Step Up Your Email: 99 Emails Your Apartment Community Should Be Sending

by Oct 9, 2020Apartment Marketing, Blog, Email

Originally Published: Jul 8, 2015.
Updated with new information and sources: October 9th, 2020.

Email Marketing for Apartments

Email marketing campaigns can be tricky. But when done well, they can be the most powerful tool in your digital marketing mix.

But how should good email marketing look? Is it three follow-ups to every prospect? A monthly resident newsletter? Maybe, but that’s barely scratching the surface of what’s possible and what works.

In our experience, email is completely underrated and often, a forgotten piece of digital marketing for many apartment communities.

The truth is, if you haven’t already laid a strong marketing foundation with emails that nudge your prospects and customers at the right moment, you probably aren’t at the point where you need to worry about your strategy for TikTok or geofencing apps.

Starting today, when you think about email marketing, think less about the manual emails your team is sending, and think more about the emails you can send at each step of the resident lifecycle, based on what you know about your customers and prospects. If you’re already there, kudos to you, my friend. 

Not sure where to start?

Pay attention to emails you receive from marketers in other industries, dissect them, and look for ways to apply what they’re doing well to your communication strategy. 

Then, consider these objectives for your lifecycle emails:

  • Is the context clear? Does the recipient understand why they received this email?
  • Have you done an excellent job guiding them through your leasing process?
  • Does the email close the loop on a particular piece of communication, or does it clearly identify the next steps to keep things moving forward?
  • Do prospects/customers hear the same pitch as everyone else, or are they receiving a personalized message because of previous behavior?

If you want to build trust with your customers, new leads, readers, and other interested parties, those are the questions you should ask about email marketing. And if you trust what gets emails opened, you’ll get leases and renewals signed.

Expand How You Think About Email

As you read through the suggestions, my goal is that they get the wheels turning. I want you to close this tab after bookmarking it, of course, thinking:

“There’s so much more we can do with email,” and “I can think of a few ways we could tweak these to work well with our ideal customers.”

Email is a massive opportunity. We know because we’ve seen it work. We’ve also noticed that very few of your peers are executing it very well, if at all.

It can help accomplish nearly any marketing goal: Close leads faster, onboard new residents, increase engagement, improve ratings, generate referrals, and, most importantly, earn trust.

Here’s the best part: What you’ll find as you begin to execute these emails is that people want them.

A timely, context-specific email is a welcome presence in your customer’s inbox. Compared to banner ads that are begging for attention but almost always ignored, your email arrives as the recipient ponders what to do next.

It’s powerful stuff but can be overwhelming. This is by no means an exhaustive list, but I also don’t expect you to execute ALL of these emails at the same property.

My purpose is to get you moving in the right direction. Here are 99 examples, broken down into three primary life cycle stages:

Your mileage and subject lines may vary, but it should be just what you need to get the creative juices flowing. 

And, when you’re ready to execute the right mix of messages for your property, we’re here to help. Our nurturing email services will help you increase your lead to lease ratio to 60%. That rate is even higher when you use the Apartment Marketing Fundamentals. 

Nurture and convert more prospects (while spending less) with the Apartment Marketing Fundamentals.

Now the part you’ve been waiting for:

Emails to prospects

Identify who's most interested. Make it easy to take the next step.

The first and easiest email automation you can set up is an initial-responder (aka autoresponder). Typically sent as soon as the prospect has submitted their information through a contact form, pop-up, or even a chatbot conversation, these emails are a must to build trust between you and the lead.

 

Get a free Auto-Responder Email template: The Emails You Should Be Sending: Follow-Up & Autoresponders

 

  • Thanks for checking us out!
  • We saw you were interested in XYZ Apartments. Here are more apartments in that area you might like. (Works great when tied to behavior on a corporate-wide portfolio website)
  • Tell us more about your ideal apartment
  • Want to see the apartment in your PJs? Sign up for our Monday Periscope tour
  • Confirm your appointment to tour the property
  • Reminder about your tour appointment tomorrow
  • 7 questions to ask during your tour
  • Need some help finding the right place? We’re here to assist.
  • The rental quote you requested (Expires in 3 days)
  • Your rental offer is about to expire
  • 12 things to look for in your next apartment
  • Our featured property/properties of the week
  • Today’s featured floor plan
  • Here’s the apartment hunting guide you requested
  • Your invite to our VIP hard hat tour
  • Thanks for checking us out on Apartment Guide. Here’s what happens next
  • See why our residents love it here: Read the latest reviews on Apartment Ratings
  • This week’s manager’s special
  • New to the neighborhood? Learn about our favorite local spots on our blog
  • Like wine? Join us at our next manager’s happy hour
  • New price on the apartment you loved
  • How easy was it to find the information on our website?
  • That 2-bedroom you love just became available!
  • Why you’ll love living here: Featured amenities
  • Thanks for subscribing! Please confirm your email
  • Why you’ll love living here: Meet our Service Coordinator
  • See what it’s like to live here: Check out our Instagram/Facebook
  • Sneak Preview: You’re invited to attend our next resident event
  • Check out the highlights from our latest event
  • Still looking for a new place?
  • Almost there! Is there anything we can do to help with your application?
  • Awesome, we’ve received your application! Here’s what happens next.
  • Some things our concierge can do for you
  • Thanks for visiting! How was your tour?

