marketing - eExchange

Craigslist ads are the primary way your prospects are going to learn about your property, so it’s important we spend some time making them the best they can be.

If they aren’t appealing enough to generate a phone call, then we’ve missed an opportunity. Once the phone rings the rental is in your hands. We want to be sure we get the phone ringing as often as possible.

The best way to develop and improve your ads is to look at other ads. Pretend you’re a shopper with specific requirements, preferably ones that fit your property, and search craigslist. You’ll end up seeing what your prospects are seeing. You can also read through other ads. Pay attention to the clickable headlines. What is it about them that generates interest? What kind of photographs catch your eye? Does the ad make you want to call or is it lacking something? Are there things you see that are immediate turn offs?

Heading: Craigslist shoppers are in the hunt for a place that suits their needs and looking for information. Catchy and flashy headings might generate some curiosity clicks, but informative headings will generate more. Consider a heading that lists your property’s best traits – tranquil, assigned parking, w/s/g paid, attached garages. Do you have amenities on your property that are universally appealing? Attached garages, walk in closets, extra large bedrooms, incredible views, in unit w/d, remodeled, upgraded, renovated etc. If a prospect must have walk-in-closets for their massive collections of rock band shirts from the 80’s they are, without question, going to click on the link that says they have walk-in-closets. They may pass over the one that leads with “Life is about choices, this one is easy!” Clever, but it doesn’t say anything about the property except that the person who posted it is clever with headings.

Vary your headings from one ad to the next. Different things appeal to different people and we want to reach as many people as possible. Have at least a dozen or so that you put through rotation and add new ones every now and then to keep it fresh.

Lead Photograph: People are looking for a place to live. The lead photograph should represent the best of what the property has to show. Great exterior and great interior shots lead well, and interior shots of living spaces and kitchens probably lead the best. Bedrooms are important to people, but often make very boring photos. If you have a model or even a mini-model, a furnished living room can be a very inviting photo. Try leading with a different photograph for every ad you post in a day. A prospect’s search criteria may narrow it down to a handful of properties. You don’t necessarily want them to see the number of ads you’re posting in the blink of an eye. Just like headings, different photos will attract different people. Having at least a dozen lead quality photographs should be the goal.

Remaining Photographs: Prospects only get to see your other photographs once they’ve clicked on your ad, but they’re still want to get an idea of where they’ll be living. The occasional cute dog or cat might be a nice thing to include, but if it’s make or break requirement then they’ve likely already included it in their search criteria. Photos should primarily show off what your property has to offer. Great interior and exterior shots are a must, and photos of all of your amenities ensures those prospects who shop primarily by photos understands everything you have to offer.

Interior shots can be particularly difficult to do well. The cramped space doesn’t often allow you to get back far enough to get a good photo, and the interior light can be hard to deal with. Bright, lightly overcast days are the best days to get photos. Consider taking photos in the morning or the evening to take advantage of the angled light and the difference it can make in sheltered units. Try different angles and elevations. Taking a photo from close to the ground can make rooms seem bigger. Consider taking photos through an open window in the unit too, to give yourself enough space to get a good shot.

With spring in its early stages and summer on the way, we can look forward to beautiful days and bright blue skies. If you can pair nice weather with superb examples of turned units, it’s a great time to have a professional photographer visit the site and get us some high-quality photos. Keep an eye on your availability, and if you have some units coming up that would make great candidates, let your supervisor know and we’ll schedule a photographer to visit the property.

Also, always include the Equal Housing Opportunity Logo in every ad. You can download a variety of sizes here HUD Equal Housing Logo Page or you can save a copy of the logo below to your computer.

Intro Text: By intro text, I mean the first paragraph or so at the top of the page. Craigslist shoppers will often only move-on to text if what they see in the photos meet their standards. The first paragraph is the best opportunity to paint an appealing picture of your property in words. The best first paragraphs pack a lot of information in small space and delivers an image of the property that sounds like a paradise. Location is often the subject, but the goal is to make it sound like there’s no better place in the city to live. This one from Uptown does a great job of it.

“Uptown at Lake Oswego Apartment Homes is a walker’s paradise. Located in the heart of downtown Lake Oswego’s Evergreen, First Addition district and nested next to Lakewood Bay and Millennium Park. Experience this community with a certified walk score of 95%. Enjoy the Lake Oswego Farmers Market, neighborhood live entertainment, nearby parks, grocery stores, restaurants, movie theaters, wineries, a vibrant art community and so much more. Lake Oswego is also known for having the best education and this community is located in the well-known Lake Oswego School District, as well as close to Lewis Clark, and Marylhurst University.

Also, this community is minutes away from the Bridgeport Village, Washington Square, and offers easy freeway access to the I-5, 217, 43, and 224 and is only fifteen minutes from downtown Portland and about twenty-five minutes from the Portland International Airport.”

