Our communities have a very aggressive resident referral program. We encourage our residents to refer friends, co‑workers, etc.  Recently, at two of our Ohio communities, we started making up “Resident Referral Gift Baskets.” These baskets contain candy, Play‑Doh, squirt guns, bubbles, gum, community brochures, and a resident referral flyer. The flyer explains the program: $200 for the first referral, $300 for the second referral, $400 for the third referral, and a big-screen TV for the fourth referral. We deliver these gift baskets to the residents at work, to entice their co‑workers to look at all of the goodies and, more importantly, at the brochures of the apartment community, The residents have really enjoyed these baskets, and the leasing staff really enjoyed making them up. The number of resident referrals has also increased.

Contributed by Cathy Cebula


A Cut Above

We promoted referrals by creating a special gift package containing a cutting board with various other items attached to it (Jolly Time popcorn, mixed nuts, berry fruit roll-up or candy, a Payday candy bar, and bottle of Sunny Delight juice drink).  These were distributed to locators and small businesses.  We had an overwhelming response because it was different and clever. The flyer we designed to go along with the gift package was made so it could be folded like a tent card. This card displayed the property name and logo on the front, and the following message inside:

Here’s the SCOOP:
We’re a CUT ABOVE the rest
So have your referrals POP on in to LENOX COURT where our JOLLY staff will go NUTS over them and treat them BERRY special. And soon it will be PAYDAY for you! Isn’t that a SUNNY DELIGHT?
Contributed  by Cheryl Ducote