3 Steps to Brand Your Apartment Building

Although not all apartment communities have a brand, branding can help your marketing efforts and provide the property with an identity. Strong branding can differentiate your building, position it in the marketplace and create an appealing image to make it desirable to renters. Value-add and opportunistic investors who buy properties in need of improvement find that rebranding is a crucial step in developing a successful investment.

What is a Brand ? 

You may think that a logo, tagline or name is the brand of the building, but the reality is that the brand is an idea. Branding delivers a clear message and that brand message connects with renters on an emotional level. The brand represents the feelings potential renters associate with the apartment building. Renters are attracted to the building based on what they expect from your brand. The brand message is your promise to the consumer, and it must be consistent.

1. Developing a Brand

Create your brand message by identifying the elements that set your property apart from the competition. With your target audience in mind, make a list of words that define your property. Think of how your potential renters will react to these traits and write a mission statement defining your brand. That is your brand message. Your apartments may be upscale, spacious, well-situated, environmentally friendly, technologically advanced and sophisticated, qualities that attract young professionals. On the other hand, your apartment building may be an exciting rental community featuring fun type amenities and a roster of social events to attract students in a college town.

2. Upholding the Brand

Strong branding will instill a solid impression on renters who buy into the brand and help your apartment building uphold the brand standard. With branding, you will link the apartment to a group of characteristics in the mind of renters. Sophisticated renters moving into your upscale building will help you attract like-minded renters. Landlords benefit from this marketing advantage and also from managing a community of similar renters.

3. Protecting the Brand

Branding your property is ongoing, and you need to do a substantial amount of marketing to develop your brand. Once the brand is established, it needs to be protected. The brand message must be consistent across all your marketing efforts. Listings, websites, brochures and social media should all tell the same story about your building. Remember that the brand must be tailored to the specific community and residents, property managers and neighbors can all have input into the way your apartment is perceived. It is a good idea to work with existing advantages of the community to give the building a unique identity. Keep in mind that no matter what your brand, Fair Housing Laws apply.

Tips for Establishing your Brand Message

Developing a brand for your apartment building will tell potential renters what they can expect as residents and provide a blueprint for what the apartment community should provide. Consistency is the key to establishing and protecting your brand message. Done effectively, a strong brand message can help you market your property successfully.