15 Ways To Motivate Residents To Leave Better Apartment Reviews
June 9, 2020 2:10 pm Leave your thoughtsCan you imagine what better apartment reviews would do for your apartment marketing? The way that residents feel about your community can create a chain reaction to how others feel. Reviews truly do have the power to sway prospects negatively, or positively. This can seem quite daunting as your reviews are mainly in the hands of your residents. However, there are many strategies you can use to motivate your residents to leave the kind of reviews that you’re looking for. Take charge of getting better apartment reviews by providing your residents with what they need to leave a positive impact on your community.
Leveraging my years of expertise, I’m going to break down the most effective ways to encourage apartment residents to leave glowing reviews. Positive feedback can significantly boost your property’s appeal and draw in new tenants.
1. Host a Resident Event
Resident events can be a fantastic way to gain more reviews. Not only will residents be more inclined to leave a positive review, but it will be fresh on their minds. After the event, you can simply ask in-person, or send out a reminder. Consider giving residents who attend a little flyer that encourages them to leave a review. Resident events and resident gifts can be the perfect way to ask for a review!
To elevate the impact of resident events on review generation, tailor these gatherings around themes or causes important to your community, like sustainability or local charity support. This approach builds a stronger sense of community and also encourages attendees to share their positive experiences online. Post-event, send personalized thank-you emails with embedded links to review platforms, making it effortless for attendees to express their thoughts.
2. Set Up Various Local Listings
While there are common places to leave reviews such as Google My Business, there are also a variety of other avenues that you can use to house your reviews. Bing, Yelp, Facebook, and your own website are all potential options. Each profile has something potentially beneficial to offer you, and it would be in your best interest to maintain your profile on different sites. Having a variety of local listings will give your residents plenty of options when it comes time for them to leave a review.
Diversify your online presence by engaging in local community forums or groups, in addition to traditional listing sites. By doing so, you can reach residents where they’re most active online and provide them with direct, convenient links to your listings. Participate in local events or sponsorships and use these opportunities to encourage reviews. This strategy not only broadens your reach but also strengthens your community ties, making residents more inclined to share their positive experiences.
3. Respond To Reviews
Reviews become a lot more powerful when they have prompt responses. Negative reviews can be quickly turned around if the property responds, and strives to negate the situation. When prospects see that the property is actively responding to the issues at hand, it clearly demonstrates the attitude of that property. Many properties rely on the default copy and paste messages to respond. While it is beneficial to respond, generic responses can often seem too vague. Taking the time to effectively execute your review responses is worth it.
Develop a structured response plan that categorizes reviews by sentiment and issue type, allowing for more personalized and effective responses. Implement a feedback loop where you share constructive reviews with your team, highlighting areas for improvement and celebrating successes. This approach demonstrates to residents and prospects that you’re committed to continuous improvement and value their feedback.
4. Utilize Social Media
Social Media can truly act as another platform for reviews. As current, and future residents participate in your posts, it gives others a clearer look into your community. When residents interact with your social media, it demonstrates their involvement with your team. It is one of the greatest ways to showcase the different aspects that set your property apart. Consider asking questions on your social media that residents can respond to. Let your social media become a place where prospects can go for answers to their questions.
Create a monthly spotlight feature on your social media platforms where you highlight stories or testimonials from satisfied residents. This could be a short video interview, a resident’s story about community life, or a feature on how your team resolved an issue effectively. Encourage residents to share their own stories or experiences in the comments or through direct submissions, which can then be featured in future posts. This strategy generates positive content and also builds a sense of community and belonging among residents.
5. Include Direct Links
Property managers have a variety of interactions with residents. These interactions can range from in-person connections to virtual reminders. From emails to mass text messaging, there are many digital places where a direct link to your reviews can be included. Perhaps a reason that many residents don’t leave reviews is that they have a difficult time knowing the process. Including a direct link in as many places as possible helps residents leave you a review in a quick, and simple manner.
To maximize the effectiveness of direct links, include QR codes in common areas of your property, such as the lobby or community board. These QR codes can direct residents to review sites seamlessly. Additionally, consider embedding these links within digital newsletters or the signature lines of emails from your staff. By making the process as effortless as possible and visually reminding residents at various touchpoints, you’ll likely see an increase in review participation.
