Three Mistakes To Avoid When Advertising Your Apartment Community Online
These days, if you're not advertising your apartment community online, you'll have a real struggle finding tenants. Simply listing your community online is not enough though – it's important to do it in a way that presents your property favorably and makes tenants want to stop by to take a look. To ensure your website and social media advertisements are truly working for you, be sure to avoid these common mistakes.
Mistake #1: Showing vague, unlabeled pictures.
Is that a picture of an apartment living room, or is that the community recreation room? If tenants are pondering questions like this as they browse your images, there's a problem. Tenants want to gain a visual image of what an entire apartment looks like before they take the time to physically visit a community. If your pictures don't enable them to do that, they'll just move on to a different community.
Make sure you label all of your pictures well, indicating what type of unit they show and what room is displayed. Also, keep them organized. Place pictures of community buildings and such separately from pictures of the actual apartments so tenants can navigate them more easily.
Mistake #2: Making exaggerated claims.
If your community is a 10-minute drive from the college campus, don't say it's "just down the street." If your kitchens were renovated 5 years ago, don't claim that they're "newly renovated." Tenants who visit your community for a tour quickly learn the truth about such exaggerations, and then you come off as untrustworthy. Be honest and concise in your descriptions of your community; prospective tenants will appreciate not having to dig for the truth.
Mistake #3: Not listing prices.
Some community managers think they should not list rental rates on their websites because it makes them seem more exclusive, or because it makes it easier to update rates on a whim. This is a mistake, since many potential tenants won't even bother calling about a place if a price is not listed. Especially if your community is nice, they might assume it's out of their price range. If you display prices, you also help ensure that everyone who visits your community for a tour has considered whether or not they can financially afford to live in your community – this means giving fewer tours to tenants who then say "no, thank you" once they hear the price.
List your rental rates, clearly label your pictures, and be honest in your descriptions. You'll likely find that you have an easier time finding tenants.
For a professional property management service, contact a company such as Wilson Management Group.
