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Effective Email Marketing for Apartment Communities

Written by Stacey Feeney on February 5, 2021. Posted in All Articles, Marketing. 3 Comments on Effective Email Marketing for Apartment Communities

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As more and more people are moving towards digital over analog, all businesses have had to adapt how they approach their marketing—and real estate is no different. While printed ads, direct mailers, and signage are all still valuable and effective ways to market your property, it’s also important to approach leasing with an online-first mentality. Email marketing can be a low-cost, high-return option for communities looking to get prospective residents in the door. Read on for our detailed and effective email marketing strategies.

Platforms for Effective Email Marketing

If you’re looking to expand your marketing efforts through email, there are a few different approaches. Working with a design agency like zipcode creative allows you to build and custom-code a totally unique email. This means you can personalize things like the layout, the font styles, the size and location of images, and the call-to-action buttons. When custom designing an email, the sky’s the limit to your creativity, which means you can perfectly showcase both your brand and your community.

Another option is to use an email marketing platform’s user-friendly templates. These plug-and-play options make it easy to send emails out quickly and affordably, but do have some limitations when compared to custom-designed emails. While there are many email service providers out there, there are a few major players to consider:

Mailchimp

One of the most popular email service providers, Mailchimp has hundreds of available templates that can be tweaked to suit your needs. From there, you just upload your images, add your text and subject line, and upload your recipient list for a fast and stress-free way to get started.

Constant Contact

This drag-and-drop platform makes it simple to create and edit emails that are optimized for both desktop and mobile. It also allows for triggered emails, content segmentation, and integrates with your social platforms to make it easier to manage everything in one place.

ConvertKit

Designed to make email marketing fast, ConvertKit offers email and custom landing pages to create a more robust online marketing experience. You can personalize your content with their online templates and schedule outgoing emails to reach your network regularly.

Don’t worry, zipcode creative won’t leave you to figure it all out on your own. Effective email marketing is our number one goal and we will make your emails look beautiful and consistent everytime you send a campaign. We are happy to design custom graphics that you can plug into email marketing templates anytime, just shoot us a message.

Crafting the Perfect Email

No matter which email creation method you choose, there are a few key elements you should always include to make the biggest impact in an effective email marketing campaign:

Subject line

When writing your subject line, be sure to immediately grab the reader’s attention. Since 47% of people open emails based on the subject line alone, it’s important to put a lot of thought into this one element. Keep it around 6-10 words for maximum effectiveness and try leading with a promotion or other offer to pique interest.

Header image

Use the header image as an opportunity to showcase the best your community has to offer. That way, it’s the first thing a reader sees when they click the email. Consider also adding your logo or other branding elements to the header image, so people instantly recognize your property.

Headline

The headline is the first piece of text that people see when reading your email, so make it count! Use it as an opportunity to communicate your most important message, whether that’s an ongoing promotion, leasing special, or holiday message.

Call to Action

Calls to action are arguably the most important element in any marketing email because they let the reader know exactly what you want them to do next. Use action-oriented phrases, like “Reserve your home” or “Get the deal” to entice your reader to click. You should also use a button instead of a text link, which is proven to increase click-through rates by 28%. Be sure to include calls to action throughout your email—and especially at the top—to give people multiple opportunities to click.

Property Photos

They say a picture is worth a thousand words, and that couldn’t be truer for email marketing. 65% of users prefer their emails to be mostly images over text, so use it as an opportunity to complement the header image with additional property photos of the amenities, model unit, or building exterior.

PRO TIP: Photos of the model unit kitchen consistently perform the best, place the photo front and center for the most effective email marketing design.

Email Campaign Ideas

Now that you’re ready to send your first email, we’re making it easy to get started! Pick one of these three topics to send out to your prospects today to get them in the door in no time.

Feature an Available Floor Plan

Use your email to show off the available units in your building. Include images, floorplans, and elaborate on the best elements of the space including finishes, access to community amenities, and storage space.

