Email marketing campaigns can be tricky. But when done well, they can also be the most powerful tool in your digital marketing mix.
But what does good email marketing look like? Is it three follow-ups to every prospect? A monthly resident newsletter? Maybe, but that’s just barely scratching the surface of what is possible … and what works.
In our experience, email is completely underrated and too often, a forgotten piece of digital marketing for many apartment communities.
The truth is, unless you’ve already laid a strong marketing foundation with emails that nudge your prospects and customers at just the right moment (working alongside a a well-structured website), you probably aren’t yet at the point where you need to worry about your strategy for Snapchat or geo-fencing apps.
Starting today, when you think about email marketing, think less about the manual emails your team is sending, and start thinking more about the emails you can be sending at each step of the resident lifecycle, based on what you know about your customers and prospects. (If you’re already there, kudos to you, my friend. You deserve a break.)
Not sure where to start?
Pay attention to emails you receive from marketers in other industries, dissect them, and look for ways to apply what they’re doing to your communication strategy. What are they doing well?
Then consider these objectives for your lifecycle emails:
Is the context clear? Does the recipient understand why they received this email?
Have you done a good job guiding them through your leasing process? Does the email close the loop on a particular piece of communication, or does it clearly identify the next step to keep things moving forward?
Are prospects/customers hearing the same pitch as everyone else, or are they receiving a more personalized message as a result of some previous behavior?
If you want to build trust with your customers, new leads, readers and other interested parties, these are the questions you need to be asking about email marketing. And trust is what gets emails opened, and gets leases and renewals signed.
Expand How You Think About Email
As you read through the suggestions, my hope is that they get the wheels turning in your head. I want you to close this tab (after bookmarking it, of course) thinking:
“There’s so much more we can be doing with email.”
and…
“I can think of a few ways we could tweak these to work really well with our typical customers.”
Email is a massive opportunity. We know, because we’ve seen it work. (And we’ve also seen that very few of your peers are executing it very well, if at all.)
It can help you accomplish nearly any marketing goal: Close leads faster, onboard new residents, increase engagement, improve ratings, generate referrals, and, most importantly, earn trust.
Here’s the best part: What you’ll find as you begin to execute these emails is that people actually want them.
A timely, context-specific email is a welcome presence in your customer’s inbox. Compared to banner ads that are begging for attention (but almost always ignored), your email arrives just as the recipient is pondering what to do next.
It’s powerful stuff, but it can seem a bit overwhelming. This is by no means an exhaustive list, but I also don’t expect you to execute ALL of these emails at the same property.
My goal is to get you moving in the right direction. There are 99 examples here, broken down into three primary lifecycle stages:
Emails to new prospects
Emails to new/future residents
Emails to current/renewing residents
Your mileage and subject lines may vary, but it should be just what you need to get the creative juices flowing.
So enjoy. Dig in. And if you’re ready to start executing the right mix of messages for your property, we’re here to help.
On to the list!
d
New Prospects
d
New/Future Residents
d
Current Residents
Emails to prospects
Identify who's most interested. Make it easy to take the next step.
Thanks for checking us out!
We saw you were interested in XYZ Apartments. Here are more apartments in that area you might like. (Works great when tied to behavior on a corporate-wide portfolio website)
Tell us more about your ideal apartment
Want to see the apartment in your PJs? Sign up for our Monday Periscope tour
Confirm your appointment to tour the property
Reminder about your tour appointment tomorrow
7 questions to ask during your tour
Need some help finding the right place? We’re here to assist.
The rental quote you requested (Expires in 3 days)
Your rental offer is about to expire
12 things to look for in your next apartment
Our featured property/properties of the week
Today’s featured floor plan
Here’s the apartment hunting guide you requested
Your invite to our VIP hard hat tour
Thanks for checking us out on Apartment Guide. Here’s what happens next
See why our residents love it here: Read the latest reviews on Apartment Ratings
This week’s manager’s special
New to the neighborhood? Learn about our favorite local spots on our blog
Like wine? Join us at our next manager’s happy hour
New price on the apartment you loved
How easy was it to find the information on our website?
That 2-bedroom you loved just came available!
