When Feb. 14 rolls around, it’s the perfect time to show a little love for your tenants in ways big and small.
Whether you decide to host a Valentine’s Day party or give away treats or prizes, celebrating tenants can help you retain them.
Ensuring that your apartment community is a fun place to live, where renters feel appreciated and creating a sense of community will make tenants feel welcome and want to keep renewing their leases each year.
So, get creative and start planning your festivities now. Here are 14 Valentine’s Day ideas for apartments that your tenants will love.
1. Host a drop-in party
We’re still in a pandemic, so hosting a large, crowded party isn’t a great idea. Instead, host a drop-in party in a common area like the clubhouse. Serve candy and other treats, set up craft tables where kids and adults can make Valentine’s cards or other crafts and play games. Everyone will have a blast!
2. Decorate the common areas
Create a festive Valentine’s Day atmosphere by decorating the apartment community’s common areas, like the clubhouse, fitness center, offices and laundry space. Hang hearts, cupids, balloons and other decorations and set out jars of individually wrapped chocolate or other candy for residents to nibble on.
3. Share the love on social media
Make the love you have for your tenants known publicly by creating a few social media posts. Use a Valentine’s-themed graphic and write something like, “We love our tenants” or simply “Happy Valentine’s Day from [apartment community’s name].” These posts will generate likes, shares and some buzz for your social media channels. So, the next time someone is looking for an apartment to rent, they’ll likely remember your community.
4. Send cards to all your renters
It’s not Valentine’s Day without valentines, so create Valentine’s Day cards for each of your renters. Write a message telling them how much you enjoy having them live in your community and pass them out to all tenants.
5. Give out candy or other goodies
Heart-shaped candy, cookies, cupcakes and other sweet treats are hallmarks of Valentine’s Day, so sharing treats with tenants will be much appreciated. For smaller apartment communities, leave bags of candy on everyone’s front door. In other cases, place bowls of candy or trays of cookies and cupcakes in the clubhouse or lobby for residents to grab and go.
6. Treat the pets, too
Don’t forget your four-legged residents on Valentine’s Day. Give out treats for dogs and cats, too. Pet owners will appreciate this gesture. Even though a large percentage of renters have pets, it can often be tough to find pet-friendly apartments to rent.
7. Create a referral program
Another Valentine’s Day idea for apartments is to set up a promotional referral program or make your existing referral program a little sweeter. Send Valentine’s cards to residents offering a special holiday-related bonus if they share their love for your apartment community with their friends — and that friend ends up renting a unit. Bonuses could be a cash prize, a rent discount or a free month of rent.
8. Set up a photo booth
People love taking selfies, so setting up a Valentine’s Day-themed photo booth will be a fun way for them to enjoy the holiday. Create a festive backdrop featuring your apartment community’s branding and include balloons, paper hats and other props. Encourage residents to snap a photo to post on social media. Turn it into a contest by asking them to tag your community in the post for a chance to win a prize.
9. Collect teddy bears for charity
Use Valentine’s Day to share your love for the community beyond your apartments by hosting a donation drive. Collect teddy bears to distribute at a local children’s hospital, for example. Or, choose another charity in your area and encourage apartment residents to donate money or items.
10. Give away prizes
Hold a raffle to give away Valentine’s-themed prizes, such as a gift card for a romantic dinner for two or a spa day. Include prizes related to the apartment community, too. For example, give renters the chance to win free parking for a month, a free month’s rent, a discount on rent or some extra guest passes for the apartment community’s pool, fitness center or other amenities.
11. Partner with local businesses
Another Valentine’s Day idea for apartments is to support local businesses. Property owners or managers should reach out to local restaurants, shops, pet-sitters and other businesses to see if they’ll offer your tenants an exclusive coupon or discount. Small businesses will likely provide a free appetizer with an entrée purchase or 10 percent off coupons. And, tenants will appreciate these perks.
12. Stick a heart on everyone’s door
Make your apartment community look festive while showing your appreciation for your renters by sticking a colorful paper heart on everyone’s front door. Leave a note thanking tenants for choosing your apartment community. The hearts are sure to put a smile on your residents’ faces.
13. Display children’s artwork
Another way to celebrate is to ask the children living in your units to submit Valentine’s Day works of art. Then, display them in the lobby, clubhouse or other common areas. Kids will love drawing and painting hearts, candies and cupids and everyone else will enjoy seeing their artwork. The display also gives you a chance to highlight how family-friendly the apartment community is.
14. Host a door-decorating contest
Give tenants the chance to express their creative side and decorate their front doors for Valentine’s Day. Turn it into a contest for some added fun. The apartment community’s staff can judge whose decorations are the best and you can award prizes for first, second and third place. This activity will encourage residents to get to know one another and enjoy a friendly competition.
Valentine’s Day ideas for apartments
There’s no better time than Valentine’s Day to celebrate your renters. After all, they make your apartment community what it is. These Valentine’s Day ideas for apartments will help you show your appreciation, get to know your residents and foster a community spirit. To streamline running your apartment community, list your units on Rent.com, where you can take applications, screen potential tenants and collect rent.
Source: rent.com