The document summarizes a marketing bootcamp for marketing to today's military families. It discusses how the military has changed over the past 35 years with more married service members living off base. It provides statistics on military housing and the Basic Allowance for Housing (BAH) that service members receive. It outlines the AHRN (Armed Forces Housing Referral Network) website that helps service members find available housing listings. The presentation then discusses economic conditions and opportunities for property managers. It provides tips for military marketing including targeting the right markets, knowing competitors, using marketing tools inside and outside communities, and executing marketing plans with precision. [END SUMMARY]

1. Marketing BootCamp:
Marketing to Today’s Military Families
Larry Fredrich, Runzheimer International
Susan Weston, The Susan Weston Company
Jennifer Calandrillo, WinnResidential Military Housing Services
Charity Hisle, Socially Engaged Marketing
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2. The Military has changed over
the past 35 years
• Volunteer vs. Draft
• Over 60% of the military are married with dependents
• Over two thirds live “on the economy”
• Still relocate every 2-3 years, on average
• Investment in training requires reenlistment
• “Recruitment & Retention” is essential
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3. Military Housing Statistics
• As of 1995, over 250,000 housing units were owned by
DOD domestically
• Over two thirds were deemed inadequate (yet most were
occupied)
• The bill for rehabilitation and renovation: $30 Billion
• DOD didn’t want to be a landlord anymore
• At present ~200,000 housing units have been privatized
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4. Some Background Information
• The largest group of relocating families in the US is the
military
• Over 750,000 military families relocate annually
• 2005’s BRAC (Base Realignment and Closure) has
increased this temporarily
• BRAC must be completed by Sept. 15, 2011
• It’s going to be a busy summer!
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5. The “BAH”
• A rent-based housing allowance for military members,
and their dependents, living in the United States.
• Meant to cover Rent, Utilities, and Renter’s Insurance
• The “BAH” changes based upon:
– Rank
– Dependents
– Location
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6. More about the “BAH”
• Unique BAH rates computed for 363 MHA’s
• Over one million military families receive BAH
• BAH payments exceeded $19 Billion in 2010
• Based upon real & available properties in your MHA
– Inadequate properties eliminated
– Must be year-round unfurnished rentals
– No seasonals, furnished, efficiencies, subsidized units,
houseboats, guard towers, mother-in-law suites, etc.
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7. The Data
• 350,000 actual rentals surveyed annually
• All properties are verified
• BAH represents the median rent, for adequate properties
in a given area, for:
– 1 and 2 BR Apartments
– 2 and 3 BR Townhomes
– 3 and 4 BR Single-family Homes
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8. The BAH Rates
• The BAH is set at the median
• It is an entitlement program (vs. need satisfaction)
• Rates are updated each January 1st
• No more Out-of-pocket (let me explain)
• The rates can be found at:
– https://www.defensetravel.dod.mil/site/bah.cfm
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9. How has the military member
traditionally found housing?
• Contact the Housing Office
• Talk to friends assigned there
• The Internet
• Show up at the front gate with dependents in tow,
resulting in:
– Temporary Quarters
– Temporary Storage
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10. So what’s the solution?
www.AHRN.com
• BAH determines Affordability
• BAH addresses Adequacy
• Availability can still be a problem
• AHRN is DOD’s answer
– Exclusively for the military
– Only shows Available properties
– Unlimited listings by Property Managers
– No charge to Property Managers
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11. AHRN Statistics to Date
• AHRN has been deployed at over 439 military bases in
the US
• 29 installations in Europe and Asia
• Over 35,000 available properties listed
• Over 451,000 properties in national data base
• Over 535,000 registered military members
• Over 123,000 unique Property Managers
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12. Today’s Market Conditions
Great News: You’re in a Better Position!
(But Time is of the Essence!)
Susan Weston, The Susan Weston Company
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13. #educonf11J2
March 2011 1

14. Economic Conditions
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15. 5 Ways to UP your Military Marketing
and Outreach Game!
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16. 1. Know Your Partners’
Business Case
• Understand and serve our residents
• Achieve and maintain occupancy
• Meet financial goals
• Realize optimal value of project
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17. 2. Target Your Market
Quit wasting the tons
of time, energy and
money we spend
to get as many
people as possible
in the door and
HOPE we can turn
some of them into
RESIDENTS
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18. Go Get Your Residents!
Housing
Office
Eligible
Others?
Residents
Wait List Target
Residents Residents
Support
Members
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19. Go Get Waterfall Clients
• Active Duty Military • Guard and Reserve
families Military
• Other Military Members • Federal Government
not assigned to the and Civil Service
installation Employees
• Unaccompanied Military • Retired Federal
Personnel Service Employees
• Active National Guard • DoD Contractors and
and Reserve Permanent Employees
• Military Retirees • General Public
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20. 3. Know Your
Competition
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21. 4. Use Marketing Tools
Inside the Community
• Office Ambiance – Partners, Housing
• Models and Show Homes
• Grounds, Amenities
• Programs, Promotions, Incentives
• Your sales and support team
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22. 4. Use Marketing Tools
Outside the Community
• Preferred Employers
• Reciprocal Marketing with Area Firms
• Event Marketing
• Local Community Involvement
• Relationships with Provider Partners
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23. 4. Use Marketing Tools
Media and Advertising
• Use military specific locators
• Multi-family ILS’s
• Be where the general public is looking and
refine your message!
