Resident retention: a 12-month marketing action plan: by choosing from this menu of marketing and retention ideas, owners and managers can prevent residents from leaving through the back door.

Isn't it amazing how much time, money and effort owners and managers spend on marketing to prospective residents? When creating fresh and innovative marketing plans to help with occupancy challenges, the focus is mainly on finding new prospects, but not much emphasis is given to maintaining current residents. It's like making sure the front door is well-manned, while leaving the back door wide open for current residents to walk away without much question.

Years ago, onsite staff jokingly used to say to residents giving notice to move out, "I'm sorry, we aren't accepting any notices today. You will just have to stay. Besides, we don't want you to leave!" At least they made an honest attempt to keep residents. Now they just accept the "We're moving to buy a home" reason without even trying to talk to the resident. Well, why should they? Haven't those residents already made up their minds to move? How can they possibly be talked out of it now?

Sure, industry professionals have the "90-60-45" day plans ending with the formal legal letter, stating, "We love you so much we are raising your rent!" There are flyers on the benefits of renting versus buying to try to deter people from wanting to buy that all-American dream house, coupled with flyers outlining the huge expenses incurred when moving. But many owners and managers still don't have a detailed marketing plan--including monetary incentives for onsite teams--to keep the residents they already have.

And that is exactly why a comprehensive resident retention program is more important than ever.

The plan outlined in the chart on the following page starts before the prospect becomes a resident. This plan is designed to be used as a menu from which communities can customize a plan that is not only manageable for their community's size, number of employees, resident profile mix and time allotment needed to execute, but is designed not to bother the residents too much and to keep the delicate line of communication open.

When owners and managers involve every staff member in the program, staff members have a vested interest in making sure everything they are responsible for is done correctly--especially if they are being compensated for their extra work.

The only thing that makes a community stand out among all the competition is the reputation each staff member, the community and the organization has when it comes to serving and taking care of customers. That relationship is fragile and can be broken with only the slightest misunderstanding.

If there is trouble with cash flow, even though the market may be strong, owners and managers need to take a long, hard look at how they treat their customers. More importantly, they must re-evaluate how they treat their employees who take care of their customers. Remember, to retain residents, take care of the team so they will take care of the residents.

Jackie Ramstedt, CAPS, CAM, CAS, is a Motivational Keynote Speaker, Marketing Consultant and Professional Trainer, who has more than 22 years of experience in the apartment industry. She can be contacted at 800/925-5169, e-mail [e-mail] or visit her Web site, www.jackieramstedt.com.

12-MONTH RESIDENT RETENTION MARKETING ACTION PLAN

Time Frame                   Retention Strategy

Prior to move-in             New resident orientation appointment
Move-in day                  Staff member escorts resident to new home
7 days after move-in         Manager contact--questionnaire results
14 days after move-in        Maintenance contact--door hanger
30 days after move-in        Corporate contact
60 days after move-in        Mail satisfaction questionnaire
90 days after move-in        "Warm and fuzzy" contact
During lease term            Ongoing contacts
During lease term            Ongoing contacts
During lease term            Ongoing contacts
120 days prior to renewal    Service request menu
90 days prior to renewal     "We want you to stay" card
60 days prior to renewal     "We want you to stay" call
45 days prior to renewal     Official renewal letter
Last 30 days of lease term   Renewal preparations
Last 2 weeks of lease term   Final contact

Time Frame                   Suggested Action

Prior to move-in             Review all lease, addenda
                               and resident policies,
                               "Q & A, "questionnaire time
Move-in day                  Personally explain and/or
                               demonstrate the features
                               of the resident's new home
7 days after move-in         Complete requests on condition
                               sheet and review questionnaire
14 days after move-in        Explain service request procedures
                               with maintenance welcome
30 days after move-in        Send a welcome letter from
                               upper-level management
60 days after move-in        Check resident satisfaction of
                               community and home through a
                               questionnaire
90 days after move-in        Send a card or place phone call
                               to the resident from the
                               original leasing consultant
During lease term            Send newsletters and flyers
                               regarding resident referral
                               programs
During lease term            Follow up on service requests
                               for satisfaction concerns
During lease term            Conduct resident functions and
                               social events; send out
                               newsletter regularly
120 days prior to renewal    Send letter with renewal offers
                               for resident's home
90 days prior to renewal     Send card signed by all staff
                               members
60 days prior to renewal     Contact resident regarding
                               upcoming renewal
45 days prior to renewal     Send renewal letter per
                               contract stating renewal
                               prices, etc.
Last 30 days of lease term   Request to schedule an appointment
                               to sign new lease
Last 2 weeks of lease term   Call or visit resident if he or
                               she has not responded

Notes

* Reduce expenses by buying cards in bulk to share with other
communities in the company's portfolio.

* Create a filing system or tickler file for all contacts
with the resident.

* When working the program, concentrate on one quarter of
the year at a time.

* Create a "menu" of services or incentives based on the
community's budget and resident profile.

* Change referral programs quarterly to keep resident
participation and interest high.

* Change resident referral rewards to include incentives
other than cash or rent discounts.

* Apply the program consistently to every resident to
stay in compliance with fair housing and in favor
with residents.