How to Promote Your Virtual Housing Fair

A virtual housing fair empowers participants by helping them learn about available property options, and connecting them with the best local property agents. These fairs advertise a large choice of accommodations or properties while also helping people meet landlords and disseminate relevant information about housing options, rental listings etc. It is also a unique opportunity for incoming attendees to discuss available housing and properties with estate agents, speak to lawyers etc. 

Who are you talking to?

For students it comes to finding on- or off- campus accommodation. Where students choose to live is one of the most important parts of the overall student and university experience. In addition, who you live with and where you live is an important decision. A virtual housing fair is that perfect opportunity for students to learn about the available options. Oftentimes, parents are also involved in this decision making process. Hence, this also allows them to come in, ask questions and see where and how their children will be living.  

Other than that there are housing fairs for overseas properties. These virtual housing fairs allow you to purchase properties overseas from the comfort of your home. There attendees require additional information such as exchange rates hence, they need to speak to currency experts.

However, you might have put together a stellar virtual housing fair platform. Be it for students or for people looking to purchase properties. How are you going to bring the relevant audiences to your platform? Simple: by vigorously promoting your virtual housing fair. 

But before you dive into marketing, identify your audience. This is the first step towards successfully promoting your virtual housing fair. Know who your audience is. 

So how will attendees know where to look for housing options? How do you draw them in? Let’s talk about how to spread the word about your virtual housing fair. 

Webpages

Your event landing page is the most important platform which can be used to promote your virtual housing fair. All your efforts, be it email marketing or content on social media, direct your audience to your webpage. Here you must host all the information your audience needs to make that final decision. From creative, eye-catchy designs to relevant information about the speakers, sponsors, date, time etc. Add in a powerful CTA, to give that nudge to audiences. 

Moreover, add in a popup to your website pages, that instantly remind any new visitors of the upcoming virtual housing fair. This helps send in that extra reminder for your upcoming event. 

Email Marketing 

Email marketing offers a potential return on investment of 4400%. Woah! Isn’t that great?

It still remains one of the best ways to attract and retain customers. Sending out email reminders about the virtual housing fair, the speakers present, the variety of housing options, rental listings can help attract your audience looking for accommodations or properties. 

Additionally, regular newsletters before the event can be sent to students and parents with updates. You can add in helpful blogs which talk about ‘tenant landlord agreements’ or ‘what to look for when renting an apartment’. Or ‘top considerations when purchasing overseas properties’. Essentially, any content that would add value to their experience. Make sure to have a subject line and Call-To-Action (CTA) button that compels people to hit the register button.

Through automated email building tools you can send emails before, during and after the virtual housing fair. If people have registered, but not logged in, they can be reminded. Share event announcements, or collect post event feedback through emails. Pre-schedule emails, or set up triggers to leverage email marketing. It is simple and effortless to use email marketing to advertise your event.

Social Media 

By leveraging social media channels of the participating university, realtors and property agents, you can expand your reach when advertising your virtual housing fair. Add in content, starting from basic details on where it is taking place, the date and time, most importantly how to register. Include details regarding the agents and realtors present, plus speaker sessions and networking opportunities that will be available for the attendees. Regularly post these updates regarding your event to keep your audiences informed. 

Using platforms such as Facebook, Instagram and Twitter can help you create some noise around your virtual housing fair. Additionally, when it comes to housing fairs for students specifically, you can utilize Facebook groups created for students of each year and advertise the virtual housing fair there to further concentrate your audience. Current students, student body representatives and ambassadors can also be engaged to help talk about upcoming virtual fairs. 

Of course, being active on social media is only half of it. To really build up noise around your virtual housing fair on social media, you need to create social media posts that carry the message in a captivating way. Using an online graphic design tool can help you create engaging social media posts without the need to spend on an expensive graphic designer.

Sponsors and Speakers at Virtual Housing Fair 

Invite speakers and sponsors to use their own social media channels to advertise the virtual housing fair. Using their own platforms will help spread the word far and wide with their own respective audiences. Engaging the speakers and sponsors present at your event will help bolster word of mouth. This is because at times, sponsors and speakers are the primary attraction towards the event, and leveraging their presence can help bring additional people to the event. 

It is essential to promote your virtual housing fair to reach the relevant audiences. It is a great place for audiences to connect with agents and realtors, and get the resources they need. Through webinars and individual booths they have the opportunity to learn more before they rent an apartment or buy a property. They can even engage in one on one conversations with booth representatives for additional queries. 

Use email marketing to your advantage, simultaneously creating noise on social media, and your website. Pay extra attention to the designs, and art works. Throw in catchy taglines, and powerful CTAs to your communication to effectively engage your audience. Voila! You are on your way to a successful virtual housing fair.