5 Things We Need to Stop Doing in 2025: Anti-Resolutions for Tired Multifamily Marketers and Operators
Let's focus on what serves us. And let go of what doesn't.
Was it just me, or was 2024 the longest year ever?
There was a seemingly endless election news cycle. Mystery drones. People calling everything “demure” and “cutesy.” Plus, Taylor Swift ended her Eras tour, and I didn’t even get to go!
I think you can all join me in saying, “good riddance.”
And speaking of saying goodbye to things that no longer suit us, there are aspects in multifamily that just no longer make sense. So why keep doing them? And the start of a new year is a great time to take stock. You may even resolve to stop doing these thing. Heh.
Here is a list of things to stop doing in 2025. (Also, check out my lists from 2024, 2023 and 2022. Yes, I have a lot of gripes. I’m like the Grinch, but for New Years resolutions. Bah, humbug!)
Stop using AI for everything. Remember when we were all leery of AI? And then we realized it could respond to prospective resident queries at any time and monitor when HVAC and other systems needed maintenance and create creepy pictures where people’s hands were never quite right? Suddenly we found a reason to use AI for everything. Well, perhaps the pendulum has swung too far in that direction. AI is great! But there are some areas where the human touch is still necessary. Text that AI generates often has errors. You need your online copy to be able to be searched. You might want to build a real relationship with your residents. After all, AI can’t tell you if you have spinach in your teeth. (Actually, strike that. It probably can.)
No more one-size-fits-all marketing. Once size fits all doesn’t even work for clothes. We are not the Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants—we don’t all have the same body types, and we aren’t attracted by the same type of marketing. If you’re a marketing a luxury property in an urban market, you can’t have the same ads as a senior community in the suburbs. Gen Z renters respond to different things than Millennials. (For one, they’re not always accused of killing the housing industry because of their love of avocado toast.)
Don’t focus on quantity. Quality for the win! Cast a smaller, more targeted net. Instead of trying to attract everyone and everyone, really focus on your targeted audience.
Stop making business decisions all willy-nilly, and no more throwing spaghetti on the wall to see what sticks. (Figuratively. But it never hurts to cut down on food waste, too.) Sure, you can try a bunch of marketing campaigns or resident events until you find success. But with so much data out there, you can really make informed decisions, saving yourself time and money. (This is one of those times where AI might really be helpful.)
Stop ignoring wellness. I recently watched a rerun of The Nanny from the ’90s with my 11 year old. In the episode, Gracie, the 6-year-old daughter, goes to a therapist. That’s it. That was the punch line. (Mind you, she had lost her mother.) It was rough. I tried to explain to my daughter why that would be funny back then. Things have changed. There is a better understanding of mental health now. Plus, self care is a huge focus. And multifamily is finally starting to take note. While fitness facilities are not new, communities are also starting to incorporate massage therapists, Botox, spa services and more to highlight wellness. More of this in the new year, please!
What else should we stop doing in 2025? I’d love to hear your thoughts on this. Send a tweet to @MHNOnline, or send me a message on LinkedIn.
