Team-Building and Traffic Generation x2
Our goal at Newport and Concord Village is to cross-train all our staff, increase qualified traffic, encourage return visits, and improve our closing ratios. In addition, by cross-training, we will be able to improve the market-ready condition of our vacant apartments and decrease the response time to our maintenance requests. Our team members include the Newport and Concord Village... Read More

Increase Renewals 10%
Offer your residents an incentive to renew their leases early. This can be, and has been, done during an open house, or you can set aside a special month, like February or March, for the renewal incentive. This is how it works: Advertise to your residents through your newsletter, emails and notices that you are offering a special rental increase if they sign their leases early... Read More

12 Ways to Increase Performance Anytime
With soft markets and shrinking budgets, the focus on retaining Residents and saving money is at an all-time high. Since our Service Team members are the key to achieving this goal, here's 12 ways to make it happen! 1. Why most people don't perform as expected: My basic premise is that 98% of all Employees REALLY WANT to do a good job (when you find you have hired one of the other 2%...  Read More

Unique December Promotional Ideas
Operation Santa Paws Month; Root Vegetables and Exotic Fruits Month; Safe Toys and Gifts Month; Tomato and Winter Squash Month; National Hand-washing Awareness Week; Gluten-Free Baking Week 19-25: a local baker can offer some wonderful tips and recipes; National Chocolate-Covered Anything Day Dec. 16: no explanation needed on this one but lots of PR opportunities... Read More

Raise Rents, But Offer an Early Lease Discount
None of us want to pay more money for the apartment or house we are renting. Most of us have trouble increasing our customers' prices when we ask for a new renewal commitment. One of the things I've learned is that perception is reality. So the key to raising the rents while keeping resident retention high is to help your residents perceive that they are getting a bargain... Read More

The Case Against "Business Casual"
"Employees who don't dress appropriately cap out a ceiling on their careers really quick," says professor Dennis Tootelian of California State University, Sacramento. According to the study done by Tootelian, nearly two-thirds of Americans have felt inappropriately dressed at a business or a social function; and more than two-thirds are uncertain about the differences among business attire, business casual... Read More

How To Quiet the Twitter Noise
Twitter is my news stream. I use it to get the best news and information from people that I trust and admire. I barely even use my Google Reader anymore because I carry my Twitter with me everywhere I go. As you find more and more interesting and valuable people to follow, you're going to find it difficult to keep track of all of the tweets you receive. You're going to need something to help you manage all of the noise... Read More

Register for Brainstorming 2011 Before January 1 and SAVE!!!
Registration is now open at http://brainstorming.multifamilypro.com/2010-sessions/register-now/. We're offering an UNHEARD OF special Super Early Attendee rate of ONLY $395 for paid registrations before December 30, 2010!!!  Hurry and reserve your seat now for our next event, September 13-16 at the Renaissance Glendale in Phoenix! It's the best Holiday gift you can possibly give yourself.  We'll see you there! Read More

Make Your Community a Stop on the Tour Route

"If you're marketing to families, why not host field trips to your community from the local schools. This can be an educational opportunity for children to see how a community runs. Have your head service technician explain maintenance. Let the grounds people show off their work and explain their positions. Your office staff can talk about job skills and career opportunities ..." Read More

A Tiny Apartment Transforms Into 24 Rooms

"Our good friend and top Brainstorming Facilitator, Tina Cavaco, sent us this AMAZING link! In Hong Kong, because of the space, apartments are small and expensive. Gary Chang, an architect, decided to design a 344 sq. ft. apartment to be able to change into 24 different designs, all by just sliding panels and walls. He calls this the 'Domestic Transformer." ... Watch The Video Here

Social Media Success for Apartment Communities

"I have a few thoughts to share on the topic of social media today, and I should tell you up front that I intend this post to provoke conversation, and I hope you'll participate! You all know how passionate I am about the need to begin using social media now, because I truly do believe it will play a major role in not only our relationship/retention efforts, but also our marketing strategies. I also happen to believe that its value..." Read More

The Power of Place

"If you've had doubts location-based social networking services were going to really catch on, you should know that Foursquare whizzed past the one-million member mark back in April and just passed 1.8 million; and raked in $20 million in venture funding just a couple of weeks ago. That buzzing sound you hear is the Power of Place, about to go mainstream." Read More

Build the Model Organization of the Future

"Before you invest time and money in traditional strategic planning consider this - only 5-10% of strategic plans are ever implemented. The reason most organizations engage in strategic planning is to reduce anxiety. It's like taking a couple of aspirin for a headache. In this case the headache is the future. The aspirin is a couple of days locked in a room putting checkmarks in the appropriate boxes." ... Read More

