Just got back from the gym this morning, and now my next task is to implement a marketing campaign that I put together for the management company I work for in order to increase the flow of qualified tenants to our properties in the North End of Hartford.  Although Craigslist is the overwhelming source of our tenant leads, along with other internet marketing, the flow of tenants is not what we had expected to this point, and I agree with the owners assessment.  As such, a deeper penetration into the surrounding community will need to be implemented in order to get the word out about our very affordable apartments for rent.

To this end, we have already begun to advertise in not just the major news papers like the Hartford Courant, but to a more localized neighborhood paper known as the North End Agent.  This paper’s circulation is exactly in the location in which we wish to find tenants.  Our perfect tenant would be a working class family who already lives in the North End of Hartford and knows what to expect out of the location and area.  As such, we will need to focus our attention on local media outlets, in conjunction with print media that covers the whole city.

Secondly, relationships within the local community will need to be built.  These relationships include, but are not limited to, the following:

• Government Agencies in the Area
• Churches
• Local Super Markets
• Local Stores
• Other Housing Projects in the Area
• Community Events
• Among Many Others

That is why today, I am beginning the first step in building the management companies relationships with the area.  I will be passing out flyers outside of the largest church this morning in hopes that some of the parishioners prayers will be answered by seeing out very affordable North End Apartments.  I am not sure what I expect, and if I will be welcomed by the church to pass out flyers to their parishioners as they walk in, but I am hoping they will be receptive to my advances.  After all, housing is an extremely important factor in everyone’s life, and if the church can help these people find affordable housing, then they will get credit for it as well.  All I care about is getting the apartments rented.

A final way in which we can penetrate the local community is by leveraging our existing tenant base.  We have set up a tenant referral program where if a tenant of ours in one of our properties sends us a qualified person looking for housing, and we accept them into our apartments, we will pay that tenant a cash payment of $250, or credit that same amount toward their rent.  By giving this incentive out, we hope that our tenants will tell their friends and family about our complex.  There are many ways to attract tenants, but in a challenging environment like we are facing today in the North End of Hartford, it requires additional and innovative means to achieve the same end of renting an apartment.  Week one of implementation begins today!

Be sure to check out my blog at http://mannyinhartford.wordpress.com