We've all seen the power of great branding in action. Citizens Bank, for example, has its name pasted across my local Major League Baseball stadium (go Phils!). Every game, thousands of fans walk through Citizens Bank Park, surrounded by logos, signs, and a clear, consistent brand presence. It's a textbook case of how to invest big in marketing visibility. 

Which made what my boss, Ellen, saw the other day all the more surprising. 

The bank had recently relocated its Narberth, PA branch to a more prominent spot just a few blocks away. But if you stopped by the old location, you'd never know it. Taped to the front door was a piece of torn cardboard. Scrawled in thick black marker were two words: 

BRANCH CLOSED. 

No forwarding address. No explanation. No branding. Just a sign that looked more like a liquidation notice than a message from a trusted financial institution. 

The Big Impact of Small Marketing Moments 

At my organization, we work with multifamily professionals who regularly invest thousands, sometimes tens of thousands, of dollars per month in digital marketing campaigns through Google, Meta, and other platforms. Yet despite these significant investments, it's often the small, overlooked touchpoints that derail an otherwise well-run marketing strategy. 

Recently, during Ellen's son's apartment search, he encountered moments that echoed that cardboard sign:

Each of these touchpoints, while seemingly minor, has a disproportionate impact on impressions of that community, and not in a good way.

Micro-Moments Are Your Brand

Every interaction a prospect has with your property, online or in person, shapes their perception of your brand. Whether it's a missed call, a missing piece of information, or a hastily written sign, these micro-moments signal whether or not a community is attentive, trustworthy, and professional.