Online Marketing

Kerry Sweeney Posted by Kerry Sweeney on September 19, 2012

Twitter for Property Managers: A How-to Guide

Twitter for Property Managers: A How-to Guide

Grow your following and attract new renters on Twitter.

Twitter is a micro-blogging service that allows you to post updates that are up to 140 characters long. Many businesses use Twitter to communicate with their prospects and customers, provide customer service, and spread the word about their brand far and wide. Some property managers may view Twitter as a waste of time, but used correctly, Twitter can be an extremely powerful marketing tool. Here are some tips for property managers who are looking to get started with Twitter.

Create an Account

Create an account and choose a username. Your username should be short and memorable. A short username will make it easier for people to “retweet”, or re-post, your tweets. Even if you don’t have time to tinker with Twitter just yet, it’s a good idea to create an account immediately so that you can reserve your username. The last thing you’d want is for someone to take the username you were eyeing.

Twitter avatars offer an excellent branding opportunity, so avoid using the generic avatar that comes with your Twitter account. Use an image that you want people to associate with your brand as your avatar. If you are an individual property manager, use a professional headshot as your Twitter avatar. If you run a property management company, use your company’s logo.

Be sure to fill out your profile completely, stating your location and adding a link to your property management website. Leaving your Twitter profile blank would defeat the whole purpose of having a Twitter account. The goal is to get people who visit your Twitter profile to check out your website.

Follow the Right People

In order to build a following, connect with potential customers, and keep tabs on what’s going in your local area and in the property management industry, you need to follow the right people on Twitter. Some people you might want to follow include residents and prospects, local businesses, hometown celebrities, employees, prospective employees, and your competitors. You can also use the Twitter search function to search for keywords related to your industry and find tweets to respond to. For example, you can search for people looking for apartments in your local area and then respond to their tweets, letting them know that you’re available to answer their questions. If you do that on a regular basis, you just might win new business.

Encourage Current and Prospective Renters to Follow Your Tweets

Encourage prospective renters to follow your Twitter account by sharing content that provides them with value, such as local deals and coupons, copies of your newsletter, and information about local events. Make your Twitter account appealing to current renters by using it to post reminders about scheduled maintenance and encouraging tenants to provide you with their feedback and suggestions.

Hire efelle to Manage Your Property Management Company’s Twitter Campaign

efelle is a Seattle social media marketing and web design firm that builds property management websites and markets them via social media. From creating branded social media accounts, to devising effective social media strategies, to handling day-to-day social media management, efelle does it all. Give our social media marketing experts a call today at 206.384.4909 or fill out our online contact form to set up a free consultation.

See Also:

10 Social Media Tips for Small Businesses

7 Signs That It's Time to Redesign your Property Management Website