Social Media for the Apartment Market

1. ?
SOCIAL MEDIA
Steven Everett, CLP

2. Who Is This Guy?
Director of Marketing & Regional Director for

Thies & Talle Management in Chanhassen
 Portfolio
of 92 properties in 5 states with over
6,000 units
 Size range from 11 units to 300 units
 Affordable to Luxury
In the Industry for 15+ years

Worked both Property Management and

Vendor sides
THIES & TALLE MANAGEMENT

3. Quick Survey
Who here has a Facebook Page?

Who here has a Twitter Account?

Who here has a MySpace Page?

Who Actively uses You Tube?

Who here monitors Yelp?


4. Social Media…why bother?
Is it really that important?

5. Traditional Pathway for
Marketing
Print
Guides
Internet
Newspaper
Listing
Service
Prospect

6. Social Media - 3 Main Wheels

7. Social Media Pathway for
Marketing
Blogs
Social User
Media Generated
Sites Content
Prospect

8. Today's Pathway for Marketing
Print Guides
Creating
Social Media
Internet
Blogs & Micro
Listings
Creating Blogs
Social Media
User
Social Media
Generated
Prospect
Creating
Content being
Listings
target specific

9. Social Media is Blow Horn
Reach hundreds of people all at
once

10. Where is Everyone?

11. What is a “Social Media Site”?
WOM
A Social Media Site is a website that provides

users the ability to connect and share with
friends, family & businesses.

12. Growth of Social Media
10% of all time spent online is using Social

Media which is now more popular than
sending e-mails

13. Social Media Site - Facebook
www.facebook.com

Facebook is a Social Networking site that

helps connect people to people, businesses,
organizations, fan clubs and events.
Facebook is also a place where a person can

display their likes, dislikes, opinions, support
and personality traits.

14. Growth of Facebook
Facebook has over 200,000,000 users as of

April, 2009. Half use Facebook everyday
Facebook Users Rent YOUR Apartments

Facebook users span ALL ages. Fastest

growing segments is 54+
Facebook is visiting monthly by 3 in every 10

people

15. Facebook Users by Age Group
250
(in hundreds of thousands)
201.8
200
139.9
150
104.6
100
62.2
50.6
50 31.4
9
0
13-17 18-25 25-34 35-44 45-54 55-65 65+

16. What is a “Blog”?
A Blog is where a person or company can post

information that they feel is relevant to share.
People then follow the Blog Postings by
visiting the site or by automatic Updates

17. Micro Blog - Twitter
www.twitter.com

Twitter is a micro-blog that people use to

connect with friends and family with
Twitter is used as a research tool to find

information
Twitter is used for professional

networking, career development and
brainstorming
Companies “tweet” for customer

service, reputation management and news
distribution

18. What is “User Generated
Content”
User Generated Content sites include

websites where anyone can post to create
content. These tend to be Review sites, Hub
Spots and Information sites.

19. User Generated Content
People trust user generated reviews and

content

20. Research Online, Buy Offline
ROBO
According to Nielson Ratings

 92% of internet users have researched online
before purchasing from a local business
 61% of searchers find reviews and ratings to be
important

21. Musts to Social Media
You need to manage your online brand and

reputation.
Viral marketing delivers very qualified traffic

that turns into leads at a CPL of $0.00.
Loyal residents that connect with you and your

brand are the best sales people you have.
Social Media is a powerful tool and not just

people playing on the internet. Major
influences are being wheeled all the time.

22. True Power of Social Media

23. Enough Already, I’m In
Now What?

24. Steps To Starting
Who will be in charge of managing your
I.
brand and communications.
Corporate, Site or 3rd Party
I.
Find out where your residents and prospects
II.
are.
Listen on the web using tools and searches
I.
Google Search, Google Alerts
I.
Create pages, sites and profiles
III.
Make sure you message the same image
I.
across all platforms
Monitor, Communicate and Participate
IV.

25. What Not to Do with Social
Media
Do not argue with your residents

Do not just publish specials and availability

Don’t forget about. It needs to be worked.


26. What To Do with Social Media
Read All the feedback and

look for trends
Leverage technology to help

you grow
Don’t be afraid to be the

first
Become a community hub

Encourage Reviews / Ask

for them
Find a schedule and stick to

it
Remember, it is really Word

Of Mouth Marketing WOM

27. Goals of Social Media
Know what people are saying

Participate in conversations

Create community and buzz

Help your residents get to know each other and have

them talk about your apartments to their friends
 Offer things that people find valuable
Improve Resident Retention

People stay if they have a reason to

 Respond to them and encourage them to talk about
your brand

28. Goals of Social Media
Find new renters

 Personal referrals are always your best leads
 What can you offer people that they will find
valuable
Reduce your cost per lead and cost per lease

 Maximize your advertising to prevent having to ad
more

29. Keys to Successful Social
Media
It does not replace your traditional advertising

Create “conversations” not “billboards:

Find a way to track success

“Engage” in constructive conversations with

your residents & prospects

30. Social Media Is Not A FAD
It won’t go away no matter how much you

don’t understand it
People are talking whether your listing or not


31. STEVEN
EVERETT
THIES & TALLE MANAGEMENT
470 WEST 78TH STREET, SUITE
260
CHANHASSEN, MN 55318
952-906-7205
SEVERETT@THIESTALLE.COM
Contact