Seen and Heard - Outreach and Retention News and Ideas

Marketing is a Marathon, not a Sprint!

January 1, 2008

This quote was the main point emphasized by Bill Nye, a multi-family training specialist, who recently spoke at the Trends Workshop in Seattle, WA. His seminar on Successful Marketing Techniques for the Leasing Professional included this message: “One of the biggest mistakes we make is writing promotional ads about ourselves.”

Bill says customers make buying decisions based on emotion, but justify them with logic. When personalizing your collateral, try a few of his suggestions:

• Sell the lifestyle, not the property (bright, sunny, relax, easy)
• Put your customers into your ads (your time is yours to enjoy)

Other speakers at the December event included nationally recognized multi-family expert Anne Sadovsky. Anne says, “Communication is the key to successful relationships. Your customers may be different from you and learning how to motivate the various demographics is the key to getting them to lease—and to stay.

Anne’s simple explanation of the four main groups can affect the way you use collateral today. Consider this:

• Traditionalist – offer tangible rewards for loyalty and commitment, such as a renewal bonus
• Baby Boomers – get them involved and let them make a difference, show them personal appreciation
• Gen X & Y – give them informal, fun choices and emphasize free time with a focus on technology
• Millenials – offer this collaborative group something fun and interactive, such as a place on your social committee