Showcase Amenities

Give prospects a sense of what it’s like to live in your community by sharing more about the amenities. From dog runs and grills to roof decks and gyms, amenities often make or break leasing decisions for renters—so be sure they have all the info they need to know your community is one of the best!

Announce a Promotion

If you’re offering a free month’s rent or lowering the deposit, be sure people know about the exciting and enticing deal. Add more details about the promotion and include info about how to book a tour so they can do it all right from their inbox.

Measuring the Effectiveness

So you created your email, mastered the content, and now you’ve sent it out to your database- but how do you know if what you sent is resonating with people? And, not only that, how do you know if people are actually opening your email and reading what took you so long to write- this is where looking at data will help you to measure the effectiveness of your campaign.

Open Rate

First thing is first, you have to look at your open rate. The open rate is measured by how many people are actually opening up your emails. Your emails will fall on deaf ears if they’re not being opened- so it’s important to know that your subscribers are actually opening the emails instead of just deleting them.

Click Through Rate

Secondly, you’ll want to measure your click through rate. This in my opinion is the most important metric. While opening your email is important, you want your subscribers to actually click through to read more of your content. This is why your call to action button is vital- the more clicks you receive, the better you’ll be able to judge just how relatable your content is and how invested your subscribers are.

Unsubscribe/Bounce/ and Complaint Rates

All feedback from your subscribers is vital- whether it’s positive or negative. Should your subscribers unsubscribe, give an undeliverable email address (bounce), or mark your emails as spam (complaint rate), they are trying to tell you something. Use this as motivation to maybe switch up your content, or maybe take a closer look at your content vs. the audience- are you talking to the right people and are your subscribers interested enough in what you have to say. Sometimes the answer is no and they might lose interest in your words, and that’s OKAY- perhaps throw a survey in one of your emails and ask your subscribers questions and see what type of content they might want you to write about.

Conversion Rate

Speaking of surveys or any other “goal completion” you also want to measure your conversion rates. This is the percentage of people who completed the assigned desired action. Examples of this could be completing a survey, filling out a lead form, liking your social page, etc.

How often you’re tracking all of this will depend on how often you’re sending emails. Assuming you are sending emails once a week, you’ll want to track that specific email a few days after it’s sent. If you try to track it too early, you run the risk of an ineffective result due to people not checking their emails often enough. While a weekly reporting basis works fine, you’ll also want to pull a report monthly or once every three months to identify any trends.

If you’re ready to get started on your custom email marketing campaign designs, get in touch today!

Images in this post are ©Fairfield Residential | Executed under creative direction of Fairfield Residential.

resident appreciation resident appreciation

Resident Appreciation: We Love Our Residents

Written by Stacey Feeney on January 24, 2021. Posted in All Articles, Marketing.

Residents have been home more than ever this year, and we are grateful when ‘home’ is at our communities. In a world where less people are moving, resident retention is paramount. Your amazing residents should be celebrated, and now’s the perfect time to shower them some well-deserved appreciation! Hosting a Resident Appreciation Week (or Day) gives you time to have a variety of events to connect with all types of residents. Our guide will show you how to host some stress-free, COVID-safe and budget-friendly events that will show your residents how much they are valued at your community.

How to Host a Resident Appreciation Campaign

1. Pick a Week or Day on the Calendar

That gives you enough time to plan and prep. Valentine’s Day is a nice way to tie-in with a holiday focused on all those warm and fuzzy feelings. You’ll find plenty of festive décor at Target or the party supply stores.

2. Consider Your Community

When choosing what will work in your space while staying COVID-safe. A garden community might benefit from door delivery. A high-rise might find a spot in the lobby where residents can take some goodies on their way out the door. With some careful planning, you can have virtual or grab-and-go moments with your residents that are just as meaningful.

3. Decide on a Mix of Events, Gifts and Giveaways

Keep reading for some great ideas to get you started!

4. Create a Budget

For your events, and it doesn’t have to be pricey. Vendors will often work with you to sponsor an event. They can provide some marketing materials for your residents and provide funds to cover your costs.

