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Marketing BootCamp: Marketing to Today’s Military Families

Larry Fredrich, Runzheimer International

Susan Weston, The Susan Weston Company

Jennifer Calandrillo, WinnResidential Military Housing Services

Charity Hisle, Socially Engaged Marketing

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The Military has changed over

the past 35 years

• Volunteer vs. Draft

• Over 60% of the military are married with dependents

• Over two thirds live “on the economy”

• Still relocate every 2-3 years, on average

• Investment in training requires reenlistment

• “Recruitment & Retention” is essential

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Military Housing Statistics

• As of 1995, over 250,000 housing units were owned by

DOD domestically

• Over two thirds were deemed inadequate (yet most were

occupied)

• The bill for rehabilitation and renovation: $30 Billion

• DOD didn’t want to be a landlord anymore

• At present ~200,000 housing units have been privatized

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Some Background Information

• The largest group of relocating families in the US is the

military

• Over 750,000 military families relocate annually

• 2005’s BRAC (Base Realignment and Closure) has

increased this temporarily

• BRAC must be completed by Sept. 15, 2011

• It’s going to be a busy summer!

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The “BAH”

• A rent-based housing allowance for military members,

and their dependents, living in the United States.

• Meant to cover Rent, Utilities, and Renter’s Insurance

• The “BAH” changes based upon:

– Rank

– Dependents

– Location

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More about the “BAH”

• Unique BAH rates computed for 363 MHA’s

• Over one million military families receive BAH

• BAH payments exceeded $19 Billion in 2010

• Based upon real & available properties in your MHA

– Inadequate properties eliminated

– Must be year-round unfurnished rentals

– No seasonals, furnished, efficiencies, subsidized units,

houseboats, guard towers, mother-in-law suites, etc.

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The Data

• 350,000 actual rentals surveyed annually

• All properties are verified

• BAH represents the median rent, for adequate properties

in a given area, for:

– 1 and 2 BR Apartments

– 2 and 3 BR Townhomes

– 3 and 4 BR Single-family Homes

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The BAH Rates

• The BAH is set at the median

• It is an entitlement program (vs. need satisfaction)

• Rates are updated each January 1st

• No more Out-of-pocket (let me explain)

• The rates can be found at:

– https://www.defensetravel.dod.mil/site/bah.cfm

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How has the military member

traditionally found housing?

• Contact the Housing Office

• Talk to friends assigned there

• The Internet

• Show up at the front gate with dependents in tow,

resulting in:

– Temporary Quarters

– Temporary Storage

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So what’s the solution?

www.AHRN.com

• BAH determines Affordability

• BAH addresses Adequacy

• Availability can still be a problem

• AHRN is DOD’s answer

– Exclusively for the military

– Only shows Available properties

– Unlimited listings by Property Managers

– No charge to Property Managers

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AHRN Statistics to Date

• AHRN has been deployed at over 439 military bases in

the US

• 29 installations in Europe and Asia

• Over 35,000 available properties listed

• Over 451,000 properties in national data base

• Over 535,000 registered military members

• Over 123,000 unique Property Managers

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Today’s Market Conditions

Great News: You’re in a Better Position!

(But Time is of the Essence!)

Susan Weston, The Susan Weston Company

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3

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Economic Conditions

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5 Ways to UP your Military Marketing

and Outreach Game!

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1. Know Your Partners’

Business Case

• Understand and serve our residents

• Achieve and maintain occupancy

• Meet financial goals

• Realize optimal value of project

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2. Target Your Market

Quit wasting the tons

of time, energy and

money we spend

to get as many

people as possible

in the door and

HOPE we can turn

some of them into

RESIDENTS

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Go Get Your Residents!

Housing Office

Others?

Target Residents

Support Members

Wait List Residents

Eligible Residents

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Go Get Waterfall Clients

• Active Duty Military

families

• Other Military Members

not assigned to the

installation

• Unaccompanied Military

Personnel

• Active National Guard

and Reserve

• Military Retirees

• Guard and Reserve

Military

• Federal Government

and Civil Service

Employees

• Retired Federal

Service Employees

• DoD Contractors and

Permanent Employees

• General Public

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3. Know Your

Competition

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4. Use Marketing ToolsInside the Community

• Office Ambiance – Partners, Housing

• Models and Show Homes

• Grounds, Amenities

• Programs, Promotions, Incentives

• Your sales and support team

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4. Use Marketing ToolsOutside the Community

• Preferred Employers

• Reciprocal Marketing with Area Firms

• Event Marketing

• Local Community Involvement

• Relationships with Provider Partners

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4. Use Marketing ToolsMedia and Advertising

• Use military specific locators

• Multi-family ILS’s

• Be where the general public is looking and

refine your message!

