For the coming year, you want to think about why you are doing the things you’re doing, marketing-wise. You are probably doing a multitude of things to market your property management business. As we’ve left 2015 and are getting started with 2016, we want to share four and a half things to consider about the reasoning behind each of the different parts of your marketing campaigns.
1. Content Marketing
We have talked about content marketing a lot over the years, and you hopefully understand the purpose. It allows you to educate your prospective owners and showcase your expertise. But it’s important to carefully consider the subjects that you blog about and your reasons for blogging in the first place. Are you only doing it because you’ve been told it’s what you are supposed to do? Well, true, yes you should; but content marketing should answer viewers’ frequently asked questions so you can show you understand your potential customers’ needs and have the ability to solve their problems.
Don’t do things just to do them. Have a purpose. In 2016, you want to figure that out and decide which topics you should cover. There’s no point in boring people with what they don’t need to know, and waste your time in the process.
2. AdWords
AdWords is one of those buzzwords like “SEO” or “Website Ranking.” We know we’re supposed to be using AdWords – like we know we are supposed to be blogging – but why? Because it seems like the easiest and most convenient way to get leads? You shouldn’t be spending money and not seeing a return.
Take a look at what you’re spending in AdWords, and, more importantly, what people are seeing when they come and click on your ad. If you just paid $5.00 for that click, you want to make sure that what those leads are seeing is targeted at owners in your area, and is engaging and compelling. If your AdWords campaign is simply directing leads to the homepage of your website and not to a dedicated landing page you are losing opportunities.
You also want to count the number of leads you’re getting and calculate the percentage that you’re closing. How many clicks are you paying for per contract closed? Understand your cost per contract so you can make good marketing decisions for your property management company.
3. Reviews
Take advantage of every opportunity that you have to get positive reviews from existing clients and tenants. Look at the success triggers in your business process – moments where people are more likely to tell you that you did a great job. Then, make sure to send them a review request email with links to your preferred review sites. Only a small percentage of people that you request reviews from will actually go and leave a review, so it is important to send out a request email every chance you get.
4. Leads
Are you nurturing your leads? If you get 10 leads, there’s a chance that you’ll close four of them within the first few calls. But you can’t just ignore the other six. Instead, put a lead nurturing plan in place so those six leads don’t fall off your radar. There’s a good chance that you can close them later, so stay in touch. Every month or so, send them tidbits of useful knowledge so that they think of you first when they think about property management.
½ Professional Marketing
Here’s the half – make sure that whatever marketing you’re doing, you’ve partnered with someone who you can call for help and advice, not just a support page or forum on a website. Make sure they are experts in marketing property management businesses – and have taken the time to learn about your business in particular. Your job is managing properties and that’s what you’re great at. Be sure you have a solid marketing strategy, and partners that can back you up. Successful property managers must be able to trust who they are working with.
If you have any questions about these things while you’re making your plans for 2016, please contact us at Fourandhalf.