5. Invite Your Residents

Email, texts, social posts and signage around the property. You’ll want residents to save the date so send these out early! Remember, zipcode creative is your partner in designing custom branded graphics for all of these things!

Show Resident Appreciation with Gifts

Find a theme that fits your community and select your signature gift and then pair your resident gift with a custom designed and hand-written card to show your appreciation. Postcards or greeting cards slip right into gift bags and give you the opportunity to send your message of gratitude. If you’re doing a door delivery, maybe personalize a cute door hanger that you can hang with your gift. Here are a few clever gift ideas for you to tweak or steal:

Valentine’s Day Themed Gift Ideas

Everyone loves a sweet treat, chocolate or candy and this is an obvious choice if you plan to celebrate Resident Appreciation in conjunction with Valentine’s Day. Pair your sweet treat gift with a “We think you’re sweet” card as the cherry on top!
Wrap some Burt’s Bees up with a card saying “Bee our Valentine”
Celebrate some self-love with bath bombs for everyone with a note saying “You’re the bomb Valentine”.

Year Round Gift Ideas

Give a house plant or cactus to each unit with a “Never Desert Us!” message – clever, catchy and plants brighten any home.
Gift a bottle of wine with a custom label saying “love, like wine, gets better with time & we <3 you!”
Local coffee shop gift card inside of a mug saying “home is morning coffee in my favorite mug.” Complement it with a note that says “we’re glad you’re home at ___ apartments!”

Spoil Them with Events and Giveaways

You’ll need plenty of ways to show your appreciation if you decide to spoil your residents with a week long celebration. In addition to a thoughtful gift or two, host an event, giveaway or other special moment throughout the week. Here are just a few ideas to get you started that you can tailor to fit your property and residents’ interests:

Raffle off really good prizes throughout the week.
Personalize your appreciation by hand delivering your gifts to each door.
Grab-and-go goodie bags in the lobby or clubhouse filled with swag and knick-knacks.
Invite them to come by for a cookie break one afternoon in the social lounge – partner with a local bakery to provide a tasty variety.
Provide muffins and mini ojs in the lobby for breakfast on the go.
Deck your lobby out with vases and flowers. Residents can take a bloom back to their home for some fresh greenery.
Host a Facebook Live yoga class focused on love and gratitude
We #LoveOurPets day. Connect with a pet vendor or local dog walker to raffle a prize and ask residents to bring their pooches by the dog park or office for treats!
Give out mini champagne bottles in the lobby to level up their weekend brunch-at-home.
Keep it simple and give residents what everyone loves most – money! Send a gift card with a thank you to each apartment.

Resident Referrals – Double the Love

Show your residents you really love them by doubling your resident referral fee for the month in honor of Resident Appreciation. Another option is to offer a special incentive you wouldn’t normally give – like a month’s free rent when you refer a friend who leases and moves in! They’ll be excited about the extra incentive, and you’ll get to connect with some prospects who might be in the market.

Resident Reviews

If it’s been a while since you’ve asked your residents for reviews, this is a great time to remind them. Send a “Show the Love” email to your residents encouraging them to share their favorite parts about living at your community. Incentivize them to post a review by entering them into a giveaway for doing so and then turn their reviews into cute graphics to repost on social! We can help with this too – social media or email graphics, we’ve got your back!

Resident Appreciation Strategy for Renewals

Whether you celebrate Resident Appreciation week or day, whether you pair it with Valentine’s Day or dedicate a date of your choosing – having a Resident Appreciation campaign at your community is one of the best strategies to secure lease renewals. Keep it simple or go all out with emails, flyers, signage, gifts and events galore. Your residents will remember your kind gestures, big or small. Keep us in mind for custom designs for campaigns just like this one!

Direct Mail Marketing Direct Mail Marketing Direct Mail Marketing

Direct Mail Marketing for Apartments That Will Drive Leases

Written by Stacey Feeney on January 13, 2021. Posted in All Articles, Graphic Design, Marketing.

