How To Have A Picture Party At Your Apartment

By Jeff Swett

Want to have some cheap fun in your apartment without causing too much destruction and havoc? Have a picture party!

And by party, I don't mean inviting tons and tons of people. I'd advise, for your sake and for your neighbors' sake, limit your guest list to 5-8 people. Also, be sure that the ones whom you invite are creative and good with cameras. At the end of this event, you want to come away with hundreds of really great photos from a variety of different eyes that will immortalize your apartment and help you retain those often awesome, yet fleeting memories.

And if you take some really awesome pictures that feature your sweet looking apartment...be sure to share them with your apartment manager! Maybe they could use them to show how great and fun their apartments can be...Just a thought.

There are two ways of having this event.

Got Digital? - Have each of your guests bring their own digital camera and the cables or card readers they'll need to transfer any pics to your computer. Schedule some board games or other fun activities as well as place a number of fun, cool looking objects around the apartment. Of course, you will want to have a few snacks and refreshments available. (Remember adult beverages should be for adults only and handled responsibly)

You'll want to have a timer that goes off at a set time every couple of minutes or so, which will be time for every guest to take a picture. Doesn't really matter of what as long as it's a cool pic!
Then after a couple of hours, transfer all of the pictures over to your computer, have a slide show, and a ton of great laughs!

Disposable Disco- This one is more for those who are less concerned with perfect pictures and more concerned with the element of surprise. Supply each of your guests with a disposable camera as soon as they walk through your door. Follow the same activity and time guidelines as above, but every 10 minutes have everyone put all the cameras into a bag, shake them up, and then pull out another camera. This really mixes it up!

You could then take a group trip to your nearest one hour photo lab and see if they'd be able to actually print all the pics within an hour. If so, kill some time shopping or grabbing a drink while the pictures are being developed. After you pick them up, take them all back to the apartment and spread them out all over the floor.

You'll come away with a bunch of great pics and possibly some great new decorating ideas with all the excellent photos.

Quick tip: If you keep your apartment well lit, make sure that you don't use the flash. Flashes have a tendency of really white washing out pictures and if you can get around using one because your room is really bright...do it!

Either way you decide to do it, if you end up hosting one of these picture taking events, post your pictures on an account at Flickr and post a link to your pics in a comment on this blog. I'd love to share them in our blogs!

Check out ApartmentHomeLiving.com for more info on apartment living and the apartment lifestyle.

Jeff's just a regular guy with a funny goatee that really enjoys people and life. On top of that he is a bit of an expert on apartments, living in them, and getting the most out of the apartment living lifestyle.

As a Managing Partner of Apartment Home Living, Jeff wants to help you find the right apartment by getting to know you. Not only where you want to live & what you want to pay, but what you like. This way, we can help you find an apartment that fits your personality, not just your budget.

At AHL Apartmentites have a platform to share their own stories, get great info & tips on apartment living, read Jeff's entertaining blogs/stories, find Answers to a wide array of apartment related questions, and have a ton of fun sharing their love of apartment living with others.

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Marketing Apartments - Sell Prospective Renters On The Benefits

By Carissa Drohan

Did you know that it's not necessarily the features that will sell a building to potential renters, but rather the benefits that those features will provide the customer? Everyone wants to know "What's In It For Me?". One of the best ways to improve upon your sales technique is to sit down and brainstorm a list of features you offer and how they benefit the renter. When brainstorming for features and benefits consider each of the following different areas:
reputation, added value, uniqueness and convenience.

Reputation: The reputation of the building will serve as a good indicator to prospective renters about the quality of the building. Renters want the security of knowing that maintenance issues are dealt with in a timely fashion. It's not enough to simply tell them this as being a salesperson they will often be skeptical of your motives. Show them proof. Gather testimonials from satisfied renters and provide them to your prospect.

When gathering testimonials just remember to ask for contact information from your current residents. A first name is not often credible. If they offer to list their phone number or unit number this will often be sufficient for credibility and the prospect will not often follow up to check the validity of the testimonial. Just remember to always have permission from the resident before offering any personal information.

Added Value: Added value may be as simple as upgrades that you have made to the unit. Have your recently changed the toilets or bathroom fixtures? Do you supply extra appliances such as a dishwasher, microwave or air conditioner? These all add value to the unit in the eyes of the renter. Sometimes even adding a ceiling fan at no extra charge can increase the interest of the prospective renter.

Uniqueness: Does your building have more windows than the average apartment? Natural lighting is not only healthier but the sunlight in the wintertime cuts down on the cost for heating. This may save your renter money on their heating bill. Does you have building social events?
Those appeal to most seniors as they enjoy having daily activities. Brainstorm what is unique to your building and stress the benefits when showing the unit to the prospective renters.

Convenience: The number one reason renters choose a building is location. Find out what amenities are conveniently located near your building and be sure to bring those up. Not only will amenities attract renters, but also payment options. Many renters wish to pay by credit card or pre-authorized payment. If you have those options, it may be a benefit to those busy individuals that do not want to have to worry about remembering to write that cheque.

Remember, just because a prospect needs an apartment does not mean that they will automatically be interested in yours. In this competitive industry it's all about selling why your location is the best fit for them.

Carissa Drohan is a Marketing Coordinator for Skyline Incorporated, a Property Management company that manages apartment buildings across Ontario and is also the owner of Drohan Marketing.