When leasing teams think of multifamily apartment marketing strategies, they may not immediately think of leveraging video and virtual touring apps. These tools may not be top-of-mind as top-of-funnel marketing tactics or lead generation tools. But, if used correctly, they can certainly enhance your lead generation strategy.
If you and your leasing teams are looking for ways to leverage virtual tour apps in your multifamily apartment marketing strategies, you’ve come to the right place. Here we offer two unique ways these apps can support top-of-funnel marketing in your community.
Pre-Recorded Video Tours
One way virtual tour apps can support multifamily apartment marketing strategies is through pre-recorded video tours. When we say pre-recorded video tours we are talking about something different from virtual reality tours, 3D and 360 virtual tours. And there is definitely a place for those types of virtual tours created with technology like 360 photo apps, 3D virtual tour apps, and other such virtual tour creators. But, using a virtual apartment tour app, teams could create pre-recorded video tours that can give prospects a more realistic view of the property.
These pre-recorded tours can live on website homepages and other top-of-funnel marketing sources. For example, use them on listing platforms, or with lead gather and lead conversation tactics, email campaigns, the list goes on. You could have the leasing team create a QR code that links to a specific playlist of videos. That’s a great way to show specific, linked areas of the community. A QR code that leads to a playlist of videos showcasing your amenities would be great to include. Or a playlist of videos of the surrounding neighborhood would be extremely helpful.
Using virtual tour apps to create pre-recorded video tours allows for a more accurate, realistic view of the property. There are no photoshopped or rendered views of the space. It is the real deal, giving prospective residents an authentic look and feel of the community. From there, they can self-select to learn more and take the next step in the leasing process.
Live Virtual Open Houses
Occasionally, you may have a larger group of people requesting to see the property. While doing those types of tours in person is one way, some prospects either can’t or just don’t have the time to travel for an in-person open house. Luckily, a virtual tour app can help them as well. Using the right virtual tour software and apps, leasing teams can host live virtual open houses.
Live virtual open houses are a great lead generation opportunity for larger groups of people. Using the virtual tour app, a leasing agent can take a larger group of people through the community at one time. These prospective residents will have the chance to see the whole place from the comfort of their own homes or offices.
Check out these 5 Steps to Hosting a Successful Virtual Open House
This is a particularly excellent way to showcase the community during pre-lease or lease-up periods. This way, you’re getting as many people “in” the door as possible, filling the lead pipeline but also allowing them a more personal element. And when you’re trying to fill units as quickly as possible to get to that magic stabilized percentage, you want as many leads as possible. Also, a leasing agent is there at the center of the experience. They are there to help guide the tour and answer any questions either during or after.
Since it’s live, there’s no chance of being misled by some skilled photoshopping. That type of authentic situation, plus the leasing agent being available, helps build trust with the individual prospect, even if it started in a larger group setting.
Using a virtual tour app, and knowing how to make a virtual tour with an iPhone or Android, can be a powerful addition to a multifamily marketing strategy. Pre-recorded videos and live video tours not only allow for a more authentic, real experience even at the top of the funnel, but they can help fill that funnel with qualified leads fast.
So, while the best virtual tour apps allow for lead-to-lease conversion later on in the leasing process, don’t count them out as powerful lead generation tools. From start to finish and beyond, the right virtual tour apps and overall platform give you and your team support all the way through the resident lifecycle.
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Close more leases, market more effectively, engage with residents and, as always, keep it real. Do you have a question or suggestion? Or want to learn more about what you read? Email us at contact@realync.com. We’d love to hear from you!