In our digital age, direct mail marketing pieces are often-overlooked in favor of flashier online alternatives. But taking it back to basics with a marketing mailer can be one of the best ways to generate interest among prospective residents.

From showing off property photos to advertising special promotions to highlighting your amenities, direct mail marketing is a simple and effective outlet to talk about what makes your community unique. If you’re considering marketing mailers to help fill current vacancies, try advertising a few key events to pique prospects’ interest.

Direct Mail Marketing Stats

• On average, Americans receive 605 emails and 16.8 pieces of mail every week.

• For roughly every 36 emails you receive on average, you get 1 piece of mail in your mailbox.

• The average lifespan of an email is 17 seconds, compared to direct mail’s average lifespan of 17 days.

• 73% of American consumers say they prefer being contacted by brands via direct mail because they can read it whenever they want.

• 58% of the mail American households receive is marketing mail.

• 59% of US respondents say they enjoy getting mail from brands about new products.

• 60% of catalog recipients visit the website of the company that mailed them the catalog.

• Up to 90% of direct mail gets opened, compared to only 20-30% of emails.

• Prospects are 15% more likely to respond to an oversized mail piece if they have never done business with you.

• Per USPS, 98% of people check their mail daily and Americans spend upwards of 30 minutes with their mail on a single occasion.

• 68% of marketing respondents said combining digital and direct mail increased website visits.

• 60% of marketing respondents said combining digital and direct mail increased ROI.

New Construction Grand Opening

If you’re new to the neighborhood, putting your list of leads to good use with an eye-catching mailer will help you drive brand awareness and generate more interest for your new community. By reaching out to prospects to showcase your available units and announce your presence can lead to a full schedule of tours, and ultimately, help you lease-up faster. Use mailers to get prospects in the door before opening for pre-leasing visits or even hard-hat tours to generate more demand.

Promote Events

If you’re hosting events for your residents regularly, why not invite prospective residents, too? Send out a mailer to invite them to happy hours, meet & greets, or holiday get-togethers. Attending these events will give prospects a sense of what it will be like to live in your community and help show that your building is more than just a place to live—it’s about a community. Just be sure to send the direct mail marketing with enough notice that they can pencil you in ahead of time!

Leasing Promotions

Leasing promotions are one of the best times to send mailers to prospective residents. By letting them know they can get a free month, waived application fees, or even a lower deposit, you’re very likely to grab their interest and get them in the door for a tour. Be sure to showcase the promotion prominently on the front of the direct mail marketing piece so they won’t miss it and ask them to “bring in this mailer” to get the deal.

Mailer Design Formula

When you’re pulling together the information to include on your mailer, there are a few tried and true items that should always be included. Your logo, bedroom count, property photos, and contact information are vital to show off your community and let people know how to get in touch if they’re interested. Including key features and amenities of your community, the tagline and a short ‘about’ paragraph is a great way to provide more detail and really sell prospects on all your property has to offer. Be mindful that it’s best to keep text to a minimum so your mailer doesn’t become crowded with information. Working with professional branding agencies like zipcode creative to design your direct mail marketing makes it easy to be sure all of the essential information is included in an elegant and eye-catching way.

PRO TIP: Add a QR code on the mailer that leads to a landing page for your campaign or promotion. Doing so will enable you to better measure the interest your mailer created among potential leads! (Pro tip couretsy of Christine O’Toole)

Once your design is finalized, your local printer can print, address, stamp, and mail the mailers so you don’t have to worry about doing all of the legwork or adding another administrative task to your to-do list. Try sending out a modest batch of mailers to the warm leads in your CRM or target prospects by surrounding zip codes for the most effective approach.

If you’re interested in diving into direct mail marketing for your community, get in touch today!

The image of Areum Apartments is ©Fairfield Residential | Executed under creative direction of Fairfield Residential.

Stats sourced from Compu-Mail.

property management social media property management social media

Property Management Social Media Tips for Success

Written by Stacey Feeney on January 5, 2021. Posted in All Articles, Marketing.

