This year Ellipse has experienced tremendous growth, a heartfelt loss, and gratitude to a standout industry. We conclude 2008 with a successful trade show season, and if we missed you this year, don't fret! Ellipse will be back next year bigger and better than ever. We will also introduce the newest member of our herd - the 2009 Ellipse cow, so stay tuned for more details in our More Than Just A Newsletter.

As our valued clients, colleagues and friends, Ellipse would like to express our sincere wishes for joy and happiness to you and yours during this holiday season. In 2009, expect Ellipse to work diligently to bring you the latest and greatest in Internet technology. We strive to keep your organization trained and at the top of its game.

Happy Holidays from The Ellipse Group!

What a year! If you are looking for one last great resident retention program, we suggest a resident feedback campaign centered on your property's New Year's Resolutions. Create a survey to gather some feedback about what your residents would like to see for the coming year. Evaluate the information carefully and announce your list at an event and through a Relate 24/7^SM message. This will ensure the residents know they are valued and their opinions are important to the operation of your community.

We loved this idea so much we decided to do it ourselves. Here at Ellipse we just finished reading BOOM! 7 Choices for Blowing the Doors Off Business-as-Usual by Kevin and Jackie Freiberg. One of their 7 ideas for "blowing the doors off business as usual" is to Focus Forward. As we focus on 2009 we would like to receive some feedback from you on what's most important to us, Our Service. Please take a moment and complete our survey. We look forward to working with you in 2009!

It seems you can't turn on the TV or radio without hearing about the economic downturn. Everywhere you look there are cutbacks and the multifamily industry is no exception. Often the first budget cut comes in the marketing department, which could spell disaster for your community. Companies need to continue to promote their value to their clients especially when times are tough.

"If a company chooses to market only during economic prosperity, they are basically throwing logs on an already blazing fire, but when companies market during an economic recession they achieve a much better result and often find their companies in a stronger position than those around them," says Gary Lilien of Penn State College of Business.

The obvious question is how to do you keep your marketing on the right track and not spend an exorbitant amount of money. There are tons of books written on so called "grassroots marketing" where you can rely on word of mouth and the viral type of campaigns, but in our industry while that is important it just isn't enough to support a growing community. Consider that you should be working out a value added marketing plan.

The first step is getting to know your customers. It's impossible to market to your prospects if you do not know what they are looking for. Dedicate some time to finding out what makes your community home to your residents. First decide what information you need, such as what amenities are being used and are appreciated, what do residents think about the office staff, how satisfied are residents with your maintenance staff, or any other questions you feel will help you market your community. Next gather this data with online polls, email feedback, or just go out and ask. And lastly be sure that the information you get is being shown to your prospects. Highlight those amenities that came out on top, or showcase your office staff on your website.

Reaching out to prospects and residents is an important part of marketing. Offering an opt-in newsletter, capturing email addresses anytime a prospect comes in to your office, and providing a way for web visitors to join your campaigns on your website will provide you with a list of interested people with whom you need to communicate. In a world where spam is becoming a greater and greater problem, it's important that the emails you are sending out are positive and relevant. Email can be a time consuming way to market if you are not using Relate 24/7^SM or another automated system, so be sure you are committed to regular communications.

The most important part of marketing in an economic crisis is on your website. It is the quintessential low cost advertisement, and needs to be a main part of your community's promotion. Most websites are not being updated as often as they should be causing lost traffic and fewer lead generations. Spend time to walk through your website and update your pricing and amenities. Read your home page; is it something that would keep you looking at the website? If not, update these minor details. Be sure that your ILS listings are current and match your website, consistency is important for online presence. If your websites are outdated they are not doing you any good, so be sure that they are as current and appealing as possible.

Prospects are spending less and need to know what you have that your competitors don't. When you think about your marketing budget, remember to get more business you have to show customers your value.