CREJ

Page 24 — Multifamily Properties Quarterly — May 2021 www.crej.com T he multifamily industry was just dipping its toe into the water of self-touring when the pandemic hit and pushed it right into the deep end. What started as an efficiency play quickly turned into a strategic advantage: The desire for social distancing and flexible scheduling combined with our self- serve culture makes self-touring a popular option with prospects. According to a RentCafé survey, 83% of prospects would prefer to tour solo and nearly 62% of prospects tour within an hour of booking a tour, according to Anyone Home. Here’s how it works: A prospect schedules a self-tour online, goes through an identification verifica- tion, and receives an address and access code to tour the apartment. And then … There’s the rub. I’ve self-toured dozens of com- munities across the country. While the scheduling, verification and access is readily managed through a variety of apps introduced to the industry, the experience before, dur- ing and after the self-tour can be bumpy. After all, it’s hard to build rapport with someone you’ve never met and who can conceivably lease from tour to transaction with- out speaking to a single person. Self-tours require a different leasing strategy. Here are a few things on my self-tour wish list to ensure a great self-touring expe- rience for your prospects and your teams: n Wayfinding. Nothing is more stressful than being lost. A fantastic wayfinding system makes it easy for prospects to find parking and the apartment with a clear map and directions, allowing for a smooth and positive first impression of the community. n Amenities. Have a plan for the amenities. It’s weird to self-tour those spaces (for prospects and residents) and many prospects will elect to skip an amenities tour altogether. Incorporate a virtual or Matterport tour of your amenities spaces as part of your follow-up program. n Show the real unit. Prospects prefer to see the actual apartment they’ll be leasing. Self-touring makes it supremely possible to show the real, clean, sparkled and move-in-ready apartment. n Unit merchandising. Take a cue from Crate & Barrel and include simple placards that describe the unit features. I’ve seen some incred- ible wow fridges in these self-tour homes – make yours Instagram worthy and encourage posts. The average self-tour is less than 10 minutes, so it’s important to have messaging that’s easy to consume quickly. n Follow-up. Self-touring requires a new kind of immediacy. (If some- one tours within an hour of book- ing a tour, you better have contact with them an hour from touring!) Have a communications and follow- up strategy specific for self-tours that factors in ways to convey your brand and quality. Build automated messages into the leasing process where possible to ensure a con- tact safety net, with customized messages including links to lease online. n Take a test drive. Self-tour a few communities on your own and see the gaps and opportunities in your own portfolio. The best research is always the kind that involves kick- ing the tires. s heather@hellodoubledutch.com Self-touring requires different leasing strategies Heather Campbell Founder, Double Dutch Creative Management NordWood Themes, Unsplash Self-touring requires a new kind of immediacy. If someone tours within an hour of booking a tour, managers should contact them within an hour of touring. While the scheduling, verification and access is readily managed through a variety of apps introduced to the industry, the experience before, during and after the self-tour can be bumpy.