Emails to New Residents

Make a great first impression

Excellent job, you signed the prospect! Now’s the time to make a great first impression.

How you welcome the new resident to the community will significantly impact their perception of your brand and whether they choose to stay with you when it’s time to renew. Give those new residents an idea of what to expect and make their move-in experience a positive one.

Learn how to build a successful Welcome Series: Emails You Should Be Sending- Welcome Series

  • You’re approved!
  • Welcome to the community, neighbor!
  • Get to know your new neighborhood
  • Personal welcome letter from the company president
  • Here’s how to change your address and set up all your utilities
  • Need boxes, a mover, or furniture?
  • 3 reasons to download our resident app
  • The best local takeout/dry cleaner/24-hour pharmacy according to our residents
  • Get to know your property staff
  • Here’s our contact info if you need anything
  • What to bring/what to expect on move-in day
  • The top 10 things new residents always request
  • Moving is rough. Pizza is on us tonight … here’s a coupon.
  • How to use your resident portal
  • Meet our resident of the month
  • The best dog parks nearby (For residents with pets)
  • Where to find all  your resident discounts around town
  • Set it and forget it: Setting up online rent payments
  • How are we doing? Leave a review
  • Friends make the best neighbors. Refer a friend.

Emails to Current Residents

Communicate early and often to keep customers happy

Apartments are a big-ticket item. This also means that every resident has a high customer lifetime value, so it’s worth investing in helping residents feel welcome and valued.

Try emails that reach out directly and work to build a relationship with your residents. Personalize these emails from your on-site team, and, using automated lifecycle emails, ensure that each resident is receiving prompt, relevant messages that strengthen their connection to the community.

  • This week’s event calendar
  • How are we doing? Fill out a survey
  • Tell us about the condition of the resident clubhouse and the grounds by leaving a review
  • Confirm your request for maintenance
  • Thank you. We love having you here
  • Maintenance appointment reminder: We’ll be by tomorrow to address your request
  • We received your rent payment. Thank you!
  • Some things to keep in mind when using the community pool
  • Subscribe to get community blog updates
  • Snow removal update
  • Resident BBQ this Friday
  • Our holiday office hours
  • Happy birthday!
  • The pool opens this weekend! Here are a few things to know
  • Do we have your current info? (Update profile request)
  • Sign up for our new kickball team/running club/yoga classes
  • Things to do: 7 hidden gems to try this weekend
  • You have a package waiting for you at the office
  • Meet our favorite local Instagrammers
  • What can we be doing better?
  • It’s your 2nd anniversary with us! You rock!
  • You earned a resident reward!
  • Thank you for the feedback/review!
  • Prepping your apartment for winter: We’re here to help
  • Did you know we post important property news and local info on our Facebook page?
  • Follow our Instagram to meet the resident of the week
  • It’s been a while since you logged into the resident portal. Here’s what’s been happening in the community lately.
  • Reserve the demo kitchen for your next party/conference for your next meeting
  • Check out our staff favorites on Spotify
  • Our top blog posts in July
  • Did you know our smart irrigation system saves thousands of gallons of water every year?
  • Educational newsletters: How to freshen up your apartment for summer, with tips from a local interior designer or professional organizer
  • Introducing our newest resident service/amenity
  • Did you know you can do _________ right from your resident portal?
  • Resident photo contest! Share your pic using #LoveXYZApartments
  • Thanks for updating your payment info/profile
  • We highlight all our local business partners on our Pinterest profile
  • Every new blog post
  • Parking update: What you should know about the holiday this weekend
  • Do you know someone who would love living here? Tell your friends and earn cash!
  • Resident reward deal of the week
  • Your lease will renew in 60 days. (Remind the resident of the value they’re getting by living at your property.)
  • First look: Your VIP tour of the new coffee shop next door
  • This week’s local volunteer opportunities
  • Prepare for Cuteness Overload: Meet our pet resident of the month!

We’re just getting started…

When it comes to email marketing for apartments, these are just some of the campaign ideas we have. What are some emails that work well for you?

Have any questions or need help getting started with emails for your community or portfolio? Reach out anytime.

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