Adding value to the service you provide is critical. As a residential property manager one easy way to accomplish this is to start a blog. Blogs are a great way to interact with your residents and they provide a direct line of communication to them. As an added bonus they are simple to create and the only cost associated with them is your time.

However, the trick with blogs is to provide relevant content to your audience. So what should you as a residential property manager write about? Here are 10 ideas to get you started.

1. Special Events

It’s always nice to do something for your residents. Whether it’s a block party, a social mixer or a pool party, events give you and your residents a chance to meet, talk and create a community. So why not write about them.

In the days leading up to the event, promote it by blogging about it. Tell people when it is, what it is and what they can expect. In the days following, recap the event. Tell a funny story from the event or just brag about how successful it was.

2. The Neighborhood

Where your tenants live is more than likely where they play. So give them some ideas! You can review bars and restaurants, give them updates for upcoming entertainment or do things like 5 Best Places to Have a Picnic.

The more your residents like the neighborhood, the more likely they are to stay. So start bragging about how awesome it is to live there.

3. Property Updates

It’s always easy to write what you know. And you know your properties. So write about them. You can do extended profiles on your available properties; you never know when someone’s friend or relative is looking for a new home.

A blog is also a good way to handle problems. If you have received similar complaints about something in particular, write a post about it. Detail the steps you are taking to resolve the problem and assure everyone it will be handled properly.

4. Resident Interviews

People like to know who their neighbors are and a blog is a great way to introduce people. Ask your residents if they are willing to be interviewed and if they are interview them. Ask them about their professional life, their hobbies, interests etc.

5. Resident News

Sometimes there are things like school fundraisers, community events or other activities your residents want to promote. So let them. Create a form or email address where your residents can send you submissions. The nice thing about this is you don’t have to write the post which will save you some time.

6. Industry News

Writing about industry news does two things. First, it increases your audience to encompass other property managers. Second, it makes you look professional. It’s always beneficial to increase your audience. And looking and sounding professional goes a long way to retaining existing residents and finding new ones.

7. Maintenance Tips

This is another category ideal for other property managers and your residents. Other property managers need useful ideas for maintenance and your residents don’t want to lose their deposit.

So write things like 7 Best Ways to Repair Drywall or 10 Common Plumbing Problems and How to Fix Them.

8. Employee Profiles

People like to see the faces behind the organization. A blog is a great way to introduce your employees to your tenants. And it shouldn’t be too hard to write about the people you employ.

9. Public Q&A

When one of your residents emails you a question it’s a good bet they are not the only one with that question. Whenever you answer a question for a resident, write a post about the question and answer it. Again, communication to your residents is critical and this is a good way to increase it.

10. Humor

Everyone likes to laugh. If you make people laugh, they always come back for more. However, this comes with a huge disclaimer. Writing humor is difficult. It’s not like telling a joke because people reading can’t hear your voice. Sarcasm is difficult to translate to the written word. So before you start posting things you think are funny, do your homework. Read some humorous blogs and see how they do it.

Also, lots of people think they’re funny and lots of those people aren’t funny. Before you start writing humor, ask friends and family if they think you’re funny. You might not like the answer but it can save you a lot of trouble.

About the Author

Patrick Venturella writes for Continental Message Solution (CMS), a leading answering service serving the property management industry. Learn more about CMS at www.continentalmessage.com.