This newfangled thing we refer to as Social Media seems to be the buzz, and for great reason. When effectively executed, with an integrated Marketing and Retention Plan, it works wonders by increasing occupancy and retention significantly. As more apartment management folks enter the Social Media game, it seems there is a lack of effective execution, thus there will be a general lack of results.
WHERE TO START
There are so many questions when starting out. The good news is, there are a lot of great resources out there to help you along. A word to the wise, as so well said over at Chris Brogan’s blog post, Just as Difficult as it Seems. Chris Brogan should know, he is famed, rightfully so as one of the best Social Media guys in the business further points out,
“Please, in communicating with the people in your organization who are considering social media tools as part of their marketing or PR or support efforts, don’t intimate that it’s just as simple as throwing up a Twitter account and then ringing up the extra sales that come in from the interactions.
“Be clear that it’s not rocket science, but it does take work.”
FACEBOOK, FACEBOOK, FACEBOOK
The popular place to start for a lot of apartment communities seems to be Facebook. Logical, right, facebook is about community; apartment management SHOULD be about fostering community, right? What we are seeing though is NOT Social Media or Community, we are seeing Electronic Billboards.
Easy Test, Are there conversations and comments back and forth on your facebook wall? If the answer is no, you have more work to do.
Samir Balwani is a social media marketer who helps businesses create effective web strategies points out on a great blog post over at Mashable, Five Elements of a Successful Facebook Fan Page.
In its simplest form, Social Media is about Participating in the Conversation. Do that, and you will see stealer results. Start practicing today, need some help, give us a ring.
Eric Brown
Eric’s background is rooted in the rental and real estate industries. He founded metro Detroit’s Urbane Apartments in 2003, after serving as senior vice president for a major Midwest apartment developer. He established a proven track record of effectively repositioning existing rental properties in a way that added value for investors while enhancing the resident experience. He also established Urbane Media, a social media marketing and PR laboratory, where innovative marketing ideas are tested. Eric has been featured in Entrepreneur Magazine and Business Week Magazine. You can connect with Urbane_Media on Twitter. Eric also writes regular articles for the following publications; Multi Housing News Social Media Examiner Search Engine Guide
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