There are many resources out there aimed at showing leasing teams how to increase occupancy in apartments.
These resources often suggest big apartment marketing campaigns or apartment marketing ideas that will consume your budget. While some of those ideas may get you new leads and prospects into the funnel, you need to be cautious of where you allocate funds this busy season–we got you covered.
If you’re looking at how to increase occupancy in apartments this busy season, and beyond, you need to focus on one thing–the renter experience. Here’s how video can help you do just that.
Focus on Convenience
Most property managers have a leasing marketing plan checklist when it comes to gaining or retaining residents. For existing residents, they are likely to schedule a meeting with that resident 90-120 days before their lease expires to move toward a renewal. For prospects, they are likely to try to schedule that initial meeting as soon as possible.
One of the best ways to streamline that process is to focus on making the renewal process convenient and easy for everyone. This means offering to meet with residents through video. In comparison, if you’re trying to lease an apartment with a new resident, you should offer multiple touring options, meaning having virtual tours available.
You won’t have to force residents or prospects to find time to come to the leasing office for a face-to-face interaction. Which is probably for the best when leasing offices are only open from 9 am – 6 pm each day – times when most people have work obligations.
A virtual meeting can also shorten the time the meeting takes place, cutting out distractions. This means more time for the property manager to help the leasing team, which is great when you’re looking at how to get more apartment leases.
Combat Limited Availability
Most properties are performing quite well right now. While great, that means limited inventory for new renters. If you have someone in the pipeline, but don’t have the floorplan or apartment style they want available, that can create some complications.
Another example where video is a great tool in the how to increase occupancy in apartments toolbox is to use video as a resource to sell a larger unit, or even sizing down, to residents and/or prospects.
It’s really difficult to talk through those ideas over the phone or email no matter how good your apartment leasing strategies are. And, sometimes even a photo won’t be enough. You need to show them the unit and paint the picture as to why you think it would work for them. With video you can do just that, making it easier to keep them in your pipeline and guiding them toward conversion. It will capture their attention and prevent losing that prospect to a competitor.
Speed to Lead
We’ve all seen it time and time again where a prospect will reach out to your competitors. That’s why it’s important to be speedy! With video, you can make that happen quicker, getting those connections made even faster.
So, ask if they can connect for a quick 5-10 minute video call. You’ll be face-to-face with that prospect, creating a more memorable, positive experience before your competitors have a chance to check their calendars availability for an in-person meeting.
Or, you could send a quick 10-second “excited to be working with you” video in response to an inquiry. Talk about standing out in the inbox and increasing qualified traffic to the apartment community! Plus, seeing your face and creating that connection via video will make it harder for a prospect to say no.
Make Information Easy
Another critical piece of advice when it comes to how to market to apartment renters is don’t make them hunt for information. Make the information easy to find available via your website or social channels. Are they bringing a pet? Great! Make sure that the pet policy information is easy to find on your website, added to any email correspondence and added to the chatbot as well.
Do the same for any FAQs your team gathers. Not having to search for information is going to create a much better experience for the prospect, and current residents as well. The minute a prospect gets frustrated looking for information or trying to contact the property, they are going to leave and start looking at a competitor. So, make sure your web and social experiences are easy for your prospects and residents to navigate.
In the end, the best thing to add to your “how to increase occupancy in apartments” playbook is to look for ways to enhance the renter experience. That’s what will win you new leases and renewals faster.
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Enhancing your video engagement strategy with 1:1, DIY, or pre-recorded videos will help leasing teams WIN more leases! Get DIY video tips, multifamily marketing, and leasing knowledge delivered to your inbox bi-weekly by subscribing to our newsletter!
