to others and hopefully find a friend or as Anne of Green Gables states, a Kindred Spirit. I finally found what I was looking for in the community that I currently live and work for. I was blown away by the fact there were kids outside playing and the amount of resident activities they had.  I knew right then and there that was where I wanted to be. It also helped that it was close to my employer at the time. As you can see having regular resident activities can make a difference to a prospect. For myself it was very important in the decision making part of where my family and I would live.

Every time I show our community or any community that I'm on for our company I start off showing our resident clubhouse or activity board.  I give the prospect a calendar of the activities that we have going on and invite them to come out to the next one so they can see how much fun we have. I guarantee if you do this then your closing ratio will increase. Having regular resident activities will also help with resident retention. People more than ever want to feel connected to where they live. They want to know that this is a great place to be. So why not start setting yourself apart now from everyone else by offering more resident activities that appeal to your residents. Take a survey ask what they would be interested in. Make them part of the process like they have a say in what you are planning. Start a resident activities committee...oh I really like that idea...just pop into my head. This will also take some of the stress off of you in the office.  Here are just a few idea's for some resident activities to try out:

Fall/Winter/Spring/Summer Festival ( Have local vendors or businesses help sponsor email me if you want a layout for this)

Game Night: Bingo.Bonco,Cribbage,Uno, Phase 10

Hamburger Cook Off: Make this an annual event play it up

Chili Cook Off: Make this an annual event play it up

Breakfast On The Go: Simple Breakfast Items maybe check with your local breakfast place see if you can get a special on items. Also Starbucks will do taste test at your community for Free.

Ladies Night: Make this a feel great about your self event talk to some makeup distributors set up different tables of different local business let them have samples to give. Have a nice dinner

Mystery Dinner Theater: I know they use to sale these years ago but check out a themed mystery dinner.

Movie Night at The Pool

Tutoring For Kids: Contact the High School or Colleges Offer Free Tutoring

Girl Scouts/Boy Scouts: Set up a chapter at your property


These are just somethings that you can do. I know there are tons of  things we can do. I don't know how else to stress that having resident activities are very important to our communities. It is hard work but the payoff is worth it. You will have more resident retention and higher closing ratio. I love to hear what you have to say or other ideas you have!





This is a picture of an event that we had where one of our residents gave a lesson on snakes! The kids loved it!

Jolene Sopalski
Leasing Specialist
WRH Realty Services

* Originally Posted On Multifamily Insiders Jul 2010*