6. Be Open For Feedback
The word “review” is so commonly used, that perhaps the term is becoming overworked. Not to mention, a lot of properties are simply only looking for positive reviews. Yet, both negative, and positive reviews can work together to benefit your community. All reviews are feedback, and whether they come to you directly, through Google, or are on your apartment community website, they can show your residents that you care about improving. When reviews are phrased as “feedback”, it opens the door for residents to share their honest thoughts. While receiving negative reviews isn’t ideal, it can give you the perfect opportunity to respond in a professional, and timely manner.
Establish a “Feedback Friday” initiative where you actively solicit feedback from residents on specific aspects of the community each week via email, social media, or in-person meetings. This strategy provides you with actionable insights and also normalizes the practice of giving feedback, making the step to leaving an online review feel more natural. Highlight changes or improvements made as a result of resident feedback in your communications to demonstrate the tangible impact of their input.
7. Share Positive Reviews
Positivity is contagious! Share your positive reviews. You can post them on your social media accounts or share them with your community however you would like. Let prospects know that your current residents truly love where they live. Sharing your positive reviews will remind other residents that they can do the same. Positive reviews are a great tool for marketing apartments and can truly act as an amazing method to attract new prospects in so many ways! Find unique ways that your community can share your positive reviews, and spread property love.
Create a “Review of the Month” feature where you showcase a positive review in your community newsletter, on social media, and in common areas. Offer a small token of appreciation to the featured reviewer, such as a gift card to a local business or points towards community rewards. This approach highlights the positive feedback and also motivates other residents to share their experiences, knowing their contributions are valued and recognized.
8. Use Apartment Texting
Many properties communicate with their residents via email. While email still stands as a fantastic way to get information across, apartment texting has been on the rise. Apartment texting helps you to connect with your residents in a quick, and stress-free way. It can also assist your residents in leaving a review easier. With an apartment texting method, you can send a link to your reviews! This will help residents easily navigate to where you would prefer the review be left. Apartment texting can make a huge difference in the way you acquire, and receive reviews!
Personalize your text message campaigns by segmenting your resident list based on their interests, interactions, or feedback history. This allows you to tailor your review requests more effectively, such as sending specific review prompts after a resident has used a new amenity or participated in an event. Personalization increases the relevance of your messages and can improve the response rate for review requests.
9. Include Automatic Reminders
One of the main components for acquiring reviews is simply reminding residents that you’re looking for them. Consider developing automatic emails, text messages, or reminders to help your residents know why this is important for your property. Your residents live busy lives, and often they just need a reminder that you’re looking for their feedback. With an automated reminder system, you can periodically prompt your residents to leave you a review.
Integrate review reminders into your community’s app or resident portal, if available, leveraging push notifications for greater visibility. Customize these reminders based on resident milestones or positive interactions with your team. For example, send a review request after a maintenance request has been satisfactorily resolved. This timing capitalizes on positive sentiment and increases the likelihood of receiving a favorable review.
10. Thank Previous Reviewers
While leaving a review doesn’t take a prolonged amount of time, it is a moment out of any residents’ day! When a resident leaves you a review, reach out to them personally. Let them know that you appreciate the time that they took to do that. While this may not directly influence receiving other reviews, it will help your community to develop a great review culture. Reviews can often become a negative and draining task. Thanking your residents will enable you to set up a positive cycle of getting feedback.
Develop a “Thank You” program where you feature a thank-you note from your team to reviewers in your community newsletter or on social media. This could include a personalized message for reviewers, acknowledging their contribution by name (with their permission) and detailing how their feedback has been or will be acted upon.
11. Get Your Team Involved
Asking for reviews can be an exhausting pursuit. If the responsibility is placed on one person, it may cause them to feel burnt out. Not to mention, every member of your leasing team has different abilities that may allow them to connect with other residents. Getting your team involved will allow you to not only receive more reviews but better reviews. Whether it’s the maintenance team helping with a work order, or a leasing agent taking a phone call question, there are so many opportunities. With each member of your team getting involved, you’ll be able to take your reviews to the next level.
