Client story: DTN Management Company on REACH website services

Your website is often the first point of contact for potential residents, making it a crucial element of your marketing strategy. Whether you’re managing conventional properties, luxury developments or student housing, a well-designed website can significantly impact your success.

To gain insights from a company that has successfully navigated these challenges — with a portfolio that includes multiple property types — we sat down with Denise Todd from DTN Management Company.

After 50 years in the industry, DTN recently undertook a successful website rebranding. If you’ve been wanting to refresh or redo your company’s website, this article is for you. Denise shares valuable lessons that will help any multifamily marketer looking to enhance their digital presence.

Can you tell us a bit about DTN’s journey and what prompted the update of your corporate website?

Denise: Sure, DTN is a family-owned and operated company with a rich history, celebrating our 50th anniversary last year. We have a diverse portfolio of properties across Michigan and Florida, catering to a wide range of residents. This includes:

• A large student portfolio centered around Michigan State University and the University of Michigan
• Conventional properties throughout the state
• Single-family homes
• New luxury construction in Michigan and Florida

The rebranding was driven by our desire to refresh our logo and website, especially as we marked our anniversary in 2023.

We wanted to ensure our site was both visually appealing and high performing. Given our wide range of assets, our marketing needs to resonate with a diverse audience including students, Millennials, Gen X and baby boomers.

Renter experience is crucial. How did you approach this aspect during the redesign?

Denise: At DTN, our focus has been on our residents from day one. What do renters need? How can we make this better, easier, more user-friendly for our renters?

Our website is often their first point of contact, so we wanted it to really work for them. It also needed to work for us. I like to say our website is our hardest working leasing agent. It needs to understand our customers and what will engage them on our website.

Starting with the navigation, we have a drop-down that lets renters search how they want to. They can search all communities, off-campus housing, student apartments or housing and duplexes. We also have interactive maps and neighborhood pages to help them figure out exactly where they want to live.

And at our student properties, we highlight two of the biggest drivers for this audience: best locations and bigger bedrooms.

Design trends are always evolving. Which styles did you incorporate into the new website?

Denise Todd: We opted for a clean and minimalistic design that doesn’t overshadow the website’s purpose. The creative team at REACH were really helpful. They suggested some of the unifying background elements that appear throughout.

In addition to working with REACH, we also partnered with third parties like Render.Bar and 3D Stagers to create visually striking content and virtual staging. You can see an example of a video created to promote Vista at Brighton, a property that’s currently under construction. But in the video, you can see people walking around and enjoying the community.

And from a functional design perspective, virtual tours and interior photos are prominently featured, as they are highly influential in the decision-making process for potential renters.

Did you have any learning moments during the process?

Denise: Yes, any marketing exercise is an opportunity to learn. In the case of our websites, because we updated our property sites too, we did some experimenting with nudge marketing.

We initially implemented nudge marketing features to encourage potential leads to take action, such as scheduling a tour or contacting us. However, we decided to remove nudges on a website temporarily to see if it would streamline the user experience. Interestingly, we noticed a significant drop in leads during that period. Looking at just one property, we saw 28 missed leads year over year, so you can imagine the potential impact across our portfolio.

It became clear that those subtle prompts were crucial in guiding visitors through the decision-making process and adding an incentive. So, we reintroduced nudge marketing, and almost immediately, we saw an uptick in engagement and leads. It was a valuable lesson in understanding the importance of these small but impactful elements in our digital strategy.

How was your experience working with REACH on your website update?

Denise: Working with REACH by RentCafe on our website refresh was very collaborative. We came in knowing our brand and our renters. Your team brought a wealth of expertise and innovative ideas to the table, which were instrumental in our website’s transformation. The collaboration was seamless, with regular reviews and feedback sessions that allowed us to fine-tune every aspect of the site.

Overall, it was a highly productive partnership that contributed greatly to the success of our rebranding efforts.

What has been the response to the new website from your team and residents?

Denise: Our internal team was thrilled with the updated site. It has made a significant impact on our recruitment efforts and overall brand presence. Residents have also responded positively, especially to the detailed neighborhood information and interactive maps that help them understand the area better.

Any advice for other property marketers working on a website refresh?

Denise: My advice would be to keep the team small and focused. Having too many cooks in the kitchen can complicate the process. Trust your team and your partners and stay true to your brand’s vision and goals.

We’d like to thank Denise for taking the time to share her insights with us. If you haven’t yet, please visit the DTN Management Company website to see the results of this stunning refresh.

If you have any questions, we encourage you to connect with Denise Todd on LinkedIn or reach out to us. We’re always here to help!