For apartments and property managers, social media can be a daunting task. Between all of the operational needs and maintaining the day-to-day, it’s easy for social media to slip way down your to-do list. But it plays a pivotal role in increasing resident happiness, appealing to prospective renters, and showing off all that your community has to offer. Kick-start your online presence with a few of our insider property management social media tips and tricks to get you going.

Consistency is Key

Across all social media platforms, posting regularly is the most important aspect of engaging your audience. Between finicky algorithms and shifting news feeds, posting at least a few times a week will ensure that most people are seeing the content that you spend so much time on.

Try posting at different times each day to see where your engagement is the strongest. Once you get a sense for when your audience is online, start posting around that same time to increase your likes and comments and drive engagement. Instagram and Facebook provide insights that will tell you exactly what days of the week and times of day your posts are getting the most engagement.

Create High-Quality Content

Scheduling posts isn’t just one-and-done in property management social media. To create quality content that will get you noticed, you need to think about how the photo, caption, and graphics all work together to tell a story and add value for your audience.

For your imagery, be sure to pick something that grabs your attention and will stand out in the sea of sameness across social platforms. Consider outsourcing custom branded social media graphics to zipcode creative for both your organic posts and paid ads to help you really stand out.

Once you’ve chosen your image, use your caption as an opportunity to deliver valuable insights that will spark a conversation in the comments or get your content shared with the masses. Finish it with a clear call to action so your audience always knows exactly what you want them to do next.

PRO TIP: The two most popular types of posts either 1. Provide a lot of value on a topic of interest or 2. Are real and authentic, ideally showing real people (your staff or residents)

Share What Residents Care About

No matter how high-quality your content is, you won’t see the engagement numbers you’re looking for if you’re not tailoring it for your audience. Pick relevant topics for your community and your staff—like Resident Appreciation Day/Week and Maintenance Appreciation Day/Week, resident event announcements, and rent due reminders (although they may not be happy about these posts!). Remember, it’s primarily residents and staff who follow you on social — highlight timely events and important updates for the people who follow you. That way, you’re giving them the info they need while also upping your engagement. If a prospecting renter stumbles upon your page they will see everything you have going on and realize how fun it is to live at your community! For their benefit, intermix plenty of interior and exterior property amenity pictures and talk about them in the captions. If you can nail down a solid hashtag strategy you will reach more people outside of your circle.

Prospect Focused Posts

If you want to cater to prospects, tell them all about your property! Seems obvious, right? Think of it this way – if it’s in your brochure, talk about it on social!

Plan Ahead

Posting on the fly never results in the kind of quality content your accounts deserve. Instead of snapping photos last minute or repurposing old materials, be sure to think about your social media calendar at least a week ahead—even more if possible. Quality over quantity.

There are countless free tools online that let you plan your posts and set a calendar to keep you organized and on top of it. Try Hootsuite, Loomly, or Sprout Social to streamline your process from start to finish. Alternatively, you can also hire a creative agency like us to manage your platforms for you and run point on strategy and planning, content creation and scheduling, and ongoing engagement.

Ready to get started on your property management social media plan? Work with zipcode creative on developing all of the social media assets you need to “wow” prospective residents and current tenants alike! We’re always here to design custom branded graphics for you anytime you want to take your posts to the next level. Get in touch today!

Images of Platform Apartments are ©Fairfield Residential | Executed under creative direction of Fairfield Residential.

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Last Minute Gift Ideas for Multifamily Residents and Staff

Written by Stacey Feeney on December 7, 2020. Posted in All Articles, Marketing.

The holiday season is upon us, and if we’re being honest – we’re thankful that 2020 is coming to a close! As you plan out your holiday gifts, for both your residents and team members, it’s the perfect time to get them something special. The challenges of this year have been immense, and we all deserve a little enjoyment as we round out the year. Our gift guide will show you budget-friendly and last minute gift ideas for your residents and staff!

