For years, apartment companies have offered residents incentives for making referrals and paying their rent on time, but lately they’ve gotten a little more creative.
Residents are increasingly rewarded for a variety of actions, from posting on social media to volunteering with a charity. If you’ve considered creating an incentive program, or you just want to make changes to an existing program, check out these highlights from our latest #AptChat. (Click on the links to jump straight to a specific question.)
- Q1: Do you offer any kind of incentive program or loyalty program for your current residents? What kind of program is it?
- Q2: How do you promote your incentive programs? What are some good ways to get the most out of these systems?
- Q3: Besides referrals and paying rent, what other types of resident actions/activities do you try to incentivize?
- Q4: Do you involve preferred employers or local businesses in your loyalty programs? If so, how are you involving them?
- Q5: What did we miss today? How do you show the value of your incentive/loyalty programs? What other questions/ideas do you have?
Do you offer any kind of incentive program or loyalty program for your current residents? What kind of program is it?
One of the best incentive programs we’ve seen is properties that accept @rentmoola, some amazing perks for paying rent. @AptChat #aptchat
— Places4Students (@Places4Students) July 12, 2016
.@AptChat tons! They have a program called @rentmoola MoolaPerks, deals for many stores/services @Uber, @Starbucks, @Forever21, @Zipcar ++
— Places4Students (@Places4Students) July 12, 2016
A1: We offer Referral bonuses, Early Bird drawing, and community events w/ prizes. #aptchat
— Khara (@leftnwrite08) July 12, 2016
A1 (cont) It always seems the best incentives are the ones that aren’t expected. Or, at least, the most appreciated ones! #aptchat
— Khara (@leftnwrite08) July 12, 2016
@AptChat Yep! We’ve done the standard $25 off drawing for a while, working to integrate free DVD rentals for anyone who pays early. #aptchat
— Khara (@leftnwrite08) July 12, 2016
A1: We don’t offer it, but have seen a community offer a gift card if residents shared a post on Facebook about living there #AptChat
— RokitNow (@RokitNowInc) July 12, 2016
#AptChat I’ve wrkd on creat’g a point system for residents. they earn points, and can be applied to rent. I am struggling!
— Linda Hansen (@lmhans) July 12, 2016
@AptChat Hard to create for diverse communities. Points would need to be a percentage of ? what? Rent? & where do pts stay till used?
— Linda Hansen (@lmhans) July 12, 2016
@AptChat #AptChat Totally on my own.
— Linda Hansen (@lmhans) July 12, 2016
A1.We like to take the @uber approach for referral incentives The new & existing resident BOTH get a reward #aptchat
— Holli Beckman (@Apartmentalist) July 12, 2016
@AptChat definitely when it comes to attribution. The new prospect remembers to tell us right when they walk in the door 🙂 #aptchat
— Holli Beckman (@Apartmentalist) July 12, 2016
How do you promote your incentive programs? What are some good ways to get the most out of these systems?
Points earned for clean deck, participating n charity, referrals, attend events, posting on social sites, enter contests & so on #AptChat
— Linda Hansen (@lmhans) July 12, 2016
A2: Most go into the newsletter or social platforms. I just spent HOURS revamping our Refer-A-Friend email templates! #aptchat
— Khara (@leftnwrite08) July 12, 2016
A2. After we receive a positive survey, the refer a friend email goes out. In theory, if they are happy w/us, that’s the best time #aptchat
— Holli Beckman (@Apartmentalist) July 12, 2016
Besides referrals and paying rent, what other types of resident actions/activities do you try to incentivize?
@AptChat #AptChat, housekeeping, participating in events and posting on social sites, volunteer for charity stuff – all in apt community
— Linda Hansen (@lmhans) July 12, 2016
A3: Things that help us out. When they share info or make us aware of issues that could cost us, we’re going to reward that! #aptchat
— Khara (@leftnwrite08) July 12, 2016
We’ll also (as much as is legal) reward certain social interactions. i.e. Social contests. NOT reviews. #aptchat
— Khara (@leftnwrite08) July 12, 2016
@AptChat A little of both. We always encourage feedback, but will also make a point of sharing when feedback makes a difference. #aptchat
— Khara (@leftnwrite08) July 12, 2016
@AptChat Try different things. Stick with what works. And give many ways to engage. Not everyone has FB/Insta/Twitter. #aptchat
— Khara (@leftnwrite08) July 12, 2016
@AptChat … and make it EASY. Easy to enter. Easy to participate. And easy to win. “Enter & Win” > “Enter for CHANCE to win”! #aptchat
— Khara (@leftnwrite08) July 12, 2016
@leftnwrite08 Are you already doing this? This looks like what I’d like to create. #AptChat
— Linda Hansen (@lmhans) July 12, 2016
@lmhans Currently two teams are running #PokemonGo photo contests; all they have to do is tag pics of pokemon caught on property. #aptchat
— Khara (@leftnwrite08) July 12, 2016
@lmhans Our portfolio is trying diff things. Check out one of our sister communities, Woodlands Village, on Instagram (@ wvstory) #aptchat
— Khara (@leftnwrite08) July 12, 2016
@leftnwrite08 I will!! Thank you! #AptChat
— Linda Hansen (@lmhans) July 12, 2016
@lmhans Currently two teams are running #PokemonGo photo contests; all they have to do is tag pics of pokemon caught on property. #aptchat
— Khara (@leftnwrite08) July 12, 2016
Do you involve preferred employers or local businesses in your loyalty programs? If so, how are you involving them?
A4: We’re marketing by connecting res. w/ local resources. Restaurants, activities, etc. Gives them business. Gives us value. #aptchat
— Khara (@leftnwrite08) July 12, 2016
What did we miss today? How do you show the value of your incentive/loyalty programs? What other questions/ideas do you have?
Great chatting with you all! Biggest “incentive/loyalty” tip? Expect little, and be generous! Happy Marketing! 😀 #aptchat
— Khara (@leftnwrite08) July 12, 2016
Our next #AptChat is slated for Tuesday, July 19, 2016 at 12 pm Eastern, and we’ll be discussing the best ways to handle resident feedback. In the meantime, be sure to sign up for #AptChat updates to get these recaps and more delivered straight to your inbox!
