Need more residents - what would you do?

Well, it would appear that my planned neighborhood community has flopped. I've had one "family" home and three other homes rented at any time (surprisingly, all of the "high dollar" houses have rented). Out of 38 potential tenants, the numbers are dismal. My rents are competitive (2.5L/prim), so I don't think that's the problem.

I've decided to abandon the concept of "family" environment (VERY sadly), I'm going to combine some of the 1024s into 2048s and removing half the houses from the sim, and will allow people to put their own home on the land, with the provision that it should be kept in line with the neighborhood concept.

I love the park that was created in the middle of the sim and really don't want to lose that, if I can avoid it.

Do you think this will help, or should I just divide it into 16 boring islands?

Hi HoneyBear,

It sounds like you wanted a role play community to form. I just put up my RP residential community on a new island - but I developed the open enrollment groups for each 'clan' to join. Each group comes with a simple backstory that the group members can expand upon.

I feel that if you manage it more as a 'game' you could mold it into a community easily.

BUT you can just up your advertising, take out banner ads on Slexchange, Apez and other SL-related popular websites. Get some in-world advertising at busy places that rent out ad-space (new player spots are best since they are seeking housing). Post open-house events in the SL events listings. And, of cours, advertise weekly with pictures attached.

It may be a little mor labor-intensive than you assumed it would be to get it started - bit a little hard work could pay off for you -= Also realize it is August - traditionally a very slow time in SL. Come by my restaurant and get a free adspace tonight.

.

Thanks Lias, I'll IM when I get home.

I've been advertising, far and wide, and I do realize that it's the dreaded August. I'm not sure I wanted to RP as much as I wanted to give space to those who did, if that makes any sense.

I'm a girl with very little true imagination, so I can't see me even coming close to building backstories, and have never RP'd a day in my life....hahaha, well, maybe in my RL.

I like your idea and I wonder if you scheduled a regular event like music in the park to create and develop your idea of community?

Boat races? Build an air city over the park for discussions? Something that brings people together if they wish to be social.

What I've been noticing is that people need a place to gather (note how successful the forum site inworld has been).

Maybe advertise that you will give a free plot to a DJ or muscian and they can set up the events.

When I was doing this I had a central area that residents could build in and that resulted in a beautiful magical forest that became a romantic destination for all of SL.

Encourage the partnership of your residents..might help.

Good luck.

Openended unfocused marketing is generally disappointing Honey. You should identify a group or groups who have some sort of family value commitment and IM them giving them some sort of incentive to buy in like promising to organise events like picnics or parties in the park if you like that part of the sim so much. Maybe you could link up with that Pregnancy spammer (see I don't hold grudges because I saw you posted something sensinble in another thread) so that married couples who were expecting could move in and have classes like the National Childbirth Trust stuff my own dragon made me attend (see Amaranhthine I am not totally insensitive to that sort of thing either) and have a small hopital onsite staffed with lots of attractive nurses. Ooops gave the game away then didnt I. Just sayin'

If you want any more ideas I am quite happy to rp a bulls**tting snotty real estate marketing consultant if you give me an office onsite. Next to the nursess home of course.

I'm afraid linking up with the pregnancy spammer would make me insane. And why would you be holding a grudge (or not, as the case may be)? I don't think we've even spoken/written before.

I think the issue might be creative control.

Let people put their own houses, &c. Even a little shop if they want. It's a good question - I wish I knew all the answers. It can be a very tough thing to get started.

As long as you can float the region on your own though, there's no such thing as failure. Gotta quit to fail!

Good luck, and fall is coming, I bet that helps.

We're actually planning a party for mid-September in the park, with a DJ. Some good ideas here, I'll definitely give them some thought!

Its the preggers woman I am not holding a grudge against Honey not you. Another idea. Why dont you have a market there every week with a different focus like the hair and shoe things that seemed to drive the girlies on the forum wild this last week.

