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 Residential Market - Spring 2015 |
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In This Issue Yardi News Client News HNN Associates, LLC Optimizes Rental Pricing Performance with Yardi RENTmaximizer LumaCorp Inc. Reports Revenue, Marketing and Processing Benefits with Yardi Multifamily Solution Products Client in Focus Product & Technology News Mobile Maintenance Top 10 Benefits Does Business Intelligence Achieve Transparency? Payment Processing Collections Simplified Industry Trends Smart Pads Ready for Multifamily? Honey, I Shrunk the House! Events ContactYardi Systems Sales: 800-866-1144 |
4 Social TakeawaysAt the 2015 Multifamily Social Media Summit held in Napa, leaders from both the multifamily and social media sectors joined forces to talk about navigating today's digital marketing frontier. To that end, we pulled four actionable social media tips from four of the top speakers at the conference that you can put into effect at your multifamily communities immediately. No advanced budgeting or special software required! Think Like A Consumer "When producing social content, ask yourself: why do I care?" advises Healy. Stressing that all social communication is a conversation with your potential customers, she cautions against acting as bullhorn that broadcasts complicated messages about your business. Instead, use clear concise language to identify with prospects. One easy social media marketing strategy that Healy suggests is to take advantage of national events and holidays – things your customers will already be talking about – and then put your brand's spin on them. Check out this great example from Cisco's Twitter account. Use Resident Photos Using resident photos of your community on social is one way to get around common budget and time barriers. Greenleigh points out that 63% of people trust customer photos more than company photos. If you find positive images of your community that residents are posting on Facebook, Twitter or Instagram, you can ask for permission to use them in your own marketing using Greenleigh's magic phrase: "Hi <name>, great photo! Mind if we use it in our marketing materials? We'll always attribute it to you." More often than not, you will get a positive response (just be sure to give the resident photo credit). In fact, there's a good chance they will share brand posts that use their photos with their social media circles, instantly expanding your reach! Address Negative Reviews Morgan Remmers works at Yelp, so she knows a little something about how to address negative reviews… and how not to. Instead of ignoring negative reviews and hoping they'll go away (they won't), she advises businesses to do the following when a negative review inevitably pops up online: stop, drop, and roll. Stop: Do not respond with your gut reaction. Take a minute or even a night to reflect. Drop: When you do start crafting a response, drop your attitude and defensive tone. Have someone who is less close to the situation review your message. Roll: After you respond, let the negativity roll off your back. You have made an effort. What happens next is up to the reviewer. Ask For Client Feedback Another way to manage your online reputation is to be proactive about getting positive reviews. In the 2015 Online Renter Study by SatisFacts Research, it was discovered that 61% of residents are willing to post a positive rating or review if asked. However, less than 16% have ever been asked. That's a lot of missed opportunities! Reputation management is critical on social media. Take control by actively requesting reviews and using the RENTCafé reputation management program to ensure an accurate first impression. Using this tool, your staff can track, review, and manage online ratings from Yelp, Facebook, ApartmentRatings.com, and more. RENTCafé also monitors corrective action taken on problematic reviews. In 2015, your social media channels should not be about promoting your business. They should be about helping your customers. It's time to think like a consumer, use more photos, tackle negative reviews and ask for positive ones. How do you use social media to promote the resident experience at your communities? |
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Although embracing changing social media platforms as part of your marketing plan may feel at times like you're advertising in the loud and chaotic Wild West, adhering to established best practices will help you find success. |
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