Apartment Trends Magazine July 2019 | Page 33

sure to share creative posts to your social media channels. Keep in mind that spreading the word is not a one-man job. You will want all hands on deck to ensure residents know and use the program actively. Make sure leasing agents inform any new residents of the promotion, and have your on-site team post professional flyers in the leasing office, community shared spaces, and on-line. Use your monthly resident functions as a platform to spread the word by offering giveaways and incentives tied to bringing a friend. 5. SHOW YOUR APPRECIATION After your resident referral program is up and running, you may start to see some residents who are more actively involved than others. It’s important to show your appreciation to the residents who refer more than one person or who go out of their way to recommend your property consistently. A handwritten thank-you note or care package is a great idea, but consider something more substantial for those residents who refer more than five times as they are bringing in a significant amount of new revenue to your property. GETTING THE MOST FOR YOUR MONEY Considering that 92 percent of consumers trust referrals from people they know, it’s evident that word-of- mouth referrals are the strongest vote of confidence your apartment community will get. By incentivizing this behavior FLAGS BY SUSAN among your residents, you will not only reduce turnover but ensure a steady stream of qualified applicants. Ultimately, it’s important to not only launch a unique referral program but continually advertise and leverage this program to see the biggest impact to your bottom line. Ashley Tyndall is the Director of Client Service and author at Criterion B. NATURAL DOG PARK PRODUCTS WWW.FLAGSBYSUSAN.COM ORDER ONLINE TODAY! • Custom Flags • Affordable Flagpoles for Apartments • No Helium Balloons • Banners / Signs • Quality U.S., State and Country Flags (303) 317-3612 www.aamdhq.org GymsForDogs.com [email protected] 800-931-1562 JULY 2019 TRENDS | 31