Baby Boomers visited leasing offices in person and filled out leasing applications by hand. Generation X and millennials preferred follow ups via email and phone calls. Leasing to Gen Z, is the next up-and-coming demographic in multifamily and they definitely have a new favorite method of communication: texting.
Nurture Boss Loves Texting
No secret here. We have written a plethora of blog posts about the topic. With more and more renter’s coming from Gen Z, understanding the tech needed for successful leasing to Gen Z is crucial. Read on, but feel free to check out some of our past Blog Posts:
- Text Messages: The Ultimate Form of Engagement?
- Multifamily’s Top SMS Messages That Prospects Actually Want To Receive
- Marketing To Generation Z For Student Housing In 2021
- Text Message Marketing – Top 5 Best Practices
- Using SMS To Deliver Better Customer Service and Higher Conversions
- How To Send Better Texts!
Texting: Leasing to Gen Z
As millennials age and start to move on from apartment living to single-family rentals or purchasing a home, leasing to Gen Z is the new focus apartment operators have and are accommodating and adjusting leasing strategies for. Born between 1996 and 2012, Gen Z’ers are the first true digital natives. Raised on the internet in a digitally centric world, texting is one of their dominant communication methods.
While it’s no secret that Gen Z’ers are glued to their phones posting on various social media platforms and chatting with their peers, it’s also their preferred way of conducting business, knowing this is key to having a successful strategy for leasing to Gen Z.
Multifamily has typically leveraged email and phone capabilities for follow ups and prospect engagement, but for modern renters there is a greater need to embrace texting as part of the leasing process. Nearly 99% of Gen Z’ers have cell phones and while emailing is still fairly popular, a staggering 75% of them prefer to communicate via text messaging. Understanding these statistics is one of the keys to be successful leasing to Gen Z.
This is actually great news for operators. It makes nurturing leads and communicating with them easier than ever before and allows for immediate and continuous engagement with prospective residents by way of automated messaging. Additionally, automated texting capabilities can be hyper-personalized based on each individual prospect’s needs, and as seen in most customer experiences, the ability to customize communication is key to success.
Communication doesn’t end once a resident has moved in. Residents want to know if something comes up that must be discussed with onsite teams, but now they can do so easily from a smart phone. Whether they need to place a maintenance request or have questions about their lease or renewal options, texting is most likely how they will reach out. On the flip side, operators can seamlessly remind residents of any upcoming action items and notify them about any scheduled maintenance work taking place in their home or around the community.
Convenience is King: Leasing To Gen Z
Texting is quickly becoming the new gold standard of communication in leasing and apartment management. From end-to-end of the marketing funnel, hyper-personalized text messages are the surefire way to nurture leads and guide digitally savvy renters through the entire process.
Meeting modern residents where they’re at and understanding their communication preferences will give operators a competitive advantage and assist tremendously in not only increasing lead-to-lease conversions, but renewals as well. Leasing to Gen Z doesn’t stop when the lease is signed. It is crucial that operators stand out in such a competitive market and that begins with establishing swift communication that lands right in the palm of renters’ hands. In turn, operators will undoubtedly see more revenue in the palm of their hands.
Never again miss an opportunity to nurture a lead or promptly serve a resident – just text them.Â