A quick senario set-up; the following is a correspondence string between a Prospective Resident Eva and KateWiki of the RentWiki Lead Follow-up Team. Names were changed to protect identity of Innocents and Guilty.

Please read the email string below and come to your own conclusions.

"Forget about fictional, glitter-skinned teen vampires. You’re far more likely to have your blood sucked by bed bugs." So says Lynn Bruno, of MSNBC.com.

CHEEZ'N'RICE!

The story captured my attention when I was listening to the news this morning, and my interest was piqued because I've chuckled every time I've seen  a reference to "BedBugs" in property management. I know this is not my usual topic, but wow...Victoria's Secret has bedbugs? That's just freaky and thought it would spark some interesting chatter on the matter..

I gotta feeling The BlackEyed Peas will be showing up flashing Camden Residential tattoos at the 2010 NAA Education Conference and in their next music videos.

You guys gotta see this. I've tweeted it and posted on the RentWikiHouse page. 

Camden Residential ROCKS. Easy to see why the company is included in Fortune 100's "Top Places to Work".

"I have nothing but amazing things to say about XYZ Apartments and the management team! The only maintenance issue I have had in over a year of living there was a clogged garbage disposal and the maintenance man was over and had the problem fixed within fifteen minutes of reporting the clog! I always feel safe and the complex is surprisingly quiet at night. The amenities are amazing for the small that I pay per month and my friends can't believe it when I tell them about the fun things that the management team does for the tenants like catering dinner, drive thru breakfast and pool parties! XYZ is a great place to live-- I love it!" - I really want to review XYZ Apartments because I love it!! Thanks again for your help and have a great day!"

THIS IS WHERE YOU NEED TO STRAP IN.

The statement that I posted above was a direct quote from a management company resident raving about her apartment home - WOW.

Litmus Test - Ric Campo, CEO of Camden, national REIT based in Houston, BELIEVES in litmus tests.

Camden is awaiting waves and raves. Multifamily Executives are asking for it. They're sticking their toes into the water...they just want Reviews and Communication through Social Media done RIGHT. They are seeking new ways to bridge the Consumer & Community Gap.

"Rented on of our apts recently? If so, let other renters know how you like it by rating it at http:..."

Dunkin Donuts launched a great QUIRKY campaign that jettisoned their Facebook Fan page followers without spending a dime. Dang. That's pretty cool.

They evangelized without preaching, and used their zany "Coolatta" and "YeDDi" fun and games to let their customers tell their story.  While I am a Southern KrispyKreme snob who salivates over the KK "Hot Donuts Now" neon sign, I must say...I have an occasional hankering for a DoubleD coffee. (Don't tell my Starbucks Barista, Ben. Feels like I'm cheating on him.)

So...what does that matter to us, a group united in keeping our current residents happy and win the affection of those "driving by"? It's no secret, that we lure lingerers into our leasing offices with donuts, and HECK, the vendor partners to the apartment industry should all get a share of DunkinStock...a pink and orange box has overcome many obstacles and opened many a door for sales and service calls.

The attention on Social Media as a marketing and branding tool becomes even more relevant when you realize that New Orleans' upcoming festivities for Mardi Gras are being re-branded to show it's "softer side" as a result of frustrated New Orleans residents Live-Tweeting and Facebooking from 2009.

Long fed-up with the festival's reputation of debauchery and "Girls Gone Wild", Louisiana's own "Tabasco" is presenting "Mardi Gras Gone Mild".

Last year, New Orleans local, Tom Martin, live-Tweeted Mardi-Gras, showing the more PG-rated aspects of the festival.

There’s an old saying that “if you live by the sword, you die by the sword.”

Old sayings get old for a reason…because they are usually right.

I post this blog in response to a great "Reality Check" post by one of our industry experts elsewhere on the MultiFamily Insider discussion board.  She's encouraging a close review of marketing strategies.

She's absolutely spot-on accurate.