The Most Common Branding Mistakes in Multifamily—And How to Avoid Them (Part 1)

Branding mistakes happen, even in multifamily. But don’t worry, we’re here to help point out some of the most common ones—and how you can avoid them! (Look forward to part 2 in the very near future…)

Branding Mistake #1: Not Enough Time

Think you can brand in a flash and it will all work out? Not likely. It takes time to do research. Research on your competition. Research on your audience and ideal resident profile (IRP). Simply taking the time to make decisions about which approach to take can make a huge difference in the final result.

Identify an IRP so you can connect with them. Take time to do the research and determine their desires so you can align your brand with what they want most.

A slapdash brand isn’t going to help a community reach its leasing goals. While you could cut specific pieces out of your branding package, don’t cut corners.

Avoid this mistake: As soon as you know that the community is in need of a brand (or a rebrand), get to work. Find a partner that can work well with you and go about the brand from the inside out. A properly developed brand takes time.

Branding Mistake #2: Not Enough Money (Budget)

While we don’t love the idea of “spending money to make money” there is some truth to it. Brand perception is part of the equation. And appearing successful means your branding should look spot on (and consistent) and reach the people you mean to reach.

If you are spending some of your budget to develop a brand, ensure you’re getting a brand guideline at the end of it all. This guideline can be used to keep everything (branding-wise) on track. This branding mistake also applies to affordable communities—those residents deserve a well developed brand they can connect with—with at least some money behind it.

Avoid this mistake: A properly developed brand takes (some) money. Budgets are always under scrutiny—and it can be difficult to defend your spend on branding if you don’t know how to point to ROI and how an apartment brand is valued. Determine your budget and use it to your advantage—a properly developed brand takes money.

Branding Mistake #3: Only Logos or Taglines (AKA Being Superficial)

A logo is not a brand. A tagline is not a brand. They are PARTS of a brand. Yes, they’re a big part of branding, but they’re not all there is.

The difference between a well-developed brand that helps accomplish goals rather than one that just looks pretty: going beyond the superficial. We typically break branding down into two basic camps:

Verbal – How the brand sounds. This includes the brand vision, mission, values, and the brand voice, tone, pacing, and things you do and don’t say.

Visual – How the brand looks. This includes the color palette, logo, icons, and photography (lifestyle/vibe/stock).

There are of course more aspects, like brand personality and brand positioning, which can get dialed into both the visual and the verbal part of the brand. But items like brand perception and brand value are more focused on the outcome and results of the branding you’ve completed.

Avoid this mistake: Think beyond what you can literally read (tagline) and see (logo). Get deeper into brandwork to make one that lasts and connects emotionally with your ideal residents.

Plus: Read more about how branded amenities can help reach property #goals.

Branding Mistake #4: Confusing Branding with Marketing

They are so, so closely linked that it can be pretty easy to get tripped up. But branding comes first. And marketing is what you do with that brand. (For example, your website and your advertising is part of that.)

We imagine it probably gets confused because branding dollars may get pulled from your marketing budget. That makes sense. Marketing is the overarching thing here. Branding, though, is who you are. Marketing is how you get it out to the people and make them aware of it. If anything, brand awareness is more closely linked to marketing.

Avoid this mistake: Put branding and marketing together, but develop your brand first. THEN put out your ads that put your brand out there.

Branding Mistake #5: Inconsistency or Being Too Casual

Branding is fun, but it should also be taken seriously for multifamily. It’s not a slap a color palette together and throw a logo on a building sort of scenario. It works better if you do the research, know who you want to reach, create a plan, and execute that branding plan. That same branding plan should stay consistent, day in and day out. 

The handy branding guidelines that we give to our clients aren’t just a deliverable and proof of the work we’ve accomplished together. Those guidelines are a tool meant to be used regularly. Branding guidelines are just that—guidelines. They’re helpful for everyone from upper management down to the leasing office folks who are putting together a flyer for a fundraiser and need to know which logo to use on a white background.

Avoid this mistake: Once you’ve built your brand, don’t stand by and watch it get diminished by sloppy work and inconsistency. Protect it by enforcing the brand guidelines and offering training to every one of your employees on how best to use the brand assets.

Hopefully after this, you can say “mistakes were *not* made.” Or, at least if you did make them, you’re actively learning from them at this point.

Branding has all kinds of best practices, but if you have a good partner they’ll guide you in the right direction without all the pitfalls of typical multifamily branding mistakes.