1. Marketing Through The Ages Jeremy Schneider Founder, RentLinx Lead Developer, MichiganHousingLocator.com Michigan Conference on Affordable Housing April 28th, 2008

2. Internet: Not Just for Kids Anymore 78% of renters have a computer in their home and 85% of those subscribe to high speed Internet. 1 78% of renters have a computer in their home and 85% of those subscribe to high speed Internet. 1 72% of renters begin their search on the Internet when moving to a new area. 2 72% of renters begin their search on the Internet when moving to a new area. 2 Senior housing too! Many adults use the Internet to search for their parents. Senior housing too! Many adults use the Internet to search for their parents. 1.NMHC Apartment Renter Technology Survey, 2007 2.MyNewPlace, Compete Survey, 2006

3. Obligatory Mention: Traditional Internet Listing Services (ILSs) Pay-to-ListPay-per-leaseRenter-Pay Pros: High visibility Potentially less competition Well marketed sites Cons: Can be pricey No ROI Guarantee Unnecessary pay-per-lease bills

4. The Long Tail *Source Hitwise and Inman news

5. Causes of the Long Tail? Little collaboration between major players Little collaboration between major players Localized popularity of smaller sites Localized popularity of smaller sites Vastly varying costs to advertise Vastly varying costs to advertise Many housing providers making varied choices Many housing providers making varied choices Many renters making varied choices Many renters making varied choices

6. * Brought to you by MSHDA Brought to you by MSHDA www.MichiganHousingLocator.com www.MichiganHousingLocator.com www.MichiganHousingLocator.com Free to list! Free to search! Free to list! Free to search! Affordable and Accessible housing options Affordable and Accessible housing options 24x7 Access, Unlimited updates 24x7 Access, Unlimited updates Easy to use Easy to use Part of the RentLinx network Part of the RentLinx network FREE!

7. MHL Success Went live December, 2006 Went live December, 2006 1,046,144 Property Views in last 12 months! 1,046,144 Property Views in last 12 months! 12,567 leads in last 12 months! 12,567 leads in last 12 months! 11,000+ properties representing 231,000+ Michigan rental housing units listed – and more are added every day 11,000+ properties representing 231,000+ Michigan rental housing units listed – and more are added every day

8. MHL Property Views

9. Michigan Housing Locator

10. MHL: Search Results Sorted by Modification Date Users can mark favorites

11. TIP Keep your property information current!* Keep your property information current!* Jump to the top of the list! Properties are sorted by modification date Jump to the top of the list! Properties are sorted by modification date Click “Mark as Current” to update modification date Click “Mark as Current” to update modification date

12. MHL: View results on a map

13. TIP Add Photos! Add Photos! Take photos on sunny days!* Take photos on sunny days!* More photos = More traffic! More photos = More traffic! EXLCUSIV E *Statistics as tracked by RentLinx on the RentLinx network of sites

14. TIP Add interior photos and floor plans! Renters love it Renters love it Some sign leases sight-unseen! Some sign leases sight-unseen!

15. MHL: Property Details Attachments & Links Labels by MSHDA Photo Gallery Print Brochure Mark as favorite Utilities

16. TIP Use the description! Use the description! Potential residents crave the details Potential residents crave the details A great place to list everything that won’t fit elsewhere A great place to list everything that won’t fit elsewhere Search engines thrive on this content! Search engines thrive on this content!

17. The Long Tail – Search Keywords EXLCUSIV E *RentLinx.com keyword stats from Google Analytics

18. What are renters searching for? “Top” Keywords “Top” Keywords #1. “kalamazoo apartments” #1. “kalamazoo apartments” #2. “royal oak apartments” #2. “royal oak apartments” #3. “ann arbor apartments” #3. “ann arbor apartments” Some other “down the list” searches Some other “down the list” searches #883. “income based apartments michigan” #883. “income based apartments michigan” #3,139. “senior subsidized living in garden city michigan” #3,139. “senior subsidized living in garden city michigan” #13,052. “all bills paid apartments flint, mi” #13,052. “all bills paid apartments flint, mi” #22,361. “for rent gas light district of grand rapids, mi” #22,361. “for rent gas light district of grand rapids, mi” #35,477. “show me all the apartments by the #3 bus route” #35,477. “show me all the apartments by the #3 bus route” EXLCUSIV E

