Connecting with prospects when email doesn’t work
Email fatigue. We have all experienced this once or twice in our lives. The state of being so burnt out on receiving emails that we simply ignore, delete or send unwanted emails to the spam folder. Since going digital back in early March, email fatigue is a problem that most consumers seem to be facing at an alarmingly high rate. From retail to newsletters we unknowingly subscribed to when we checked off a box on website to just general spam, inboxes everywhere are cluttered more than ever.
This requires businesses to have to be creative in how they reach their audiences. Sometimes an email, which might have been used in the past, simply won’t cut it these days. So how do you standout in a sea of people vying for the same person’s attention?
Know your audience
It is easy to get stuck in a rut when prospecting via email. Knowing your audience and how to respond to emails is an easy way to begin seeing traction with your outreach. In a recent lunch and learn, Liv Gabrielsen, Director of Marketing for Bainbridge said that the biggest downfall with email marketing is we have become so accustomed to automation. Liv says “We treat leads as a lead and fail to recognize where they are in their buying journey.” Liv goes on to explain that a lead with a 30 day close time versus a lead with a 120 day close time should be communicated with differently and not receive the same response.
The age of renters may not have changed but the generations have. The oldest of Gen Z have entered the age of renting and adulthood. This generation expects automation and instant gratification that comes from AI technology. They also are experts at using social media, specifically Instagram and TikTok, to look up their next purchases and financial commitments. Later in this article we’ll get into Instagram for apartment communities and some apartment social media post ideas.
Pick up the phone and call the prospect!
Another great way to stand out from the crowd is by simply not sending an email at all. Instead, pick up the phone and call your prospect. Especially now, everyone is so used to staring at their screens all day. Talking with someone over the phone and allowing them to put a voice to the name can be a great change of pace. However, having a Caller ID would be a good idea. We live in an era of flooded inboxes and also an era of relentless spam calls. Having a Caller ID set up will help get more prospects to answer the phone instead of decline the call. They’ll know it’s from you and not some spam robot.
Lean into other forms of media
Lastly, when email isn’t working, check out other forms of media to get in front of your contacts. Exploring new avenues such as social media marketing for apartments is an easy way to connect with prospects and current renters. When you are trying to engage your communities, some apartment social media ideas. you can do are using things like interactive social features including: instagram polls, swipe ups on social media, hashtags to engage audience, TikTok videos and contests! For prospective renters, make the tone of your emails and outreach more conversational. The less you are trying to “sell” to them and the more “human” your interactions seem, the higher the engagement there will be.
When it comes to Instagram and TikTok, short form videos have really taken off. You can do tours of floor plans, how to put in a maintenance request, move-in tips, and decorating tips that are renter friendly. Apartment videos on these platforms have billions of views. Putting your property in those categories is great for visibility and subtly promoting your property to the new generation of renters.
We also have a few blog posts that cover outreach marketing ideas for apartments that explore more ways social media, email marketing, and local businesses can all intersect for prospecting and resident giveaway ideas.