The Apartment Department
Multifamily marketing does not stand still. Neither do we.
The Apartment Department is a podcast for multifamily (apartment) marketers, operators and industry partners who want to think differently about how marketing drives performance.
Through conversations with marketing leaders, suppliers, and operators who are shaping the future of multifamily, we focus on what they are building, testing, and refining to strengthen marketing teams and drive measurable results.
Our goal is simple. We want you to leave each episode with a new perspective and at least one idea worth testing.
Hosted by Anne Baum and Chris Johnson, exploring how strategy, systems, and performance intersect in multifamily.
Produced by Carlos Marquez.
Episodes
44 episodes
Stop Marketing in a Silo: Bridging Strategy and Site Teams
Marketing cannot operate in a silo. When strategy lives in one department and execution lives in another, performance breaks down.In this episode, Paul McClain, founder of AiinaT Brand Solutions, joins us...
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Season 3
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Episode 8
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49:58
Jillian Fikkert on Earning a Seat at the Table: How Marketing Leaders Build Internal Influence
In this episode, Jillian Fickert of Buckingham Companies joins Anne Baum and Chris Johnson for a practical conversation about what it really takes to make marketing a trusted, strategic function inside a multifamily organization.They exp...
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Season 3
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Episode 7
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52:12
Renters Decide Before They Tour: The New Reality of Multifamily Marketing
In this episode of The Apartment Department, Anne and Chris sit down with D.D. Cobb, Regional Director at Apartments.com, to unpack how the apartment search has fundamentally changed.Today’s renters are making decisi...
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Season 3
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Episode 6
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53:18
Collaboration and Creativity in Multifamily with Kara Rafferty
In this episode Anne and Chris sit down with Kara Rafferty, National Director of Sales at Apartment Geo-Fencing, for a long-anticipated conversation on what collaboration in multifamily really looks like.Kara brings a wide-ranging perspe...
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Season 3
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Episode 5
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57:35
AI Fluency: Moving from Concept to Practice in Multifamily
In this episode, Chris and Anne speak with Tamela Coval and Tami Siewruk, two of the creators of Multifamily NEXT, a series of hands-on workshops designed to integrate artificial intelligence into the a...
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Season 3
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Episode 4
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1:05:29
Community Engagement Strategy for Multifamily Occupancy with Ben Pleat
In this episode, Chris and Anne speak with Ben Pleat, the co-founder and CEO of Cobu. A technology platform designed to help multifamily marketers and owners drive resident satisfaction and community engagement, which in turn boosts occupancy a...
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Season 3
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Episode 3
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53:30
Automating the Routine to Elevate the Human Experience: AI Success with Arthur Kosmider and Brent Camp
In this episode, we sit down with Brent Camp of Asset Living and Arthur Kosmider of LeFrak to explore how Artificial Intelligence is reshaping property management and rental housing. Their perspective is clear: AI isn’t here to replace people, ...
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Season 3
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Episode 2
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33:04
Digital Curb Appeal and the Era of Authenticity with Daniel Paulino
In this episode, Daniel Paulino, VP of Real Estate at Reputation.com discusses the growing importance of digital reputation, dubbed "digital curb appeal", for the multifamily housing industry, particularly how it affects property visibility in ...
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Season 3
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Episode 1
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26:20
The Future is Automated: Transforming Multifamily Operations with Minna Song
In this episode of The Apartment Department, co-host Chris Johnson sits down with Minna Song, CEO of EliseAI, to discuss how artificial intelligence is transforming multifamily operations. For nearly a decade, EliseAI has helped properties auto...
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Season 2
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Episode 18
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22:02
The 2025 Blueprint Edition: Justin Jones, Shelly Steitz, Anne Baum
In this episode, Justin Jones, Shelly Steitz, and Anne Baum recap their experience at the Blueprint Conference including the vibe, their favorite takeaways for key technologies and AI, the opportunity for vendors and operators to co-build and c...
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Season 2
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Episode 17
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48:14
Cleaning Up the Noise: Establishing a True Data Strategy with Marge Enrique
In this episode, Chris and Anne talk with Marge Enrique about her extensive journey in transforming her company's approach to marketing data, emphasizing the importance of moving beyond simple last-touch attribution to a more comprehensive mult...