19. MHL: Unit Details Interior Photos Map Modification Date

20. MHL: Satellite View Taking credit for Google’s hard work.

21. TIP List the rent or rent range! List the rent or rent range! Renters prefer to see places they know they can afford instead. Renters prefer to see places they know they can afford instead. If your rent is based on income, use the description to describe general qualifications If your rent is based on income, use the description to describe general qualifications Provide a link to your income qualifications Provide a link to your income qualifications

22. TIP Add links & attachments! Add links & attachments! Links provide helpful info to renters and improve the search engine rank of your website Links provide helpful info to renters and improve the search engine rank of your website Attachments give your future residents access to important documents before they walk in the door Attachments give your future residents access to important documents before they walk in the door

23. TIP Upload your attachments in PDF format Upload your attachments in PDF format Everyone can view on any type of computer Everyone can view on any type of computer Will always be viewed and printed as you expect Will always be viewed and printed as you expect “But Jeremy,” you may be asking yourself, “don’t you need expensive software to create PDF documents?” “But Jeremy,” you may be asking yourself, “don’t you need expensive software to create PDF documents?” No! Visit www.primopdf.com for a free converter! No! Visit www.primopdf.com for a free converter!www.primopdf.com OR: Send your documents as an attachment to pdf@koolwire.com. It’s like magic! OR: Send your documents as an attachment to pdf@koolwire.com. It’s like magic! pdf@koolwire.com Any file that you can print, you can convert to PDF Any file that you can print, you can convert to PDF

24. When Are Renters Looking? EXLCUSIV E

25. When Are Renters Looking? EXLCUSIV E

26. When Are Renters Looking? Moral. Only 40.9% of MHL web leads came in during 9-5, M-F business hours Only 40.9% of MHL web leads came in during 9-5, M-F business hours Many renters may not bother calling after hours Many renters may not bother calling after hours Make sure your e-mail works! Make sure your e-mail works! Reply as promptly as possible! Reply as promptly as possible!

27. Many More! But wait, there’s more!

28. How to Get Listed? Visit www.rentlinx.com www.rentlinx.com Click “List your Properties”

29. craigslist.org * Free classified site Free classified site Posts sorted by date Posts sorted by date City specific sub-sites City specific sub-sites Pros: Free! High traffic in Detroit and Ann Arbor Some swear by it Cons: Can attract spam or fraud Necessary to repost often

30. Your Website! Best Marketing? Best Marketing? Renters trust as the most accurate source Renters trust as the most accurate source Can be very inexpensive Can be very inexpensive A little can go a long way A little can go a long way Cheap domain names: GoDaddy.com* Cheap domain names: GoDaddy.com*

31. Market Your Website! Signs Signs Business Cards Business Cards E-mail Signatures E-mail Signatures Brochures Brochures Print and Internet Ads Print and Internet Ads Voicemail Voicemail Links from Partner websites! * Links from Partner websites! * Add a link to your RentLinx listing! Add a link to your RentLinx listing!

32. Your Website! Your Listings on Your Site! Visit www.rentlinx.com and click on “WebLinx” for more detailswww.rentlinx.com

33. Why not market on the Internet? Survey responses to “Don’t advertise online? Why?” Survey responses to “Don’t advertise online? Why?” Lack of Budget - 25% Lack of Budget - 25% Confusion. Don’t know how or where to begin - 20% Confusion. Don’t know how or where to begin - 20% The internet is not relevant to our business - 18% The internet is not relevant to our business - 18% Lack of time or personnel to do it - 15% Lack of time or personnel to do it - 15% Have all the business we need - 12% Have all the business we need - 12% Skeptical that it is effective - 10% Skeptical that it is effective - 10% No more excuses! No more excuses! *ClickZ.com and Opus Research Study, 2007

34. Questions?