As a company, we can all agree that our efforts sink further than just providing housing to students around the country. We put our hearts into the communities that surround us, and strive to make a difference in every way we can.
One of our properties in Florida, Cabana Beach Gainesville Apartments, has exemplified this standard by joining an event to aid the fight against cancer, bringing residents together for an amazing cause and for a low price.
We talked to Marcus Hamilton, the Leasing and Marketing Manager for the property, about the event his property participated in called “Relay For Life.” He said, “Often times, we as property managers have to figure out new ways to interact with the Colleges or Universities near our property; Relay for Life is one way that gives the property the opportunity to reach a tremendous amount of students for a very low cost. It showcases the property in a different light.”
The process was quite simple. He went online and searched for “Relay for Life.” The website showed a list of colleges and universities that were participating in a race near the campus, and found that he could enroll his property for $15.00. Marcus then proceeded to set his team name, signed up his staff, and designated a “team captain.” This captain attended all the meetings, usually held on campus, and involving the other participating groups. In hindsight, this is a great way to meet so many different groups on campus or in the surrounding areas. “This gives you the opportunity to talk about your property events, or whatever that conversation with these groups means to you,” says Marcus.
After the team is secure, his next step was fundraising. His idea was having a pool party, and charging anyone that came a $1.00 cover after explaining what they are paying for. Marcus says, “This is for a good cause, and it’s a great way to show that you as a property are contributing to the cause.” Even without a pool, there are other great ways to hold fundraising events, such as donation boxes, adoption events, and food delivery services.
Finally, he reached the day of the Relay. He set up a table for his team, and stacked it with t-shirts and promo items, passing them out to the participants in the event. The property’s logo was displayed everywhere, and Marcus said that since most participants are students, it was extremely successful from a marketing standpoint to just be present at the event.Ultimately, this was a great way to market our properties, and local events can always be used for opportunities to get our name out there. However, this goes deeper than just marketing. “Cancer hits home for just about everyone, and we have all been affected by it in some shape or form,” Marcus says. “So for me, it helps keep me motivated because cancer has for sure had an impact on my life.”Even if you try an event like this, and it isn’t as successful as you want it to be, remember the other reason you are there: to bring together a community for an amazing cause. Marcus says, “Always remember that collectively, we are hope.”Thank you to Marcus Hamilton and the Cabana Beach Gainesville Team for sharing this experience, and for finding such a great way to give back to our community!
