Social Media is powerful—that’s pretty much recognized across the board. But a massive social following doesn’t just happen overnight (unless you're like Jeremy Lin or Madonna). Which is why it can be beneficial to promote your community’s virtual presence in the real world.

Here are 21 examples of how businesses create visibility for their social media platforms through means which are offline. Some tactics could clearly translate to the multifamily biz, others would take a bit more creativity. So to get you thinking...

Dillard’s Breezeway Billboard - In a fairly basic attempt, Dillard’s invites shoppers to get updates on special offers and events through their social media platforms, by placing a sign near the store’s entrance. Easy, simple, to the point. 

Think of the resident that you hate.

But I don’t hate anybody! I love what I do, and everyone is my favorite person in the world. I work in Moonbeam Twinkle Apartments, just under the mystical rainbow of Avalon, down the street from the chocolate river of puppy dreams and happy smiles.

Alright, fine. Everyone else, think of the resident that you hate. You know who it is…that person who can literally ruin your day when you see their number on the Caller ID: that person who, when they walk into the office, makes your heart beat faster, your palms sweat sweatier, and your eyes scan the room for the nearest exit—the guy who makes you pick up the phone when he walks in and talk to nobody rather than listening to him whine about how his toilet “just doesn’t sound right.”

NAA’s UNITS magazine published a Satisfacts Research survey in their April issue titled “All That Apply:  Residents’ Leading Marketing Sources.”  The web-based survey queried 34,000 apartment residents who had moved within the last year, asking what sources they used from a prepared list of 36 possibilities, giving the option to check up to 20 of these sources. 

A survey question like this can tell us a great deal . . . notably that shoppers are utilizing an abundance of information resources, not surprising for most of us.

But does it really tell us that “Drive-by/signage” is the “leading” source, or that social media is “rarely used”?

Doug Miller, President of Satisfacts, was quite gracious in spending time with me over the phone recently to discuss the methodology behind the survey.  Here’s what I learned, and what you should also know:

·      Survey question:  “When you rented at your community, what sources of information did you use to find out about the community?  Check all that apply, up to 20.” 

·      The list of sources was a simple list, no clarification or further explanation provided

·      There were 15 Internet sources listed under the heading “Internet”, as in “Internet – Apartments.com”, “Internet – Property Website/Portal” and so on.  But many sources were omitted, like RentMineOnline.com, Oodle.com, ApartmentList.com, RentSocial.com and many others that carry apartment content. 

·      Similarly, all print publication sources were listed with an “Apt Guide” heading . . . “Apt Guide – For Rent”, “Apt Guide – Apartment Guide”, “Apt Guide – Apartment Finder” and “Apt Guide – Other”.  While those of us in the industry can muddle through that one, would the typical apartment resident be confused?  As one of the provider names is the same as the heading (Apartment Guide), it is easy to imagine that there was some respondent error here.

·      Facebook was included as one of the “Internet” choices, as well as Twitter and MySpace (really?), but other social media sites were not listed – like Pinterest, community or management company blogs and other sources where the industry has seen a great deal of activity.   

·      ApartmentRatings.com was included as an “Internet” source, but not Yelp.com or the many other ratings & reviews options we see the consumer utilizing.

·      There’s nothing at all in the survey about Mobile as a source – and that means none of the many apps and mobile sites were taken into consideration.  As mobile is the fastest-growing digital resource, this is a big missing component.

So, back to my original question:  Does the survey really tell us that drive-by/signage is the “leading” source?  Just my opinion, but don’t most of us drive a neighborhood we’re thinking about living in?  And while that helps us to know if the geography is right, does it really help a consumer narrow down the specific apartment community they want to take a look at? 

Also, with over 80% of Americans now using the Internet (via their desktops, laptops, smart phones and every other digital device with internet connectivity), and over half of Americans purchasing on line, does it really follow that the highest percentage any Internet provider garnered in the survey (Rent.com) was only 14.1%?  It just doesn’t add up.

Speaking of “adding up,” I saw a recent communiqué where one marketing provider was totaling their print and Internet percentages from this survey to come up with their “share” of usage.  Not so fast – since the survey asked respondents to “check all that apply,” there is overlap in the percentages; totaling is completely erroneous, as the same respondents checked multiple sources. 

