U-LEASE

Marketing Plan Team Project

By: Halle Hunter, Bailey Van Beers, Haley Schaefer, and Kiley Williams
 TABLE OF CONTENTS
I. Executive Summary. ..... . . . . . .. . .. . . . . . . . . .. 2

II. Introduction. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .3
A. Company Background 3
B. Market Strategy/Marketing Mix 4
C. Company Analysis 9

III. Marketing Research. ... . . .. . . .. . .. . . . . . .. . .. 9

A. Overview 9
B. Porter’s 5 Forces 11
C. Market Analysis/Competitive Landscape 12
D. Consumer Analysis/segmentation 16

IV. Proposed Market Offering. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .17

A. Product decisions 17
B. Brand Strategy 17
C. Targeting and positioning 18
D. Cost Structure and pricing strategy 19
E. Market entry strategy 20
F. Promotions, sales, and advertising 20
G. Goals and Forecasting 24

1
 Marketing Plan Team Project
U-Lease

I. Executive Summary

U-Lease is an on-demand apartment subleasing platform that works with different

apartment complexes and subleases to help college students find housing options that might

otherwise be difficult. Currently, students have to explore multiple avenues to find housing

solutions. For example, an individual may have to physically travel to various apartment

complexes or spend countless hours researching online for a resolution. Additionally, youth may

only need housing solutions for a short amount of time. For example, students may be graduating

a semester early or studying abroad for six months. Also, students may need to find a renter for

their existing lease or need to sublease from someone who already has a contract.

As students, we have noticed our peers struggle to find semester-long housing options.

With seeing many college students posting on Facebook or other forms of social media, asking

for other students to spread the word of their need for a subleaser, or vice versa, we decided to do

something about it. The best solution to this problem is U-Lease. Our website and app are

designed to make it easier for individuals to search for an apartment complex and find current

leases who have spaces available for rent. Consumers in need of a housing solution can look in

one place to view their available options. Users can also pay their apartment complex directly

through the app, eliminating the hassle of exchanging money through leasing offices. U-Lease

will include the original leaser and the subleaser throughout the entire process to ensure smooth

execution.

2
 The photo above shows an example of a sublease listing that was posted on FaceBook by

a fellow student. This method of advertisement does not guarantee that the content will be

viewed by the desired audience. Additionally, users that are interested in the content may find it

difficult to find content that they viewed earlier in the day due to Facebook algorithms. As the

founders, we believe that posting online is a powerful tool that can reach many users. However,

the current method of advertising rental spaces are time consuming and not practical. U-Lease is

a convenient and feasible option to find housing.

II. Introduction

A. Company Background

U-Lease was founded in 2019 by four business students, Halle Hunter, Bailey Van Beers,

Haley Schaefer, and Kiley Williams, at the University of Missouri - Columbia and serves as a

prime avenue for college students to easily access available housing options. After experiencing

our own struggles to find a place to live off-campus, we saw a need for a service that would be

able to bridge the gap between a college student and various apartment buildings. This service

3
provides students with a software that helps combat the problem of finding a part-time or full-

time lease in the Columbia, Missouri area. U-Lease’s mission is to provide convenience to a

busy college student while implementing solutions to find off-campus housing easily.

U-Lease strives to provide the best service for customers so that they have all the

resources they need right at their fingertips. As the founders, we will encourage individuals to

download the U-Lease app. U-Lease also has a website available to provide more information to

consumers. Since college students are always on the go, the app will be an easy and convenient

way for them to check listings rather than having to stop at each leasing office or spend hours on

the internet searching for the perfect subleasing opportunity. Individuals who have a place to

lease will first create a profile by uploading pictures of the unit with details about the space and

contact information for more information. The lister is responsible for determining the price, but

there are suggested price points to help them based areas around the listing. An individual who

needs a space will simply go onto the app and filter their search based on their preferred price

point, location, square footage, and number of rooms or bathrooms in the complex. This filtration

make the search process more manageable because it eliminates the time of manually sorting the

complexes ultimately saving time for the consumer. U-Lease will bridge the housing gap for

college students in a successful manner.

