REI Wealth Monthly Issue 11 | Page 9

LANDLORDING 103 – MARKETING TO FIND TENANTS KAREN RITTENHOUSE Tips for effective marketing Here are some additional ideas to add to get that house filled! • Describe both features and benefits. Always include both in your ad. Features Signs. Put signs in the yard and add as many include number of bedrooms and bathrooms. directional Benefits include being close to shopping and neighborhood allows. Make it easy for lookers to dining or major highways, desirable school find your house. signs to your house as the district, nearby parks and lakes, etc. Lighted signage. Illuminate signs even after • Good photos. Always include the maximum dark to catch people driving by late. number allowed. Prospects do a lot of shopping online so make sure to have plenty of Take-aways. At open house (yes we do open crisp, clear photos in your ads. houses for rentals) hand out something your lookers will remember, something that will be a • Study other marketing. Look through positive reminder of your home. Hand out bottles news-papers, Craigslist, and other adver- of water, flyers about your property, and any local tisements for the words, photos, colors, etc., information you can provide. Coupons for local that catch your eye, negatively or positively. merchants What do you learn that you can incorporate into prospects learn what’s available nearby. are great give-aways and help or omit from your marketing? • Contact information. A tip that seems obvious: Make sure all of your marketing has your contact information. I’ve picked up more than one marketing flyer from an information box only to find that it had the property address but no way to contact an owner. Be sure ALL marketing includes: Information flyer. Create a hand out with all the • The property address local conveniences • Photos schools, universities, hospitals, malls, restaurants, • Description details (number of bedrooms and gas stations, attractions in the area, local police baths, square footage, etc.) and fire stations, even school bus pick-up • Benefits (schools, shopping, etc.) locations. Include utility and cable companies. • Seller’s contact name, phone number, and e- Assume your lookers don’t know the neighbor- mail address hood. you can find: shopping,