Snapchat speaks the language of Millennials. Use it to engage current and prospective young students.
If you’re not using Snapchat as a leasing tool, you are missing out on a gold mine of potential new leases. Snapchat is the most popular photo and video sharing service in the world, with users sending more than 400 million “snaps” per day. The coveted group of 18-to-29-year-olds is the most avid user of Snapchat, which is why it is one of the most valuable marketing tools for your student housing property. By tapping into Snapchat, you will hit your key demographic in a unique and buzzworthy way.Here are a few tips on how to effectively use Snapchat as a marketing tool to increase lease percentages at your student housing property:
Build buzz and offer unique content and contests: Give students an incentive to be part of your Snapchat community, such as entering all Snapchat “friends” into a raffle and promoting Snapchat-only giveaways and hosting contests via Snapchat such as a “Snap-enger Hunt.” Create a scavenger hunt by sending snaps of clues to your followers leading them to a specific location. The first person to show up at the location wins a prize, such as a gift card to a popular restaurant or a waived signing fee.
Give sneak peeks: Invite your current residents and potential new residents to your upcoming events with a preview “snap” of the event’s invitation; you can also build anticipation by sending “snaps” of hints to unveil your upcoming event theme or grand prize, for example a video of the DJ who will be playing at your next pool party. Give your Snapchat “friends” an exclusive event invitation with an added RSVP incentive and promote by saying “did you get our exclusive Snapchat invite with special offers?” on your community’s Facebook and Twitter. This will not only increase your Snapchat users, but will also increase your overall social media engagement.
If you are a new property, pique interest in a visually engaging way by using Snapchat to unveil your community’s amenities and update potential residents on the construction process. Sending snaps unveiling your new leasing office or your completed community clubhouse will keep your community on the top of students’ minds and drive traffic to your leasing office leading up to your community’s grand opening.
Promote on current social media sites: Drive Snapchat opt-ins by promoting your Snapchat account across all social media sites and announcing the unique Snapchat contests, giveaways, and unveilings that you are doing. A great example of this is creating a Snapchat Emoji Challenge. Emojis are a key part of Millennial communication, so launch an emoji expression Snapchat challenge and encourage followers to send snaps using creative emoji messages. At the close of the contest submission deadline, post the top emoji snaps onto your property’s Facebook page for public voting.
Snapchat is an integral part of today’s Millennial generation and how they communicate…don’t miss out on the opportunity to join the conversation and position your community as the most social media savvy!
Alexis Krisay is a partner and the vice president of marketing for Serendipit Consulting, a public relations, marketing, branding and event-planning firm with a specialization in the student housing market. www.serendipitconsulting.com. She can be reached directly at [email protected] or at (602) 283-5209.