B. Market Strategy/Marketing Mix

Competition in the online apartment rental industry is high. Because of the intense

competition, U-Lease needs to create a sense of excitement within our target market. U-Lease

plans to attract consumers by partnering with popular apartment complexes, indirect and direct

marketing strategies, and by simple branding to catch the eyes of consumers. Through our

marketing strategies, we hope to increase brand awareness, create a positive brand image, and to

4
differentiate ourselves from online competitors. U-Lease will project the image of simplicity,

convenience, and availability. Our vision will appeal to our target market of college students who

are looking for housing facilities. Our app will eliminate the hassle of going into various leasing

offices or spending countless hours of searching online for a current renter offering a sublease.

We plan to represent our ideas of convenience and availability through an app and website that

features available apartment units with all of the information needed for consumers to make

informed purchasing decisions. Information required includes location, price, square footage, as

well as the number of rooms and bathrooms.

In a college town where there are many apartment complexes and housing options readily

available, U-Lease must stand out. To create a more distinctive brand, we have partnered with all

of the downtown apartment complexes, starting in Columbia, MO, at the University of Missouri.

An example of some of our partnerships include Brookside Downtown, District Flats, TODD, U-

Center, and The Lofts of Columbia. U-Lease’s partnership with the apartment complexes will be

mutually beneficial for the parties involved. U-Lease and the complexes are able to attract

consumers to their listings. This will ultimately fill units with tenants. U-Lease will also allow

for students who are only here for one semester to sublease their unit or to find someone in the

market for a six-month lease.

To increase brand awareness, U-Lease will use indirect marketing strategies like the use

of online social media platforms and spreading information through public relations. Our

company will be widely present and active on social media platforms, as well as on the

University of Missouri’s campus. We will post content regarding what living options are

available through a variety of social media channels to reach the maximum amount of users.

College students are very active on social media, making this an easy way to reach the primary

5
market while doing so at little to no cost. We have also chose to use direct marketing strategies

like student ambassadors. We will utilize college students to serve as ambassadors to make

current students aware of why we exist and what we have to offer.

U-Lease also focuses on branding that aligns with its core values. Our logo is a modern

apartment building with the brand's name listed beneath it. U-Lease’s logo is straightforward to

eliminate confusion when consumers download the app. The logo aligns closely with U-Lease’s

core value of simplicity. Below is more information about U-Lease’s marketing mix.

Product
The product that we have created is an app called U-Lease. The app will be very user-

friendly and will have many different features for consumers to use. Users will be able to search

through listings in their desired area to find the right housing for them.

Features:

● Easy to use

● Choose your price point

● Narrow down your location

● Ability to “favorite” listings

● Pictures of housing

● Choose type of housing (apartment, home, townhouse, etc.)

● Able to communicate to the leasing agent

● Sign lease or lease takeover directly through the app

6
 App Design:

The image to the left is a visual picture of how the app will be

set up. Across the top bar, you can see all the filters that help to

narrow down the search. Along the bottom bar, you can see a

search option and other features to either favorite your top

apartments or access your listing. In the center, it shows a map

of all the available listings in the Columbia, MO, area that falls

under the set filters. The app allows two different ways to view

the listings. To get a better idea geographically where the listing

is, the user can use the dots to click on each listing. If location

isn’t as important, there is a list button up top, which will allow all the listing to come upon one

screen.

Place
In the first year, U-Lease will offer services to individuals in the Columbia, Missouri

area. People can access this service on the app on their phones or on the U-Lease website. Since

we are partnering up with local apartment buildings who will allow us to share listings available

in their complexes, information about U-Lease will be shared when people go into leasing

offices. Customers will also be able to engage with us on social media platforms such as

Instagram and Facebook.

Price
The initial U-Lease app in the app store will be free. When a customer is trying to list a

house or apartment for someone to rent, it will cost them $10/month per listing that they have the

listing posted on the app/website. After the living space gets rented, U-Lease and the apartment

complex will make 5% of the total amount of rent that the renter would pay. Obtaining 5% of the

7
lease as well as charging $10 per month for a listing is one way that U-Lease will be able to

make a profit from its customers. People who are looking to rent a living space will get to use the

service for free.

