When it comes to new construction lease-up branding and marketing, it's essential to align with the construction phases as they drive timelines. In this article, we will break down the four phases of development and explain how to keep your branding and marketing on track.

Phase 1 - Early Construction

(12-18 months before the first phase of completion or groundbreaking)

Naming Your Apartment Community

Before you start with the first phase of development, it's essential to choose a perfect name that reflects your community's values, style, and target audience. You'll also need to set up legal documents with the city and county while registering your web domain and social handles.

Foundational Branding Design

During this phase, you should focus on creating a consistent brand identity that includes your voice, visuals, taglines, headline library, logo design, color palette, typography, and lifestyle stock imagery. Once your brand identity is defined, we can start working on floor plans, renderings, and a landing page that feels consistent with your brand. This consistency is crucial for establishing your community's legitimacy in the first phase of your lease-up.

Phase 2 - Coming Soon (6-12 months before the first phase of completion)

You're Here - or You Could Be

In the coming soon phase, we can start designing marketing materials such as signage, rack cards, and maps. We also suggest creating a property sitemap or a point of interest map that shows nearby amenities, shopping centers, restaurants, etc.

Sign Ups

This is the perfect time to launch an interest list website that can help you develop SEO for your location. We suggest using "Coming Soon" on your marketing pieces and directing prospects to a landing page with a contact form as the primary CTA.

Phase 3 - Pre-Leasing (3-6 months before the first phase of completion)

People, Get Ready

The pre-leasing phase is when units get reserved, and leases get signed. During this phase, you can transition your branded marketing message from "coming soon" to "pre-leasing" as you start up your unit reservations. We suggest creating business cards for your property manager, leasing agents, and maintenance supervisor, along with thank you cards and move-in gift notes. It's also essential to have your website fully launched and ready to go.

Phase 4 - Now Open (At the time of the first phase of completion)

It is Time

Finally, your first move-ins are permitted! This is when you can unfurl your "Now Open" banners and signage, and we can help you with building banners, yard signs, boulevard banners, and enough directional signage to guide residents. We suggest having marketing collateral ready for the soft opening and swag and giveaways for the grand opening.

A Lease-Up Marketing Checklist for Every Phase

We provide our full branding package clients with a comprehensive project brief that includes a lease-up marketing checklist covering everything necessary to set your community up for success. As experts in the multifamily industry, we know what's vital and what's optional when creating a successful lease-up strategy for your community's brand.

In conclusion, aligning your branding and marketing with construction phases is critical for keeping your community on track and achieving occupancy goals. By following these four phases and our lease-up marketing checklist, you can set your community up for success.