Marketing campaigns, social media content, community engagement and more from outside the apartment industry can serve as valuable inspiration to those of us in it.
So this week, we asked #AptChat Nation which brands continually grab their attention, and what ideas they’d like to steal and apply to their own communities; these are the highlights. (Click on the links to jump straight to a specific question.)
- Q1: What are some of your favorite companies you regularly look to for marketing inspiration? (Bonus points for local businesses!)
- Q1a: Can you share an example of something this company has done that stood out to you?
- Q2: Have you noticed any overarching trends and/or themes across marketing from other industries? If so, what stands out?
- Q3: What kind of trends have you noticed as far as the marketing channels where other companies are focusing their efforts?
- Q4: What are some ways apartment marketers can leverage these trends we’re seeing elsewhere? Can you share what you’ve done?
- Q5: What’s your current favorite campaign, or the one marketing idea that you most want to steal and apply to your community?
- Q6: Last few minutes! What else can we learn from marketing outside the industry? Any other observations/tips you’d share?
What are some of your favorite companies you regularly look to for marketing inspiration? (Bonus points for local businesses!)
@AptChat Starbucks- they always do a great job from a brand standpoint & I love how they include their customers #AptChat
— Karen Kossow (@AthleteatHeart) January 10, 2017
@AptChat Oreos had some fun social media content that I would go back to #AptChat
— Karen Kossow (@AthleteatHeart) January 10, 2017
@AptChat Love to follow @naja – great inclusive, empowering messaging for women #aptchat
— Dyverse (@dyverse) January 10, 2017
A1: @Southwest, @Uber, companies on @AdFreak… #AptChat
— Ashley Olson (@ashleylynnolson) January 10, 2017
A1: Arby’s builds community by having a finger on the pulse of current culture. Their campaigns are simple, stunning, & accessible. #aptchat
— Khara (@leftnwrite08) January 10, 2017
Can you share an example of something this company has done that stood out to you?
I like Topo Athletics Brand Ambassador program #AptChat
— Karen Kossow (@AthleteatHeart) January 10, 2017
@ProcterGamble always tells a good story w/their Olympic ads. Focuses on the people, not the product. https://t.co/jL0CjMb7Rq #aptchat
— Kristi Fickert (@Marketing_Mommy) January 10, 2017
@AptChat Orange Theory- they REALLY create a sense of community which creates GREAT WOM marketing
— Karen Kossow (@AthleteatHeart) January 10, 2017
Topo Athletics has their brand ambassadors show where their Topos go #AptChat
— Karen Kossow (@AthleteatHeart) January 10, 2017
A1a: BMW sends personalized offers via promo code based on recent purchases or maintenance service. #AptChat
— Gino (@Gino_Blanco) January 10, 2017
Showing real life people using a product goes a long way (ref. Topo again) #AptChat
— Karen Kossow (@AthleteatHeart) January 10, 2017
Ooo… also..I like to look at creative menus at restaurants for inspiration for materials… I’ve been known to ask if I can them #AptChat
— Karen Kossow (@AthleteatHeart) January 10, 2017
A1a: They are relevant and always coming up with something unique and surprising making me think – why didn’t I come up with that! #AptChat
— Ashley Olson (@ashleylynnolson) January 10, 2017
Have you noticed any overarching trends and/or themes across marketing from other industries? If so, what stands out?
A2: There’s a move toward genuine encounters with “real” people. Storytelling = major focus. #AptChat
— Khara (@leftnwrite08) January 10, 2017
A2: @canopybyhilton emphasizes local tourism. Highlighting restaurants and other businesses in that area. #AptChat
— Gino (@Gino_Blanco) January 10, 2017
I also like to watch how different types of business r using FB Live (not nec. always for marketing) and the engagement they get #AptChat
— Karen Kossow (@AthleteatHeart) January 10, 2017
@AptChat There aremore people to reach – different people, cultures, backgrounds #aptchat
— Dyverse (@dyverse) January 10, 2017
A2: They are showcasing that they are real, genuine, care about people and telling a great story. Showing signs of hope. #AptChat
— Ashley Olson (@ashleylynnolson) January 10, 2017
A2: A focus on getting the customer into the sales funnel, then remarketing w/social ads, email, etc. All behavior-based. #AptChat
— Kristi Fickert (@Marketing_Mommy) January 10, 2017
@AptChat Live streaming video for sure #aptchat
— Dyverse (@dyverse) January 10, 2017
What kind of trends have you noticed as far as the marketing channels where other companies are focusing their efforts?
A3: Dedicated engagement. I’m used to the standard “please email us.” A lot of co’s kicking it up a notch w/ personal responses. #AptChat
— Khara (@leftnwrite08) January 10, 2017
@leftnwrite08 Amen. It could be a couple days before you even get a response! #AptChat
— Gino (@Gino_Blanco) January 10, 2017
@Gino_Blanco Nothing worse than waiting for a response then getting the same “Sorry to hear that” as 1k other people. #AptChat
— Khara (@leftnwrite08) January 10, 2017
@leftnwrite08 It’s about time, right?!! #aptchat
— Kristi Fickert (@Marketing_Mommy) January 10, 2017
@Marketing_Mommy What I love is it’s not just “email us.” Especially on SM, readers are treated to genuinely REAL responses! #AptChat
— Khara (@leftnwrite08) January 10, 2017
@leftnwrite08 Yes and that’s exactly what the customer wants – immediate & real/genuine responses. #Aptchat
— Kristi Fickert (@Marketing_Mommy) January 10, 2017
Q3- e-mail, re-targeting #AptChat
— Karen Kossow (@AthleteatHeart) January 10, 2017
Q3- also creating community- I’ve seen more businesses that I frequent doing things outside of their core business #AptChat
— Karen Kossow (@AthleteatHeart) January 10, 2017
Q3 continued- to keep people engaged and to enhance WOM- OTF has HH, had a Holiday Party, always has little challenges going on #AptChat
— Karen Kossow (@AthleteatHeart) January 10, 2017
Q3 continued- they recently did a fitness crawl with other business in my ‘hood, the team engages with their clients on social #AptChat
— Karen Kossow (@AthleteatHeart) January 10, 2017
A3: LIVE Chat capability directly on the website. This has been around for a while. Would love to see it a trend in our industry. #AptChat
— Gino (@Gino_Blanco) January 10, 2017
@Gino_Blanco Exactly – why not overcome the customer’s objections right then and there, before they click out & leave the website? #Aptchat
— Kristi Fickert (@Marketing_Mommy) January 10, 2017
What are some ways apartment marketers can leverage these trends we’re seeing elsewhere? Can you share what you’ve done?