Promotion
U-Lease will utilize three main avenues for their promotions. Advertisements, direct

marketing, and public relations will help to create a powerful brand image for U-Lease. We will

advertise for U-Lease mainly through social media but will also utilize mail ads from time to

time. Our social media advertising will consist of a strong social media presence as well as ads

that we will pay for through Instagram and Facebook. Since Generation Z has grown up with and

consistently uses social media, this will help target college students in the best way possible. We

will also promote campus-wide with the use of campus ambassadors. Our campus ambassadors

will reach out to the student body by handing out flyers, promoting giveaways, and posting on

social media about U-Lease and how it would have helped them solve their own housing

struggles.

C. Company Analysis
SWOT Analysis

8
 STRENGTHS: (internal) WEAKNESSES: (internal)
- Easily accessible online/app access (crucial for - New to the market
college students) - May be hard to market due to the
- Overhead and payroll are very minimal uncertainty of students
- App provides a filter regarding price, location, - The process of developing the app and
housing type, and gender preferences website (time consuming)
- Do not have to schedule a time to go to a leasing - Lack of capital for the app
office for information
- Allows you to browse when it is convenient for
the customer
- Easy to submit an application for the housing if
you are listing a property or trying to rent

OPPORTUNITIES: (external) THREATS: (external)

- Social media/campus ambassadors
- Bridges the gap between finding a time to go into
a leasing office
- Not many other online competitors
- Partnering with downtown apartment buildings
- A new avenue to find housing
- Ability to electronically sign a lease
- Competitive marketing campaigns
- People who don’t feel comfortable using
the app to sign a lease
- College students that don’t want to pay a
percentage to list their space
- Craigslist, Zillow, Facebook Market
Share (if students are subleasing, they list
available apartments here)
- Students subleasing at an insanely cheap
rate

III. Marketing Research

A. Overview

The online apartment rental services industry is relatively new, with a majority of growth

in the past five years. Companies in the sector primarily operate through a website, but the use of

mobile sites and mobile apps are present. There are low barriers to entry, which means the

industry has a high level of competition with a high level of technological changes. Also, there is

a medium level of revenue volatility. Overall, growth has occurred due to increased internet

usage and augmented demand for apartment complexes. The initial startup cost is low.

9
Maintaining marketing efforts as well as purchasing the website platform is the main cost

making the barrier to enter low.

According to our research, growth is expected to slightly slow down due to competition

causing the market to become somewhat saturated due to the low barriers to entry. IBIS world

mentions that improvements in technology and the demand for apartment complexes will most

likely ensure increased revenue growth within the industry by 2024.

Products and services are segmented between websites, mobile sites, and mobile

apps. According to our research, websites make up 42.1% with mobile sites making up 33.5%,

and mobile apps in the other 24.4%. According to IBIS World Report, “Over the past five years,

the rental vacancy rate has declined at an annualized rate of 2.0%, prompting growth in rental

priced and greater profitability for industry operators.”

The online apartment rental services are in the growth stage, according to IBIS World. “It

is expected to grow at an annual rate of 15.4% rate to 2024.” The chart below shows the

percentage of growth in the share of the economy in relation to the percentage of growth in a

number of establishments. The table shown below shows the online apartment rental services

about growth, maturity, or decline. Currently, the industry is in the growth stage when compared

to other competitive markets like homeowners’ associations, computer manufacturing, software

publishing, and search engines. According to IBIS World, “Most industries move

counterclockwise around the chart segments: from growth to maturity and then to decline.”

10
B. Porter’s 5 Forces

1. Competitive Rivalry: The online apartment rental industry is split between internal and

external competition. According to IBIS World, an online rental service considered

successful if it attracted landlords to the platform to list apartments rather than receiving

revenue directly from renters. This type of success would be considered internal

competition. On the other hand, external competition consists of hard copies of listings in

newspapers or print advertisements. IBIS World also mentioned that “Industry companies

compete with rental alternatives like subletting and long-term rentals listed on websites

such as Craigslist.org and Airbnb.com.”

