Author: Stacey Feeney

What is Graphic Design?

Written by Stacey Feeney on October 19, 2023. Posted in All Articles, Graphic Design.

Graphic Design, Defined

You asked, we’re here to answer. Graphic design is the art of putting together text and/or images to communicate an idea. Designs are typically found on websites, in advertising, on marketing collateral, or through typography. Similarly to copywriting, graphic design is often used to promote or accompany some other content in order to persuade the viewer to take action—like buy, explore, or learn more.

WHAT MAKES IT GRAPHIC DESIGN?

It’s the arrangement of visual and text elements in a layout purposely created to direct the viewer’s eye to the content and information being presented, and includes colors, shapes and images. It’s used in media—both print and digital. There is a whole lot more that makes graphic design effective. Also similar to copywriting, there are a few things that the designer must keep in mind when creating. At its most basic, you might think of the 3 C’s:

Composition – this is how the items (images and text) are laid out in relation to one another

Components – this is the images (color, shape) and text that are used in the design

Concept – this is the idea that the designer wishes to convey to the viewer through the design

TYPES OF GRAPHIC DESIGN

There are different types of graphic design, from packaging design to game design. But the ones that we at Zipcode Creative use are more common. Zipcode Creative’s graphic design for multifamily includes: web design, advertising and marketing design, and typography design.

Most often, you’ll find us using advertising and marketing design for your apartment brand.

WHAT GRAPHIC DESIGN IS NOT

Some things aren’t graphic design:

Photography
Painting
Physical drawing
Fashion design
MARKETING

So about that last one. Graphic design isn’t marketing because it doesn’t analyze numbers and sift through data—it’s creative at its core. Now, design is there for a purpose, to communicate an idea, so it’s a marketing and branding tool. But it’s not all there is. And it’s not exactly the same as marketing.

Graphic Design for Multifamilies

All that explanation of what graphic design is, and you may still be wondering how graphic design is used in multifamily, specifically.

Graphic design is a big part of the brand, the visuals, and the overall vibe of your community. Like so:

BRANDING GUIDELINES

In our brand guidelines, we outline all kinds of goodies for your apartment community.
Among those that are graphic design items? Plenty. Here they are:

Logos – Primary logo, your secondary logo and any submarks (logo best practices here)

Colors – Your color palette, along with their identifying codes: Hex, RGB, CMYK and/or Pantone

Typography – Font styles, sizes, and spacing, as well as their specific hierarchy as titles, headings, subheadings, and body copy

Design Elements – Brand patterns, brand shapes, brand collage styles, and brand stamps

Imagery – Iconography (icons representing your amenities) and illustrations (large graphics meant for a website backdrop or large wall art) are helpful for residents to skim over your designs

SIGNAGE

Nothing like an attention-grabbing, big, beautiful sign. Apartments can benefit from an array of signage for branded curb appeal and attracting drive-by or walk-by traffic:

Yard/Bandit/Bootleg Signs
Banners

Table Tents

Posters

MDO Signs

Wall Murals

Window Clings

Honestly, that’s a lot, and amazingly, there are even more. Billboards, custom wraps, parking signs, A-Frames, your logo and name will be everywhere. Sounds like a lot of graphic design would come in handy, eh?

MARKETING COLLATERAL

So, is your community the epitome of modern-luxury-meets-classy-timelessness? Or are you going for more of a trendy-urban-upscale vibe?

Your graphic design pieces from your logo to your color palette to your typography should all underscore the idea that you’re going for. There are so many pieces that require graphic design—and if you only need one, that’s all you should pay for. That said, all the marketing collateral we provide includes:

Stationery (business cards, letterhead, envelopes!)
Rack Cards or Direct Mailers
Brochures
Price Sheets
Flyers

There’s plenty more where that came from, too. And don’t forget your event booth stuff, too (tablecloths, branded promo products, booth walls.) First impressions mean a lot—more on that later.

DIGITAL DESIGN

Graphic design covers everything online as well. Emails, websites, digital ads, graphics for social. You’ll want to make sure your website specifically (which is the biggest marketing tool you have) is aligned with your brand. The best way to do that is to hire a graphic designer to professionally design it—and then a copywriter to write it.

