Generate Even More Exposure for Your Listings with Community Theater®

Maximize your marketing efforts and reach more prospective residents with a Community Theater® video. Highlighted below are the top eight ways to generate even more exposure through various social networking avenues using your Community Theater® Video.

1. Email signature:
   Including a hyperlink to your video in your signature allows prospective residents easy access to virtual contact with your property.
2. Facebook® Status Updates:
   Posting the YouTube™ link in your status update provides a measurable distribution channel allowing syndication of your video through fans' newsfeeds. It affords residents the opportunity to showcase their apartment community to family and friends who are potentially searching for apartments, leading to increased views and positive sentiment.
3. MySpace™ Status Updates:
   Posting the YouTube link or MySpace video link to Community Theater in status updates creates consistency across platforms and encourages employees and residents to post. It affords residents the opportunity to showcase their apartment community to family and friends who are potentially searching for apartments, leading to increased views and positive sentiment.
4. LinkedIn® Status Updates:
   Posting a YouTube link to statuses allows for exposure among influencers and other contacts and encourages employees and residents to post, increasing relevant viewership.
5. Twitter™ Status Updates:
   Tweet your video through work and encourage residents to tweet. This affords followers the ability to resend to their followers, allowing promotion of the community and increasing the probability of your video going viral.
6. Embed Video on Blog:
   Embedded code to your blog coupled with written and video content provides prospective residents a comprehensive overview of what to expect. Embedding can easily be shared with friends and creates another distribution channel, which maximizes viral potential.
7. Embed Video on MySpace profile:
   You can embed video on your profile through albums and tagging friends, allowing consistent branding across platforms. Embedding video also enables feedback from prospective clients.
8. Facebook Page URL options:
   Posting the video link allows prospective residents to find all the necessary information in one place.

Click here for more information on how using your Community Theater Video can generate even more exposure!

"Twitter™ Talk" at Brainstorming Sessions™ 2009

Hashtags, re-tweets, DMs? What does it all mean? All these questions and more were answered at the industry's first Tweet Spot held at Brainstorming Sessions™ 2009. This year's event took place at the Hyatt Regency in Houston, Texas from November 18-20.

Twitter "newbies" and power users alike in the multi-housing industry were welcomed to the ultimate Twitter experience during this year's show. At the Tweet Spot, attendees learned more about leveraging the power of Twitter. Topics discussed included:

• How to create a Twitter profile
• How to perform basic functions within the site
• Twitter terminology
• Tools to enhance user experience
• Why Twitter is beneficial for businesses
• How to cross-link with other social media sites

"The Tweet Spot was a great way for Brainstorming attendees and Twitter users of all experience levels to increase their Twitter knowledge," said Tami L. Siewruk, chief imagination officer, Multifamily Pro. "It also created the perfect opportunity to network and put Twitter handles to faces!"

Brainstorming allows multi-housing professionals to come together and generate creative ideas to improve their marketing campaigns. During this year's event, attendees had the opportunity to speak to new media experts and participate in educational sessions regarding social networking platforms, mobile media and traditional marketing techniques.

The social networking "buzz" was flowing through the room! Attendees participated in "Tweetups" (meetings organized through Twitter and hosted by For Rent Media Solutions™), to network and meet other attendees. These Tweetups helped attendees turn their online network into reality, allowed them to see who's "following" who, and enabled them to maximize their social networking by meeting and mingling with the industry's social media savvy.

Missed this year's show? For more information on how social media can help expand your reach, contact your local For Rent Media Solutions' account executive or call Customer Service at 1-888-539-1150.

Know the Preferences of your After 55 Residents

Every seven seconds someone in America turns 50.¹ Where will they live? The 50-plus population is the fastest growing segment of the housing market.² Adjusting to retirement and "empty nests," many will move to communities that offer lifestyle choices that meet their new needs.

Housing for the senior market includes a variety of different options, including independent living, assisted living, nursing homes, and continuing care. Whichever definition your community fits into, providing the right amenities to the after 55 demographic is essential.

According to Encyclopedia.com, many seniors like to do one of the following in their spare time: travel, walking and other light exercise, reading, going to theater (cinema and live), volunteer work, and listening to music. Knowing some of these preferences can help ensure your community offers what after 55 residents want, making your community highly desirable. Things like:

Transportation. As mentioned previously, seniors like to get out and do things in their spare time. If your community can assist them in any way, that would be a great feature to advertise. For example, provide transportation for shopping excursions, theater, and to local restaurants.

Scheduled activities. Find out what your residents are interested in and make those activities available on an ongoing basis. Organize bridge tournaments, bunco, yoga, or perhaps training sessions for avid walkers or swimmers.

Offer services. What a convenience it would be to provide certain services on-site. Things like blood-pressure testing or seasonal flu vaccines, salon services or even income tax preparation during tax season would be greatly appreciated.

Educational Resources. Provide a daily dose of media by making newspapers, magazines and the internet available to your residents. Offer tutorials on the various social media websites that allow people to stay in touch. Did you know that seniors are the fastest growing demographic on Facebook? The number of after 55 users (on Facebook) grew a tremendous 513.7% between January and July 2009.³ This type of social media would be a terrific way for them to communicate with family and friends.

Certainly no one knows the likes and needs of their residents better than you do. But by finding out the preferences of your 50-plus residents and being responsive to their needs, you can not only help ensure their satisfaction, but the success of your community.

¹ SoldOnSeniors, Incl. (SoldonSeniors.com)
² www.theboomerblog.com
³ Stan Schroeder, Facebook Users Are Getting Older. Much Older.