Engaging swiftly and frequently with prospects is one of the most important aspects of modern leasing. Renters these days have a need for immediacy. While leasing teams have a variety of prospect engagement strategies, many operators are looking to incorporate tactics that provide an immediate response to prospects and create a seamless and consistent line of communication without burdening leasing teams. 

Relying on leasing teams to field all leads is no longer feasible and equates to lost leads and missed revenue opportunities. Although prospects express interest in one community, they’re also looking at multiple communities, and 60% of prospects will sign a lease at the first community they hear back from. This is why that immediate response to prospect inquiries is so critical. 

Operators have started modernizing their approach to prospect engagement strategies with automation. Automation provides a competitive edge by contacting prospects immediately and continuing to follow up with hyper-personalized content. Prospects are engaged early and often during their search process and have all the necessary information they need to make a confident decision. Prospects not only have immediate information, but it’s also in information that is completely customized to them and their needs. 

When engagement strategies are not automated, nearly half of all community inquiries are not being answered. Automation responds to every single lead, making sure no money is left on the table. It also helps onsite associates understand which prospects are serious about signing a lease and need to move compared to those who are shopping around and looking to move down the road. 

Whether prospects are looking to move immediately or in a few months, consistent follow up messaging helps move prospects through the funnel to reach the ideal eight to twelve touch points in the leasing journey. Automated communication begets three times the amount of engagement than traditional leasing strategies and it provides that instant gratification that renters crave and keeps them engaged, no matter where they are at in the apartment search. 

As the need for ‘instant everything’ becomes more prevalent among modern consumers, operators understand the value in leveraging technologies to establish that instantaneous engagement. Beyond amplifying prospect engagement strategies, automation tools also give operators the ability to:

• Respond to new leads immediately
• Schedule more tours and get more applications via consistent follow-ups
• Remind prospects about upcoming appointments
• Send future residents move-in checklists
• Boost reputation with 30-60-90 day resident check-ins
• Use maintenance follow-ups to collect surveys
• Remind residents of upcoming rent payments
• Send automated renewal notices and hyper-personalized communication to boost renewal rates

By reimagining how leasing teams communicate with potential residents and adding automation to  prospect engagement strategies, operators are leveling up when it comes to converting new leads and renewals. It’s all about meeting renters where they’re at and adapting to new consumer behaviors and trends. Automation delivers immediate information while also freeing up time for onsite teams to develop meaningful relationships with residents. While renters receive the vital information they need, onsite teams also have the necessary time to interact with residents and provide the human interaction some renters need. 

Apartment price and availability, amenities and neighborhood features may initially attract a prospective resident, but it’s that consistent, hyper-personalized and meaningful engagement that makes them want to stay. With the help of automation to facilitate consistent and customized engagement, operators are seeing an increase in new leases, renewals and overall resident satisfaction. Automation helps operators meet renters where they are at and create better, more enjoyable experiences, from the initial apartment search to signing a renewal.