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Home Insider Blogs Jolene Sopalski's Blog 8 Marketing Ideas For The Slow Season
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Dec 01
2010

8 Marketing Ideas For The Slow Season

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Posted by: Jolene Sopalski on Dec 1, 2010 19:21

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So I first  want to congratulate everyone for making it into the slow season. I bet you thought great we get to relax catch up on some things we neglected....well sorry nope. Now is the time where we should be marketing more than ever our property so that come the pre-busy ( Mid Feb-May) and the really busy season ( June-October) we are jamming with prospects and not twiddling our fingers wondering what the heck happened. So I wanted to share some ideas on marketing that have worked for me in the past that in the hopes they will work for you! Okay get your running shoes on because its time to run with these ideas!

Holiday Marketing:

1) So we are in the month of December and everyone loves Santa Right? Guess what, so do the Day Cares. Last year I went to the Dollar Store and Wal-Mart picked up a bunch of Candy Canes (I really mean I bought out the whole shelf) each candy cane had a ribbon with a cute little business card attach advertising what our current special was. The candy canes were then delivered to the Day Cares to be given out when Santa Clause came. We also took the Candy Canes to the Mall where Santa was and they gladly gave them out when the children saw Santa. Another time when our Towne Center was having there Christmas Lighting event I went around with a big bag and passed out these special candy canes to future prospects. This was a really inexpensive fun way to get the word out about our property.

2) Using Santa Clause as a Human Directional!  We had our groundskeeper dress up as Santa Clause for two hours everyday and stand out side holding a sign just saying Merry Christmas to those driving by. I wont forget the day where he got shot with a paintball gun that eventually brought prospects in because they felt sorry for him. Needless to say they moved in that February.

3) Portrait Studios are really busy this year; see if you can contact your local Life touch studio to see if you can strike up a partnership with them. For instance you take their coupons and put on all your residents doors ( make sure they have your property name on them so the manager knows where they are coming from) and then ask them if you can stuff the flyers in the portrait pkgs or tape to the envelopes.

4) Okay we all know that New' Year's Eve is the busiest time for clubs. I know you are thinking seriously Jolene  you really think we are going to give up going out to party just to market our community?!?!?! No I'm not, but here is what you can do to tap into the mass majority of people. If you are going to a club take some business cards and tape them to the back of the bathroom stall doors - this really does work. During the day take all your promotional flyers or business cards and tag the heck out of the ATM's close to busy areas like the clubs or shopping centers. People are going to need money New Year's Eve and New Year's Day; what better way to reach a mass group of people than at the ATM.

5) Bandit Signs everywhere that is going to be busy during the Holiday's.  The key is to get people to see your name and remember you. Keep the signs simple and your phone number large. Stick them at major intersections of shopping centers and the Highway. Also look at the zip codes where you are getting approvals from on your Credit and Criminals, Corlogic as this capability to show you. Target those zip codes branch out of your general area.

6) January is 1 month closer to Tax season....yeah!!!! So tap into your H&R Blocks, Jackson Hewitt etc and see what marketing partnership you can strike up. Have a special that is exclusively for their customers. I got ten leases off of this idea and we only did this with H & R Block, they put us in ten different locations in Jacksonville and Orange Park. In-exhcange we invited them to talk to our residents and put there flyers in our newsletters.

7) Superbowl Weekend= Pizza and Taco Beal :) Yup we can also use this to our advantage! It is going to take some planning oh say like the next 6 weeks of securing your spot in these stores but it is worth it. Superbowl Weekend is the busiest weekend for these two restraunts. On average, Papa Johns on Sunday night will sell 5,000 pizzas. Get in touch with the GM and see what you can work out as far as cross promotional for both companies. By the way this works also!

8) Valentines Day is coming and hearts will be blooming at the stores. Get a bunch of those small heart boxes tag a fun note saying" become our sweet heart at Smith Apartments with a $299 Move In  Call 9047676889 TODAY. " Storm the local business with these fun really inexpensive items and give to the employees. This is a great way to incorporate Valentines in your marketing and this will remain in the prospect's head.

