Boost retention by creating memorable experiences for multifamily residents
In today’s competitive multifamily market, residents want more than a place to live. They crave a sense of community and convenience, and they want to feel valued. Creating memorable experiences for multifamily residents can turn renters into loyal community members.
Understanding the power of experience
Think of your favorite hotel stay. What made it stand out? Was it the luxurious bed, the breathtaking view, or perhaps the friendly staff who went the extra mile? (Or was it having a childfree night and the remote all to yourself? No? Just us?)
While it might have felt seamless and effortless, hoteliers know how to expertly craft an experience that turns into a fond memory. Small touches like blackout curtains, fluffy robes and dark chocolate on the pillow add up to feeling cared for and appreciated.
While multifamily properties won’t approach community experiences in exactly the same way, the basic principles still apply. By fostering a sense of community, offering unexpected delights and creating opportunities for connection, you can transform your property from a collection of apartments into a vibrant living space residents love to call home.
Multihousing news expands on this idea by pointing to a need for experiential marketing:
“It’s about creating environments where life happens—a coffee chat that turns into a friendship, a workshop that sparks a hobby, or an unexpected gift that makes someone’s day. These moments of engagement become the heart of the brand.
Borrowing inspiration from experiential retail, where brands create immersive and memorable shopping environments, multifamily properties are crafting experiences that go beyond the transactional. They’re building communities that people are eager to call home.”
Those experiences can come in the form of personal greetings from your team to bigger and more elaborate community-building events.
From experiential marketing to experiential living
Your multifamily community is not a retail showroom, and you want your residents to fully engage rather than simply purchase a product. Once they sign a lease – your product – you want them to settle in and stay for as long as possible. Enter experiential living.
This international lifestyle blog helps define experiential living, a growing trend and philosophy:
“Experiential living is a philosophy that emphasizes meaningful experiences over material possessions. This concept promotes a better quality of life by prioritizing activities that encourage personal growth, community connection and a richer sense of existence.
Research shows that individuals who prioritize experiences report 37% higher levels of happiness than those who focus on accumulating material goods. Travel, local cultural events and immersive workshops are increasingly popular ways for people to expand their horizons and create lasting memories. For example, attending a local food festival not only offers delicious tastes but also fosters community bonding.”
At the heart of experiential living lies a strong sense of community. Residents crave connections with their neighbors. Organized events, resident committees and well-designed community spaces where residents can connect create a nice foundation for delivering memorable experiences.
Deeper resident engagement
So, how do you move from transactional interactions to meaningful relationships with your residents (and between residents)? Here are a few places to start:
- Welcoming design. From their first visit to your website to their fifth year as a resident, every touchpoint should welcome new residents and invite them to linger. There’s an art to design that draws people in, and you know great design when you see it.
- Ongoing communication. You can’t engage with residents if you haven’t opened multiple lines of communication. Resident hubs, active social media, personalized email and more can help residents feel like their voice matters.
- Resident Appreciation Week. Dedicate a week to showing your residents how much you appreciate them. Organize a resident appreciation breakfast, a movie night under the stars or a raffle with exciting prizes.
- Themed events. Cater to diverse interests with themed events. Partner with local businesses for a “Taste of the Neighborhood” event featuring local restaurants. Throw a pool party with a DJ or host a holiday cookie decorating contest.
- Wellness events. Promote health and well-being by organizing yoga classes in the common area, partnering with a gym for discounted memberships, or inviting a nutritionist for a healthy cooking demonstration.
- Family-friendly activities. Don’t forget families! Host a movie night with kid-friendly snacks, a family game night, or even an Easter egg hunt for the little ones.
- Pet-friendly policies. Do not forget the furry and feathered friends. When you create welcoming spaces for pets, their people feel more at home and at ease.
Each community has different needs. Take time to understand your existing residents and brainstorm ideas to give them access to more memorable experiences with you and their neighbors.
Creating everyday delights
When did someone last delight you? We know, right? It doesn’t happen nearly enough to any of us – and we’re all fabulous and totally deserve it. Now, turn that desire for more everyday joy in your own life into ideas on how to deliver that to your residents.
Memorable experiences aren’t limited to elaborate events. Here are some simple yet impactful ways to delight residents every day:
- Go the extra mile. Don’t skimp on the details. Provide comfortable seating, offer delicious food and beverages, and create a welcoming atmosphere.
- Welcome baskets. Surprise new residents with a welcome basket filled with local treats, useful household items and/or a handwritten note from the property manager.
- Seasonal touches. Spruce up the common areas with seasonal decorations and themed treats and beverages.
- Birthday and milestone shoutouts. Recognize resident birthdays or other important milestone dates with a personalized message or a small token of appreciation.
- Random acts of kindness. Leave a small gift bag of coffee and pastries on residents’ doorsteps to mark an occasion – make up a holiday or choose one of these (oh, look, National Hard Candy day is coming up – Grandma would be proud). Deliver a complimentary ice cream bar during a particularly hot summer day.
Do what feels right for your brand personality. If you need a brand personality, we can help.
Pass it on
The beauty of creating memorable everyday experiences is that it extends to everyone. When your community becomes a place where people want to live, it also becomes a nicer place to work for your team. By the way, please include your team in your random acts of kindness and everyday delight.
In turn, your residents will be happier and they will spread the word – which makes your job easier. Wins all around.
If you are ready to create a new brand personality and multifamily marketing strategy, reach out to us for a complimentary discovery call. We would love to collaborate with you.
