Seven Deadly Sins of Social Media

There are a lot of different versions out there of how the Seven Deadly Sins apply to social media but here are some that For Rent Media Solutions has put together to assure that you are making the most of your social media marketing campaign.

1. Don't Bite Off More Than You Can Chew: We have all been there before and understand this one. When most companies enter the social media landscape they want to have a presence everywhere. In order to be effective both with time and resources, you need to have goals and a solid strategy to support them. It is not necessary to have an account on all of the social networking sites. Choose one or two platforms that best match your goals and target audience and get to know how they work.
2. Don’t Get Greedy: One of the main reasons businesses enter the realm of social media is to build relationships with consumers and increase their brand awareness; however this does not mean you need to solely promote it while you are on these sites. Follow the 80/20 rule. 80% of the content you are submitting, sharing, tagging and commenting on should not be yours. Don't consistently link your content. Offer help to others that genuinely and directly benefits them, not you. Provide value to the conversation and become a trusted member of the community. Move people to engage your brand and be collaborative. You can only build a community by contributing and that contribution needs to provide value for the consumers. Only then will they begin to trust your brand.
3. Don't Try To Control It: Your relationships are your brand. Anyone can blog, tweet or Facebook message about a good or bad experience they had with your product and it can be seen by millions of people. Embrace the transparency of social media because people are talking about your communities whether you like it or not. We can all learn a lesson from the recent experience of a property management company that is suing a former resident for $50,000 over a tweet complaining about mold. Read more here:What the Horizon Realty Fail Can Teach You About Social Media. Within a few hours, Horizon Realty became a "trending topic" on Twitter, which means that Horizon was one of the most talked about topics on Twitter. Although trending topics on Twitter tend to be short-lived, the reach and distribution of social media goes further than Twitter.

To view the other four social media sins click here>>

Apartment Renter Mobile Marketing Trends

Mobile marketing is on the leading edge of making life easier for apartment renters on the go. Now, more than ever, marketers understand the need to integrate mobile into their multi-channel branding, customer acquisition and customer retention plans. Mobile marketing is most effective when your listings have a presence on mobile Web sites, mobile applications (i.e. iPhone^® and GPhone applications), and through text messaging. Don't limit your marketing potential! An effective mobile marketing strategy should start with a strong mobile Web site. Renters can view your listings any time, any place from the ForRent.com^® mobile site. In addition to receiving more than 845,000 pageviews in the last 90 days, the ForRent.com mobile site has also received more than 865,000 clicks. Be sure to reach renters through online video as well. More than 80.7% of mobile users coming to the ForRent.com mobile Web site can view video.

iPhone apps are popular; our app has been downloaded more than 20,000 times.One out of six ForRent.com mobile consumers utilize ForRent.com applications. However, according to an AdMob Mobile Metrics Report,the iPhone only captures 25% of the mobile phone market share. In addition,16% of ForRent.com mobile users are using our apps and 83.7% are using our mobile Web site. The AdMob Mobile Metrics Report also states that usage of mobile Web sites greatly outpaces usage of HTML sites on smartphones. The most popular apps are used for entertainment purposes, such as games. Apple^® does not provide detailed metrics for application use.

Over the past 90 days, more than 35,000 text messages have been sent to property managers regarding ForRent.com properties. For Rent Media Solutions™ offers the ultimate Mobile Marketing Solution for your advertising needs by providing multiple ways for apartment seekers on the go to search for an apartment.

Find out which mobile devices and manufacturers apartment renters are using to find your listings on ForRent.com's mobile Web site here.>>

Who's Got You Covered?

A Landlord's Basic Primer on Fair Housing Insurance

Pick up any magazine within the multi-family housing industry or attend an educational conference, and it is likely you will find something about fair housing. This issue is important to our industry for many reasons, including the dollar impact of not being in compliance with the fair housing laws. If you are charged with discrimination, the defense costs are high, not to mention perhaps having to pay to either settle the case or satisfy a judgment. You have protected your business and yourself from the ramifications of a fire, a slip-and-fall, or the myriad of other events that create liability for you as a landlord. But what about fair housing insurance coverage? Do you have it? Do you not have it? Do you know? Do you really need it? Do you care (probably, since you are reading this article)? Is there really any such thing?

Yes, there is coverage available. But it is up to you to find it, evaluate it, and make good business decisions regarding your needs. This article won't give you all the answers, and will most likely raise more questions for you, but it is a good starting point for you to dialogue with your insurance agent or carrier. So, here goes…

The first step is to see if you have coverage:

1. Keep in mind that your General Liability and Directors & Officers policies will likely not provide you with fair housing protection. Personal Liability policies may (or may not!) provide coverage, but Professional Liability will often do so.
2. Check the AM Best’s rating (FSR – Financial Strength Rating) for your carrier's ability to meet its obligations to you as a policyholder.
3. Discuss whether the carrier is "admitted" or "non-admitted/unauthorized" in the state or states in which you have properties and do business.
4. Next, open up a discussion with your agent/carrier about "Discrimination Coverage" or "Tenant Discrimination Liability Insurance." The term "fair housing insurance" is not generally used in the insurance industry.

Now, let's say that your agent/carrier assures you that you have the coverage or that you will be able to buy it. You're all set now, right? No, not at all. As a smart business person you need to know what it is that you have bought or will buy. And what you think you "see" is not necessarily what you might actually "get."

To find out what you need to know read the full article here>>

REQUIRED LANGUAGE FOR ALL REPRINTING OF THIS ARTICLE: "Fair Housing Focus" is written by Nadeen Green, Senior Counsel with For Rent Media Solutions, Anne Sadovsky, CSP, CAM, CAPS, RAM and DJ Ryan, Fair Housing Specialist, Kimball, Tirey & St. John, LLP. The information contained in this article is not to be considered legal advice, and the authors and their companies strongly suggest that you consult with your own counsel as to any fair housing questions or problems you may have.