• Use prospects to market to prospects

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4. Use Marketing ToolsRetention and Renewal

• Remarket and resell constantly!

• Use more feedback

• Remind your customer what you do for

him!

• Do your homework!

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5. Execute with Precision

• Share Accountabilities with Stakeholders

• Assign Corporate and Military Sponsors

• Set Intermediate, Threshold and Final

Targets and Deadlines

• Set Metrics, then Measure and Track

• Regular required Status Reporting

• Fearless Re-projections (if necessary!)

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Market for Revenue!

The Clock is Ticking……….

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Market for Revenue!

The Clock is Ticking……….

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Making the Most of

Resident Touchpoints

What story are you telling?

Jennifer Calandrillo, WinnResidential Military Housing Services

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Your “story” is being written

…with or without your help

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What are Your Key

TouchPoints?

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What EXPERIENCE do

you want to create?

What is the ACTION happening?

What is the SITUATION around the employee?

What EMOTION is the service member/family feeling?

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• Action: Service Member Receives PCS

Orders

• Emotions?

Stress….excitement…worry… anxiety?

• Experience?

Informative, welcoming, calming, helpful

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Touchpoints

When you know your key touchpoints, you

can design your business processes

around ensuring consistent experiences

each time with planned, proactive

communication

Orchestrate an experience!

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Key Touchpoints

• Pre-Arrival

• In-Bound

• Leasing/Waitlist

• Move-In

• Residency

• Move Out

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Consider This…

• Employee Work Environment

• Rewards, Incentives

• Time Wasters

• Tracking and Measurement

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Social Marketing

for Military Housing

MilitaryHealth

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Presented By:

Charity Hisle

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Social Media

Basic Trainingexpertinfantry

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TrainThe US Army

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Strategize

USACEpublicaffairs

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P.O.S.T.

NYCMarines

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Peopleexpertinfantry

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Objectives

NYCMarines

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StrategyDVIDSHUB

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Who will manage your

strategy?

The U.S. Army

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Who will manage the

day-to-day tasks?The National Guard

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TechnologyRandy Son Of Robert

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Deploy

DVIDSHUB

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Why Social Media?

The US Army

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Word of Mouth

The U.S. Army

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60% of Facebook

users are likely to

recommend

brands on FacebookThe U.S. Army

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Connect

DVIDSHUB

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22% of Facebook

users say someone

recommended the page

DVIDSHUB

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Engage

expertinfantry

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29% of Facebook

users enjoy

interacting with

brandsexpertinfantry

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U.S. Social

Network

User Data

2011

The US Army

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15%

81%

90%

82%

72%

58%

52%

31%

0-11

12-17

18-24

25-34

35-44

45-54

55-64

65+

U.S. Social Network User Data 2011

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Getting

Started

Official U.S. Navy Imagery

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Listen

expertinfantry

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Build AccountsThe US Army

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Manage AccountsOfficial U.S. Navy Imagery

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Evaluate Regularlyfamilymwr

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Challengesexpertinfantry

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“I now discourage families because of the changes that have occurred to military housing. I use the community pages to share details that many are unaware of prior to signing a lease for military housing."

expertinfantry

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What to Avoid

expertinfantry

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Defensive

Offensive

Aggressive

expertinfantry

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Success Stories

dbking

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Think BIGGERexpertinfantry

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Should

Each

Community

have a

page?

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Connecting

expertinfantry

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What military families want

RobBixbyPhotography

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“Military wives are a tight, supportive group.”

The US Army

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“I would like to see newcomer info, base events, volunteer info, and mom/tot info.”

The US Army

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“I would like to know if there are any flights, ships, battalions, or squadrons deploying.” The US Army

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“When is my Dad coming

home.”

familymwr

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“I would "like" to see my housing on Facebook because it is a convenient way to keep up with things going on in the community.”

TrilliumAZ

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“Reading and being able to communicate with other residents is very important in the military.”

familymwr

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“I mainly use the site for information gathering and community activities.”

Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff

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“Contests are always fun and keep me engaged. I tend to check back weekly.”

familymwr

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“Facebook has been a very valuable tool when relocating.”

RobBixbyPhotography

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Q & A