Resident Gift Ideas

It can be tough to come up with a gift idea that pleases hundreds of residents. No branded products this year – give them something they actually want and appreciate! But don’t stress about timing, every last minute gift idea in our shopping guide is available on Amazon prime so it will be sure to arrive in time – hey that rhymes! We’ve kept the options under $10 per resident gift to keep you on budget.

Mini Succulent – If your community is eco-friendly, play up that vibe and treat all of your residents to some fresh greenery. Everyone loves succulents – they are easy to take care of and provide a very affordable last minute gift idea! Get a set of 12 for $30, which breaks down to only $2.50 per plant! Double up for roommates or larger apartments. Include this with a custom designed card that shows your residents you care – we can help create the card for you! Here are some succulent/cactus themed ideas…

“Let’s ROOT for each other and watch each other GROW”

“ALOE YOU VERA MUCH.”

“ALOE THERE!”

“I’m a SUCCA for you.”

Acacia Wood Cutting Board – Slip one of these in every kitchen for just $10. We’ve all spent more time in the kitchen this year, and residents can use these in the kitchen or on their bar carts. If you’ve been hosting cooking demos or classes at your community – whether in person or virtual – this gift goes perfectly with that theme!

Coffee Coffee Coffee – This was the year that WFH took on a whole new meaning. With coffee fueling most of that new office productivity, you residents will love this gift. The colors and labels are completely customizable. Shop this 12oz bag for just $5 each on Amazon.

Candles – seriously, everyone LOVES candles. You can’t go wrong with sending a candle to your residents. This woodsy scented, gender-neutral one is available on Amazon for just $9. Add a custom gift tag to your DIY wrapping to express your gratitude for your residents, here are a couple of cute ideas:

“Take your candle and light the world”

“All the darkness in the world cannot extinguish the light of a single candle”

“Be the light that helps others see”

Staff Appreciation Gift Ideas

For the team that’s worked miracles this year to keep everything flowing smoothly, a great staff appreciation gift is a must. We’ve included categories and options to help you narrow down the perfect gift; all while keeping it under $50 per person.

S’well Water Bottle – Bottles are the ultimate accessory. They come in every color or pattern. Whether your team needs their endless drip of coffee or fresh water on demand, these bottles keep drinks insulated for over 24 hrs. S’wells keep up with the demand of the holiday hustle and bustle. The team will love their new eco-friendly bottles and they run between $25-$45 each.

Portable Wine Glass – Stemless wine glasses you can take on the go are key this season. Super durable, inventive and CHIC; these run $24 per glass. You can gift them to everyone and still have enough money to pair it with a bottle of vino. This collection from Goverre.com will be a hit. Take the customization to the next level and create some customized wine labels to thank your team for their efforts.

Yeti To-Go Coffee Mugs – A hands down crowd pleaser for your whole team. The Rambler model can be used for coffee or other off-duty beverages. These come in a range of colors at $24 each, these are a great price point.

Amazon Echo Dot – If you have a diverse team with lots of tastes, you can simplify for yourself and get one nice techy gift that everyone can use. A wireless speaker with Alexa capabilities will be a win. Of course, they can take it home, or use it in the management office to keep the music going. If you catch it in time, this echo dot is on sale for just $30, regularly $50 but either way – budget friendly!

Wireless Earbuds – With your staff on zoom when they are WFH or just simply because wireless earbuds are kind of the thing right now… they will love this last minute gift idea, available on Amazon for $50 and comes with a carrying case.

Charging Pad – Keep your staff’s phones charged so you can always reach them. Sleek design, available in 3 colors all for $25 and compatible with so many devices!

Gift Cards for All

Gift Cards – There is always the gift card route; which is guaranteed to please both residents and your staff. There are endless options with cards and you can divy them out in a way that makes the most sense for your group. Residents may enjoy a $5 Starbucks gift card to get their favorite holiday drink. Snap up some $50 restaurant gift cards to treat your team members to a fancy dinner at a local fav. You’ll get bonus points this year if you’re supporting a small business! Visa and Amazon are also popular options to help your residents or staff feel the love.

