Traffic generation for secluded property?

Hi all,

We operate a nice property which is located off of a fairly major thoroughfare. We have a nice entrance sign which, because of a turn in the road, is hard to see from both directions. Plus the property is entered via a fairly long entrahce which is fronted by another apartment property ...which is in poor shape.

When we can get folks to the office, our closing ratio is high. The challenge is generating traffic. We've tried, with some success, an "air puppet," marketing to nearby businesses, ILS listings, etc.

Any particular out-of-the-box suggestions on how to generate qualified traffic for a property in this situattion?


Thank you,


Jeff Kole
Kole Management
apartmentsavannah.com

Hi Jeff,

I completely understand where you coming from with this, as I had a similar issue at one of my sites in West Palm Beach. This particular asset was down a private road off the main, which had another newer community in the front. We did get traffic, and closing was great, but the majority of traffic was stopping at the community at the front. I had the same issue in Atlanta with another asset. The best results came from bandit signs I purchased. Each sign directed them down to our community with funny words and animation, people knew from the trailing bandit signs that the front community was not the place that the true “hidden jewel” was down the road. Simple wording like (Almost there!, Keep ‘em coming, etc.) really makes wonders.

As for generating the actual traffic, there is many fun things to do. One of course is ensuring that you have an amazing curb appeal and that the main road has something about your community. Go around and put a few bandit signs around the community (or City). Get cheap ones with (white with red writing), because people will take them off and dump them, but someone will see them and call.

Promote Promote and Promote your resident referrals. For these types of communities word of mouth is the best source. Also, go old school and hit the ground running with outreach marketing. Hit the shopping centers, flyer the local business, bring cookies to local agencies. Trust me, best results are word of mouth and drive-by traffic. Don’t go crazy being on all publications and every website. Pick one provider (either ForRent or ApartmentGuide) and use the free websites like CraigsList, Facebook, etc.

Hope this helps!
Pedro

Hi Pedro,

Some great ideas -- and we'll definitely try to implement! Thanks for taking the time to share your experiences and make some recommendations.

Best,

Jeff

Jeff,

One of the ways I have helped my clients on getting traffic in the door, was to have content on the website to engage the traffic to stop by your property.

By that I mean, instead of using pictures of the complex, have you ever considered adding full video walk-through tours per floor plan specific on your website. That way future tenants could see what each of your floor plans look like from the comfort of there home or even better, when they are working!

Study shows that most people are looking for a place while they are at work, because they are getting paid to be on the computer and when they get home, they just want to be so far away from the computer.

If you are ever interested in seeing what I have done for my clients, I would love to send you a couple of examples of the videos we have done and maybe even a webinar meeting to talk more about our product and what we can do for your website.

Good Luck!

Nofel Molai
Rentping.com
[email protected]

Pedro and Nofel have great ideas. The bandit signs are your best way to gp. We generate allot of traffic from the bandit signs. Recently we put signs up along the way to our property like Pedro said to do and we continue them into the property. Outreach Marketting is going to be your biggest tool also. Making the community aware of you. We just recently went to twenty veternarian (sp?)and gave each of them this magnets that said we love pets and a goody bag for the pets each goodie had a bussiness card tied around it for the owner to look before they gave to the pet. Sense doing this we have seen traffic from these particular places. Also have the property have like a trunk a treat thats open to the community to draw people in. Oh I really like Nofel idea.

Hope this helps.

Jolene Sopalski
Leasing Specialist
WRH Realty Services :cheer:

There is an out of the box idea that has been working great for many properties across the country and it's called AArrow Sign Spinners. They are incredible! A property in the Atlanta/Marietta area had the same issue; off the beaten path. We used 2 spinners on Sat & Sun at the property for a month. 10 documented leases & I know there were more that didn't get recorded because traffic was so great. We advertised a 1 month special, our lowest rent, phone # & name of community. The spinners pointed them into our driveway from the main road. It's similar to bandits, but the spinner interaction boosts the traffic. They are not in every city, but growing by franchises. Let me know if you need their contact info. [email protected]

Hey Jeff,
Make sure you are on the map! Googlemap, mapquest, yahoomaps, ALL maps! Sometimes assets that are a little hidden from plain view are also hidden from ALL views.
If not already, you'll also want to do all you can to "search up" so that you have an online presence even if not a physical presence!
If you have any control over the long entrance, and especially if the adjacent property looks bad, some really classy and eye catching boulevard signs might draw people your way.

