by threshold | Jun 18, 2015 | All, Marketing
Signs, signs, everywhere there’s signs. They direct us. They educate us. They speak to us and they inspire us to make decisions. You might think using signage for your business or property is too expensive, do you know your options? Do you know how to make that signage pop? Grab eyeballs? Turn heads? We do at Threshold Agency….
Here’s the scoop from an industry perspective. The U.S. Small Business Association reports that “on-premise signage is the most effective form of advertising.” You might consider some exterior signage on your property to be an old school approach or even lackluster, but consider this…it is 24/7 advertising at a one-time cost. Seems obvious, right? Welcome to the world of possibility and sign spotting in residential marketing.
With the right partner agency, your approach and design can increase your presence in the market and even more importantly the foot traffic into your leasing center! Some of our signage options may not be new to you, but they are they competitively priced for any budget. Our design approach is all about building your brand.
Cheap yard stake/bootleg/bandit signs. Yah, we said it. You’ve seen them, simple bandit signs that at the property across the street, next door, down the road and sprinkling roadsides everywhere. They just got you to notice them. Never underestimate the simple, easy tools of the trade. These signs are a cost effective approach to reaching prospective residents daily. Now, what if you want to stand out amongst the crowd? What is a way to be unique and show personality? How do you make the leap from simple to innovative? We challenge you to step out of the constraints of the rectangle (notice we didn’t say box) and show you have personality. Take the simple bandit sign size and try adding some fun; have them cut into shapes. BAM! You’ve just stepped up your game and started building your brand. With the current emoji craze in full swing, why not add some humor and personality to that message? Rather than saying your community is pet friendly on a rectangle sign, say it on a paw… “Monthly Yappy Hour.”
You’ve got great eye-catching signs, but what if the passerby isn’t quite ready to commit? Hit the refresh button! Commuting is routine and often the sights that remain the same over extended periods of time are glanced over. Think curb appeal, you change the landscaping; change your signs. Seasonal colors or adding dimension can add enough change to stay…well, refreshed! That’s why updating your exterior signage is crucial. It keeps the drivers/walkers/cyclist engaged.
Did you notice we threw in the word color? Do you know that you can use color to communicate to your market? While honoring your branding, we can introduce colors that some researchers say evoke more response from viewers. Does the property next door have security problems? We would consider adding blue to your signage because blue conveys trust. Is it summer and you’re in that last leasing push, yellow induces impulse. Do you have more amenities than your neighbor? That alone makes your property more exciting then the competitors? Hello RED! BAM!
Finally, we suggest adding the option we fondly call ol’ faithful…the vinyl banner. Updating the art, messaging and color approach also applies to banners. Their advantage is well, their real estate, yes we just made a funny. Seriously, they have a larger surface area for more information as well as lifestyle or property images. The key with ol’ faithful is installation. Often we see banners with wrinkles and sagging sections. It’s so important to get this right. First impression of your property is priceless. Having it installed correctly shows prospects you take care of your community. You will take care of them. You just signed another lease. Yes, that was another funny! #GoThresholdorGoHome
Get seen.
by threshold | Jun 4, 2015 | All, Marketing
Hurry In! Apartments Going Fast! We’re Filling Quickly! Don’t Be Left Out!
Whatever the headline or sense or urgency you are using, in student housing we all know that summer is the last push to fill those beds. In many markets, the majority of students have gone home to work on their tan or take part in a promising internship. Much to the chagrin of owners and operators of student housing, where the students are going to live in the fall may be the furthest thing from their minds. At Threshold, we call the student housing summertime push “full-court press” time and all strategies are on the table to get those extra percentage points.
Here are some ideas that might help you score those extra leases:
- Orientation Station – most college campuses welcome their incoming class with summer orientation sessions, many of them are held throughout the summer with varying degrees of organization. Reach out to the campus to request sponsorship or tabling opportunities. Hire a limo, van or bus to shuttle folks from campus to your property. Set up special VIP tours complete with snacks or lunch. Designate orientation specials to incentivize parents to come tour your community.
- Direct Mail Parents – an often mistakenly overlooked target are the parents of any incoming student. They are more concerned about safety, value and convenience then they are about pools, volleyball and tanning. Send a targeted mailer to the parents talking about all of the services and programs you offer that enhances your residents academic pursuits.
- Digital Targeting – marketing is no longer “digital” or “traditional” it is all just “marketing.” If your overall strategy doesn’t include a specific digital strategy to target those searching for housing, you’re missing a huge potential. Our pay per click campaigns generate 46% more traffic to our clients’ websites based on targeted keyword and display campaigns. If you don’t know how to do it on your own, hire a professional agency to help you out – it will save you thousands of dollars in the long run.
- Nurture your Prospects – whether families visit you onsite or online your follow up campaign should be nurturing your leads through a sales funnel on a weekly basis. Today’s automated solutions allow you to establish a sophisticated student housing marketing campaign that keeps warm leads warm.
While summer in the student housing industry may not be about beaches and calm days, it certainly provides us with opportunities to use our creativity and marketing muscle. I don’t know if a full-court press is in your future or not, but if you want a complimentary assessment, give us a ring. We’d be glad to provide some bench assistance.
Happy Marketing.
by threshold | Mar 19, 2015 | All, Marketing
Do you know what’s trending? We talk about trends, we see them in newsfeeds and social media. But navigating website design trends, boosting SEO, maximizing SEM, targeting PPC, engaging Social Media…post, edit, click, like, ahhhhhh. It can get overwhelming for even the experts. At the end of the day, behind all the curtains…good digital marketing comes down to knowing your customer and your location. Every market is different and digital trends differ from region to region. Look at your Social conversations, twitter may be the ultimate experience in one location and fall flat in the next. Customers are smarter about participating, searching, shopping and comparing. They can sniff through the fake or impersonal. The goal for us all is the same; convert your digital leads into foot traffic through your front door.
