Rather than build student housing on isolated campuses, developers are seeking walkable neighborhoods near important resources like schools, universities, libraries, and more. As a result, there has been an increase in development near colleges and universities, but developers still have to get the word out about these developments.
With student housing competition being unprecedented, finding new ways to differentiate yourself is essential. These marketing strategies will do just that.
Invest in conversational marketing
If you are a student housing owner or operator, the biggest change to your market in recent years-and by extension, the biggest opportunity-is the arrival of millennials. They are digital natives and eager to embrace technology more than any other generation. While millennials may be comfortable using texting and instant messaging, they do not appreciate being talked at. They are also very specific about what they want.
Using Pinterest to showcase rooms and amenities
There are a lot of ways to attract student renters in today’s market, but one of the most effective and widely used ways is through the visual medium of Pinterest. There are numerous ways you can market your properties to prospective tenants through the use of Pinterest.
Reach Generation Z Via Instagram
Instagram is Generation Z’s holy grail. Not only is it the most popular social networking app for Generation Z, but it is also one of the student housing marketing strategies that attract student renters. The 2018-2019 National Student Housing Survey found that 64 percent of Gen Z-ers say they would live in a dorm if it were an option
Leveraging amenities
Student housing companies know this, so they make sure to offer amenities for new and current residents that will attract renters. While amenities are a key component of attracting student renters, there are some marketing strategies that student housing companies can leverage to make their amenities more appealing. For example, partnering with local businesses and events allows properties to provide exclusive discounts, packages, and access for residents. This creates a sense of value and community. Similarly, real estate investors looking to acquire properties to redevelop into student housing may benefit from partnering with a company that can generate Motivated seller leads. Identifying ideal properties to convert through insider access could help investors efficiently source opportunities to create attractive and amenity-rich student housing.
Consider reasonable renovations
When planning to renovate or build a new student housing building, it’s important to consider all the aspects of student housing marketing. This includes understanding what students want, their priorities, and how to attract them. For instance, you can offer students pre-furnished rental places that are well-maintained and in the good condition. If you take care of a few basic repairs around the house, including plumbing and electrical restoration, hiring a service provider like terminix IL for pest control, maybe some backyard cleaning, etc., it can be enough to attract students to rent an apartment in your building.
Creating a solid relationship with residents
In order to ensure a hassle-free rental or lease term, it is important for landlords to assure tenants of a safe living environment with fully functional and practical amenities. Aside from that, the property manager or landlord could also provide other services to make their stay better, such as deep cleaning solutions, HVAC servicing and more. Of course, this depends on how much they are willing to offer tenants. If the tenant is satisfied with the experience, he or she may also wish to extend the lease agreement, so property owners could also maintain business cards of Lease Extension Solicitors to assist them when the need arises.
A landlord’s relationship with the renters they lease to is an asset to the business and an asset that becomes a liability when landlords don’t treat residents with respect. So, it is important to build a strong relationship between the two parties.
Think about how you capture leads after-hours
Capturing leads after hours is one of the most effective strategies in student housing marketing. After-hours real estate marketing is essential in any student rental market. Not only do prospective student renters visit websites after hours, but they also browse rental listings online.
Join the amenity war
Amenities are all the rage in the student housing industry, with developers pushing them to provide more for students to entice them away from on-campus rentals. They may provide them with furnishing, utility, entertainment systems, and others that make their stay more comfortable. In fact, some owners may even hire commercial cleaning services in San Antonio, TX to ensure that the place is maintained well, clean and hygienic. This creates a credible image and instils in the students that the property is a good one. The idea behind providing them with these amenities is centred around making the place attractive and a good place to stay.
Test new approaches to stay ahead of the curve
Today’s student renter is more engaged than ever, and they expect to live it up on the go. In order to stay ahead of the curve, student housing professionals need to adopt innovative marketing strategies and take advantage of new mobile technologies.
Making social video your top priority
Social video is becoming more and more prominent in digital marketing, and student housing marketing should follow suit and invest more in these types of videos. In fact, according to Think with Google, 68 percent of digital marketers are using it.
We all know how important it is to present yourself well. However, when you manage a rental property for college students, it can be harder to do. Some of them are cautious about who they let into their homes, and many are too busy with classes to pay close attention to property maintenance.