Hey Pat,

Sounds interesting -- could you please give me contact info on them?

Thank you,

Jeff Kole
[email protected]
apartmentsavannah.com
912-232-3555

Hey Mary,

Great idea ...to be frank, 'm not sure how many of our properties are on Web maps -- but they will be, soon! Thanks for the great idea!

Jeff

Going along with Jolene and her great ideas for community outreach, you can try getting in contact with HR departments of larger offices that are within reasonable commuting distance. Provide them with brochures and information to pass out to new or relocating employees or to post in the break rooms. You could go a step further and put together a welcome to the neighborhood brochure featuring local businesses, restaurants and your building- to make it even more enticing for them to hand out.

Also think about any sort of special offers you would be willing to provide. In a previous company I worked for, they had set up a deal for a reduced security deposit at a local apartment building.

I love using housing fairs to generate traffic...and if there is not one in your area, make one! In my experience the local library, community center, mall, student center, Rotary, office building, etc. is glad to be involved in the business community (which then brings people to their building) or if nothing else, doesn't care! With a few weeks of fliers and promo work I have gotten great turnout. I see that you have multiple properties in Savannah so you could use the gathered contact information and schedule a shuttle bus tour on a Saturday morning that leaves from one of the above locations. $700 to get 20-40 serious prospects to all your properties is a bargain.



Bryan Grackin
Regional Manager
Gates, Hudson & Associates

Jeff, these are great ideas. I'm very happy to see so much support with in the group. I was reading another thread earlier, in this same group and Robert Rankin had some excellent ideas about doing an Open House with current residents. Have some food available, with some beverages and let the residents tour any units you have available. Let them invite any quests they know are searching for a new place to dwell.
This idea will generate good will with current residents, make a great first impression on any quests invited, and also generate some serious word of mouth.
Internet presence is key also. My company the Tenant Landlord Association specializes in all things "Web Marketing" from Search Engine Optimization, Email Marketing, Web 2.0, Pay-per Click, etc. We have downloadable PDF Brochures you will be able to customize to your property, and many more options for marketing your property.
We work on a pay for performance basis, are extremely affordable, and offer a money back guarantee if one of our tenants back a lease with you for any reason.
My Email is [email protected] and my cell number is 517-588-1863 if you have any questions, need any ideas or any help in any way let me know.
Good Luck with your exposure!

Jeff,

We recommend boulevard banners up the entry drive. They are versatile and visually attractive. They can have your amenities and features. There are so many things you can do.

Let me know if you would like some design ideas.

Regards

Rick Davis
Curb Appeal

I might be biased, since I am in the business - but bandit signs really do work.

We have a client that we place 20 signs a weekend for. We cover about a 3 mile radius from their property - which also captures people driving to ajacent competitor properties.

They have been overwhelmed by the response from the first weekend we placed the signs.

We only service the Kansas City Metro area - but you might do a Google search for "weekend signs" and see if there is a company near you.

Hope this helps!

Curious if anyone would be interested in a app that targeted your drive by traffic phones....by pushing an alert with content to them when they are driving by? Thoughts?

Dear Anonymous,
That might be a great app, but if you're in a secluded area, there probably isn't enough drive by to make it useful. Some of the ILSes have adopted something that sounds similar to that technology...you just have to be careful not to annoy people by pushing info to them, in our already inundated world, that they really aren't interested in. It could have the reverse effect of annoying rather than promoting.
:silly:

I am on two very busy streets and at the largest mall around, so I have way too much traffic!

But some surprising sources of traffic at my property are from reviews (apartmentratings and google,) resident referrals, and the postcards I send to all the businesses nearby.

Good Luck!