You have a community of wonderful people living in your rental property. Your residents are your most valuable resource, and it’s your responsibility to ensure that they feel comfortable, content, and appreciated.

One way to go above and beyond for your residents is to host a resident appreciation week. It takes a bit of effort, but partnering with Alfred makes it easy.

Read on for our tips on hosting an incredible event that will show your residents that your rental property is more than a place to stay—it’s a place to call home.

1. Understand your Audience

The most important element of planning a resident appreciation week is understanding your residents and your property. Consider these questions:

• What are the demographics of your community? A resident appreciation week at a facility that houses mostly retired couples will look very different from one hosted for a building full of young families. Alfred carefully curates community programming based on resident demographics and preferences.
• What amenities can you make use of? Does your property have a pool? What about an arcade, a gym, or a patio for grilling? You can put these spaces to good use during appreciation week. Or, try a hybrid approach, mixing in some virtual programming for those who cannot attend in person to limit the FOMO factor.
• What do your residents want? What do they need? Appreciation is about more than just fun. Think of ways that you can help residents with their needs in addition to their desires. For example, on “Free Breakfast Friday” your tenants can get some extra rest without worrying about preparing food before work. Ask us about our Surprise & Delight events and Experience Kits.

2. A Little Something to Say Thanks

Kick off appreciation week by leaving a small gift at each resident’s door. This gift can be anything, from a potted plant to a baseball cap. Here are a few guidelines for choosing something appropriate:

• Keep your demographics in mind—make sure your residents will enjoy the gift.
• Try to pick something attractive and useful, like a bottle opener or a mug.
• Consider incorporating your property’s branding.
• Provide the same gift for everyone to avoid any friction.

Attach a personalized note to each gift, along with a schedule for appreciation week. Residents will be delighted by the surprise and excited to participate in the upcoming community events.

3. Plan Your Events

Resident appreciation weeks typically have a different event scheduled every day. These events differ widely from property to property depending upon:

• The likes, dislikes, and needs of residents
• The property’s physical location
• The spaces and amenities that are available

The best way to brainstorm events for your resident appreciation week is to consider your unique community. We’ve put together a couple of scenarios with this thought process in mind.

4. Partner with Local Businesses

Natalie is the property manager for a downtown apartment building with over five hundred residents. Most of them are young professionals who make extensive use of the facility’s luxury concierge services.

Natalie knows that hosting appreciation week can get expensive. Luckily, she also knows that partnering with local businesses is a great way to build relationships, provide fantastic service, and cut down costs.

She works with the bar and lounge down the block to organize a singles’ mixer on Tuesday night of appreciation week. The residents get complimentary food and discounted drinks, Natalie gets a free, fun venue, and the bar gets a full house on a Tuesday–everyone wins!

Remember, partnering with local businesses also means free apartment marketing and increased customer reach for both parties. (Yes, resident appreciation week is a magical time).

5. Incorporate Fun for the Whole Family

If your building is full of families, you have a key component to consider—kids.

Most of Jose’s residents have children. He recently decided to install a playground on the property and the feedback from his tenants has been extremely positive. Parents often gather on the patio to grill and chat while the kids play. Jose decides to host resident appreciation week during early summer to make the most of his amenities.

Here are a few events Jose puts on for his residents:

• Outdoor movie night – Jose sends his residents a poll on their favorite classic family movies through Alfred’s resident services. He screens the top two choices during resident appreciation week out on the patio. Popcorn and soda are provided, of course!
• Bubble party – Jose reserves the patio and playground for a Friday evening happy hour. The theme is bubbles, of both the champagne and soap varieties. The children tear around the playground enjoying the bubble machine. The adults sit back to watch with a complimentary glass of champagne.
• Games on the lawn – Jose finishes off the week strong with a field day on the lawn. He makes sure his residents have everything they need to play cornhole, bocce, and frisbee. He also supplies enough BBQ to keep everyone fueled up and having fun.

Don’t Go It Alone—Let Alfred Help

Your property means a lot to you. Your residents mean even more. At Alfred, we understand that. We offer resident-focused property management solutions that take the pain out of renting and managing alike.

Want to find out how Alfred can help you organize and run a resident appreciation week from end to end? Send us an email at partners@helloalfred.com—we can’t wait to hear from you.

Source: 

• Business.com. 5 Reasons Your Business Should Have Strategic Partnerships. https://www.business.com/articles/connor-blakley-strategic-partnerships/