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How to Reach Lease Up Goals Before Open

By Lindsay Valenty -

Generating brand awareness for a new property can seem daunting.

Converting prospects into residents might seem like an impossible task. How do you reach your lease up goals ahead of open?

It's possible to achieve your goals if you are willing to take an integrated marketing approach. Your marketing strategy should include a mix of the following:

• SEO-friendly website

• Social Media

• Print collateral (brochures, postcards, self-mailers)

• Events

• Digital advertising

As we've discussed previously, there are many stages that consumers go through before they make a final decision, whether that's on a product or a place to live. We'll revisit these stages and what techniques you can use to move prospects from leads to leases.

Awareness

At this point, the prospect is just starting to explore their options. In the case of senior living, they may be looking for a place that can accommodate their changing needs or that offers a greater sense of security and community. 

Even though you want to push them straight through to the leasing process, you need first to show them WHY they should rent from you. Bombarding prospects with options straight out of the gate isn't going to land you any promising leads. 

Instead of showcasing your floor plans, share what makes your community different from other options in your area: is it enrichment programs? A great walkability score? Amenities that make your leasers feel at home? Highlight the reasons why leasing with you is the right choice for your prospective clients.

Great ways to accomplish this include social media and other traditional digital marketing avenues, such as mini-sites, blogs, and display ads.

Engagement

You've captured their attention: now what? At this point, retargeting is a great option. There are a variety of ways you can accomplish this.

Set up a drip-email campaign to continue to share information that is relevant to your buyers' journey: things to consider when looking at leasing, etc. Make sure you aren't bombarding them with weekly communications, but keep your engagement friendly and informative.

Direct mail is a proven marketing tactic for both new customer acquisition and retention. Utilizing direct mail, you may want to consider inviting prospects to a tour of your community: go through some display floor plans, highlight your amenities, and offer lease-up rewards.

Conversion

Continuing the conversation after you've re-engaged is key to converting a lead into a lease. Send out a thank-you note if they attended an event, give them a call after they went on a tour to answer any questions they may have. 

If they still aren't convinced that you're the right fit for them, offer to send them some marketing materials that include testimonials from current tenants. Ask them questions: what concerns do they have that are preventing them from making a final decision? Being able to have an open dialogue can remove that last barrier.

We’ve built longstanding relationships with top providers and marketed a wide range of services—from independent and assisted living to memory care, hospice, home care and more. Working closely with your team, we’ll create a senior living marketing plan that helps your community attract new residents, maintain census and grow its brand. Want to create the best senior living marketing plan for your community?