Remember this key point: we as human love to use our sight for everything. It is what helps us decide on what to eat, drink, buy and guess what LIVE! So if we want prospects to come to us then we need to make sure they can see us! Starting with our marketing over the next few months aggressively. Now on your mark get set go!

Jolene Sopalski
Assistant Manager
Finlay Management,LLC


Comments (12)Add Comment
1013
written by Tara Smiley, December 05, 2010
Jolene - Absolutely fantastic ideas that are tried and true and too often overlooked. Feed the leasing hunger now and stay full for the rest of the year! Great contribution!
0
written by Colin, December 07, 2010
Great ideas! Although - in the colder markets I don't know how anyone would feel about standing outside the property dressed as Santa Claus....smilies/smiley.gif
4470
written by Jolene Sopalski, December 07, 2010
@ Colin- Ture on the Santa and Cold but think of it this way what a great way to attract future prospect by having a visual presences for future prospects/residents to see...anyways dont they sale thermal underware.
0
written by Not sure, December 07, 2010
I'd be hesitant to use the first two . . . . as they could easily be construed as favoring a particular familial status or religion, both of which are protected classes. I'd hate for you to be sued for discrimination, even if it's unrelated to these, and have this be evidence of targeting only selected groups.
62
written by Brent Williams, December 08, 2010
Hi Not Sure - Just so you know, Nadeen Green recently wrote a blog about using secular religious terms like "Merry Christmas", and indicated that it appeared to be ok by Fair Housing standards.
4470
written by Jolene Sopalski, December 08, 2010
I was going to say that there is nothing wrong with using Santa Clause. I work on a Senior Affordable property and will be taking Candy Canes to the Senior Citizens Centers. Also if you want you can incorporate all the other holiday's for December in your marketing. Also keep in mined that you are not just targetting one certain demographics your are targetting a large group throug word of mouth. Think about it the parent or grandparent that pick up their child from Day Care will see the Candy Canes/Coloring Sheets that have your property information and they maybe looking or know someone else that may need an apartment. So you just created a third party marketing relationship without even trying. We in the industry have got to start thinking out of the box instead of in the box.
0
written by Susan K. Lind, January 07, 2011
Great ideas Jolene! It is true to make sure your curb appeal stands out. The winter months bring dull colors of brown and more brown so bring color with signs, flags/flagpoles, and banners. I have several colorful and professional ideas! These are also great ideas for year around resident retention!
4800
written by Sandi Phillips, January 10, 2011
Here's a take off on your photographer suggestion: Get in touch with a local pet store where they do the pets with Santa photos. Ask them to come to your property to shoot holiday photos of your residents with their pets. This is a great hit especially with Senior communities. Some of the photos can be put up in vet's offices and pet stores on their bulletin boards. Of course, make sure your property name is in the photo or on the photo card message. With Valentine's Day coming, maybe you could do it then????
4470
written by Jolene Sopalski, January 10, 2011
Sandy I love that idea! We were just talking about having a pet show in February as part of our resident appreciation month! Recently our property went threw a manager shift in staff and the residents are a little nervouse so I wanted to make February Resident Appreciation month! Which I'm looking really forward to!
4800
written by Sandi Phillips, January 10, 2011
Thanks!!!! Let us know how the pet show turns out, please. Love to see photos, too!
0
written by Christine H, January 18, 2011
The "Pet Portraits" do very well! We would have one twice a year sometimes we did a pet fashion show and other times pet portraits. We had our social director shoot, print and frame the photos for the residents. ALWAYS A HUGE SUCCESS! Excellent resident retention activity and prospects loved coming in for tours and seeing we were pet friendly!
4470
written by Jolene Sopalski, January 18, 2011
I'm really excitted for the marketing that we will be doing this quarter! We have been trying some new things and I can't waite to share them with everyone here soon! I love marketing and it is so much fun to think of new things to do or try to put a new spin on older ideas.

GOOD LUCK EVERYONE!!!

Jolene Sopalski
Assistant Community Manager
Finlay Management.Inc.
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