MAPS

This one gets forgotten sometimes. But honestly, where would we be without maps? (I’ll see myself out.) Graphic design is necessary for all your floorplans and maps. It ventures into architectural design territory, but we’ve got it covered. For the following, you’ll need graphic design:

Property Sitemaps
Location/Area Maps

Why is Graphic Design Important for Apartment Communities?

You might be hesitant to hire a pro graphic designer for all the needs at your community.

Isn’t a logo enough? Never. Logos can’t carry an entire brand on its shoulders—there’s plenty an apartment logos can’t do. We also want to make sure your community is branded according to your property class and we want to make sure you’ve got all your bases covered. A la carte menu options for design? Sure thing.

We know that not all creative agencies work the way we do, so we’re ready to have you take the lead. We’ll guide as needed. Here’s why we think graphic design is important for apartment communities:

FIRST INTERACTION

It won’t be in-person, that first interaction. It’s more likely they’ll see a digital ad or a flyer. Whatever they see, it will be designed. And it will have one of three effects:

They’ll want to know more.
They’ll be meh.
They’ll never think of it again.

So make that design a good one. And make sure it lines up with the rest of your brand. (Handy thing is, if you hire a graphic designer to do it all, it will have a much better chance of being similar and aligning.) Tell one visual story.

BUILD CULTURE

Design elements can come together to tell a story and give a better sense of community. Similar to messaging that offers up the ways you’re different from your competitors, your visual identity helps build up your brand’s culture. Use it to attract your residents.

HIGHLIGHT REEL

We’re good at what we do, including graphic design for multifamily. We’re expert problem solvers, too—we are, after all, creative.

The idea that you should always be communicating with your graphic design:

HERE IS HOME.

Visually, you can do this through the message you convey and by offering up solutions to their problems and pain points. So, pick your best side and graphic design it up!

What is Copywriting and Why Does Multifamily Need It?

Written by Stacey Feeney on October 16, 2023. Posted in All Articles, Writing.

Copywriting, Defined

What is copywriting? Copywriting is promotion, through words. These words can be persuasive or interesting, and they prompt the reader to use a business, a service, or an organization. Copywriters have to create text that can be adapted for any number of channels: print, radio, website. Copywriters also need to be able to adapt the copy (also sometimes called content) to different audiences.

BRAND VOICE VS. BRAND TONE

Brand voice is your brand’s personality, through words. It can be mature or youthful, jovial or serious, succinct or verbose, mysterious or open-book. Every way you would describe a person, can usually be used to describe a brand as well. Your brand attributes help create your brand’s unique voice.

Your brand tone is how you approach different scenarios. Similar to what we said above, the copy should be able to be adapted to meet the requirements of that particular time and place. A press release versus a brochure will have a different tone. But your brand voice will still be tucked in there.

Brand voice is WHAT you say.

Brand tone is HOW you say it.

COPYWRITING VS. COPYRIGHTING?

We do get this question. No, we’re not in the business of copyright law—and we never will be! You’ll have to find a law firm for that.

Copywriting means using words to promote a business.

Copyrighting means to register and mark an original piece of work as your own, with the © symbol.

We don’t do that last bit at Zipcode Creative. But we do plenty of copywriting for multifamily.

Using Copywriting For Multifamily

How can multifamily benefit from copywriting? First let’s look at how it’s used.

COMMUNITY/APARTMENT/ASSET NAMING

Naming multifamily assets is fun, and has long-term impacts on your brand. Hire a place that can do the research and guide the decision. It sets the tone for the rest of your brand, since it’s how people will refer to you—and can steer the direction of your logo and style.

BRAND GUIDELINES IN MESSAGING

Brand guidelines will get you places you’ve never been before. It’s a little like a superhero power card as if your brand were a person (or a Pokemon?)—but everyone at the company can see it. Once your brand voice (alongside your brand statements) is established using research and discovery and determining your ideal resident profile (IRP), you can go on to create some pretty sweet things like:

Brand Tagline – Like a slogan for your community—garner interest with your words summed up in one short phrase.

Brand Headlines – More catchy things to say about the community that keep your prospects reading or scrolling.

Brand Vocabulary – Naming your amenities creatively or strategically can help create a sense of interest, intrigue, and brand loyalty among your residents.

Each of these are part of the brand guidelines that we’ll create to keep your brand on track. Our copywriters take care of the verbal parts. Our designers take care of the visual parts. We put it all together to create a singular, beautiful guide to everything Your Brand.