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Season 2
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Episode 16
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50:29
From 4.5 Stars to ROI: Opiniion's Data-Driven Approach to Resident Satisfaction
Have you ever wondered how the reputation and resident experience of your property actually impact marketing success and NOI? In this episode, Devin Shurtleff, CEO of Opiniion, shares their data around t...
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Season 2
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Episode 15
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51:24
Apartment Marketing Analytics: Data, AI, and Lead Nurturing Strategies with Aimee Farmer
Data is transforming how multifamily operators approach marketing, from measuring KPIs to optimizing lead conversion. Understanding which metrics matter and how to act on them is critical for improving occupancy and revenue.In this episo...
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Season 2
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Episode 14
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50:15
The Future is Now: How to Win at SEO and GEO with Brooke Henderson
In this episode Chris and Anne speak with Brooke Henderson, VP, US Strategic Partnerships at Yext to get an inside look at how conversational search is shifting how multifamily marketers should approach their online presence. Brooke...
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Season 2
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Episode 13
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45:46
All Things Zillow Rentals: A Deep Dive with Jami Thomas
In this episode, Chris and Anne speak with Jami Thomas, VP of Sales at Zillow Rentals, where we cover a wide range of exciting topics including:The rumor that Zillow may be phasing out their PPL options for packages.Zillows...
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Season 2
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Episode 12
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45:24
Turbocharge your Google Ranking with Hyper-Effective Local Pages: An AI Love Story
In this episode, Chris and Anne talk with Jon Simpson, about Swifty's Hyper-Effective Local Pages (HELP). AI-powered landing pages built for how renters s...
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Season 2
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Episode 11
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45:02
AI, Customization, and Humans: The Formula for Leasing Success
In this episode, Chris and Anne sit down with Jacob Carter, founder of Nurture Boss, to discuss the how conversational AI + humans can revolutionize the leasing and resident experience by offering a customized, intuitive, responsive communicati...
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Season 2
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Episode 10
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45:01
Supporting a Prospect First Experience with Technology
In this episode Chris and Anne talk to Dorota Firek, CMO of Tour24, a state of the art self-guided touring technology, discusses how the future of apartment marketing and leasing includes meeting renters how they want to rent. Bonus: hear...
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Season 2
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Episode 9
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37:47
Apartment Marketing Strategies: SEO, Video, and Industry Trends with Paul Burke
Maximizing organic reach, leveraging video content, and understanding leading marketing indicators are essential for multifamily marketing success.In this episode of The Apartment Department, Paul Burke, Director of Marketing and ...
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Season 2
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Episode 8
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47:10
Unified Multifamily Marketing: Centralization, Tech, and ROI with Grady Newman
Data silos, clunky platforms, and fragmented marketing systems can hold multifamily teams back from achieving their full ROI. A unified approach to marketing can simplify processes, improve performance, and give operators a competitive edge.
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Season 2
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Episode 7
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47:16
Streaming Video Ads for Multifamily: Marketing Strategies with Kristi Fickert
Streaming video is transforming how multifamily operators reach prospective renters. With targeted, affordable options now available, streaming TV and reusable video content are powerful tools for building brand awareness and driving leasing re...
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Season 2
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Episode 6
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44:28
Apartment Leasing Journey Optimization: Lessons from 600 Secret Shops with Eden Chai
The prospect journey is critical in multifamily marketing but too often, it’s fractured by outdated processes, conflicting automations, and poor contact data. Understanding how prospects experience your community can reveal hidden leaks that co...
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Season 2
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Episode 5
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46:47
Smarter Apartment Marketing: Efficiency, AI, and Tech with Sarah Wieman
Efficiency is the new competitive advantage in multifamily marketing. By leveraging technology, AI, and smart processes, marketing teams can get more out of campaigns, reduce friction, and improve ROI.In this episode of The Apartment ...
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Season 2
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Episode 4
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44:21
Future of Multifamily: Innovation, AI, and Operational Strategy with Chelsea Kneeland
The multifamily industry is evolving rapidly, from AI-powered tools to new approaches in team specialization and centralization. Yet, despite all the predicted changes, one thing remains constant: humans are at the center of property operations...
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Season 2
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Episode 3
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50:05
Solving Apartment Occupancy Challenges: Marketing ROI and Operator Insights with Stacey Hampton
Occupancy drives revenue and marketers often struggle to align budgets with operations to make the math add up. Understanding how top operators diagnose challenges and frame solutions can be a game-changer for both leasing and marketing teams.<...
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Season 2
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Episode 2
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47:24