Last modified on January 21st, 2016
By Elizabeth Millar

There are plenty of great ways to market a property and get potential renters interested, but the problem is that your competitors use those same ways. An even bigger challenge is that the current pool of young renters rely on their smartphones for pretty much everything, and prefer things like texting and Facebook wall posting to phone calls and face-to-face interaction. With technology’s prevalence today, one of the best ways to reach out to potential renters and stir up some interest in your available properties is through mobile marketing.

Why Spend Your Time on Mobile Marketing?

People searching for a new apartment usually have to conduct their research in between work or school or coffee dates. Apartment hunting is often viewed as an inconvenience, so renters may not have the time to spend several days touring properties; they may want to focus on eliminating the majority of properties that won’t work for them before they see them in person. Time is precious, and by providing your property information in a way that is accessible anytime, prospects will be able to check it out when it’s convenient for them. That means they can take a look while they’re at home, on the bus, on a lunch break, in line at the grocery store, or anywhere else where they have a spare minute.

Here are some recent mobile trend stats that prove mobile is one of the biggest marketing opportunities for your business:

• 4 out of 5 millennials use smartphones
• 82% of current or prospective renters view property floor plans on mobile devices
• 40% of current or prospective mobile renters use video to make a decision

Potential renters who see properties they like online can then get in touch directly with you from your mobile-optimized website, and they’ll spend a lot less time driving around looking at places that might not be right for them. Not only will that help them budget their time, but it may persuade them to rent from you because your company offers convenience and utilizes modern technology. It can make a significant difference in your interaction with potential tenants, particularly millennial renters.

Social Media is another aspect of mobile marketing that might have a big impact if done correctly. With so many people using social media each day, and accessing their Facebook and Twitter accounts from their mobile devices, it would serve you well to be visible on these channels. Check out 8 Ways to Drive Rentals with Social Media for more social media marketing ideas.

Mobile Video Property Tours

While offering pictures of the property and relevant descriptions of amenities and unit pricing is important, another valuable way to get into mobile marketing in a big way is through video tours. When you provide a video, anyone who is interested in the property can get a “walk thru” right there on their phone. They can see the layout, and will be able to get an idea of the size of the rooms, the finishes, and more. While pictures can show prospective renters what the property basically looks like, a video can help them put it all together in their mind, so they can make an informed decision about viewing the property. They may even want to fill out an application right then, so having online applications optimized for mobile devices is the next important step. For more on video tours, check out this post: Lights! Camera! Action! Getting the Most From Virtual Property Tours.

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