Also: Your taglines and headlines simply HAVE to grab attention. Sometimes that’s all anyone will ever read, of alllll the things you’ve written. Sad, but true. Make sure you’ve got a few of these up your sleeve: Tricks for Better Taglines and Headlines.

MULTIFAMILY COPYWRITING FOR EXTRA CREDIT

Hoping for a few bonus pieces of copy? There’s plenty more.

Website & Brochure Copy: Headlines, subheads, paragraphs, calls-to-action, it’s all copywriting. Make sure it’s good.

Campaign Copy: Whether it’s a moving campaign or pet-friendly campaign, ensure the words you’re using really sell the deal.

Email Copy: First your readers have to open the email—get them with a good subject line from your favorite copywriter.

Social Media Copy: Writing captions that fit in your brand voice is harder than it sounds.

CORPORATE COPY

Mission / Vision / Values: Writing these clearly and having them out in the open—it’s more for internal purposes, but will help guide your client-facing brand. (It’s not easy, but that’s why we’re the professionals.)

Team Bios: Your experience and personal approach to property management should shine in your bio—and help you connect with the reader.

Client/Owner/Investor Messaging: We’ll make certain your message is geared to your client. Seal the deal whether seeking investors or presenting your management acumen to owners.

Why is Copywriting Important for Communities?

Copywriting for community brands can = SUCCESS

Spell it with me: S-U-C-C-E-S-S. It has a nice little rhythm to it.

What do you most want from your efforts in your community?

Success…which comes from signed leases.

Which comes from prospects that turned into leads that turned into residents.
How do you get from prospects to residents? By connecting, showcasing, and converting.

Copywriting in multifamily communities is key to those three things.

CONNECT

Make an emotional connection by establishing your brand voice and telling a STORY.

SHOWCASE

Show what you have and how it’s the answer to their problems through clear and enticing communication.

CONVERT

Give them a reason to click the “Apply Now” button. You’ve gotten them this far, now convert leads with your brilliant copy (including amazing CTAs.)

When you have a resident—you want them to stay. A strong brand, which is BOLSTERED by excellent copywriting, will be able to maintain loyalty and retain residents—possibly even turning them into your own influencer-style, walking-word-of-mouth-ad brand advocates!

A Professional Copywriter vs. Your “Good Enough” Colleague

If we haven’t convinced you yet, now’s the moment. You’re considering having your colleague who’s “pretty good at writing” pen some copy. For your brochure, for your website, for your social. There are a few places where this could be…fine. Not great, but fine. Social media doesn’t require a huge amount of writing chops—but it could still impact your brand negatively if it’s not up to snuff.

If your colleague really is a good writer, great—use them. But also be aware that because “copywriter” isn’t likely their job position OR in their job description, they won’t be prioritizing the writing you’ve asked them to do (and all the research that has to go into it). Additionally, it’s not the best use of their (or of your) time and will take them longer than a pro.

A professional copywriter for multifamily, like the ones we have at Zipcode Creative offer three things that your “good enough” colleague may not:

EXPERIENCE

A professional copywriter is just that. They have processes that they’ve developed over years. They’re in the know with copywriting trends, as well as what is most likely needed for each job.

Your “good enough” colleague will probably know your audience’s challenges and pain points, but those can easily be communicated to the copywriter as part of their research prior to writing.

EFFICACY

A pro copywriter for multifamily can create an emotional connection. They know what builds bridges, what entertains, and what kind of copywriting grabs attention. Keeping it short, tight, and compelling are all in a day’s work.

Your colleague of “decent writing chops” may end up writing too formally or casually, or worse: ignore your brand voice completely. All that work on the brand guidelines, for nothing!?

EFFICIENCY

A copywriter working professionally for apartment communities can easily follow your requirements. You’re the client, they’re the hired help. Pros also tend to know what needs to be done without being asked—even in a niche field like multifamily copywriting.

Your colleague—bless their heart—might not know the basic rules of copywriting, and therefore, waste time and money and energy on something that falls flat.

The best kind of copywriting for apartments tells a story, creates emotional connections, and helps build up the brand’s value. That sounds like a happily-ever-after to us.

What is Branding for Multifamily?

Written by Stacey Feeney on October 10, 2023. Posted in All Articles, Branding.

