Look for Opportunities to Market Your Business - They are Everywhere

The other day I noticed a freshly painted garbage can.  I try to usually not notice garbage cans because they are gross, but this one looked really nice.   It was freshly painted (green) and the paper below it warned “Fresh Frazee Paint.” Kind of clever – they probably gave out the “wet paint” hand–outs when purchasing the Frazee Paint. 

If you think about how paint works, the paint–viewer really doesn’t know the brand used (and do we care?) but Frazee figured out a non-intrusive way to get a little bit of airtime with the general public.  I have spent a little (extra) time thinking about Frazee's clever move.  

In general, I can easily be swayed by what others are doing (not always, just sometimes !).  When I've shopped  for paint before I'm confused -  there are a LOT of brands and choices – beyond just which color to use, which is paralyzing enough. Do you buy the more expensive brand? Save some money with the cheaper one? If I knew what type of paint the "majority" picked I'd probably just follow them.  

So as a person who appreciates marketing, I like how Frazee found an easy way to warn me about not getting dirty while also reminding me who they are.

Whether the customer is an owner, tenant or a potential software buyer, it is our job always to look for these opportunities to remind them who we are in a casual and informative way.

Here are 3 ways to reinforce your brand and influence the customer experience:

1.  Welcome kits for new residents that go beyond just the logistics of what is needed to live in the property (like information on how to use the appliances). These welcome kits have the property management company logo and contact information on every helpful item – from listings of local restaurants who deliver to a customized map of great walks or hikes in the area. When your logo and contact information are on these items that will help your residents have a better experience in your property you build a stronger relationship. 
2. Send a regular owner newsletter with updates on what your company is doing to better manage their properties.  This reinforces their decision to work with you and builds trust. We received a great suggestion from one of our customers – they wanted to send their owners a quick overview of AppFolio with sample reports. This gives owners more insight into what you’re doing and the investments you’re making.  You are marketing yourself!
3. Send a regular resident newsletter with valuable offers. These could be coupons for discounted services like housecleaning - could you negotiate bulk rates and pass on the savings to your residents? What about coupons for local activities or restaurants? These offers could also have your logo on them too!  Don't just share boring updates about the property.  Instead find something of value that your residents will use - they will remember who gave it to them.  

At the end of the day it is a lot of these little things that build up your brand identity.

Remember that it is more than just printing your logo on your standard marketing material – people already expect to see that and often overlook it. Find ways to associate your company’s brand with something of value to your customers and it will pay off in the long run.