As we work further into 2022, we are putting in all our effort to hit our monthly goals, so that soon we can reach our yearly goals of 100% prelease. This month, we are happy to announce that another one of our sister sites has achieved Century Club status! Everyone, please help us congratulate The Row at the Stadium and its staff for their success. We were extremely eager and excited to take a moment and sit down with team members Trey Jaridau, PM, and Alex Truchon, APM, who gave us their strategy when it comes to hitting 100% in a later, oversaturated market.
While we wanted to dive right in and dissect the leasing season they have had, Trey and Alex emphasized that the biggest key to their success was not a strategy, incentive, or amenity. It was actually their entire staff, and the environment that they curate for their office and their residents. This staff is energetic, extremely motivated, and determined to keep pushing forward even when already finding success. Trey and Alex noted that they keep everything they do fun, lively, and fresh for all their residents and prospects who walk through the door. We all wanted to take a moment and personally shout the whole staff out, because it truly does take a team working as one to achieve such a goal!
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Kailey Grooms, Leasing Consultant
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Matt Hogarty, Leasing Consultant
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Davis Jackson, Leasing Consultant
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Guiseppe Percoco, Leasing Consultant
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Jessica Rudin, Leasing Consultant
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Chloe Clark, Marketing Assistant
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James Davis, Groundskeeper
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Samuel Garthright, Groundskeeper
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Danny Kirkland, Shuttle Driver
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Yasmin Stevens, Shuttle Driver
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Devon Williams, Shuttle Driver
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Marcellus Alexander, Maintenance Supervisor
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Robert Welling, Porter
While discussing the staff, we took a moment to recognize where Alex and Trey began with Preiss and in the student housing industry. The two of them have been with The Row since it broke ground back in 2019. When Preiss purchased this property in 2021, they took a chance and stayed with us. “At first we were nervous about the takeover,” recalled Alex. “But after getting acquainted with the amazing people that make up TPCO, we were relieved and felt so welcomed!” She and Trey have been in the industry for seven years, and started as leasing agents before working their way to management. Turns out, they actually lived in the same apartment complex in college at USC before they began to work together! We guess fate had its own plans for this team to come together when the time was right. That apartment is now one of their top comps in their market. “It really came full circle for us,” Trey said. “We grew in this market so much, and we are thankful for the time we have had here. It has strengthened us in this industry.”
So, let’s talk about strategy. Leasing up so quickly, one would assume that the market is quick to lease. However, this couldn’t be further from the truth. Columbia, SC is a very full market, with nine other very large comps to compete with for the same demographic. So HOW did they do it? How did they reach 100% so quickly? Their number one tactic: “Create the urgency way in advance,” Alex said. “It will boost velocity, don’t give them a chance to say no!” It sounds like it’s go go GO for this property! The Row staff contributes a large majority of success to creating a firm, standing renewal deadline right out of the gate. With this, they were able to create a 47% retention rate this year (WOW). From there, they also noted that once the velocity increases, they communicate all availability to create more urgency on top of this. Emailing, calling, and talking to residents at events to let them know that they are running out of space as it is happening. Creating that urgency has been absolutely essential for them in this way!
But before any of this retaining can occur, Trey and Alex informed me that they had to set a standard for their residents that would make renewing hard to deny. They said they made the most of where they are, and found their strongpoints against their competitors. They created a brand and image around their site that made living there irresistible for renewals and new prospects alike. “Own it and run with it and sell it,” Alex said. “If you believe in your product and its worth, they will too!” Along with this, they attribute their Century Club to keeping their social media content fresh and filled with user-grabbing content. “Residents want to see themselves, so creating a giant hype around THEM in our social media has generated so much of our marketing efforts amongst our residents and their friends,” said Alex. From a marketing standpoint, they said this has been their most successful tactic.
Now that they have met the ultimate goal, we asked what they plan on doing next. They responded quickly with determination to say, “Don’t quit, don’t chill.” The Row team is now working on backfills and LTO’s, to be proactive for people that have been interested in living with them for a while. They are also working on pushing engagement for future residents on social media, and centering some of their events around new prospects and soon-to-be resident exposure.
Once again, we would like to congratulate The Row at the Stadium and all the staff on their remarkable dedication and determination to reach their goals! We just know that this is only the beginning of breaking records for this team, and changing the way we view innovative leasing. Thank you, Trey and Alex, for taking the time to give us your secret to success.
To the rest of us, let’s follow suit and hit those goals! It is only a matter of time before we will all join The Century Club! We can do it!