If you read our Branding Basics post and wanted more—especially around multifamily branding, and how branding is different than marketing, we’re here to help.

Is Branding Just Logos?

Nope! Branding is a combination of identifying visuals (photos, images, icons, fonts, color palettes) and messaging (brand voice, mission/vision/values, website content, headlines/taglines) that define an entity (this could be a corporation, a company, a community and tell a story. That definition could very well be: the way that your audience, user, or the public perceives you.

Branding can also help create a movement, a culture, or a lifestyle. When we look at branding, it’s important to ask a lot of questions. The best ones to get to the heart of your brand is:

Who are you?
Who do you serve?
What do you have to offer (that’s special)?
Why do you exist?
What problem do you solve?

Multifamily Branding—What is It?

The entity we talked about above, in the branding section, could be a corporation, a company, or a community. Could be an apartment building or a property management company.

ACTUAL LIFESTYLE BRANDING

Branding in the context of multifamily is a little different than regular branding. Because you’re dealing with a lifestyle that is being offered—not in theory, but in reality. Because there are people that will LIVE at your apartment community, and that will be a huge part of their lifestyle. Ergo: apartments are lifestyle brands.

REPUTATION MANAGEMENT

Along with the literal lifestyle, branding is crafting the narrative for reputation. Ensure that you guide the perception rather than letting your ideal resident make up their mind about things. Things that are beyond the facts, anyway.

SPHERE OF INFLUENCE

Multifamily branding has a hyper local sphere of influence. It’s not necessarily national (unless you have a multi-regional series-style brand of communities) but typically your focus is regional, and your branding takes into account (AKA research!) a few items that might be overlooked in any other company’s branding efforts:

The Neighborhood Vibe
What’s Up and Coming Nearby
All the Competition

Current Residents (if you’re taking over management)

Why Branding Multifamily is Important

COMPETITION

If you think you can get by without paying attention to your branding, think again. You have a lot of competition to beat out and stand out against. Besides quality service and an ideal location, your branding can help you rise to the top of your leads’ lists. According to Pew Research, more than one-third of all U.S. residents are renting their homes. More multifamily communities are being built to help curb the housing shortage—you won’t be the only option! This means apartment branding is worth the time and money and effort. Plus, working with an agency that knows how to break down the specifics, like branding broken out into the new construction lease-up phases, is solid gold.

COHESION

Trust and loyalty are rooted in consistency, predictability—knowing what to expect. Your branding, if cohesive, can help you be just that. With a set of branding guidelines that outlines your typography, color palette, stock photography style, and brand voice and messaging, it will be easier than ever to keep your team on the same page the next time you’re putting together ad copy or creating a new brochure. This way there will be no “brand whiplash” when they go from your website to your actual location—it all works together, from architecture to interior design to website to social media to brochures, thanks to good multifamily branding.

CONNECTION

Let’s tap into resident psychology. When you make an emotional connection, using the brand voice you’ve developed, you can help drive decisions. And when you drive decisions, you can see tangible results—like more signed leases. Consistent and authentic branding will drive that connection as well, because you’re offering something expected, predictable, and worthy of your residents’ trust.

Difference Between Branding vs. Marketing

Things that are the same about branding and marketing—they’re both used to accomplish the success of your business, and are based around research and best practices. Branding will always be part of marketing. But marketing won’t always be part of branding. They work together, but they’re absolutely not the same, especially for multifamily.

BRANDING VS. MARKETING

Branding connects through telling a story, whereas marketing gets that story to those who need to hear it most.

E.g. “Our 55+ apartment is the perfect place for your next chapter” is the branding message. Marketing that message means finding the right place to put the ad.

Branding is the vibe of your community (how you look—brand visuals, how you sound—brand voice, and how you behave—brand reputation). Marketing is getting your prospects to notice you, and every piece of the branding you’ve worked on.

E.g. Your mission, vision, and values are integral to your brand—and doing the research to see what would help you stand out beyond the competition…that’s smart marketing.

Branding is creating an emotional connection, and making people feel a certain way (remember psychology?). Marketing is what helps them make a decision, take an action, and move down the funnel.

E.g. You make your website deep, emotional, and moody—that’s branding. You create an irresistible call to action—that’s marketing.

Can you just do multifamily branding and scrap marketing? Nope.