You might want to market to adoption agencies that there are family-friendly places with suitable housing (enough rooms, prims, etc.) for families, with a playground, and yet is still mature (for the adults).

Definitely a thought Cristalle, thanks!

Another question: do you have furnished offerings? It may boost your lower end to offer furnished homes with a few extra prims for personalization. Non-scripted kids bed, appropriate decoration, etc. If you are the builder, make it known that you can and will customize the rooms for folks, so they can make it as kid-friendly as they want.

glow sticks,free glow sticks people like those

I have a RP idea you can expand upon. Call your RP FAMILY TREE. It can be based upon a large community that is somehow related.

The residents help expand the Family Tree. The Bert Family is related to the Green family through marriage. The Greens Great, Great Grandmother was married to Sir Henry Green who is the Great Great Grandfather of Bob Yamin - who is married to Susan Bert. Etc. Get someone to make you a huge 'Family Tree' to be in the middle of your park area. Perhaps folks can click branches and see how the residents are connected as one big family. Plan storytelling around the tree, celebrate births have memorial events for family members that have passed, holiday parties, etc.

.

FWIW, I recently stumbled across a residential development so remarkable to me that within a week I had rented a house and am moving. Moving into a much smaller space, just because of the place. Go check out Silent's Folly on the Wando/Cooper River sims.

Hey Honey, it's nice to see people embracing the family roleplaying niche.

I have a live weekly radio show that airs on Saturdays inworld, largely positioned to the kid avatars in Second Life called "The Milk N Kookies Show". We get over 50 avatars sitting in world and listening to myself and my 2 cohosts talk about various topics in Second Life. If you can provide me more details you are more than welcome to come on the show and talk about your project or we can mention it soon. www.mnkradio.com

Hope I can help you out!

what I have seen a lack of in SL is very large yacht slips. I spend a day sometimes just looking at real big ones but dont want to get in the tier hassle again.



BTW Koffee, a really great show

problem with that is that those large yachts use a crapload of prims, let alone it`s furniture so would be damn expensive in tier costs (1500-2500 prims per plot)

I looked at your sim HoneyBear (justa couple of days ago). I thought about renting, but I could not determine how many free prims each property had (it seems that the house counts ?) or what tenant rights I would get. The notecard that your box gave out was the sample.

Edited: Not trying to be harsh. I visited based on your add in the properties forum. I wasn't sure what the deal was because pim counts per parcel differed from the ad. I like the idea of a little suburban sim myself.

Honeybear,

I'd advise not to give up based on August business. I wouldn't want to be starting out right now. I've got pretty decent occupancy, but only because I've been working on this for about a year. Traffic is decent, but the ads just aren't bringing in the new business for me as much as usual. Most of my new rentals right now are referrals from friends already living in my communities.

In general, I would say that niches can be tricky. It flat-out reduces your potential customer base in most cases. It's best to provide a cohesive visual theme, and take your creativity to the max on the theme, but be welcoming to any type of life that people want to live. But if you can hang on a little longer, don't give up on your vision until we're past the summer duldrums!

--Avion

Sorry your concept hasn't worked out for you. There is just such a huge amount to choose from when renting in SL.

I'm looking for a new land parcel, pref beach front and I like the option of putting my house on the land. So if you have anything I might be interested let me know.

Whats with the August thing???

Is it summer holidays? Mid winter where I am

Hm, it should not have given out the sample notecard. I'll have to look at that.

The houses do NOT count in the advertised prim count. The prims allocated are strictly for the tenant's use. If it said 200 prims, then you get 200 prims to use as you see fit. You get almost full rights, except no terraforming.

Boy, I hate reading this just as I start my RL work day, and there's nothing I can do to fix it until tonight.

I appreciate that offer. My head is kind of spaced right now because I'm moving this weekend in RL, but I'll try to remember to check in tonight when I get home from work.

Thanks for the encouragement Avion. I really, REALLY, hate the idea of changing this sim. I loved it as I built, and I'm crazy about it now