Major brands have trained consumers that they can get what they want at the tap of a button. This on-demand experience has upped consumer expectations of what digital shopping should be, including the search for a new rental home. The growth of online shopping also has heightened consumer awareness and curiosity about what companies do with their data.

So how can marketers, particularly in the multifamily industry, anticipate customer needs and elevate their brand experiences? The answer boils down to being a keen observer of consumer behavior by listening, watching and responding to emerging trends. Here are three tips to help you align your marketing strategies to shifts in consumer behavior.

Commit to customer experience marketing

Renters are doing their due diligence before signing leases, reinforcing the fact that every data point in the customer journey matters. Your mission is to guide renters on a journey toward their new homes.

This means immersive experiences. Think about 3D tours that give prospects a new view of your apartments, guided tours by your leasing agents via Facebook® Live or videos of events at your property that show residents having a good time that you can post to your YouTube® channel. 

But when you’re trying something new, check with your residents and customers first, says Kevin Thompson, chief marketing officer at Carlisle Residential Properties. “I think it’s important to listen downward and outward,” he says. “Our residents and customers experience our brand every moment. We’d be foolish not to hear what’s important to them.”

The upshot for marketers? Look beyond the point of transaction to drive true, memorable experiences. 

Fine-tune your use and storage of marketing data to inspire trust 

Companies often tie a marketing team’s performance to revenue, conversion outcomes, audience engagement and sales. Now there’s a new KPI on the horizon: trustworthiness.

'Historic data breaches, such as Equifax and Facebook, are leading policymakers at all levels of government to enact wide-ranging data privacy and protection laws that fundamentally change the framework for how data is regulated in the U.S.,” says Kevin Donnelly, vice president of government affairs for the National Multifamily Housing Council (NMHC). 

For multifamily marketers, this points to the need to be clear about how you are collecting and managing personal information coming from renters via online applications or lease payments.

'As apartment firms and their supplier partners evaluate the ever-evolving data privacy legal landscape, they can prepare by proactively accounting for data privacy and security considerations in business operations,' said Julianne Goodfellow, NMHC’s senior director of government affairs.

Consider taking a stand

These days, examples abound of companies associating with causes or policy issues to make a business and social impact. Consumers, especially millennials, want companies to show their values. “Purpose allows a brand to take a stand when it comes to hard conversations,” says Jeff Fromm, consumer trends expert and executive vice president at Barkley, “and research shows people are starting to expect this of the brands they love.” 

Companies that try to speak out need to be careful though. Digital consumers are suspicious, and if companies share a stance that is not aligned with their track record or values, consumers won’t believe them.

The big takeaways for 2020: You can earn your customer’s trust and respect through your behavior. To do that, create immersive experiences and protect customer data. Also, have a voice and be the positive influence your customers want to see in the world.