#71 - Apartment Ideas & Resident Events for August
Check out the pics from our Sprout-sponsored event! We had a blast co-hosting this Back-To-School event with long-time Sprout member, Anna-Maria Dimitratos, the Resident Services Coordinator at Artisan at Judson Park. Anna-Maria and her team have done a PHENOMENAL job of creating community and spoiling residents. Each month, the Artisan at Judson Park team goes above and beyond to treat their residents with a variety of grab-and-go & in person resident events. It was our pleasure to sponsor and attend this latest event!
Here is a sneak peek of the August edition of SproutMonthly: The Apartment Marketing Magazine. Inside you’ll find…
10 August resident event ideas that are easy and creative
7 ways to kick off the school year with Back-to-School marketing
Find out what every leasing agent and property manager needs in their make-ready kit to easily put the finishing touches on any new resident’s home
How to speak to the silent majority (your social media observers that don’t comment on or like your posts)
Trending: musical tours. We'll share how to push a floor plan with a musical tour on Instagram Reels or TikTok
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AUGUST RESIDENT EVENT IDEAS
BLOCK PARTY
National Night Out falls on August 2 (Texas is on October 4) and it’s the perfect time of year for a Block Party. This one has a special twist: get beachy with it! Help your residents enjoy music, food, conversation, and a “build your bucket” activity while getting to know others in the neighborhood.
Bring it to life with…
*Amazon affiliate links included
LEMONADE STAND
Beat the heat with some refreshing lemonade. This event looks so elegant and is easy breezy!
Bring it to life with…
*Amazon affiliate links included
S’MORES BAR
Go back to basics with a classic make-your-own S'mores bar. Don’t want any fire? Do a s’mores casserole like this recipe.
Bring it to life with…
*Amazon affiliate links included
PLUS, A FEW OTHER RESIDENT EVENT IDEAS YOU’LL LOVE
Keep your August resident event calendar simple, but fun with these additional event ideas.
National Night Out (August 2): Invite first responders and local law enforcement. Host a food truck or just have light snacks available. Do this event outside with lawn games (and easy cleanup).
Social Scavenger Hunt: Get your followers to comment with a specific emoji on old Instagram posts by giving clues in your Instagram Stories. This will boost engagement and boost followers. Randomly select a winner for a prize from the comments.
Breakfast Buffet or Muffin Morning: Do it for back to school or for Waffle Day on August 24th. Do it on the cheap with bagels, fruit, and coffee. Option: Add some booze if you want to make it fancy.
Paw Bar: International Dog Day is August 26th. Set up a paw bar with treats, toys, and more. Take pictures of all the pets that stop by and post the photos on social and encourage residents to share.
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New Marketing, Resident Events & Appreciation, & Social Media Ideas Every Single Month. (P.S - It’s Canva compatible!)
BACK TO SCHOOL
A Full-Circle Apartment Marketing Campaign
In Sprout’s August edition of our monthly apartment marketing magazine, we’re going full-circle with Back to School. We’ve got you covered from marketing to retention.
3 Back to School Events
FIRST DAY OF SCHOOL BREAKFAST
With easy to-go items like yogurt, granola bars, pastries, juice, and coffee.
School Supplies Drive
All of August, do a school supply drive and have a donation box in the leasing office.
Cookies and Milk To Go
Small budget? Do a cookies and milk bar or treats at the entrance.
Back to School Marketing Ideas
Have teacher appreciation gifts for your residents to take to school that include treats, pencils, and your marketing flyer or information.
Are teachers on your PEP list? Visit 2-3 the closest schools to your community with 20-25 goodie bags or a large tray of cookies as a gift for the teachers. Be sure to include information about your specials or discounts for school district employees.
Want to add more than a sweet treat to your outreach goodies? Teachers are ALWAYS in need of the following:
Hand Sanitizer
Tissues
Dry Erase Markers
Highlighters
BACK TO SCHOOL REFERRALS & RENEWALS
REFERRALS: Set up a referral reminder station by the mail area or common room with apples… or these bags of Apple Chips are a great option for only $1.36 a bag!
Don’t forget: Place your marketing flyers by the station so residents can grab multiple to share with their friends or coworkers.
RENEWALS: Remind residents of the perks of staying when it comes to things like staying in the same school district or a great location!
*Amazon affiliate link included
Back to School Social Media Content
Set up a booth at a back to school event or just in a corner of the office.
Have “First Day of School” signs for residents to fill out and take pictures with!
Include a take-home goodie to help with those first day jitters.
Encourage residents to share the photos on social media and tag your community.
APPRECIATION IDEAS FROM SPROUT MARKETING
RESIDENT APPRECIATION IDEAS
Show the love! Check out our three gift ideas for move-ins, renewals, referrals, outreach, or just because.
Live in Color: Coloring Kit
Pawty Animals: Pet Treats
You're the Zest: Lemonade Packet or Candies
Get the details to bring them to life for less than $2 each in the August issue.
Make-Ready Essentials Kit
Getting ready to welcome new residents? Once maintenance is done getting the vacant unit into tip-top shape, you'll need to give it one final look before your resident moves in.
We’re sharing the complete list of what every leasing agent and property manager needs in their make-ready kit so they can easily put the finishing touches on any new resident's home.
Speaking to The Silent Majority
When we think of social media success, we often think of it in terms of follows, likes, comments, or other reactions.
A post may get 12 likes so we think only 12 people liked that post. When we get 2 comments about the business, positive or negative, we believe that's what everyone thinks. However, don't forget about the largest portion of your audience: The Silent Majority.
The Silent Majority are the observers of your content. They lurk and watch, rarely publicly commenting or liking your posts. Don't take it personally, they probably do this with friends and family too. It's just who they are.
Check out our August issue to see three ways to stay top-of-mind to continue to speak to the silent majority.
Trending… Musical Tours
Have a floor plan you want to push? Do a musical tour on Instagram Reels or TikTok to a trending sound with one of our customizable videos. You know- the music tracks that get stuck in your head and are on all the latest Reels? Join the current crowd and show off your plan. The benefit of posting a Reel on Instagram is that it expands your reach outside of your following, plus Instagram prioritizes video content so you're more likely to be seen.
Get your step-by-step instructions and caption in the August Issue!
Did you miss last month’s Instagram video templates that you can easily customize within Instagram? This way you can do a fun video to a trending original sound and gain some exposure.
Want to customize one? Try out our Hey Instagram Video Template.
Sprout Members get links to all of the ones featured, so now’s a great time to become a Sprout Member.
That’s our roundup for the August resident event and apartment marketing ideas. Thank you for reading and enjoying the podcast, and I hope to continue to be your mentor for all things creative in the apartment industry. Stay tuned for another great episode coming soon, and really…join Sprout’s free membership. You have nothing to lose and everything to gain!
