We’ve talked about it time and time again. You already know that one of the most important jobs of a property manager is locating, landing and retaining quality tenants for the long haul. You’re probably an old pro at putting ads together to showcase your rental properties. But are those ads really ‘wowing’ people, or are they the same old tired listings that everyone else is posting? If you want to find an amazing renter, you’ve got to create amazing ads. Here’s how.

Step 1 – Understand who you’re targeting

It’s rule numero uno for just about any type of marketing you’ll do, but it’s something many rental property managers forget when they’re designing their ads. Who would be your ideal tenant? Are you aiming for a retired couple, a family or generation y-ers? Having a picture of who you’d like to rent to will help you to more accurately hone your marketing efforts to better reach your target audience.

The Property Manager’s Guide to Extraordinary Marketing has all the inspiration and resources you need to make the right message heard by the right people.

Step 2 – Paint a picture

Just as you’ve just pictured your ideal tenant in your head, your ad should create a picture of what life would be like if that person or persons were to rent your property. If you’re targeting families, describe how living in your home/apartment/condo would be the perfect location because of the excellent schools, parks and other activities nearby. Paint a picture of how amazing it will be when the family plays together in the yard, or curls up in front of the fire on a cold night. Get creative with your descriptions!

Step 3 –Give details

Now that you’ve sufficiently made your target tenants envision themselves living in your property, give them as many details about what’s in it for them. What will they get by choosing your property? A great way to approach this part is to take a step back and determine what features really set your place apart from others, and then showcase those amenities in your ad. Give as much detail as possible.

Step 4 – Include high quality pictures

A picture truly is worth a thousand words, especially when it comes to property rentals. People want to see what you have to offer before they pick up the phone and schedule an appointment. Use a high quality camera and take pictures from plenty of different angles. Experiment with various lighting until you truly capture the beauty of what you have to offer. Never post pictures that contain clutter or anything unsightly from tenants that are still living in your property.

Related Post: How to Close the Deal When Showing a Rental Property

Step 5 –Use a creative and attention grabbing headline

This last step is perhaps the most important, because it’s what will get people to click on and read your ad in the first place. Without an eye-catching headline, your amazing ad may never be seen. To come up with something really powerful, first think about who you’re targeting. Then, find a way to turn your headline into a solution to a common problem for that demographic. For instance, if you’re trying to reach students, you could write a headline like:

“Tired of that long commute to school? Beautiful, spacious, modern home just steps from the university!”

Just put yourself in the shoes of your target audience, and think of how your property could make their lives easier. The rest should fall into place.

Creating ads is par for the course in the property management business, but how you design those ads can mean the difference between a trickle of candidates or a flood of them. By applying these 5 easy steps, you can develop powerful, eye-catching ads that will reach exactly the prospects you’re looking for and help you land the perfect tenant in no time.
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Download The Property Manager’s Guide to Extraordinary Marketing. It has all the inspiration and resources you need to make the right message heard by the right people.