With the advent of the Internet, the advertising and marketing of apartment units has become more complicated than the placement of a paper sign or the posting of an ad in the penny-saver. There are dozens of possible apartment “for rent” sites to advertising on, as well as complicated issues with Key Words, Widgets and Twittering. And, on top of the new issues, there are the issues of the past - such as Fair Housing, which have not disappeared in the complexity of the new advertising and marketing era.
So how can we simplify and organize all of this? There are some key marketing procedures that cannot be forgotten in all of this. Here they are:
Apartment Marketing checklist:
- Create on-line information about the unit with pictures and other information
- Create an appropriate voice mail message for callers for when you are unavailable
- Advertise your unit with links back to your permanent on-line information page or site
- Monitor the local market and watch your competition
- Respond to all inquiry calls promptly (within 4 hours if possible)
- Make appointments for showing
- SELL your vacant unit with your developed, practiced marketing pitch
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Adjust your pricing as necessary
Create on-line information about the unit with pictures and other information
If you are a property manager, dedicate a page in your site to each property you manage where you can detail information about the building. If you are an owner with only one or two units for rent, use a free site (such as Google Sites) to develop a permanent page for your property, which you can use repeatedly.
While it will take you additional time to get it set up, once it is set up it can be used repeatedly as part of each marketing program. You can add resources from which you build upon, including features such as WalkScore, Google Street View video, and DidIt for your City. All of these features will enhance the image of your property. When you have another vacant unit in the building, you can use the site or the page you have created as a marketing resource again.
Create an appropriate voice mail message for callers for when you are unavailable
It’s easy to overlook, but a relevant and appropriate outgoing voice mail message will tell your callers you are professional and at the top of your game. For example, advise the caller the unit is still available and let them know when you will return the call (e.g. I return calls Monday through Saturday from 11:00 am to 9:00 pm and generally return calls within 4 hours of a message being left.) If you only show the apartment on certain days of the week or at certain times, let callers know this. The more detailed information you can provide to callers in your out-going message, the more your callers will thank you. In the end, you will save yourself time and will reduce the number of unnecessary call-backs and voice mail tag.
Advertise your unit with links back to the permanent on-line information page or site
Select at least one free and one paid for apartment advertising site and post your ad. If you choose well, at least one of these will repost your ad to many more sites, thereby multiplying your exposure. Your ad should contain at least one truly great picture or a full slide show promoting the unit.
The ad should provide a link back to your primary site or page, which you have created for the building. This site or page is where additional information can be accessed by interested visitors.
Selecting the paid for advertising site can be difficult and confusing. There are many alternatives and their effectiveness can vary based upon your region and your building type. For example, some sites are more popular for single family homes, or for the East Coast, or for the South. To get a head start on selecting your advertising partner, visit our Shortcuts for Apartment Marketing sites here.
Monitor the local market and watch your competition
It’s a simple marketing rule - know your competition and keep tabs on what they are offering and their pricing. If your market is in flux, up or down, this becomes an even more important task. Monitor the apartment “For Rent” advertising site you are using. If possible, just as an apartment seeker would, set up Alerts to advise you of apartments that come on the market that meet criteria similar to your unit.
Respond to all inquiry calls promptly (within 4 hours if possible)
If you don’t return calls promptly, all of your hard work and money will be wasted. Apartment calls are TIME SENSITIVE. Callers expect to receive a call back immediately. Whether or not this is reasonable is not the issue, they expect it. So, to the best of your ability, return calls as quickly as possible. To properly set the expectations of your prospects, advise callers in your outgoing voice mail message how quickly they can expect a call back from you; and then keep to your word.
Make appointments for showing
Make specific appointments for showing the apartment. Always get a call back telephone number so you can confirm the appointment at least 2 hours in advance of the showing. Make sure the prospect has your cell number in the event they become lost, have a problem with parking, or must cancel. Advise them of the import of canceling if they are unable to show up.
SELL your vacant unit with your developed, practiced marketing pitch
Develop and practice a “demo route” for the showing of the apartment. This is important for a couple of reasons. First, having a practiced developed marketing pitch will allow you to show case the unit in the best possible light. This is essential for your sales technique. And the marketing of apartments is selling; this is not an order taking business.
Second, consistency is critical for the rules of Fair Housing. If when you tour a prospect around the property you always start with the garage and the rear garden, showing a single prospect the alley and garbage area first, gives rise to a possible Fair Housing violation. Create a “tour” and keep to it.
Adjust your pricing as necessary
Whether the market is rising or falling, be nimble. If your unit is not getting calls, it is likely over priced. If your unit is getting too many calls, it is likely under priced. Stay on top of the market and be ready to adjust as necessary.
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Of course, the effective marketing of any apartment is more complicated than this, but this simple plan will take you a long way towards your goal of effective efficient apartment marketing for your unit. For other ideas, visit the My Rental Units Marketing Center.
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