Swipe These Hospitality Marketing Tactics for Your Community

Rent demand rapidly cooled into 2023, with a decline to 2009 levels in some markets.

Studies show "net demand registered at 83,449 units in Q2, which marked a five-quarter high, but was well below the record numbers seen during the 2021 boom." (Source)

With expanded multifamily supply coming onto the market, residents have more options to pick and choose their community.

That's why it's more important than ever to rethink what residents really want and how to get them to stick around when their lease is up.

But instead of looking to your competitors to try and win the marketing race with the same tactics everyone else is using, take a novel approach from the hospitality industry.

(Source)

Offer Enhanced Amenities

The hospitality industry isn’t selling a place to sleep or a fun excursion, they’re providing a done-for-you service.

Get inspired by luxury hotel service, even if you run a more modest property.

How?

You can enhance your amenities by providing those upscale touches your residents want:

✅ Sparkling, clean swimming pool

✅ Upscale vending machines

✅ Upgraded communal laundry area with digital payment options

✅ Rooftop or courtyard gatherings

✅ Catered annual events

✅ Cooking classes and other on-site classes

✅ Pet happy hour

✅ Hyper-focused customer service

If you already market your community as a luxury property, make sure your amenities and online reviews align with that messaging.

You may have a swimming pool, but it won't do much to impress visitors or residents if it's always dirty and out of service.

You may throw annual events, but it won't do much for your brand if it's a few people standing around a folding table in the lobby and nibbling on sandwiches.

If you're not sure where to start, visit some area hotels catering to your demographic.

What does it feel like when you walk in?

Does it exude warmth and ease or does it blast you with dingy carpets and dim lighting that drives customers the other way?

Tip 💡: The goal is to exceed prospective and current residents' expectations from the moment they walk through the door.

Transform Your Customer Service

Customer service in hospitality isn't so much about the meal, vacation, or hotel offered; it's about the experience of interacting with that brand.

The best hotels go above and beyond to make their guests feel welcome, listen carefully, and resolve their issues promptly.

Quality restaurants don't make customers find their meals in the back and deal with missing items; they take care of guests from the moment they walk in the door until the bill is paid.

From tour operators to travel agents and restaurants, hospitality takes a customer-focused approach to everything they do.

You can take the same approach by surveying new residents in exchange for a gift card. Find out their first impressions of your leasing agents, maintenance workers, and staff that help run your community.

👉 Were they at ease when taking a tour or inquiring about the community?

👉 Offered water?

👉 Given undivided attention and care?

👉 Ready to sign a lease based on the experience?

Now you can use that first-party data to help inform your approach to customer service.

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Provide Concierge Services

Taking a concierge approach to your community sets you apart from your competition and boosts resident satisfaction.

You can hire a dedicated concierge team or partner with a local company to handle the business for you.

But don't guess what your residents want.

Survey residents on the concierge services they prefer, including:

• Dry cleaning, pick-up, and delivery
• Front desk person to greet visitors and accept packages and food orders
• Specialized errand-running services
• Dog-walking services
• Package drop-off at the post office, UPS, or FedEx

Tip 💡: The concierge services can be a perk that residents opt into for an additional fee, or you can bake them into your rent to provide a more luxurious way to live.

Focus on the Upsell

The hospitality industry may be obsessed with customer service, but it’s still about driving more revenue and profits.

Research shows that accommodation costs usually take up to 30% of guests' vacation budget, and the rest is spent on experiences.

You can take the same approach in your community by upselling:

• Expansive floor plans
• Units with additional amenities
• Premier parking
• VIP rooftop access

Upsells generate more revenue for your community while allowing residents to choose the experiences they want the most.

To best position your upsells for success, use price anchoring and emotional triggers.

Approach Your Marketing as a Transformational Experience

When did you last open an email from a resort or vacation provider?

It's more than an email reminder about a sale or to book your trip before the busy season sets in.

Truth 💣: Instead, hospitality marketing is an entire experience.

Glossy photos.

Stunning videos display the amenities and services.

A good hospitality provider turns their marketing campaigns into an experience.

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They're not selling you a hotel room or an excursion; they're selling the idea that their brand will transform you.

Take the hospitality industry's cue and infuse the idea of transformation when someone lives in your community.

Position your community pool as an exclusive, upscale experience where living in your community feels like a vacation.

Or show how that community cooking class provides a way to embrace hobbies in a community that supports overall well-being.

Tip 💡: The idea is to think bigger than signing the next lease.

Instead, trigger an emotional response in prospective residents by showing them your community is the year-round hospitality experience they deserve.

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