• Use prospects to market to prospects
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24. 4. Use Marketing Tools
Retention and Renewal
• Remarket and resell constantly!
• Use more feedback
• Remind your customer what you do for
him!
• Do your homework!
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25. 5. Execute with Precision
• Share Accountabilities with Stakeholders
• Assign Corporate and Military Sponsors
• Set Intermediate, Threshold and Final
Targets and Deadlines
• Set Metrics, then Measure and Track
• Regular required Status Reporting
• Fearless Re-projections (if necessary!)
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26. Market for Revenue!
The Clock is Ticking……….
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27. Market for Revenue!
The Clock is Ticking……….
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28. Making the Most of
Resident Touchpoints
What story are you telling?
Jennifer Calandrillo, WinnResidential Military Housing Services
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29. Your “story” is being written
…with or without your help
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30. What are Your Key
TouchPoints?
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31. What is the ACTION happening?
What EMOTION is the service member/family feeling?
What is the SITUATION around the employee?
What EXPERIENCE do
you want to create?
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32. • Action: Service Member Receives PCS
Orders
• Emotions?
Stress….excitement…worry… anxiety?
• Experience?
Informative, welcoming, calming, helpful
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33. Touchpoints
When you know your key touchpoints, you
can design your business processes
around ensuring consistent experiences
each time with planned, proactive
communication
Orchestrate an experience!
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34. Key Touchpoints
• Pre-Arrival
• In-Bound
• Leasing/Waitlist
• Move-In
• Residency
• Move Out
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35. Consider This…
• Employee Work Environment
• Rewards, Incentives
• Time Wasters
• Tracking and Measurement
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36. Social Marketing
for Military Housing
MilitaryHealth
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37. Presented By:
Charity Hisle
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38. Social Media
Basic Training expertinfantry
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39. Train
The US Army
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40. Strategize
USACEpublicaffairs
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41. P.O.S.T.
NYCMarines
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42. People
expertinfantry
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43. Objectives
NYCMarines
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44. Strategy
DVIDSHUB
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45. Who will manage your
strategy?
The U.S. Army
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46. Who will manage the
day-to-day tasks?
The National Guard
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47. Technology Randy Son Of Robert
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48. Deploy
DVIDSHUB
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49. Why Social Media?
The US Army
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50. Word of Mouth
The U.S. Army
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51. 60% of Facebook
users are likely to
recommend
brands on Facebook
The U.S. Army
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52. Connect
DVIDSHUB
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53. 22% of Facebook
users say someone
recommended the page
DVIDSHUB
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54. Engage
expertinfantry
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55. 29% of Facebook
users enjoy
interacting with
brands
expertinfantry
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56. U.S. Social
Network
User Data
2011
The US Army
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57. 65+ 31%
55-64 52%
45-54 58%
35-44 72%
25-34 82%
18-24 90%
12-17 81%
0-11 15%
U.S. Social Network User Data 2011
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58. Getting
Started
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59. Listen
expertinfantry
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62. Build Accounts
The US Army
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63. Manage Accounts Official U.S. Navy Imagery
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64. Evaluate Regularly familymwr
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65. Challenges
expertinfantry
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66. “I now discourage families because
of the changes that have occurred
to military housing. I use the
community pages to share details
that many are unaware of prior to
signing a lease for military
housing."
expertinfantry
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68. What to Avoid
expertinfantry
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69. Defensive
Offensive
Aggressive
expertinfantry
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70. Success Stories
dbking
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73. Think BIGGER
expertinfantry
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74. Should
Each
Community
have a
page?
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76. Connecting
expertinfantry
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86. What military families want
RobBixbyPhotography
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87. “Military wives are a
tight, supportive group.”
The US Army
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90. “I would like
to see
newcomer info,
base events,
volunteer
info, and
mom/tot info.”
The US Army
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91. “I would
like to know
if there are
any flights,
ships,
battalions,
or squadrons
deploying.” The US Army
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92. “When is my
Dad coming
home.”
familymwr
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93. “I would "like" to see my housing on Facebook
because it is a convenient way to keep up
with things going on in the community.”
TrilliumAZ
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94. “Reading and being able to
communicate with other residents is
very important in the military.”
familymwr
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95. “I mainly use the site for
information gathering and
community activities.”
Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff
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96. “Contests are always fun
and keep me engaged. I tend
to check back weekly.”
familymwr
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97. “Facebook has been a very
valuable tool when relocating.”
RobBixbyPhotography
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98. Q&A
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