Can you just do multifamily marketing and skimp on branding? Good luck…marketing a weak brand!

You have to have BOTH to create a leasing powerhouse of a community.

For more on how to create an apartment brand, read this, and partner with us. Set up a call with Zipcode Creative today.

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Multifamily Takeover Acquisition Rebrand—Made Easier

Written by Stacey Feeney on October 3, 2023. Posted in All Articles, Branding.

So your company is taking over a community’s management. Or you’ve purchased a building and are now going to be responsible for management.

There are so many moving pieces. In the midst of all the hectic days and stress, remember:

Apartments are brands, too.

Along with that idea, you’ll need to consider how you can make the takeover/acquisition rebrand portion easy. After all, once boots are on the ground, all your new branding and marketing collateral materials have to be ready to go.

When it comes time to rebrand apartments, it’s a good time to ask a couple questions, like, “Do you need a fresh start?” If you’re doing a takeover (which is on our list!), you almost certainly need to rebrand. Leave the old brand behind and start fresh—especially if you need to boost the reputation of the place.

Get Help With A Takeover Acquisition Rebrand

You just got word that you’re taking over the management of an asset. You have a limited time to get this community up and ready for leasing with good branded marketing collateral too, if you want it to be and look successful. (We imagine you do.) If your company is buying the building, you may have as little as 30 days in escrow to get everything done. Branding has to happen quickly. And we know you have a lot of other operational items that need to get aligned, too.

Sounds like you need help. If only there was a collection of things to think about, and a checklist of Takeover or Acquisition Branding Essentials!

Considerations When Rebranding a New Acquisition

When you’re working through a takeover or acquisition rebrand, pay attention to the details and keep everything organized. Your legwork on this now will pay off in the future.

MAKE A LIST

Most of the details below have to do with how much you’re changing. Are you renaming the brand? Are you doing a logo refresh? Those are two opposite ends of the spectrum when it comes to a takeover. Create a list of everything you need, especially what you think you need for the rebrand (our list of essentials is down below!)

RENOVATION & INTERIOR DESIGN ALIGNMENT

If you’re renovating—how will this align with the brand? Does it still work? Maybe a logo refresh works here if the renos are smaller. Possibly not.

When you’re renovating, suddenly you’ll be making a lot of choices around flooring, paint, furniture, and textiles. So you’ll also be hiring an interior designer. Trust us: Interior design + branding are a match made in heaven. They should work together, lead from one to the other. Clearly related and connected. If you’ve hired an interior designer, it will be vital to have that design tie in well with your branding, from textures and colors and patterns, to “vibes.” Apartment branding inspired by interior design just sings.

If you’re renaming the community, you’ll want to consider how that will impact your interior design, what that will look like in your visual and verbal brand identity, and how many things you’ll need to add to the to-do list as well as the budget.

Likewise, pay attention to how a value-add (renovation) may impact your Property Class, as this should be reflected correctly in your branding, too. Keep reading.

PROPERTY CLASS-APPROPRIATE

This is so important, we wrote a whole blog about it. Make sure your branding is appropriate for your property class. Avoid false representation and don’t make your C-Class property appear to be an A-Class (luxury) property if it isn’t. Stay in your lane with the branding. If you need a guide on apartment branding by property class, we have one for that, too.

CREATE A BUDGET

Lots of things to consider. Lots of things added and subtracted from the list. Now that you have your list of to-dos and know what you likely need for the property’s rebrand, see how much those to-dos are going to cost. (Check out our super helpful multifamily marketing budget here). Transparent pricing and a la carte options make everything easier—you can see exactly how much a logo refresh will cost versus a new logo.

Acquisition Rebrand Essentials Checklist

If you just need a checklist for the apartment takeover rebrand around the corner, we get it. Here she is!