Implement a recognition program for team members who successfully encourage reviews, based on the quality and quantity of feedback generated through their interactions. This could include special acknowledgments in staff meetings, bonuses, or additional personal development opportunities. By incentivizing your team to actively participate in the review process, you cultivate a more engaged and proactive staff.
12. Ask Directly After Interactions
One mistake that a lot of people make while asking for a review, is asking for it at a random time. If a resident hasn’t had direct interaction with you recently, they are going to be highly less likely to leave you one. However, if you ask for a review following an interaction, it will come easier! Not only will this remind residents at the moment to leave a review, but it will also improve the review you receive. They will have just experienced an exchange with you of some sort, and this will inspire the review they leave!
After a positive interaction, follow up with a personalized email or note that includes a brief message about how much you enjoyed the interaction and a gentle reminder to share their experience in a review. Incorporate a direct link to make the process as easy as possible. This personal touch can make a significant difference in converting positive resident experiences into public testimonials.
13. Make It Mobile-Friendly
Your job is to make it as easy as possible for a resident to leave you a review. Let residents know that they can accomplish it easily from their cell phones! Provide them with the exact step-by-step instructions on how to leave one in a matter of seconds. If residents know that it is this simple, they will be able to leave sooner, and easier! Consider sending out the simple instructions in an apartment text message, or post them on your social media.
14. Place Reviews On Your Website
Third-party reviews on your Google My Business or Yelp are extremely helpful in a lot of ways. However, first-party reviews on your community’s website can do much more. Placing reviews on your website allows more information for your property to appear on the SERP (search engine result pages). When reviews are directly on a website, they can then appear directly on Google. This is a win-win for many reasons!
Develop a dynamic review section on your website that automatically updates with the latest positive feedback. Incorporate filtering options so prospects can easily find reviews that are most relevant to their interests, such as amenities, resident events, or maintenance response times. This not only showcases your community’s strengths but also improves your website’s SEO performance, making it easier for prospects to find and choose your property.
15. Avoid Generic Responses
The world of reviews is becoming extremely automated with new software that enables you to manage all of your reviews at once. Although the convenience of these programs is nice, they’re often lacking in a lot of areas. While manually responding to every review may not be an option, more personalized responses truly make all of the difference. Every resident is familiar with generic, automated responses.
They want to know and feel your concern about their feedback. Not only will that increase your current resident satisfaction, but it will also help prospects become interested in your community. Prospects need an emotional connection in order to move forward. A thoughtful review response will help them see that your community always has the residents in mind.
Interesting Facts
The timing of review requests matters: The optimal time to request a review is immediately following a positive service encounter. Reviews submitted within 24 hours of a service experience are significantly more likely to be positive, as the resident’s satisfaction levels are at their peak. This insight underscores the importance of timely engagement with residents after positive interactions, such as after resolving a maintenance request or hosting a successful community event.
The impact of negative reviews on positive submission: Interestingly, properties with a mix of positive and negative reviews are perceived as more authentic and trustworthy than those with exclusively positive feedback. A psychological phenomenon known as the “blemish effect” shows that a small flaw can make a product or service more appealing, suggesting that not all negative feedback is detrimental to your apartment complex’s reputation.
Leveraging social proof through community engagement: Studies indicate that people are more likely to perform actions that they see others doing – a concept known as social proof. By sharing stories and testimonials from residents who have had positive experiences, apartment managers can create a ripple effect, encouraging more residents to share their own positive reviews.
The power of personalized responses to reviews: Personalized responses to online reviews could lead to higher ratings over time. Apartments that took the time to write individualized responses to both positive and negative reviews saw an improvement in their overall ratings. This demonstrates the value of personal engagement and acknowledgment in fostering a positive online presence.
These innovative review creation tactics provide actionable insights that might improve your online visibility. The ultimate goal is to promote a community where residents freely share positive experiences, attracting and retaining satisfied tenants. These techniques increase the number and quality of reviews and develop a sense of community among residents, making your apartment complex more appealing to prospective tenants.
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Categorised in: Apartment Marketing, For Property Managers, Market Apartments Services
This post was written by Isabella Housel
Isabella Housel is a passionate and versatile professional writer with a deep love for words and a commitment to crafting compelling content that engages, informs, and inspires. With many years of experience in the industry, she has honed her skills across various genres, from creative storytelling to informative articles and technical documentation.