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I was able to create a cross marketing strategy with a nearby animal hospital and a mobile groomer for a property that was the only one for miles that accepted pets without a lot of restrictions.
This strategy included me creating a flyer that was written from the animal's perspective of 'I let my humans live with me'. There was also a poster that was posted in the waiting room at the hospital. The letter went into the billing statements for the animal hospital, and the groomer. Both the hospital and groomer maintained websites that we had a presence on.
In exchange; we allowed the groomer to set up shop on property a few times a month to groom the 4-legged residents; grooming service (working, not companion) animals / animals in training at no charge. The hospital was given permission to market to the residents directly. Both were given free space for a coupon or an article in the property newsletter and presence on the property website. The hospital gave discounts to the service/companion animal's humans. I think it was 10-15% off(?).
It was a lot of fun to do and to kick it off; I was able to locate an Eagle Scout candidate that needed a project and allowed him to create a pet directory for the property. This directory consisted of a picture of the animal, and the contact information for it's humans. A copy of this information was kept in the resident file, and a folder was kept separate in the office in the event an animal was separated from it's human. The resident also got a framed copy of the picture.
Working in student housing on campus (private owned) had to be the most marketing I have ever had to do! Not only did we have a annual lease up but retention was soooooooo important. Most of the stuff we did was for retention and referrals because if enrollment is up, we will fill up regardless (a plus for oncampus housing)but it was keeping them there that was the challenge. This year we partnered up with so many different companies such as:
Habitat for Humanity
Toys for Tots
the Salvation Army
SA Food Bank
SAWS
5 Hour energy
Monster Energy
HEB, and too many more to name.
In student housing we are required to put on a number of programs (12) every month for our residents/students and this meant days on end brainstorming what to do next. Outside of partnering with a number of great companies we also
transformed the residence hall into a haunted house for Boysville
put on an Easter egg hunt for elementary schools near campus
teamed up with a local cleaners and laundry service that did pickup and delivery for clothes for residents/students/faculty/staff
teamed up with a mobile car cleaner and detailer that would come out on Fridays
There are so many things that we did for marketing and retention it was ridiculous! I really miss that place!