It Is All Right In Front Of You

Keeping residents and attracting new traffic is no easy feat these days. Everyone tells you to “add value”, but there is no money to add much of anything right now. It’s time to get creative. Take a look around your environment. Look at what is right in front of you – how can you add value using what you’ve got?

Step into that big empty room nobody ever uses. According to Entrepreneur, Do It Yourself weddings are back. Between food prices and the recession, if you’re getting married, or planning a reunion or even a baby shower, renting a venue is a big expense you might not have money for. If you have a clubhouse, you have room for a party. Think about adding value by making an area available for parties. If you already do this, reinforce the offer in your newsletter. If you don’t have the ability, or don’t have a clubhouse, what do you have? My homeowner’s association picked eight Saturday nights during the summer and offered the pool area up for private parties (for a small fee) after 8pm. The response was fabulous. How can you take your common areas and add value to them?

If you have a guest suite offer a free night’s stay as part of a renewal or leasing incentive. Make sure residents understand the value offered by attaching “a $$$ value” to your presentation or collateral piece.

Invite your coworkers to a challenge to answer the phone each and every time it rings. Value is added when the consumer gets a live person. Think about how it feels when you call a business and a real person answers the phone.

If you have an open area, consider creating a community garden. It’s green, it’s cheap, it’s sustenance and it’s simplistic. Everything the consumer wants today.

Now is the time to create a “Preferred Resident” card and solicit discounts at area businesses for your residents. Coupon clipping is on the rise, and businesses are desperate for business. Take advantage of this and add value for your residents.

Do a blood drive. Organize a Habitat For Humanity brigade. Take opportunity of charitable events and make them available for your residents. Gen Y in particular will volunteer if they feel you are contributing to culture and community. Get involved. Do the right thing.

Commit today to taking a few hours to look at what is right in front of you. The possibilities are endless.