Q4- from a community standpoint work to really bring the neighborhood in in different ways… not new… but not always easy to do #AptChat
— Karen Kossow (@AthleteatHeart) January 10, 2017
@AthleteatHeart So true. We’re focusing on “adding value” by giving residents ways to add value to the community. #aptchat
— Khara (@leftnwrite08) January 10, 2017
@AptChat We’re sharing monthly (or frequent) local volunteer opportunities and community engagement. #aptchat
— Khara (@leftnwrite08) January 10, 2017
@AptChat (cont) It gets residents involved in the neighborhood/community AND shows that we’re engaged in more than rent collection. #aptchat
— Khara (@leftnwrite08) January 10, 2017
@leftnwrite08 when people are attached to the entire neighborhood they are less likely to want to move #TheresMoreThanJustAWhiteBox #AptChat
— Karen Kossow (@AthleteatHeart) January 10, 2017
@AthleteatHeart @leftnwrite08 So true – have you seen those community pantries popping up across the country? #aptchat
— Dyverse (@dyverse) January 10, 2017
@dyverse @leftnwrite08 yes… there’s a WeLive near us… total community living and so far appears to be pretty successful #AptChat
— Karen Kossow (@AthleteatHeart) January 10, 2017
A4: Spice things up visually! Find ways to be visually and content-captivating. Be the convo starter, not the follower. #aptchat
— Khara (@leftnwrite08) January 10, 2017
@AptChat Figure out how to work with our teams to really check spelling and grammar so that we can move away from templates #AptChat
— Karen Kossow (@AthleteatHeart) January 10, 2017
@AthleteatHeart 🙂 Corporate Grammarly accounts? #AptChat
— Mike Whaling (@mwhaling) January 10, 2017
@mwhaling we were doing that in my most recent prior life… sometimes helped… sometimes didn’t #TheStruggleIsReal #AptChat
— Karen Kossow (@AthleteatHeart) January 10, 2017
A4: Adding value to your community through resident events and being a #1 resource for your tenants. #AptChat
— Gino (@Gino_Blanco) January 10, 2017
A4 (cont): Key is to create a lifestyle prospects want. #AptChat
— Gino (@Gino_Blanco) January 10, 2017
What’s your current favorite campaign, or the one marketing idea that you most want to steal and apply to your community?
Q5-Would really like to find residents who would be willing to video share their lives at our communities/in out neighborhoods #AptChat
— Karen Kossow (@AthleteatHeart) January 10, 2017
Q5 continued- using FB Live, Insta etc… continuous flow of these videos, real, showing WHY they live where they do #AptChat
— Karen Kossow (@AthleteatHeart) January 10, 2017
@AthleteatHeart yes! FB Live property tour? I’ve done one on Insta stories but how fun would it be if ppl could engage real time #aptchat
— Emily Sarecky (@emilysarecky) January 10, 2017
@emilysarecky We were doing them at lease ups before I left the last gig. Not lots of live engagement but def after & we #AptChat
— Karen Kossow (@AthleteatHeart) January 10, 2017
@emilysarecky continued- repurposed the videos for FB ads #AptChat
— Karen Kossow (@AthleteatHeart) January 10, 2017
A5: Love @amazonecho brevity ads. Would love to engage in something similar to remind res/prospects of comm features/tips. #aptchat
— Khara (@leftnwrite08) January 10, 2017
@AptChat A5: Surprise & Delights! Post about how much they <3 their new apt & get surprised w/ a small token of appreciation! ? #aptchat
— Emily Sarecky (@emilysarecky) January 10, 2017
@emilysarecky @AptChat So true. The unexpected carries a lot of weight and gets a lot of good will #AptChat
— Karen Kossow (@AthleteatHeart) January 10, 2017
A5: VR Headsets. Would love to implement this for new lease ups during guerrilla marketing. #AptChat
— Gino (@Gino_Blanco) January 10, 2017
Last few minutes! What else can we learn from marketing outside the industry? Any other observations/tips you’d share?
@AptChat we need to remind ourselves that strong e-mail marketing needs to remain part of our plan #GetsMeAlmostEveryTime #AptChat
— Karen Kossow (@AthleteatHeart) January 10, 2017
Be current (in the know) and fast (in the now)! Be visual and visceral. And above all else, be GENUINE! #aptchat
— Khara (@leftnwrite08) January 10, 2017
@AptChat Follow-up never ends. It’s all about making your interaction memorable. #AptChat
— Gino (@Gino_Blanco) January 10, 2017
Our next #AptChat is slated for Tuesday, January 17, 2017 at 12 pm Eastern, and we’ll be discussing content marketing for apartments. In the meantime, be sure to sign up for #AptChat updates to get these recaps and more delivered straight to your inbox!
