One of your best sources of marketing greatness is your happy multifamily residents
While traditional marketing efforts are essential, one often overlooked resource is your most valuable asset: your residents. By encouraging multifamily residents to become brand ambassadors, you can significantly enhance your community’s reputation and attract new renters.
Here’s how to encourage happier residents who help spread the word about your community to friends and family – and even to strangers on the Internet.
Foster a sense of community
By creating a welcoming and inclusive environment, you can encourage residents to feel a sense of belonging and loyalty to your community. A few ideas to get started:
- Organize community events: Host regular gatherings like fitness and wellness events, movie nights or seasonal beverage and food bars to encourage interaction among residents.
- Create social spaces: Provide common areas where residents can relax, socialize, connect with nature and build relationships.
- Encourage resident involvement: Invite residents to participate in community initiatives, such as volunteer projects or neighborhood cleanups.
According to this multifamily investment firm, fostering community is key to building loyalty and reducing turnover:
“Beyond mere living spaces, multifamily properties have the potential to become thriving communities where residents feel a sense of belonging and connection. This simple sense of belonging can go a long way in enhancing the renter experience – and contribute to long-term success…”
Approaching your property management with the residents’ deeper needs in mind helps deliver a living experience that gets people talking.
Provide exceptional resident service
By consistently delivering high-quality service, you can build trust and loyalty among your residents. Consider ways you can:
- Respond promptly to requests: Address maintenance issues and resident inquiries in a timely and professional manner.
- Train your team to be friendly and helpful: Develop a team culture that celebrates excellent resident service and a positive community culture.
- Offer personalized service: Take the time to get to know your residents and their individual needs.
Start with basic needs, such as safety and cleanliness, and then look for ways to add some extra memorable touches. Small gestures and perks can make a big difference in a resident’s daily experience in your community.
Leverage social media
You want your happy residents to share their joy with others. Here’s a few ideas for how to generate more social buzz:
- Encourage residents to share their experiences: Create a branded hashtag and encourage residents to share photos and videos of their time at your community.
- Run contests and giveaways: Offer incentives for residents to engage with your social media channels.
- Monitor online reviews: Respond promptly to both positive and negative reviews to demonstrate your commitment to customer satisfaction.
Many would-be renters browse social media and review sites when deciding which communities deserve a tour or closer look. Medium quantifies that idea:
“…a whopping 80% of Gen Z apartment seekers and 74% of Millennials confess that social media plays a big role in where they choose to rent…”
Make sure your content delivers the brand story you want to convey to this audience.
Offer exclusive benefits
Providing exclusive benefits to your residents can help them feel valued and appreciated.
- Provide resident perks: Offer discounts or special deals with local businesses.
- Create loyalty programs: Reward residents for long-term tenancy or referrals.
- Offer personalized amenities: Tailor amenities to meet the preferences of your target demographic.
Think beyond your property line and consider how you can incorporate your neighborhood’s vibe into your offerings to residents. The bonus of this approach is win-win relationships with nearby businesses and organizations.
Encourage resident referrals
Word-of-mouth referrals are one of the most effective ways to attract new residents.
- Offer referral bonuses: Provide incentives to residents who refer new renters.
- Create a referral program: Make it easy for residents to refer friends and family.
- Recognize top referrers: Publicly acknowledge residents who have referred multiple renters.
A referral is essentially a lead with a personal testimonial attached, and that extra
Partner with influencers
Collaborating with influencers can help you reach a wider audience and generate buzz around your community.
- Identify local influencers: Collaborate with influencers in your area who have a following that aligns with your target demographic.
- Host influencer events: Invite influencers to visit your community and share their experiences.
- Offer exclusive deals: Provide influencers with special perks or discounts.
Let someone who loves social media do some of the heavy lifting for you, but be sure to consider how influencer marketing fits into your bigger-picture brand strategy.
By encouraging your residents to become brand ambassadors, you can create a more vibrant and engaging brand story. A strong resident referral program, coupled with excellent customer service and a positive online presence, can significantly boost your multifamily brand and attract new renters.
Ready to boost your multifamily brand and up your multifamily marketing game? Reach out to us to learn more about our collaborative and personal approach. We thrive on helping each multifamily client tell a unique, stand-out story.