2. Supplier Power: The apartment complexes determine the set amount that rent costs for

the original leaser. Then when someone needs to find a subleaser, they may charge the

same amount, or go down on price and still pay some of it themselves. The amount will

vary depending on each unit for rent. It varies based on the apartment complex or the

11
 individual posting the listing on the app due to the apartment complex it is in and the

individual who has posted the listing.

3. Buyer Power: In this situation, the buyer has little power. They may be able to negotiate

on a subleasing price, but for the most part, the amount listed on the app will be the price

that the new renter will pay.

4. Threat of Substitution: There are currently no apps on the market that offer the same

service as U-lease. The most comparable would be websites such as Zillow. However,

they primarily list houses and apartments for sale. The big difference with U-Lease is that

it acts as a middle man for subleasing, filling a large void, especially with college

students. Our app is a convenient way for consumers to find online rental services at the

touch of their fingers.

5. Threat of New Entry: The barriers to entry are relatively low. The initial cost consists of

website costs. With this in mind, the market is highly competitive. Eventually, it will

become challenging to list apartment complexes without extensive marketing efforts.

C. Market Analysis/Competitive Landscape

This industry provides internet listings and search functions for residential rental

properties. In addition to connecting potential renters with apartment owners and managers, these

websites often offer targeted advertising services. Increased use of the internet has led to massive

growth in this industry. The primary activities of this industry are presenting apartment listings

and marketing apartment vacancies to people looking to rent.

The Online Apartment Rental Services industry is a relatively young industry that has

increased over the last five years. Companies in this industry primarily operate websites that

provide renters with listings for apartments. Through these websites, renters can view photos,

12
search according to desired amenities and apartment buildings, and contact landlords and

brokers. Industry operators generate revenue by charging landlords and brokers a fee to list their

properties, promoting listings, and including advertisements on their websites. Over the five

years to 2019, industry demand has skyrocketed as people have become increasingly comfortable

using the internet for their apartment hunt. As a result, more people have become aware of rental

websites, and industry services have become more useful in the process.

Companies have joined the industry due to high demand; however, they have also joined

because of the substantial number of rental websites. Early in the industry's life, rental websites

were only available in certain cities and regions. However, as more companies have entered the

industry, sites have been established for most parts of the country. Additionally, as a percentage

of services conducted online has rapidly risen, it has become more natural for renters to use

industry services during the search process. As a result, industry revenue is expected to grow at

an annualized rate of 15.7% to $446.2 million over the five years to 2019. This growth includes

an anticipated increase of 11.2% in 2019 alone. Furthermore, industry profit margins are

expected to rise during the current period, as well.

Over the five years to 2024, growth is expected to slow slightly, as competition causes

the industry to become somewhat saturated. Additionally, the industry's initial boom will begin

to normalize as most renters have already incorporated rental websites into their search process.

Nonetheless, the steady demand for apartments and improvements in industry software will

likely result in strong revenue growth during the period. Over the five years to 2024, industry

revenue is projected to rise at an annualized rate of 10.7% to $740.7 million.

13
 Despite rising demand for industry services, the industry is likely to become slightly

saturated over the next five years. During the previous period, new companies successfully

established themselves in previously underserved areas, thus growing revenue. However, most of

the country now have access to rental websites with comprehensive listings and large viewer

numbers, which means more companies entering the industry will likely have little effect on

industry revenue. Additionally, as more companies enter the area, the competition will increase,

causing operators to lower the prices they charge to landlords and brokers. While continued

revenue growth will prompt new operators to set up operations, the rate of entry is expected to

reduce. Over the five years to 2024, the number of industry operators is projected to increase at

an annualized rate of 15.1% to 6,632 companies.