SAVE IMAGE:

NAMING
- Pick a Strong Apartment Name—(or keep the old one if it’s working)
LOGO / BRANDING
- Logo Modernization/Refresh (if you’re not renaming)
- Custom Logo Design (especially if you’re a Class A)
- Brand Visuals
- Brand Voice
FLOOR PLANS / SITE MAP
- Gather all digital files from the previous company including photography, floor plans, and site maps.
- None? Create site maps from scratch.
- Take it up a notch. Go from black & white to color, or from 2D to 3D floorplans!
MARKETING COLLATERAL
- Decide if you want printed handouts or digital (or both?)
- Ensure you have:
  - Brochure
  - Floor Plan Sheets
  - Rack Cards
  - Stationery
  - Business Cards
  - Folder (to hold it all)
- Still feel like you’re missing something? Check our post on Apartment Welcome Packets for more inspiration on what to provide a new resident you’re onboarding.
TEMPORARY SIGNAGE
- Announce a change in management, your new branding and a bump in curb appeal, use:
  - Building Banners
  - Bootleg / Bandit / Yard Signs
  - Flags
- Consider directional signage—all of the above can help.
WEBSITE
- Choose a Layout/Style:
  - Template – through your PMS or an industry provider (like Jonah Digital)
  - Custom – we can help!
- Copywriting – For a rebrand, make sure your brand voice comes shining through with custom copywriting from a pro
EXTRA CREDIT
- Stickers – turn up the fun and slap your brand on anything you can!
- Review/Referral Cards – This shows how much you care.
- Direct Mailer Campaign – Get leads from your comps.

Branding Apartments Based On Multifamily Property Class

Written by Stacey Feeney on September 26, 2023. Posted in All Articles, Branding. 2 Comments on Branding Apartments Based On Multifamily Property Class

Branding apartments in alignment with the multifamily property class designation just makes sense.

For example, do you think if one (very lucky) ad agency worked with Nissan and Mercedes-Benz they would try to sell them on the exact same branding package? Do you think Nissan has the same branding budget, needs, and goals as Mercedes-Benz? Sure, they might be similar in breakdown, but there’s likely a fair difference between their bottom lines and the line items.

Not only are their budgets and goals going to be a little different, the branding they need to work on is slightly different—to reach different audiences and portray two pretty distinctly different products.

So, what does the branding of luxury cars and regular cars have to do with branding apartments by property class?

Plenty.

What is a Multifamily Property Class?

Multifamily properties are classified in four levels: A, B, C, and D. They’re generally defined by the condition, quality and age of the apartment building. A classification may raise up a half-grade, from a B to a B+ or an A- for example, when the property undergoes renovations for a value-add. More info on multifamily property classifications here.

Be True to Your Class

A little trust goes a long way. It’s best if you relay the correct message (spoken and unspoken) about what class your community is. We as your branding guides would never want to misrepresent the product you’re selling when marketing to prospects. So, keep your brand refresh under control: When you’re finally getting around to modernizing a 1980s suburban garden style community, ensure the branding isn’t telling a “luxury urban high rise” kind of story.

Get Only the Branding You Need

Other creative agencies might (we’re not throwing shade, we’re just being realistic) try to get you on board for way more branding than you need. That’s not how we work. We know that our Class C properties don’t have as much change in their pocket to spend on branding and marketing—so we’ll only suggest what you need the most, and what will help you be more likely to reach your goals.

Guide to Branding Apartments by Multifamily Property Class

We offer a ton of branding and copywriting options for our apartment marketers at Zipcode Creative. But how do you know what you actually need, or where to start? (Don’t get stuck with one-size-fits-all branding packages, get what you actually need instead.)

Here’s what you really, truly need, at minimum, broken down by class.

CLASS A:

This is the top of the line. Higher cost rents. A full suite of amenities. Truly luxury apartments. Class A properties require something special, more bespoke, and the branding should touch every area, from the inside out.

We recommend a Full Scope Branding Package that includes:

Custom logo design – We’ll give you six lovely logo design concepts (based off of your goals/desires/audience) to choose from, and we’ll narrow down from there to find your perfect fit

Brand visuals – These are the big guns. (Appearances matter.) Included in our brand visuals:

- Brand Style Concepts – like a mood board!
- Color Palette Development – groups of colors we think work for your brand
- Brand Typography – fonts and weights (including title, subheading, and body text uses)
- Design Elements – textures and patterns
- Lifestyle Stock Imagery Curation – picking out the vibe through a photo collection
- Iconography – designed symbols for your amenities
- Sample Design Applications – How your brand will look in the wild (signage, mailers, business cards)

Brand voice – AKA how you communicate your vibe through your words. Are you youthful or mature? Verbose or cut-and-dried? It will also be impacted by your understanding of your Ideal Resident Profile [IRP]; we’ll write it towards them, in language that will attract and vocabulary that will entice. We’ll deliver brand voice with:

