The month of May has a ton of holidays. You don’t have to keep up with them all, but highlighting a few can be a rewarding way to engage residents. Here are a few May holiday ideas that can help to build loyalty and boost resident retention. May 6, National Nurses Day May 8, National Teachers Day Cool Idea: Have resident nurses and teachers stop by the leasing office for a grab n’ go breakfast. Since both work long hours, foods that slowly release carbohydrates will be a huge win for them. Consider oatmeal, fresh fruit, green smoothie shots, and nut-based breakfast bars. Above and Beyond: Nurses and teachers are on their feet all day. Offer relief by teaming up with a neighborhood spa to offer foot-friendly, sample-sized products with their morning goodie bags. Be sure to include business cards for the spa. The owner gets free marketing and you get to pamper your residents (read: build loyalty). May 13, International Fair Trade Day Cool Idea: Fair Trade products reinforce the importance of livable wages for workers. In your upcoming newsletter, include a list of local shops and restaurants that prioritize Fair Trade products. Everything from coffee to clothing and home décor can be sourced Fair Trade. Above and Beyond: Make your list interactive! Throughout the month, set a table near a high-traffic area in the leasing office. Invite the Fair Trade-friendly businesses to contribute a product for sale or free samples. Circulate the products every few days so that multiple brands are represented. This approach draws residents to the leasing office to get the know the staff members—rather than only seeing them when there is a problem. May 15, International Day of Families Cool Idea: Consider hosting a raffle at your family-friendly property....

‘Tis the season for… leasing? Sure! Any time of year can be a good time to ramp up your leasing and renewal efforts when you take a seasonal approach that builds relationships and excitement around your business. Make sure your occupancy rates don’t cool down this season with five holiday marketing strategies for residential properties: 1. Create a Holiday Ad Campaign Use resident reviews and testimonials to develop a “Call <Your Property Name> Home for the Holidays” print and online ad campaign. Testimonials help to humanize your community and advertise it in non-corporate language. Alternately (or in addition), you can run a social media contest that offers residents prizes for sharing what they love about living at your property. Encourage participants to use a dedicated hashtag. These posts will reach not only their friends and family but can be shared with your followers as well. And, if your property marketing website features Instagram integration, you can easily post these photos online. “Instagram really shows those lifestyle photos. The Instagram galleries on our property marketing websites let prospective residents know what it’s like to live in our communities,” says Mia Wentworth, director of marketing at Monarch Investment and Management Group. “Our residents help us post fresh content to our sites, without us having to send a special team to take photos.” 2. Treat Your Residents Advertise holiday movie viewings in the clubhouse from Thanksgiving through the end of the year on your website, via email, and as Facebook events. Provide snacks, drinks, and free company swag if you have some. Invite residents to bring friends, instantly opening your community up to new prospects. If you’re worried that an event won’t get much traction at your property, try delivering inexpensive pop-by gifts and thank you notes...