They focus on the area’s attractions, walkability and quality education. Your property may have a different appeal. If you live at the property, you’re probably fully aware of what is nearby that’s convenient, fun, and entertaining. If you aren’t sure about the area’s biggest attractions, ask your residents or fellow employee who lives at the property. It doesn’t have to be specific. Uptown says they have “live entertainment, nearby parks, grocery stores, restaurants, movie theaters, wineries and a vibrant art community and so much more.” It sounds like they’d have everything a person could want to live a happy active life.

A second paragraph could also focus on the unit amenities, but I would caution at having too much text unless you’re really able to craft something that continues to entice. A craigslist ad sole purpose is to generate the phone call. Once they pick up the phone the ad’s job is done. Then the rental is in your hands.

The Body: The body is everything below the intro paragraph. The standard for Craigslist ads is a line of bullet points describing the amenities and qualities of the property and contact information.

No ad is complete without thorough contact information. Every ad should include the property’s name, website address and a mention of Cambridge Real Estate Services. Contact information in the form of your phone number and email address is the most important bit of information, but including your address gives the prospect all the information they need in one place. This is also good place to include any concessions or specials you’re using. “Call today to take advantage of our move-in deal! For a limited time only – call Justin and Jeannee at 503 416-0661” Including your name is a nice way of making a friendly introduction and making the process seem more personal and the prospect more comfortable.

The bullet points should be carefully considered. You don’t want so many that the prospect goes to sleep while reading them or so few that they’re left wondering if the property really has anything to offer. A good rule of thumb is to keep it to amenities and those aspects of your property that are the most appealing and unique. Descriptions should be short, but descriptive. Flipping through craigslist ads is probably the best way to get a feel for what to include and what not to, but here are some examples of good items and the not so good:

Include: Washer/Dryer in unit, Walk-in Closets, Carports and Garages Available, 24 Hour Fitness Center, Open Floorplans, Remodeled Kitchens, All New Stainless-Steel Appliances, Incredible View, Easy Highway Access, Three Parks within Walking Distance etc

Not to Include: Refrigerator, Range, Dishwasher, Floors, Walls, Ceiling, (those things that every apartment has), Parking (yes, but what kind), Clubhouse etc

Shopping by Map: Many Craigslist shoppers know the neighborhood they want to live in before they start looking for an apartment and will search for properties using the Craigslist map function. The Map feature is activated by clicking on the map in the top right corner of the craigslist screen. Available apartments are shown on the map and Craigslist users can scroll/click to see more about them. The numbers that show are the # of ads placed in a particular geographic area and when clicked on will provide key info such as your lead photo, the rent, size, and the headline from your ad (Phone #?). If interested, they can click again on your listing, view photos and have the opportunity to view the ad in its entirety.

It’s a great function for prospects, and we want to be sure our ads are available on the map feature for prospects to find. When posting your ad, you’ll see a box titled “location info”. It’s that information that tells Craiglist where to place your available apartment on the map.

Review your Ad:

After you’ve posted a Craigslist ad, Craigslist will send you a link via email to the version of your ad prospects will see. Always use that link to review your ads and then search for your new ad just like you’re a prospect as on occasion, the Craigslist engine will post something other than what we expected. You always have the option to go back in and edit the ad until it appears as you’d like it to. Craigslist is the first step prospects take to renting an apartment at your property. Make sure it’s an inviting step that will have them picking up the phone and dialing your number.

Your residents contribute to your community’s curb appeal, so it is imperative that they know the rules when it comes to keeping patios and doorways clean, as well as other areas of the community. Focus on discussing curb appeal at the time of the move in; continue to walk your property on a daily basis. Make sure your staff knows of your expectations when it comes to the tidiness of the property. You never get a second chance to make a first impression.

Be creative when it comes to touring or showing off your community. If a market ready apartment is not available to see, have photos of your various floor plans. If you don’t have a model apartment, try a mini model – just a little bit of color an accessories throughout an empty apartment can make a world of difference. Make sure your amenities are perfect before touring. Define a marketing path for each apartment that will be toured. Optimize on location – if there are multiple routes to a particular apartment, select the most attractive one.

The most effective form of advertising is free online websites such as Craigslist. If your budget permits, advertising on rental websites can also be effective. Walk in’s, flyers and resident referrals are still very effective advertising. On a continuing basis, identify your competitors, shop your competitors, and document the information you receive. This information can be shared with prospective resident who are shopping around. If you have photos and pricing information available from your competitors, you can save the prospect the trouble of looking elsewhere!

More questions about curb appeal or marketing your property? Contact your supervisor for more ideas.

Category: marketing

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