- Brand Positioning Statement – A sentence about what you want to be known for in your 1) industry 2) market 3) target audience
- Brand Attributes – Single words that better define your brand’s personality (e.g. “Edgy”)
- Ideal Resident Profile (IRP) – Defining your target audience through a tangible description
- Tagline Development – Slogans, essentially!
- Headline Library – On-brand headlines that you can use in your copy—on the website or in print
- Brand Phrases/Amenity Names – make your amenities a little more special with names that match the vibe

CLASS B:

Class B are nice apartments, but not necessarily luxury, and not new – maybe undergoing some value-add improvements with the change to new management. They bring in above average rent, but the clientele will still be looking for something clean and consistent.

We recommend a mid-level Brand Package that includes:

Custom Logo Design – We’ll give you 3 concepts to choose from and tailor it from there

Brand Visuals – Similar to Class A, but the approach is based on research and discovery.

- 3 Brand Style Concepts
- Color Palette Development
- Brand Typography
- Design Elements
- Lifestyle Stock Imagery Curation
- Iconography
- Sample Design Applications

Brand Voice – Enough to inform your copy, but not quite as in-depth as Class A properties:

- Tagline
- Headlines
- Brand Identity Statement

CLASS C:

Your Class C Property is older, probably 30+ years old and isn’t in the most happening part of town. You should still treat it as a brand, but your budget will be pretty tight, and your branding is less of a priority than a Class A.

We whittled our recommendations for branding to keep you on track:

Logo – a simple modernization (keep close to the original logo, but refresh the style to keep it timeless) will do wonders. If you’re changing your name, we highly recommend a proper custom logo design treatment with a new name.

Brand Visuals

- Color Palette
- Font Choices

Brand Voice

- Tagline

CLASS D

This is the lowest class of property and you’ll be spending your budget elsewhere. We wouldn’t recommend doing more than this for your branding (but you can do more if you desire):

Logo – A simple typeset style logo of the name will serve to identify your community
It’s worth a quick reminder here—the design style and direction should be in exact alignment (we’re talking lock-step) with the quality level of the property. Like we mentioned before, if you’re a Class C, pretending you’re a Class A will get a lot of leads and prospects upset. Don’t mislead, and keep things appropriate—AKA brand within your class. The location and the Ideal Resident Profile (IRP) will also inform the way we handle your branding (and the way you should handle your behavioral marketing).

Also of note: We still have an a la carte menu of apartment branding services, with transparent pricing (request pricing here). That’s easy on you and easy for us. This is just a guide of what we recommend for branding at minimum for different property classes.

Interested to see how we can help with your apartment branding—no matter which class?

Hit us up.

Multifamily Marketing Budget Season

Written by Stacey Feeney on September 19, 2023. Posted in All Articles, Marketing.

OH MY GOURD, IT’S MARKETING BUDGET SEASON

Happy marketing budget season to all who observe! In multifamily marketing, our budget season isn’t necessarily the same as everyone else. What do you need to think about and what do you need to pay attention to?

As always, we’re here to help. So.

What to Consider During Budget Season

HISTORICAL ROI

Multifamily, marketers: What have you spent money on in the past? Did it serve you? Were you able to see results from those efforts? Some things are difficult to track or attribute, we’ll give you that. Nevertheless, it’s a great idea to go over your budget from the previous year and make determinations on what can stay, go, get boosted, or get lowered. Find the patterns in your data and adjust your spending. If you can focus on what works, that’s a good place to start—but make sure your position is flexible, and you’re willing to change things up if they’re not working like they did last year.

GROWTH AREAS ACCORDING TO GOALS

Knowing what you’ve done before and where you want to be in the future….now: What are your marketing goals for your company and for your apartment communities?

More leads?

More tours?

More leases signed?

More lease renewals?

Hint: All of those should be “yes” of course. But: Set your sights on something that you can achieve within 12 months, for next year and make room in the budget for it now. That’s what informs your budget numbers.

MAKING IMPROVEMENTS

When you’ve established your focus areas, then you can explore what is actually going to make a difference. A great place to start? Branding. Let your new-and-improved marketing efforts begin with a brand refresh so you can really capture your prospects, with both targeted visuals as well as messaging that “speaks their language.” When you’re able to create better branding, do it. (Visual and voice!) When you’re able to better position your brand through professional copywriting and set yourself apart, do it. When you’re able to market through new channels, whether it’s ads, social media, or direct mail, do it. Keep track of everything and record the results. Comparing the Before/After for your team will help you get better budget leverage the next time you ask.