Partnerships That Work

"I created and facilitated a one-day workshop called 'Partnerships That Work.' This class was designed for Apartment Community Managers and their Assistants and focused on synergy, teamwork, and delegation. Our challenge and reason for needing such a workshop was that Assistants either felt as though they were not being trusted with enough to do while other felt as though the Manager was dumping ..." Read More

Better Training Through Skill Gap Analysis

"One of the best things you can do to improve your team's training plan is to add Skill Gap Analysis. This step helps the trainer to identify gaps in performance and areas for added training and development.The first step in conducting a thorough Skill Gap Analysis is to create a picture of what ideal performance looks like. This step-called Competency Profiling-takes a look at the attitudes ..." Read More

Five Multifamily Training Ideas

"The Idea - As part of our new manager training we have implemented a Manager Mentor Program. After each new manager comes in for a day of training on company policy and procedures, we select a Resident Manager from the Property Manager's portfolio to provide another eight hours of training at their community or at the new managers community. Both managers are provided with an Agenda ...." Read More

Form An Alliance at Brainstorming 2010: Reality Check!

It's not your typical seminar, conference, or workshop. Unlike any other national Multifamily event, only Brainstorming connects you to the vast power of many individuals working together with one goal: to solve your toughest challenges! You'll receive thousands of ideas worth millions to your company, communities, and career, guaranteed to repay your investment and more! Register for Brainstorming Now!

July Door Hanger Special

Stock up now! All our fabulous door hanger designs (except one - the Halloween design) are on special until July 31st! Buy any two packages at our regular low price of only $25 per pack of 100, and get a third pack absolutely FREE ... that's a whopping 33% discount, making NOW the best time of the year to buy and stock your shelves! Call 727-784-9469 with your order or Click Here to Find Out More!

I have a few thoughts to share on the topic of social media today, and I should tell you up front that I intend this post to provoke conversation, and I hope you’ll participate!

You all know how passionate I am about the need to begin using social media now, because I truly do believe that it will play a major role in not only our relationship/retention efforts, but also our marketing strategies.  I also happen to believe that its value on both of those fronts is already beginning to take hold.

I don’t need to tell you that idea isn’t universally held.  We’ve all seen our share of debate on the merits of social media right here online; and even among the detractors, there are varying degrees of buy-in... some will concede that while social media has a place in resident retention, it’s not a valuable or proven marketing tool; and if not now, *maybe* one day in the far-flung future.  I disagree that it isn’t yet a viable as a marketing tool based on my own experience— I believe it’s possible for any business, apartment communities absolutely included in that count.

Success is, admittedly, still a very subjective term when it comes to new media.  We’ve all experienced its benefits when it comes to connecting with others; and we know as marketers that connection breeds commitment—a key ingredient to the success of your brand.  It stands to reason that anything that facilitates a better connection with your customers is going to benefit your relationship/retention efforts.  But just as we’ve always had to work a little harder to gain a customer in the first place than we’ve had to work to keep one who’s already experienced the value of our product; it also stands to reason that marketing via social media is going to take more work than just being there.  Now, don’t read me wrong here … I am absolutely not implying that anybody who isn’t seeing the sales benefits of social media just isn’t working hard enough.  I am saying, however, that we’re all still learning the ropes; and perhaps if you’re not seeing the benefits yet, you just haven’t hit upon the right combination of tools or strategy for your brand.  Social media isn’t, after all, any one thing.  It’s a diverse and growing set of opportunities.  Imagine trying to crack a safe when there are a few more numbers on the dial each time you turn it, and you’ll get a good idea of what it can be like.  That’s just one reason why I’m so committed to educating our industry on what’s out there, what’s coming next, and the potential all those opportunities represent.

When I hear the arguments now that social media is important to keep an eye on, but isn’t yet a proven marketing tool and therefore not yet worth implementing or even getting educated on, I frequently laugh; and I’ve been asked more than once how I can be so amused at something I’m so passionate about.  Mostly, I’m remembering when—way back in 1994—we started writing about how important it was for property management companies and apartment communities to have internet access, get to know the “lay of the land,” and begin to build an online presence; because if their customers weren’t on the internet yet, they soon would be.  I can’t tell you how many times we heard “why should I do that when the internet isn’t even proven as a marketing tool?”  Then we watched as the early-adopters began to reap the immediate benefits of great online positioning while other companies and apartment communities struggled to catch up—and heard time and time again that “it’s taking us more time, effort, and expense to adapt than it would have taken us to prepare.”

Yes, great marketing is a science.  It’s important to carefully measure the hard reality of what you put into it against what you get out.  But it’s also an art, requiring at least equal attention to softer ingredients that include creativity, intuition, the ability to spot a trend, and the occasional leap of faith … but I’m not going to ask you to set the science aside.  So here’s what I want to know:  is social media working for you as a marketing tool?  Is it worth the time it takes?  Are you getting rentals that you can track back to your social media efforts?
Let me know your thoughts.

Tami