We can design a custom sleeve to match your sentiments. Whether you want to wish happy holidays to everyone, or make it a thank you card with best wishes for the new year; personalization makes it more impactful.

The Final Details

No matter which gift you choose, complete the package with a branded card to showcase your property. These will be perfect when you’re handing out resident holiday gifts. zipcode creative can help with the card and, even, the signing. How perfect would it be to have the card signed by the whole team, all in a completely contactless way? It’s possible with digital printing. We can make it all happen with just some names, some handwriting fonts and voila, a card with all the important signatures and none of the fingerprints!

Why Apartments Need Cohesive Branding

Written by Stacey Feeney on November 17, 2020. Posted in All Articles, Branding.

Branding is arguably one of the most important elements for your rental property and your business. From brand colors to logo design, your branding is the face of your community and often, it’s the first thing people see when they walk through the door, which is why apartments need cohesive branding! This means creating memorable branding is one of the easiest ways for residents and prospective tenants alike to recognize your community and instantly give them an understanding of what you’re all about.

What impacts my branding?

When it comes to defining your brand, the most important part is understanding not just your community’s amenities, but also knowing your target audience, business objectives, and your local and regional markets inside and out. If you’re targeting young professional renters, for example, your branding needs to resonate with that demographic. If, on the other hand, your perfect resident is an executive, or an empty nester, or a small family, your branding will shift and change for each of those groups to best appeal to them.

What’s the first step?

All the best branding processes start with a brand questionnaire as the very first step. This document includes a range of questions that will help you thoroughly define your brand, its values, and its mission while also identifying aspects of your target audience and the competitive landscape. By taking all of those elements and looking at them holistically, it allows a designer or a branding agency (like ourselves) to create a thoughtful and effective visual brand for your apartments that help you achieve your goals.

What is the logo design process like?

Defining a logo is one of the most important—and sometimes most challenging—aspects of building your brand. Your logo should reflect your company values and give people a sense of what you stand for. Whether you’re modern or traditional, bold or minimal, or strong or friendly, these traits should shine through in your logo, while also reflecting the ideals of the renters you’re trying to attract.

Your answers to our brand questionnaire will help provide the foundation for creating the perfect logo. We’ll work together to select and design illustrations, fonts, and colors that all work together to both accomplish your own goals and appeal to your target audience. Keep in mind, designing a logo is much more than choosing fonts and colors – your property’s location conveniences, trends and history are taken into consideration, combined with the amenities and features your community has to offer, as well as the vibe and feeling you are setting out to portray. These things are all packaged together in a visual way that speak to your target market prospective renter. Have we convinced you of the ‘why’ apartments need cohesive branding yet?

What is a brand style sheet?

Once your logo and all your other branding elements have been finalized, your brand style sheet is a one-pager that defines how you use that logo across different marketing materials. That way, no matter if your property manager, the corporate marketing department, or zipcode creative is creating a new asset, it will always look consistent.

Your brand style sheet will show how to use your primary logo, secondary logo, submark, and other logo variations. It also lists all of your branded fonts and the specific colors used in your branding, so you always present a holistic brand to your residents and prospects.

What is a brand style guide?

While the brand style sheet is a great quick reference for your logo and branding, a brand style guide is a complete and comprehensive guideline to every branding element. This multi-page booklet defines your logo uses, fonts, and color palettes in more detail than the style sheet, giving you everything you need to know as you create new materials or update existing ones. It also includes brand imagery and photography, additional design elements, and more so that anyone designing will know exactly how to use what. You’ll never feel in the dark when creating new materials and always feel confident that you are using each brand element how it was intended to be used. Having brand style guidelines provides a consistent look and feel for your target market, ensuring that they instantly recognize your apartment community and understand what you’re all about.

Ready for new branding?

If by now you are realizing why apartments need cohesive branding and you’re ready to take the next step to help your community stand out with new or updated branding, zipcode creative will help you reach your target demographic through quality custom designs. Fill out our brand questionnaire today to start the conversation of creating a new brand or modernizing an existing one.

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