apartment public relations Archives - Clairemont Communications

This article originally appeared in the April 2016 issue of PRSA’s Tactics. You can read it online here.

Changing It Up to Encourage Creativity

Dana Phelps Hughens

“The definition of insanity is repeating the same behaviors and expecting a different outcome.” – Albert Einstein

For the past several months, this column has been focused on the changes our industry is facing. This month we are changing it up to highlight ways to do things differently in order to achieve greater results.

Last year, I shared a photograph of four women that was taken in the early 1900s with our team at Clairemont Communications. Each team member was asked to write a story about the photo, and the stories were shared on our blog as part of a contest. The author of the story that had the most votes won a prize.

This was Clairemont’s first Creative Challenge. Part professional development and part team building, this exercise tapped into our imaginations with a creative writing exercise far different than that of say, writing a client news release. However, the brainstorming and story mapping were a similar process to many things we do for our clients. Additionally, social media influence was put to the test as team members solicited their professional and personal networks for votes – another task related to we do for clients daily.

Earlier this year we challenged ourselves to step out of our comfort zones when we decided to take a non-traditional approach to thanking our clients by producing what we called our gratitude video. In addition to our team singing the words to Andy Grammer’s “Good to Be Alive,” our clients danced along with us to celebrate our accomplishments together. Check it out on our Facebook page!

Not only do our clients embrace our creative and sometimes wacky ways, they rely on us for fresh ideas for pitches, promotional campaigns and special events. Otherwise, it would prove difficult to produce results month after month and year after year.

We recently met with a prospect seeking to change agencies after an engagement that had spanned nearly two decades. He didn’t seem particularly dissatisfied with the existing PR firm and yet not fully satisfied either. Upon further discussion, it was revealed that the only real issue with the incumbent was that it had been around long enough to learn all the things that didn’t work.

Wow. I never want to be that agency leader who says, “We already tried that” or “Just do it the same way, and it will be good enough.” We all know it is easy to get stuck in a rut. We’ve all been there, and help is on the way.

This year we are opening the Counselors Academy conference with “Think Differently: The Biggest Barrier to Innovation Is Our Own Expertise,” an interactive keynote with Duncan Wardle, vice president of Disney’s Creative Inc.

Duncan works with his team across all Disney corporate divisions as creative ideation consultants. They design engaging, collaborative ideation forums that capture unlikely connections and lead to new thinking and revolutionary ideas. During his Counselors Academy session, he will explore the myths around creativity and innovation, provide tangible innovation tools and help us get out of our own “Rivers of Expertise” to think differently.

To be part of this session and exchange ideas on creativity with other PR agency leaders, join us May 1 to 3, in San Juan, Puerto Rico. More information can be found at caprsa.com and on Facebook in The Official Counselors Academy Facebook Group.

Dana Phelps Hughens is CEO of Clairemont Communications based in Raleigh, N.C. She serves as an assembly delegate for the North Carolina chapter of PRSA and on the board of Counselors Academy. Dana is known as @blah2voila on Instagram and Twitter.

The trends of the lease-up landscape have shifted to “empty-nesters”—and not just baby boomers looking to downsize. Millennials, those born between 1980 and 2000, have staked a claim in the market demand for apartments. In response, lease-up offerings have shifted over the past 10 years to accommodate the preferences of these diverse “digital natives.”

1. It’s the finer things of life. According to Brian Toomey, director of acquisitions, Banner Property Management, members of the millennial generation grew up amidst the custom finishes, top shelf materials and private luxury bathrooms of their parents’ suburban homes. And although they still crave these high-end touches, millennials can’t afford the high-end price tags, turning instead to apartment rentals. Hence, lease-up developers must design units that feature quality finishes and incorporate leading design trends. Farewell, linoleum.

2. It’s all about the lifestyle, too. Millennials love life and love to live life. They loathe to waste time commuting to a job or—worse—tending to yard work, moments that could otherwise be invested in experiences and relationships. In response, the demand has skyrocketed for apartments located within a short drive, bus ride or bike ride to major employment hubs. Forty-five minute commutes are a relic. Farewell, drive time.

3. And it’s all about commitment—or the lack thereof. Millennials experienced firsthand the real estate market upheavals that wreaked havoc on their parents’ financial standings. As young professionals, members of this generation are more apt to rent their first living spaces right out of college than to scrap and save for a home. Farewell, mortgages.

What does this mean for marketing and PR in the real estate industry?

1. Feature the features. It’s a given that marketing communication strategies for apartments should highlight the amenities. More attention, however, should be invested in showcasing the distinctive design elements of a unit. Craft creative tactics to spotlight custom finishes and quality lifestyle offerings that welcome the millennial buyer as a VIP guest in an upscale apartment.

2. Go the distance to show the distance. Create clever ways to emphasize the accessible commute to nearby employment and lifestyle options. The Lincoln Apartments, one of Raleigh’s newest upscale complexes (and a Clairemont client), is grand opening its luxury development this fall in the heart of downtown Raleigh. Through a creative Instagram account dubbed “The First Lady of Lincoln,” Lincoln and Clairemont staff are showcasing the “Lincoln Lifestyle.” These first-hand snapshots capture downtown Raleigh’s trendy restaurants, festivals, entertainment venues and cultural hotspots–all a short walk or bike ride from the Lincoln’s front door.

(PS: Give it a gander! Check out the “Lincoln Lifestyle” and downtown Raleigh on Instagram at @FirstLadyLincoln!)

3. Live life with them. This tip is beget from years of research + experience + aw, heck, I’m a millennial (sort of). Millennials shudder at overt marketing messages. Since we’re busy digging through paperwork to ensure we haven’t been hoodwinked by legalese, transparency becomes a legitimate PR strategy. Be genuine. Showcase the warm, accessible side of your company—from the quirks of your personable staff to the fun at your company’s parties. Transparency goes a long way to forge trust with the millennial generation as it chooses its first home after graduation.

What tips would you add to this list?

Clairemont Communications

Tag: apartment public relations

Encouraging Creativity

Marketing Real Estate to Millennials