Though many students have moved into their rental properties for school already, some may be moving again soon after roommate disagreements or other issues in their current housing. That means that you need to be prepared to have new college renters moving in, and these will be young people in need of affordable apartments in fairly close distance to their school. These students aren’t as picky as you might think about where they live, so you’ll take need take some extra initiative to appeal to them in a way that stands out from your competitors.
Strategies to Appeal to College Renters
The biggest and most important thing to keep in mind is the strategies with which you appeal to these college renters. You have to make sure that your marketing tactics are modern, effective, and that they employ the latest technologies. If not, you’ll certainly be overlooked for other companies who use online marketing and mobile ads (for example) to get the word out to students about their properties. Unfortunately, just doing a “traditional” marketing strategy isn’t enough, since everyone will be doing the same. Consider some out of the ordinary strategies that will make you stand out from the crowd in one way or another. You don’t want to be lost in the midst of dozens of companies who have the same tactics.
Something you may not have considered is to invite the local college population (within reason) to your property. It may get tricky with the current residents, but particularly if you are a new building, hosting an event on your property could be the most effective way to introduce these young people to the idea of moving in. If your property has a pool, then center the event around the use of the pool for a few hours. If it doesn’t, then utilize a recreational or green space as the central hangout and, in both cases, ensure that there is food. Local eateries and even food trucks could be involved to draw in business for them, too. “Throwing a huge party is a great way to show renters that your properties will keep the good times rolling” and, at the very least, it will give them firsthand experience with what you have to offer.
Similarly, bring the party to them under the banner of your business! With permission, represent your interests on campus or at a local school event. Set up a table with freebies or even partner with (again) a food truck or similar venue. That way, students will see you advertised in the midst of their school setting. You’ll seem like a logical piece of their lives, particularly if they haven’t thought about a location yet and you are there to remind them of their options. If you give out an informative sheet of paper or even an application along with some free swag, they’ll at least have access to your offer in physical form.
“If you have a marketing team, get them to help you design cool paper collateral to hand out at festivals, concerts, or sports games.” Make your company a local standard by creating a presence near the university. If your marketing efforts are creative and professional-seeming, then the potential college renters will be impressed and likely to tell that you put effort into them. You could even act as a sponsor at those events, discussing the benefits of your property with those who stop by. What do you have to lose?
Everyone loves to get things for free, but millennials are particularly drawn by various incentives. You can use these to, again, separate yourself from the myriad of offerings that are bound to be in the area. If a student is moving to another residence due to issues, they’re likely to make a quick decision. Be the obvious choice by offering things like including public transportation fare in their rent or passes to local sporting events. The fact that you’re giving them something “extra” will undoubtedly stand out to these young people.
While you manage drawing in college students as renters, let SKYLINE Property Management and Accounting Software manage… everything else! This versatile system organizes all of your relevant data so that you can find whatever information you need in no time at all. You no longer have to worry about physical files when SKYLINE can offer you a central, electronic database. Let this software handle the smaller details so that you can fill vacancies and connect with prospective renters.