1) Do your homework first. Think about your end user and the experience you are trying to convey.
2) Know your market. Are you speaking to hipsters or a Wall Street crowd? Where do your potential residents shop, what clothes do they like, where do they eat? This all effects your digital marketing channels and the pizazz you need to infuse them with.
3) Know your message. Keep it simple and specific to your audience. How do they like to interact? What do they participate in?
We work tirelessly to look at markets in fresh ways with a team of designers, visionaries and experienced residential marketers. We break it down and put it back together with targeted requirements and strategic approaches. We have to like it, but it has to make sense for the end user. Hey, we watch the trends, but still have a special place in our heart for the fanny pack.
by threshold | Jan 29, 2015 | All, Marketing
Experience has shown that retaining residents can be difficult work. The end of an apartment renter’s lease signifies an opportunity for them to explore other housing options. Are there any new communities to explore? Are there existing communities offering a rent concessions or lower rents? Getting the attention of your residents is an important first step in any renewal strategy.
With the biggest sporting event just around the corner (in case you’re living under a rock – the Seahawks and the Patriots will meet in Phoenix on February 1st), the Super Bowl may be a great opportunity to make a super splash with your residents. It’s a perfect time to remind them of why they selected your property to begin with. Perhaps it was the Wine Wednesday events, the well-equipped fitness center or the community gardens; whatever the reason, any resident event is an opportunity to retain your residents. Events don’t need to break the bank and, in fact, usually pay for themselves with just one renewal.
Here are some ideas for the Super Party (or any future event):
- Use napkins pre-printed with various amenities and fun slogans
- Have cups and affix a property label highlighting activities you host for residents, not just the property logo (they probably know where they live)
- Create name badges for the property so residents continue to meet new people (it’s difficult to leave a community when they have made friends of their neighbors
- Dedicate a staff member to introduce residents to each other
- Bring in an iPad stand with iPad so residents can tag themselves on Facebook or just flip through the pictures
- Have a goody bag as a take home with a renewal form inside
Remember, your residents chose you for a reason. Use events to highlight those reasons, build a loyalty program and remember to ask them to renew. And turn Super Parties into Super Renewals with just a little more effort.
by threshold | Apr 17, 2014 | All, Marketing
Threshold attended the 6th Annual InterFace Student Housing Conference here in Austin, Texas.
The topic of international student recruitment was discussed at both a roundtable and panel. Over the past 10 years there has been a 40% increase in international student enrollment with the majority of students coming from China and Saudi Arabia, according to Kim Cory, Director of Student Media at For Rent University.
Student housing managers can no longer ignore this large and growing target market. Consider having dedicated staff members who are solely focused on the recruiting and retaining international students. It’s also important to develop a separate marketing plan specific to international students.
With dedicated resources and a plan in place, here are some great and innovative examples of marketing to international college students:
Find a current international student resident to act as an “ambassador” between your community and international students. Consider offering this resident a leasing incentive.
Create a page on your website specifically for international students with information about the lease process, public transportation details, maps with points of interests like banks, grocery stores, shopping, etc. See this community’s page near Michigan State University for example.
Location, followed by fully furnished and community events/programming are key selling points for international students.
Make sure your digital media campaigns extend to other countries. Facebook, YouTube, Twitter and many other popular sites are banned in China. Tailor your SEO to search sites popular in other countries. And find out what social networks are popular. In China, it’s all about Renren – a near carbon copy of Facebook.
Just like American students, international students like to procrastinate. Most schools have international student orientations in August. If you’re still leasing, see if you can set up a booth or sponsor food for the orientation.
And like so many other student housing marketing practices, marketing to international students varies by market. Be sure to understand your market, what countries are popular at your university and your communities’ competitive advantage. From there, it’s all about the implementation.
by threshold | Apr 9, 2014 | All, Marketing
My mom was born and raised in Mexico, moving to the US when she was just 18 years old. As any of you with Hispanic heritage in your blood – or know folks that do – family is muy importante (very important for the gringos out there). I was 20 years old when my little sister was born – she’s now in college and my parents watch over her like a hawk. Not because she needs the help, she’s a feisty 20 year old who wants to make the world a better place, but because they feel they should still take care of her. Sweet.
In our world, we’re always talking about the “helicopter parents” and how they are involved in the lives of their kids and their kid’s friends. How they call for maintenance requests, etc. From a marketing perspective, it’s tough to message for the 20-year olds and the 40-somethings congruently – but it’s not impossible. Parents still are heavily involved in not WHERE their children live, but rather HOW they are living. Are they safe? Do they have all the comforts they need? Is their space conducive to getting the heck out of college in 4 years?
Here are a few pieces of advice for messaging to and reaching your secondary customers -Parents.
Message:
Peace of mind: individual leases, all-inclusive living, community assistants, professional management companies, fully furnished, full kitchens
Academic focus: study rooms, computer labs, programming
Health/wellness: fitness centers, programing, full kitchens
Tactics:
Renewals: Be sure to send renewal letters and/or other materials home to parents
Direct mail: When sending to parents, tailor your message and consider sending a larger packet with a formal letter, rates/plans and application
Advertising: Consider regional magazines or newspapers with college editions. Texas Monthly produces a popular yearly guide in print and online
Remember, parents are either decision makers or decision influencers when it comes to housing. Now that I’m a parent (with Hispanic heritage coursing through my veins) I’m certain I’ll be right there when my son is ready to make that leap. Granted, he’s just four, but I’m preparing now. So watch out all you young Community Assistants who want to move up the ladder. I’ll be seeing you in 14 years.
Happy marketing.
