31 Jul Texting for Property Managers: the New Marketing

As a property manager, you likely want to better understand your residents. This will lead to increased lease renewals and a better working relationship. In order to do this, let’s consider a typical day for them: they wake up and call an Uber for work on their phone. On the way, they’ll stop at Starbucks where they use the Starbucks App to get a discount on their latte. At lunch, they will perhaps buy a sandwich with Apple Wallet. They come home on the bus while playing Candy Crush on their iPhone. What do we take away from this? Residents (and Americans in general) are on their phones for the majority of the day. It’s probable that you have a similar typical day! Our phones are evolving to make our lives easier and more convenient. Knowing this, it’s no wonder that the latest research is showing texting as the most effective medium of communication between a landlord and their resident. 

Emails and paper notices are just not the most effective way to communicate with residents anymore (or anyone really, for that matter). Research tells us that texts work better. How much better is texting? According to a recent study by Mobile Marketing Watch, 98% of text messages are opened, as compared to a lowly 20% of emails opened. After reading the email, only an abysmal 6% will even respond, whereas almost half of people respond to their texts*. This means your residents are more likely to open the text messages, and more likely to respond! By simply changing out the medium you use to reach your residents, you’re more likely to communicate with them. And as we know in marketing, direct communication leads to interest and renewed leases! We know every landlord’s goal is to keep and retain good residents. Mass texting services help achieve that goal! The best part is that mass texting services make it easier on you, allowing you to communicate with residents on the go and at your fingertips.

As it turns out, when it comes to property managing, texting is a great way to retain residents and improve satisfaction! Let’s take a look at how texting can improve your conversion rate by 328% (yes, you read that correctly)!* In a recent sales optimization study, Velocify found that sending three or more purposeful text messages after contact can increase conversion rates over 300%. With numbers like that, it’s hard to think up a reason not to make the switch to texting over email and paper.

Texting vs. Email

In its infancy, texting in the 90s began with only three keys. Fast forward to today, when mass texting services have hit the market, making communication easier on business owners. Mass texting services allow you to send out mass text messages to multiple users that will appear as an individual message. 

Mass texting services promise huge potential for property managers. Services like aptschat allow landlords to send out mass texts to their residents’ mobile devices, and receive texts from them as well. Previous mass texting services would only allow limited response, but now mass texting services can facilitate an entire conversation!

Gone are the days of emailing residents and hearing only crickets back. No longer must you worry about communicating maintenance requests through taped notices on their doors. There must be a better way, and now there is!

Still confused on how to use mass texting?

How to Best Utilize Texting Services

While texting is shown to be more effective over email and paper communications, it is important how it is used. One study* showed that texting services were most effective when the business had already met and/or interacted with the text receiver. This is great news for property managers, who need to communicate important information, and to their residents who need and want to receive the information. 

Curious about how mass texting services work, or how you can you use them? We’ve compiled some recommendations on how to best interact with your residents, and maximize your texting services:

Ready to start texting with your residents? The first step is to research into choosing the right mass texting service. We can help you compare prices and look into features. Make sure you choose the right provider for your needs!

 Get a price quote today!

*Statistics come from Velocify, Leads 360, and Demandforce.