1 – Keep your community in their mailbox. Just because you are suspending/postponing events doesn’t mean you should stop communicating with your prospects. Direct mail continues to be the most effective way to reach this demographic.

• The Average household receives 2 pieces of mail a day versus 121 email messages (USPS/Campaign Monitor)
• 42.2% of direct mail recipients either read or scan the mail they get (Data & Marketing Association)
• 70% of consumers prefer traditional mail for cold, unsolicited offers.  (Source: ANA/DMA Response Rate Report 2018)
• 73% of American consumers say they prefer being contacted by brands via direct mail because they can read it whenever they want. (Epsilon)

2 – Change the content of your messaging. It is important to vary your creative efforts and messaging while we experience this movement in the market. Being able to practice fluidity allows you to remain present in front of your prospects, even when they may not be entering your building. What amenities make you stand out from your competitors? Do you have a key staff member to spotlight? What about a star resident?  Stay focused on connecting with your leads, even when you may not be seeing them face to face.

3 – Take this opportunity to prepare your next quarterly marketing plan… and use what’s at your fingertips. Improve the data in your internal CRM by arming your sales team with the information they need to stop interrogating and start communicating. Tactics such as cleaning your current CRM, appending missing data, and profiling your top leads will help create an effective communication strategy and improve the dialogue between your prospects and sales team.

Remember, the leads your marketing to today will become your residents in 6 to 18 months. Maintaining consistent marketing will be key to keep your sales funnel full.