Varsity Place gets creative in order to gain attention

     Economic uncertainties have forced Varsity Place Apartments to use more creative ways of gaining residents.
     On Feb. 1, the off-campus apartment company opened a contest entitled "Spring Break Giveaway" which offers four tenants the chance to win a $500 travel voucher. 
     "We want to recognize our tenants for their loyalty to us," said Suzanne Sepulveda, property manager of Varsity Estates.
      Travel vouchers have no restriction or expiration, and can be split up into different purchases, such as gas money, airfare, and/or hotel accommodations, but they must be used with a travel agent.
      The contest centers on social networking; if a tenant becomes a fan of Varsity Place Apartments on Facebook, then they earn credit, same goes with following Varsity on Twitter, and referrals of friends to these websites as well.
      "I entered the contest because I needed extra cash for my spring break trip to Las Vegas," said Matt Spadafora.  "I figured an extra 500 in my pocket would help at least a little. Besides fanning the Facebook page, I sent out a bunch of referral e-mails so that I could gain more points which would help me out."
      Varsity Place has 97 fans on Facebook and has had over 1,100 total inquiries which have shocked the management.
     "We are overwhelmed with what we have received so far," said owner David Arthur.  "We'll be doing it again."
      The complex currently houses 678 residents but is still only 90 percent full and down $40,000 in potential income.  Arthur believes it is the economy and the influx of commuters that affect the numbers.  According to Brett Gagnon, coordinator for UNH Commuter Services, approximately 52 percent of the total campus commutes, including undergraduate and graduate students.
     "The demographics of downtown market have changed over the last year, surrounding towns have dropped rates, a lot of kids are commuting, which drives out our tenants, who are typically out-of-state," said Arthur. 
     The competition to Varsity Place has gotten stiffer, with competitors University Apartments recently lowering rents by $118 per person per month and the Cheney Companies offering free rent for the first month on select apartments in Newmarket and Rochester.
    Some Varsity Place tenants are just joining the Facebook group because it is an easy way to enter the contest.
    "I just joined the Facebook group to better my chances of winning," said student Sean O'Brien.  "I haven't done anything else for the contest other than that."
Student Brittany Mays agreed, but put in a little more effort than O'Brien to better her chances.
    "I became a fan because I figured that someone had to win," said Mays.  "I also sent one or two emails to people. Those were to people who were interested in Varsity Place next year anyway though."
     Varsity Place has held other contests, but has not garnered as much response as this current promotion.
    "We have tried in the past to do so many give-aways," said Arthur.  "But they just have not generated any traffic."
     He explained that he hired students and asked them what they would like.
     "They said ‘we need cash', so we decided to center it on Spring Break," said Arthur.
      For the second straight year, Varsity Place Apartments is offering a scholarship that will reward two people with a free apartment rental.  The guidelines will require a certain GPA, but Sepulveda assured that the contest would be similar to last years.
      In the previous contest, a student in the business program won, as well as a student in the journalism program.  The business contest asked for a creative marketing promotional plan for Varsity Place, while the journalism contest asked for an essay.
     "We ended up with a dozen [responses] last year, and I was surprised," said Arthur.
      The scholarship will begin in March, allowing students a month to work on the application, and then the move-in date is set for June.
      Varsity Place has been operating since Aug. 2007 and went through a change in management April 1, 2009.  It is now owner managed; any issues that arise are handled by the Durham office.