Why you’ll love living here: Featured amenities
Thanks for subscribing! Please confirm your email
Why you’ll love living here: Meet our Service Coordinator
See what it’s like to live here … check out our Instagram/Facebook
Sneak Preview: You’re invited to attend our next resident event
Check out the highlights from our latest event
Still looking for a new place?
Almost there! Is there anything we can do to help with your application?
Awesome, we’ve received your application! Here’s what happens next.
Some things our concierge can do for you
Thanks for visiting! How was your tour?
Emails to New Residents
Make a great first impression
Nice job, you signed the prospect! Now’s the time to make a great first impression.
How you welcome the new resident to the community will have a significant impact on their perception of your brand and whether they choose to stay with you when it’s time to renew. Give those new residents an idea of what to expect and make their move-in experience a positive one.
You’re approved!
Welcome to the community, neighbor!
Get to know your new neighborhood
Personal welcome letter from the company president
Here’s how to change your address and set up all your utilities
Need boxes? Or a mover? Furniture?
3 reasons to download our resident app
The best local takeout/dry cleaner/24-hour pharmacy according to our residents
Get to know your property staff
Here’s our contact info if you need anything
What to bring/what to expect on move-in day
The top 10 things new residents always request
Moving is rough. Pizza is on us tonight … here’s a coupon.
How to use your resident portal
Meet our resident of the month
The best dog parks nearby (For residents with pets)
Where to find all of your resident discounts around town
Set it and forget it: Setting up online rent payments
How are we doing? Can you leave us a review?
Friends make the best neighbors. Refer a friend to live here.
Emails to Current Residents
Communicate early and often to keep customers happy
Apartments are a big-ticket item. This also means that every resident has a high customer lifetime value, so it’s worth investing in helping residents feel welcome and valued.
Try emails that reach out directly and work to build a relationship with your residents. Personalize these emails from your on-site team, and, using automated lifecycle emails, ensure that each resident is getting prompt, relevant messages that strengthen their connection to the community.
This week’s event calendar
How are we doing? Can you fill out a survey?
Tell us about the condition of the resident clubhouse and the grounds. Can you leave us a review?
Confirming your request for maintenance
Thank you, we love having you here
Maintenance appointment reminder: We’ll be by tomorrow to address your request
We received your rent payment. Thank you!
Some things to keep in mind when using the community pool
Subscribe to get community blog updates
Snow removal update
Resident BBQ this Friday
Our holiday office hours
Happy birthday!
The pool opens this weekend! Here are a few things to know
Do we have your most current info? (Update profile request)
Sign up for our new kickball team/running club/yoga classes
Things to do: 7 hidden gems to try this weekend
You have a package waiting for you at the office
Meet our favorite local Instagrammers
What can we be doing better?
It’s your 2-year anniversary with us! You rock!
You earned a resident reward!
Thank you for the feedback/review!
Prepping your apartment for winter: We’re here to help
Did you know we post important property news and local info on our Facebook page?
Follow our Instagram to meet the resident of the week
It’s been a while since you logged into the resident portal. Here’s what’s been happening at the community lately.
Reserve the demo kitchen for your next party/conference room for your next meeting
Check out our staff favorites on Spotify
Our top blog posts in July
Did you know our smart irrigation system saves thousands of gallons of water every year?
Educational newsletters: How to freshen up your apartment for summer, with tips from a local interior designer or professional organizer
Introducing our newest resident service/amenity
Did you know you can do _________ right from your resident portal?
Resident photo contest! Share your pic using #LoveXYZApartments
Thanks for updating your payment info/profile
We highlight all our local business partners on our Pinterest profile
Every new blog post
Parking update: What to know for the holiday this weekend
Do you know someone who would love living here? Tell your friends, earn cash!
Resident reward deal of the week
Your lease is set to renew in 60 days. (Remind the resident of the value they’re getting by living at your property.)
First look: Your VIP tour of the new coffee shop next door
This week’s local volunteer opportunities
Prepare for Cuteness Overload: Meet our pet resident of the month!
We’re just getting started…
These are just some of the campaign ideas we’re working on. What are some emails that are working well for you?
Have any questions? Need some help getting started with emails for your community, or your whole portfolio? Reach out anytime.
The post Step Up Your Email: 99 Emails Your Apartment Community Should Be Sending appeared first on 30 Lines.