Why Branding Needs to Be In Your Marketing Budget

PAST SPENDING

Because you’ve spent money on branding in the past, doesn’t necessarily mean you’re done. You may need to rebrand. Or you may need to reposition your brand. Look at what you’ve spent on branding in the past. One of our blogs, Is Apartment Branding Worth It? touches on the multiple reasons why investing in branding can help your business grow. It sets you apart. It helps you gain credibility and trust (which brings loyalty and resident retention). Besides setting you apart it can also help justify you charging a little more—because you’re a full-on brand, not just some random apartment community with mismatched colors and a blah website. Plus, brand recognition is like a success balloon—it keeps you growing with faster lease-ups and company expansion possibilities. UP UP AND AWAY!

INVESTIGATE YOUR GOALS

Whether you want more leases signed or simply a more streamlined look, a brand can help you get there. Also: who are you losing out to? Who is the competition, and what are they winning that you aren’t? Branding might help you get the edge. Renter preferences are just one piece of the puzzle when it comes to creating your brand. Gentle, but firm reminder here, too: A brand is far more than a logo—it can’t do it all.

GETTING IT BETTER

Are you, or your team, or your execs asking to improve L2L, lease-up and keep it that way? It’s going to work best if you are able to point out areas for improvement, make suggestions for change, and bring the budget projections that you believe will get you there. This can include research on seasonal needs for events or a busy time of year, and should also account for consistent growth—it’s never ever a set-it-and-forget-it situation. There can always be tweaks made. And as you’re widening your marketing efforts, be sure to find the places you need to go deeper instead of wider.

Budgeting to Outsource Branding Creative

HOW WE HELP

At Zipcode Creative, we’re nothing if not helpful. In fact, we know that working in marketing isn’t always all it’s cracked up to be. It can be hard. And we’re not even talking about budgeting season. Outsource the high-level creative to pros who understand the multifamily industry and apartment marketing—we can help with the little stuff too.

Do a little SWOT analysis of your team.
What are your strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats? How can you use your budget to build the strengths, overcome the weaknesses, grow your opportunities, and fight your threats?

For example, how will you get around the fact that you don’t have a full-time graphic designer? We know a few people that could help with that (us)! We’re here and ready to be the handy dandy extension of your marketing team. Whatever you need, we can help bridge the gap.

OUR SERVICES

What do you mean, “bridge the gap?” Zipcode Creative offers a ton of different services for apartment marketing when it comes to branding. Sometimes there may be a service that you don’t even know you need. (Hellooooo full brand development with visuals and voice!)

We offer:

branding and logo design
print collateral design
digital design
3d floor plans
community maps
signage design
copywriting
campaign development
corporate design

If you’re curious about more details on each of those, head to our services page.

Our Multifamily Marketing Budget Menu

Branding has a lot of different components. Visual and Verbal for starters. We specialize in copywriting and in graphic design. We can work with other agencies that you might have on deck for website design, but we can also help you create an apartment brand from start to finish.

To that end, we have a really (not cute but functional) google sheet that’s updated live for our common a la carte services. They all have a clear-cut flat rate cost and turnaround time. It’s nice to have something black and white when you’re trying to stay out of the red zone in your budget, right? We give this sheet to our clients and encourage them to bookmark it in their browser so they have a rate sheet ready to go when they’re assessing their needs during budgeting season. Want to get to know us as you’re prepping for next year’s marketing spend? Book a meeting with us today! (And then we’ll hand over that magically transparent pricing menu.)

As a multifamily marketer, it’s hard to oversee multiple projects—it’s also difficult on your budget to hire full-time help (along with corresponding salaries and benefits). Consider hiring an agency, like Zipcode Creative, to help you streamline your budget and get just what you need. We offer transparent pricing and a la carte menu option because we know you might not need it all. If you do, we’re also there for you! But if you just need a brochure, we’ll hook you up. Likely for faster than your in-house team and possibly for cheaper in the long run. Working with pros might be your new favorite budget line item.

Best part is: We might become friends, too.