What We Imagine... an Introduction

Welcome to “What We Imagine,” our new blog. We’re almost ready to share our top ten reasons why a gift program pays off. But first, let’s offer some thoughts on what we mean by giving. It’s so much more than gifts!

Think of a gift – whether celebrating a lease renewal, welcoming a new resident, or marking a special event – as the icing on a cake. The cake is the key ingredient, just as your community’s facilities, amenities, and services are the main ingredients in resident satisfaction. The icing is the finishing touch, sweetening the taste and appearance. That’s like a solid gift program – an impactful and pleasing final touch that calls attention to the underlying quality.

Gifts make the most sense when they are part of a well-planned giving or service strategy, not an isolated one-off gesture. Giving covers the full spectrum of community-building you cultivate among your residents, whether it’s a monthly breakfast to introduce newcomers, providing a key service for residents, or the community’s drive for the city’s food bank during the holidays. When you regularly engage with your residents in such ways, gifts become a natural extension of that engagement and create a memorable impact. The environment created by a giving culture forms a nurturing ecosystem that people hesitate to leave, transforming your relationship with your residents from a business transaction to the sweetness of a long-term home.

This post is a prologue for a ten-part series. Check back regularly for additional posts regarding gift-giving for the multi-family industry.

Pictured: The Stars are Out Tonight