Marketing Director with NO money

I feel like I have my hands tied. I have marketed in every way possible. I've put flyers everywhere imaginable. It has barely sent any leads. I've put out Dum Dums and I'll I get is, bring some back. We ate all of those.
I've stuffed Greensheets, Chronicles. We don't advertise in Apt Guide but I do "stuff" those as well. Flyers only do so much and obviously for us, it does NOTHING. I'm an avid Craigslister. This seems to circulate more traffic than anything. But to me, to make money, you have to spend money. I would love to market pens, post pads, koozies, floating key chains. Anything. We are close to the water so any ideas will help! Remember they aren't willing to part with money. HELP..

Go to blogger.com. start a new blog. Go visit local businesses and ask them if you can do a "featured" write up about them or help them promote something. 99% of businesses will of course say yes to this. Write a cool post about them, use a picture, link to their website. Then email the post to your residents. Share it on your Facebook page, Twitter, Pinterest, etc. Email the link to the business as well. Build lasting relationships with local businesses and see what happens. Much better than cluttering their parking lots with flyers. Wash, rinse, repeat with the next business around the corner. Make it all about them and they will likely show you the love back. All free!

What is working with your comps? Are they doing something you aren't (besides advertising that costs big bucks?) I would go the route of garnering some free publicity. I would call the newspaper, tv station and have them cover your kids' lemonade stand or your collection site for items for the troops (team with a Blue Star group.) I would deliver breakfast to the morning crew on a local hot radio station and maybe they'll mention you on air. I would also make sure I understood who the property's neighbors are and try what Mark suggested. I know he is a Marketing guru!

When I started my current property with no money, this is what I did:
1. Craigslist with GREAT photos. I use Postlets as a template. As bad as I hate them, will they allow you any specials? Something small like: "Apply Today and Pay no App Fee!" See what everyone else is posting and do better.

2. Contact all senior and Tax Credit properties. I sent a letter. Ask them to send you their over-income applicants and full-time students that don't qualify for their property. Then follow-up phone call. Invite the manager to lunch, too.

3. Brochures(I made mine on the computer) given to Human Resources departments at businesses close by your property. I have a hospital. Once a week, I would take brochures and leave them on the tables in the employee eating area.

4. Ask residents for referrals. I made a template for my work orders on color paper. I print one for maintenance on plain paper then one on the template. It thanks them for allowing us to serve them and asks for referrals, too. Send your managers a flyer right before rent due date and remind them to ask for referrals.

I didn't spend any money on marketing for over a year and went from 58% occupancy to 100% by using these methods. Craigslist was my saving grace. I had the best ads, not bragging, in my market. I also used Ebay Classifieds and any free site I could find.

Everything that has been said already works great. Be sure you are following up with every prospect! Call until you are asked not to.

Cross market with surrounding communities as Sandy mentioned. Even if you offer the same thing as your comps maybe they don't have any two bedrooms to rent and you don't have any one bedroom units. I work closely with my comps. We cross refer quite often. They know what my residents selection criteria is so that if someone doesn't meet their guidelines, the send them here. For instance my closest comp can not take ANYONE with a criminal conviction period. I can as long as it's not a felony, a crime against a person, and is over 10 years old. Same with credit, we're pretty lenient (we're a senior’s community so it's a little different). Bad credit requires a higher s/d but as long as they don't have an open bankruptcy or rental judgments I can help. My comp requires a higher credit rating. I'm a 62+ community and my comps are 55+ so I refer to them when I get someone who's not old enough for my site.

IMO buying cozies, pens, key chains, etc. really doesn't lease apartments. Those things are great for getting the word out in lease-ups and as move-in gifts, but they really don't generate traffic. A sister site had an occupancy issue a few months back. They flier’ed a few parking lots and within 2 weeks were back to 100%.

Generating traffic does not have to require you to throw money at it. You just have to be creative...

Define your rental target market and use the right tools to pursue - example: Generation Y love coupons on social media...put a coupon on for a referral or a small sum off the first month's rent...whatever! You'll probably get increased response.
have one of your residents blog about what a cool place it is to live, and why!

There is a wonderful book called Guerilla Marketing - it gives you a new perspective on marketing with a low or no budget. You should pick it up. I think it is under $10 at Amazon.
Have you tried ofsite marketing? Calling on businesses to get them to put your flyer in the lunch room? The chamber of commerce is also a good place to start - try to get them to give you a chamber directory. you can attend their meetings.

This worked for me at a property I was at several years ago:

I was at the only pet friendly property for miles; with a new animal hospital on the other side of the freeway. I contacted their manager and asked for permission to create something that they could post on their buletin boards in the waiting room, on their website; and included in their newsletters and other mailings. I created a flyer written from the perspective of the animal that lets their humans live with them and how that animal is enjoying life at.......


In exchange; I allowed them exclusivity to market to my residents and free space in my newsletter.

Part if this included a small discount on services for service animals.

I also found a mobile groomer to do the same and allowed him to 'set up shop' on site a few days per month, with requests for free grooming of service animals.

Here is 3 Ideas:

1. Press releases still work. Granted a submission to PRWeb or a Vocus account make the pickup and link benefit much easier, but those cost dollars – so for this case lets reiterate the best free press release sources:
24-7PressRelease.com
PRLog.org
IdeaMarketers.com

2. Send the press release to your local media outlets, or any niche media outlets that may be interested in your property as a local story.

3. Claim, verify, and update your Google Local Business listing. This is extremely important. Google Local Listings have been absorbed into Google+, so be sure to check out this great resource over at Blumenthals.com to keep up to date on how to manage your Google Local Listing.