tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4687788912434276736.post6307448147847578674..comments2023-04-30T08:06:58.020-04:00Comments on The Marketing Nerd | Branding | Internet | Social Media: Do You List or AdvertiseUnknownnoreply@blogger.comBlogger2125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4687788912434276736.post-33384529827470085342008-10-01T22:58:00.000-04:002008-10-01T22:58:00.000-04:00It's all advertising in my book... Some just allow...It's all advertising in my book... Some just allow you to be more creative than others. I think it's up to the listings sites to prove their value to you. You wouldn't pay to advertise in every newspaper, on every TV channel, or even in every phone book, so why is there an obligation to place listings on sites with very little traffic (especially when there are plenty of free alternatives available).<BR/><BR/>I agree with every item on your "to do" list, but I would add one: let your residents do the marketing for you. Secure your property's page on <A HREF="http://www.apartmentratings.com" REL="nofollow">ApartmentRatings</A>, <A HREF="http://www.yelp.com" REL="nofollow">Yelp</A>, <A HREF="http://www.kudzu.com" REL="nofollow">Kudzu</A> and other ratings sites, then make those links known to your residents. Put them on your website, your resident portal, in emails, in newsletters, on cards attached to work order forms... then ask for feedback. If you're doing all the other things you mention effectively, the vocal minority will come to support you. Positive reviews beat "featured listings" in my book any day. And they usually rank high in search results, too.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4687788912434276736.post-7184545700429506752008-09-30T08:10:00.000-04:002008-09-30T08:10:00.000-04:00Mark; You bring up some interesting points, and wh...Mark; <BR/>You bring up some interesting points, and what you are experiencing is likely pretty typical, most of the marketing budget is consumed by your term “listings” In the end, it is all marketing. <BR/><BR/>Over the last three years Urbane Apartments have ceased traditional marketing efforts in exchange for a myspace site, a facebook site, YouTube and flickr sites. We also use twitter regularly. To further integrate we started a Social Network site on Ning.com, the Urbane Lobby<BR/><BR/>Our Goal; To provide our residents with an experience and value with a high enough return to create enough Customer Evangelists within our core resident base that they self rent our apartments. We are working hard to lead our resident Influencers within our core resident base, and have transitioned most of our marketing budget inward, to further focus on our existing residents. Only good things have happened from this move. Resident retention has significantly improved, and we have created a forum and a field for the Influencers to participate. Along the path we hope to become Social Media experts based on our experience as to what works for multifamily and what doesn’t. We are learning as we go, but are seeing stellar results. <BR/><BR/>Perhaps the greatest benefit for us by utilizing these tactics and strategies is that when a potential resident does a Google search for Royal Oak Apartments, Urbane Apartments pop up on page one, number four or five consistently, which then typically drives the prospect right to our web site, thus allowing us an opportunity to showcase our offeringAnonymousnoreply@blogger.com