As competition increases and industry companies lower their prices, profit margins are

likely to be hindered by the average industry operator. However, average industry profit margins

are projected to increase due to the company Zillow Group (Zillow), which currently is estimated

to account for more than 50.0% of industry revenue. Due to its significant revenue share, the

performance of Zillow largely determines average industry performance projections. After

investing heavily in merger and acquisition activity over the past five years, Zillow is expected to

begin generating high-profit margins over the next five years. As a result, the average industry

profit margin, measured as earnings before interest and taxes, is expected to account for 14.4%

of revenue in 2024, up from 11.2% in 2019. The industry exhibits significant revenue and profit

potential for those able to command a substantial share of total online traffic, as a single website

that can market to a majority of potential renters can charge renters and brokers a more

significant fee for services. Online traffic has been a powerful driver behind Zillow’s operating

14
strategy, which aims to generate the highest possible number of users by acquiring smaller,

regional websites across the United States.

Moving forward, another factor that is likely to support industry revenue growth is

technological innovation. Individual industry companies have invested in new software to

improve their services; these investments will likely pay off over the next five years. For

example, companies have invested in interior design software that enables users to decorate an

apartment virtually. Once applied to list software, these companies would allow renters to

explore how they could decorate and furnish an apartment before renting it, which is often a

useful sales tool for listers. Improvements such as this are expected to boost industry revenue

over the next five years. However, to increase research and development expenditure, companies

are likely to raise wages to attract skilled employees. As a result, over the five years to 2024,

wages are projected to increase at an annualized rate of 12.3% to $272.8 million.

The Online Apartment Rental Services industry is currently in the growth stage of its life

cycle. This is best illustrated by the industry's industry value added (IVA), which measures an

industry's contribution to the overall economy. Over the ten years to 2024, this industry's IVA is

expected to increase at an annualized rate of 15.4%. During the same period, US GDP is

expected to grow at an annualized rate of 2.1%. IVA growth that is significantly faster than GDP

growth is indicative of a growing industry.

Additionally, the Online Apartment Rental Services industry is characterized by a high

level of technological innovation. Companies in this industry are continuously investing in new

software to improve their ability to present apartment listings virtually. Companies have also

recently developed mobile apps to reach a wider audience of renters. Overall, industries with

15
rapid technological change are often in their growth stage. Industry participation is also expected

to grow significantly over the ten years to 2024, which is typically a sign of a growing industry.

As partnership expands rapidly, it is often the case that an industry is growing in size rapidly,

which is exemplified by the expected growth in revenue during the period. Furthermore,

increasing participation can often be the result of expanding markets, as the industry continues to

appeal to new consumers and industries. Over the ten years, the number of industry enterprises is

expected to grow at an annualized rate of 16.9% to reach 6,632 companies in 2024.

D. Consumer Analysis/segmentation

Students at the University of Demographic Psychographic

Missouri

Part-Time Lease Students Ages 18-22 These will be students that

Education Level: College
Income: $2,000-$7,000/yr
already attend the University
of Missouri. These students
will need a part-time lease for
either over the summer to get
in-state tuition or if they don’t
plan on going home for the
summer.

International Students Ages 18-22 These students are coming

Education Level: College
Income: $0-$5,000
from abroad. They will be
unfamiliar with our housing
options. These students will
most likely be looking for a
short-term lease.

Internship/Grad Students Ages 19-26 These students could either be

Education Level: Higher level
college
Income: $7,000-$15,000/yr
from out of state that have
internships in the Columbia,
MO area and are looking for a
summer lease, or students that
are coming to Mizzou to
complete their graduate
degree.

IV. Proposed Market Offering

16
 Marketing Strategy

A. Product decisions

U-Lease is a service that is accessible through an app/website that users are able to access

in the app store and on the internet. This product design was chosen to provide convenience so

that customers no longer have to go directly into leasing offices to access housing. We chose to

create an app because of the focus around apps using today. Many companies rely solely on

doing online business and do so through the making of an app for sheer convenience to the

consumer. Having an app right there on your phone or tablet makes U-Lease accessible from

anywhere at any time of day. Our app is very easy to use and is visually pleasing for the younger

generation.

B. Brand strategy

We know that college life is very stressful and time-consuming, and making living

arrangements not always a top priority. We strive to brand our company on simplicity and

convenience. It is up to “U” if you want to list your unit on our app, and if you choose to do so, it

is your choice on how you price the unit. We understand that we have competitors, and we need

to brand ourselves in a way that will reach our primary market and target segments. The name U-

Lease truly represents our company since “U” will choose to “LEASE” your unit. We stand

behind the phrase that “leasing should be simple.”