As a long-time industry supplier with many years in the marketing arena, it troubles me that some readers might misunderstand these survey results, and that other marketing experts in the field are using the information inappropriately.  Shouldn’t we really be asking (in addition to a more precise usage survey) what sources are meaningful or most helpful?  What type of information is critical in making a decision on where to rent?  How important are ratings/reviews and friend’s recommendations in making your decision?  It seems to me that those questions would give us much more insightful, actionable answers.

I'd love to know your thoughts!

I have a one year old daughter, so when I think about where I want to live, one of the major elements is simply whether there are other families with young children in the area.  So imagine me touring an apartment community and asking if there are a lot of children in the community, or if any buildings are more family-oriented.  What type of response do you think I would get from a leasing consultant?  If they are trained properly, they will probably say some meaningless line about being a “diverse community” blah blah blah.  Did that help me in my apartment search?

The fact of the matter is that my family would likely be happier if we lived in close proximity to others in the same stage of life.  Having other families with children the same age would allow us to have play dates and keep our little ball of energy entertained throughout the day.  But while Fair Housing does a great job at reducing discrimination, it has a negative affect in situations like these, which makes it impossible for me to find a living situation that would fit my needs.

Another example comes from a recent blog, “Risk: It’s Everywhere!” where Nathan Borne discusses national origin and the potential discrimination risk by asking where someone is from.  He then asks why you might want to know that information to begin with.  Granted, knowing that someone is from Malaysia versus Nigeria may not make a difference, but knowing that they are simply from another country could make a huge difference in customer service.  Of all our residents, those coming from a different country would probably be fairly high on the list of those that need the most help with their move.  They may not know anything about the customs, how business is done, or the language itself.  But if we are not allowed to discuss this issue for fear of opening ourselves up to allegations of Fair Housing abuse, then we inevitably cannot provide that much needed customer service.

A guest post by Gabriel Knight, Mortgage Fit, Chicago, IL

While rental property investment might look like a rewarding and positive venture, managing both tenants and properties can be overwhelming. As such, you may need to hire a professional property manager to make your life easier. This is an especially good idea for rental property owners who have no experience or don't want to spend their time managing a rental property on their own. With a property manager, you’ll be able to ask mortgage questions if you run into any trouble with your property. Here are some reasons why you should hire a residential property manager to manage your residential property properly.

And now you will have that lovely ditty in your head for the day.  (You’re welcome – LOL.)

Today’s post is about the use of miniature horses as guide animals for the blind.  I have found when teaching that I often get skeptical looks and comments when I bring this up during discussion of reasonable accommodation of service animals.  (Two attendees in past years were not skeptical at all, however, since they actually had residents with visual impairment who did in fact have miniature horses to assist them.)  I have always explained the rationale for the use of a miniature horse to be based on the life span of that animal.  The traditional guide dog usually serves its owner for 8-12 years, but as the miniature horse has an average life span of 30-40 years, the time of service is so much longer (a major consideration given how difficult it is to secure a guide dog from both time and cost perspectives).

But there are many other reasons that the use of a miniature horse makes sense (I guess that would be “horse sense”).  My online research on another issue resulted in my coming across the website for GuideHorse.com and I ended up learning a lot, some of which I will share with you.

The mobile market is booming, and while you may have joined the latest trend with a mobile phone purchase of your own,  this technology can now be incorporated into your community by reaching residents and prospects in the way they most prefer—text messaging.  In return, your community can save time and resources with just a quick trip to the computer.  With an easy log in to your chosen texting platform, designated employees can type in a short text message and with a simple click, your message is in the hands of your subscribed residents, prospects or both.

Imagine reaching your residents quickly with notifications like:

• “Your lease is almost up. Stop by the leasing office to check out our latest specials to renew!”
• “Just a friendly reminder, rent is due Monday.”
• “Sorry we missed you. You have a package waiting in the leasing office.”
• “Powerwashing this Thursday.”
• “The next resident social is April 15th. See you at the pool at 2pm.”

One of my favorite things to do in life is seek out the connection that exists between two or three seemingly unrelated ideas. Apartments and public education, for example, don't appear to have a lot in common, but as I've mentioned before (I am a teacher, after all) the gap between today's teacher and today's leasing consultant is not nearly as vast as many think.

As multi family insiders, the primary medium for progressive business lies in our ability to create engaging narratives. Whether through word of mouth, social media, billboards, print ads, direct mailers, or carrier pigeons, our ability to make our brand appealing through stories remains the cornerstone of our craft. It’s a worthwhile exercise, therefore, to learn a little bit about storytelling from one of the best to ever do it.