This document summarizes a presentation about using social media to market an apartment complex called Urbane. It recommends listening to existing online conversations, creating an online presence through tools like MySpace and Facebook, starting a community blog, and empowering residents to generate content through compensated bloggers. With 2.5 employees spending 1-3 hours daily and 6-8 compensated resident bloggers, the total annual cost was $973 or $2.86 per unit. As a result, Urbane's website traffic increased 65%, blog traffic increased 4,300%, participation in their online community increased 400%, and they achieved nearly a 100% increase in lease conversions without paid advertising in 8 months.

1. Backchannel
Mike Whaling, 30 Lines
Twitter: #aimsm
April 30, 2009

2. Download the slides:
SlideShare.net/30lines

3. Urbane Goals
Reduce spending on paid listings

 Build sense of community and exclusivity
 Sell a lifestyle and experience

4. Social media is people
having conversations online.

5. The conversations are
already happening...

6. …So start by listening.

7. Ears to the Ground

8. No one cares about
the apartment.

9. Take advantage
of the tools.

10. Online Classifieds

11. More Tools

12. Give ’em something
to talk about.

13. Be Remarkable

14. Be Remarkable

15. Deliver an Experience

16. Fish where
the fish are.

17. MySpace

18. Facebook Page

19. Facebook Profile

20. Give Residents Their Own Space

21. Become a
community hub.

22. Community Blog

23. Extend the Reach

24. Fail fast.
Try again.

25. Make It As Easy As Possible

26. Ask for the review.

27. Put It in Their Face

28. Own Your Name

29. Promote Transparency

30. How does it all
get managed?

31. Resources Required
2.5 employees spend 1-3 hours per day

6-8 compensated resident bloggers


32. Total Costs for All Tools:
$973

33. $2.86 per unit
for the year

34. Urbane Results
Website traffic up 65%

 Blog traffic up 4,300% (Grows 35% monthly)
 Participation in Urbane Lobby up 400%

35. Urbane Results
No paid advertising in past eight months

 Nearly 100% increase in lease conversion
 Rents consistently higher per square foot
than local competition
 Brand awareness drives referrals and
resident retention

36. One More Benefit…

37. Mike Whaling
@30lines