C. Targeting and positioning

After identifying market-segment opportunities, we, as co-founders, had to combine

several variables to identify smaller, better-defined target markets. We realized there is a needs-

17
based segmentation present within our target markets as customers are seeking similar needs in

solving the sublease problem within the Columbia, Missouri community.

Primary Market College Students

Demographics Students ages 18-24

Geographics Columbia, MO

Psychographics Busy, little to no income, active social life,

group living

Our primary market will be aimed towards college students in the Columbia, Missouri

area, between the ages of 18 and 24, who are looking for a place to live or are in need of

someone to sublease their apartment for the semester or summer, but do not have the time nor

ability to go into a leasing office. or have failed to find someone to take their lease by posting on

different avenues of social media. Many students who will only be on campus for one semester

out of the academic year (for reasons such as graduating early, studying abroad, etc.) are

constantly looking for someone to sublease their apartment for them the other semester. And on

the other hand, just as many students are looking for an apartment from someone who will be

gone. These students are busy and active on social media, and are looking for something easy

and convenient to access. Depending on if they have help from their parents or not, many are

looking for a cheaper option often due to only being present on campus for half of the academic

year.

Secondary Market Single Families

Demographics Ages 24-45

Geographics Columbia, MO

Psychographics Busy, salary based income, focused on work

and children’s schedules, wanting a space for

18
 just their family

Our secondary market is aimed towards single families, falling in the range of 24 to 45

years old in the Columbia, Missouri area. This age group is present on social media as well, so

our current marketing and advertising strategy will reach them, too. These single families are

typically busy, have a based income, focused on their family as a whole, and are wanting a space

for their family to live and bond in.

D. Cost Structure and pricing strategy

Our app will be created by the WillowTree App Development Agency. We anticipate the

creation of the app to cost upwards of $250,000-300,000. As we see a need for improvements in

the app, additional capital will need to be spent to make these changes. In order to start making

this money back, we will include banner ads on our page from local companies offering deals to

students who choose to rent through U-Lease.

For our proposed cost structure and pricing strategy, we have decided to make the app

free to all downloaders. This way, people can look for housing options and explore the app at no

cost to them. For those who are posting apartment listings, they will be charged a fee of

$10/month for each listing they have posted. Once a subleaser claims one of the listings, the

renter will pay an additional 5% of the rent amount as a leasing fee to both U-Lease and the

apartment complex.

E. Market entry strategy

U-Lease focuses on indirect marketing strategies to enter the market. We will present the

information online to appeal to our target audiences. Specific information about our indirect

marketing strategy is listed under the promotion, sales, and advertising category. Our primary

market consists of college students in Columbia, Missouri, who value simplicity and

19
convenience. With that in mind, a social media presence is essential to reach students who need a

place to live or sublease for the semester. U-Lease will also utilize student ambassadors and

influencers to reach the target audience on a more personal level. Ambassadors and influencers

will introduce the product to their network by introducing it to the individuals involved in their

social organizations, classes, as well as their online community. Consumers buy from individuals

they trust.

Additionally, the target market values affordability. U-Lease is a free app available to

consumers. It costs $10 per month to upload a listing; however, the app is free to use for

consumers who are not listing an apartment or house. U-Lease would make 5% of profits when

individuals sign with a property-owner. U-Lease focuses on simplicity and convenience. Our

goal is to make it as easy as possible to put the product in our consumer’s hands. The app design

is simple to navigate, making it less time consuming for individuals to use.

F. Promotions, sales, and advertising

With the creation of U-Lease, we plan on engaging our target audience through various

promotional activities. Since we are targeting college students, we plan to be extremely active on

social media as a way to connect to our market and keep customers up to date on new listings.

Social media is important for our company to utilize as it is free and can reach mass audiences.

