Every day, more and more people in Miami are being vaccinated against COVID, helping to stem the tide of illness, isolation, and apprehension which has gripped south Florida and the rest of the country for the past year. Fortunately, there is a light at the end of the tunnel! As infection rates and statistics continue to improve, people are adopting a more optimistic outlook about the direction of the pandemic — and with good reason.
While there are daily signs that life as we once knew it will eventually return, the public is being advised not to “jump the gun.” The risk of catching and spreading the virus is far from over at this point, so it would be premature to return to “business as usual.” Now is the time to be resourceful, adapt to the crisis, and find creative ways to keep those inquiries and new tenants coming your way!
COVID-Related Marketing Strategies
Following CDC guidelines and local directives is the first step to staying safe and setting a positive example. Clear communication can be your most powerful tool for allaying fears and assuring prospective tenants that their safety is important to you.
Establishing your own COVID-related policies and doing your best to enforce and publicize them can go a long way toward gaining the confidence of both current and future tenants. Putting them in writing also clarifies your requirements and makes it easier to communicate them to others.
If you have a website, blog, or Facebook page, a one- or two-sentence statement about your COVID policies can effectively get your message across. This can help reassure prospects that you’re maintaining a safe environment for apartment tours and lease signings. Although some people might be postponing their search for a new place to live until the pandemic subsides, there are still many apartment seekers from all walks of life ready to move. One of your main objectives in attracting new tenants is to eliminate or minimize as many “mental barriers” as possible.
Using Visuals to Drive Home Your Message
Well staged photos can not only effectively showcase your rental properties, but they can focus on people wearing facemasks, social distancing, and practicing other COVID-19 safety measures.
You can also create virtual tours that consist of either a short video or a slide-show of photos. That, along with phone conversations and/or video chats, can eliminate the need for face-to-face meetings. While some people are perfectly comfortable being out and about in the midst of a pandemic, others are hesitant. Those are the ones you really have to cater to in your marketing. Since it’s difficult to predict who is going to fill your next vacant apartment or condo, it pays to “cast a wide net” and appeal to all groups.
For more information about marketing your rental properties during COVID-19 and beyond, contact us at PMI Miami Dade. We’d be happy to help you with tenant acquisition, tenant screening, online marketing, property maintenance, rent collection, and much more. Our team of property management experts can help you effectively manage your income properties, prevent and handle tenant problems, and efficiently resolve emergencies whenever they crop up.
