5 Student Housing Marketing Tips to Appeal to Parents
If you have units ideal for student tenants, then you’ll need to learn how to appeal to a particular market: their parents. For most student housing options, you know that the parents will most likely be footing the bill. Here are some marketing tips to help you draw in more of them to your apartments.
When you promote aspects of your student apartments, make sure you highlight the best features. Your student housing marketing campaigns should mention those features constantly. For instance, mention how close the property is to the campus. That way, their kids won’t ever have to worry about waking up two or three hours early just to get to their classes. Is the community walkable? Is it close to shopping areas, restaurants and cultural sites? What about public transportation? Make sure you also mention how safe the area is. Provide statistics of low crime rates in the area.
Talk About Safety Features
Parents want to make sure their kids are safe. One way to appeal to them is to go over the safety features and security elements in your apartments. Location is a factor, but developers also put in additional measures to strengthen unit security. Is there a security camera in the building? What about motion sensor lighting to save on costs? Are the walkways well-lit at night to prevent accidents? If there are any patrols or guards in the area, that’s even better. Don’t forget to mention if there are reinforced steel doors at the front or insulated glass to reduce heating and cooling needs.
Offer virtual and in-person tours to show the parents the amenities that their kids can enjoy if they live in the building. That can include an open floorplan, a kitchen well-stocked with appliances, a washer or dryer on site, and even a pool or gym in the building. You can use social media channels to promote your content. That will improve the chances of prospective tenants seeing your pages and telling their parents about them.
Emphasize Customer Service Reps
Make sure the parents also know that there are property managers on-site to help their kids out with anything. If there’s a problem with the unit, those managers are there to provide help and assistance. They’ll make sure that any security issues are handled promptly. They can also provide information about maintenance concerns and repair issues.
Like most businesses, you probably have a website. Set up a page for parents. Create a question-and-answer portion that deals with most of the common questions that parents ask you. That way, other parents who are looking for student housing options will find that page. The information you put there will leave them with a favorable impression of your property and that could be a factor when they finally pick an apartment for their kids.
If you don’t know the first thing about using social media, hire pros. Look for an agency that offers apartment social media marketing assistance.