When it comes to capitalizing on your marketing efforts, the summer months are sizzling! With the majority of moves happening between May and September, this season is ripe with opportunity, so why not try something new?

Fire up the grill and get ready, because we have 20 hot marketing ideas that will help you grab the attention of potential renters and avoid vacancies when the cold weather returns.

Let the games begin

1. Team up for a scavenger hunt: Partner with local businesses and organize a neighborhood scavenger hunt. Pull together some fun prizes and open it up to the public. This is a creative way to help your residents get to know the area and let members of the local community catch a glimpse of your property.
2. Sponsor a local summer sports team or stadium: Summer sports are a big draw for both athletes and enthusiasts. Spread goodwill and get recognized by sponsoring a local youth or recreational team. Your money will support your community, and you will get visibility when your logo appears on team jerseys or stadium signage.

Find the foodie fun

1. Host a grill-off: Nothing brings people together like a summertime barbecue. Up the interest by hosting a grill-off! Invite residents to bring their friends and compete for the title of best grill master. It’s a good way to bring your community together and woo new renters. Keep contestants and guests refreshed with a simple, yet elegant, lemonade stand!
2. Cool off with an ice cream social: Throwing an ice cream social is a tried-and-true method of drawing interest and creating connections. The heat of summer is a perfect excuse for opening your doors to the public and providing people with a sweet way to cool down — and giving them an opportunity to see your community up close and in person.
3. Keep tenants hydrated: Most people think they aren’t drinking enough water in the day, right? Why not help boost their intake by providing agua fresca throughout the day? If you already provide water stations in your common areas, it couldn’t be simpler to add fresh fruit and make it a little more enticing. It’s easy to do, healthy and an ideal way to demonstrate your attention to finer details.

Do a little (marketing) housekeeping

1. Clean up your online presence: If your website and social media pages have been sitting idle for the last couple of months, now is the time to add new images or blog posts. Have you checked out your online reviews? If there are complaints, address them in a helpful, friendly and tactful way. Respond to every review and show that you care about what people have to say.
2. Brush up your branding and brochures: If it’s been a year or two since you last assessed your property’s graphics or the design and copy of your marketing collateral, it might be time for a refresh. Consider hiring a professional or getting another pair of eyes on your marketing materials to ensure your look and messaging still speak to your target audience.
3. Provide fun and useful swag: The days of throwing your logo on pens and Post-its are long gone. Make sure your potential residents leave your events with something they can really use. Think drink koozies and water bottles for those active millennials, or target techies with USB flash drives and chargers. Since it’s summer, you could also create swag bags with travel-size sunblock, sunglasses, bottled water and battery-operated fans. They’ll see your name whenever they use the item, and you’ll stay top of mind.

Spread the word about your community

1. Talk to the press: You’ve filled your calendar with marketing events — now you need to get the word out. Write a press release letting all of the local news outlets know about your events and your property. Try to send them out at least a month in advance so publications have plenty of time to get the information on their calendars and schedule their stories.
2. Book a booth at festivals: Set up an information booth at local and regional festivals. The summer months are filled with festivals designed to appeal to various demographics. Find the ones that draw the crowd you are trying to connect with. Make sure your booth is interesting, enticing and stocked with information to help potential leads see that your property should be their next home.
3. Get good reviews: You have residents who are crazy about where they live. Tell them how much their opinion matters, and ask them to share the love online. Incentivize their efforts with a drawing at the end of the month. Make it clear that you’re not expecting only 5-star reviews, but that you value their honest feedback. That alone can foster goodwill. If it sounds like you’re trying to buy good reviews, your efforts are likely to backfire.

Take it outside

1. Spruce up your outdoor spaces: If you haven’t already, it’s time to make your outdoor areas look inviting. Summer is the season for outdoor events and gatherings, so make sure your property puts its best face forward.
2. Host a night of live music: People of all ages, and especially millennials, love attending shows. Reach out to local bands and have an afternoon or evening of live music in your common area. You can promote the event through multiple avenues: Post flyers in local business windows, create buzz on your social channels and send the info to community blogs or sites with events calendars. If you have a clubhouse, consider providing simple snacks and beverages. Live, outdoor shows are attention grabbers, and they let your target market know that you’re hip to their interests.
3. Look to the stars: There are lots of celestial events that happen during the summer, including new moons, planetary sightings, meteor showers and the occasional eclipse. Set up a telescope (or ask guests to bring their own), binoculars and star charts and invite them to look skyward. Offer treats to nibble as your guests ponder the universe.
4. Roll out the red carpet: Outdoor movie nights are a fun way to bring people together and show off your community’s outdoor spaces. There are lots of movies to choose from — past summer blockbusters, kid-friendly movies, classics and musicals — so there’s something for everyone. Provide comfy lawn chairs, move the pool chaise lounges over or invite folks to bring their favorite blankets and pillows to lay on the ground. Add a trivia competition around each showing for a little extra fun!

Get mobile

1. Optimize for mobile: If your website isn’t mobile friendly, your message isn’t reaching a large number of potential renters. According to the Zillow Group Report on Consumer Housing Trends, 60 percent of all renters used mobile sites to find their new home. Don’t get skipped over with an old-school site that isn’t optimized for a smaller screen.
2. Stay connected: Engaging renters on their mobile phones is a powerful way to market your property. Collect contact information at all of your events and booths. Offer gift cards or automatic entry into a drawing as an incentive. Let people know you will be texting them information about your upcoming events and summer specials.

Be creative

1. Organize a drive: If you are a pet-friendly property, consider organizing a food drive for the local humane society or hosting an adopt-a-pet event. This is a great way to draw animal lovers to your property — and be the first place they think of when they start looking for a new home. They’re also sure to spread the word to their cat- and dog-loving friends.
2. Expand horizons: People like learning something new, so offer to host a learning session. It could be anything — canvas painting, wood carving, wine tasting, cooking, anything DIY, social media tips and tricks, a talk on your area’s local history. The wider the range of topics, the better. Bring in experts from the neighborhood or recruit a tenant or staff member who has a special talent they’d love to share. It’s a great way for your community members to get to know each other.
3. Hold a yard sale: Summer is the ideal time for people to finish up their spring cleaning — or organize their belongings when they move in — so why not help them find a good home for their unwanted-but-still-usable stuff? Set up tables for smaller household items and clear space for larger items like furniture. Keep a supply of colored sticker dots and permanent pens handy so people can price their items. Promote the yard sale around the neighborhood a couple weeks prior to generate a good crowd, and take the opportunity to show off your property to the bargain hunters (and maybe rental hunters!) who stop by.

 

Related resources

• Instagram Inspiration: 30 Ways to Showcase Your Property
• Mixed Use, One Purpose: Partnering With Local Retailers to Build a Community
• How to Handle Online Reviews

What are some of your most sizzling summer ideas for attracting and retaining renters?