As our primary market is college students, we will utilize college students on campus to act as

ambassadors to make students on campus aware of our app. Throughout the app, we will feature

banner ads that stretch across the top, bottom or sides of various promotions and deals of local

restaurants and pubs near the apartment complexes.

20
 Instagram

We plan to be present on Instagram (@ULease) in

order to attract our primary market. By posting pictures

of available listings, we hope to make college students

aware of what potential living arrangements are

available. We will also have giveaways on our Instagram

stories that our customers can interact with in order to

win prizes, discounts, etc. With the help of our many

partners, we can gain a higher following from them

promoting our posts and stories and encouraging their

renters and potential renters to use our service. Our posts

can be reposted by our partners or customers by utilizing the hashtag, #NewLease. We will be

sure to post content frequently enough so that our target market always has us in the back of their

mind and so that they can see that we are engaging with the community. An Instagram post may

be posted like so featuring amenities that the apartment complex has to offer.

Facebook

“LEASING SHOULD BE
CONTACT US
Download our app - Available on iOS
www.ulease.com
and Android!

21
 We will create Facebook advertisements in order to connect directly with our target

markets. We will create ads that

correlate with the demographics and

psychographics of our target markets. A

variety of facebook ads will be used to

promote different housing facilities and

to represent the convenience of our

app. This advertisement will capture the user's attention and make them well aware of our brand.

A Facebook ad gives the leasing agent the ability to share the ad and make his or her Facebook

friends aware of the listing and company. Specifically, we will use banner ads, carousel ads, and

right rail ads.

Campus Ambassadors

As we are targeting college students, we realize it is important to have other college

students promoting our app and services. In order to do so, we will advertise U-Lease by

utilizing several campus ambassadors. Campus ambassadors serve as liaisons between a

company and university. Ambassadors are excited about what U-Lease has to offer and are

knowledgeable on all areas of the app. Our campus ambassadors will plan and host events on

campus, develop campus specific marketing campaigns and collect feedback regarding the new

app. Ambassadors will be present in Speakers Circle throughout the school year showcasing

available leases and educating students on the app and how to use it. Ambassadors will speak to

22
all grade levels throughout a variety of courses in Bush Auditorium. This will allow students to

be informed and start their search on finding a lease.

Not only will they be physically interacting with the students, they will also be

interacting with them through social media and promoting what U-Lease has to offer. Our goal is

to use platforms like Instagram, Twitter, and LinkedIn to interact with our target market. One

way that campus ambassadors will continually reach out to students is by posting to Instagram

stories. An instagram story can either be a still image, boomerang, a poll, or a live video where

followers can post questions or comments directly to the videos for other users to see.

Ambassadors can post content like the events happening in Speaker Circle or other marketing

campaigns. This will allow us to interact with our users on a more personal level giving them a

behind the scenes look. In addition, U-Lease’s twitter account can consist of microblogging to

help inform our target audience about what is currently going on within the company. On the

other hand, LinkedIn can help us reach users through a professional network. Our goal is to make

all activities available to U-Lease’s online audience. We hope our ambassadors are able to make

students aware of all business ventures and truly help bridge the gap between finding somewhere

to live or how to sublease your apartment.

Banner Ads

Throughout the app, we will feature banner ads. These ads will be displayed throughout

the app with deals and promotions with local businesses. For example, local pizza companies

may buy a banner ad featuring a deal on pizza for Friday nights. This would seem like an

incentive to potential sublease renters knowing that there are local food places near where they

23
may live. We will make a profit off of these ads because Shakespeare’s Pizza will be paying us

to post their ad.

Partnerships

10% off when you download the app U-Lease!

In order to be able to post units that individuals are wanting to sub-rent, we will need to

partner with different apartment complexes in order to obtain their permission. In exchange for

them allowing us to post available units on our app, they will receive 5% of the rent price listed

on the app. Another incentive for them to want to partner with U-Lease is the fact that if they

don’t, open units in other complexes will be viewed far more frequently and theirs will be

overlooked. We are hoping to build a relationship with these complexes so that if and when

students enter their leasing offices asking about people who are looking for a subleaser, they can

point them towards downloading our app and searching through all the available options.

G. Goals and Forecasting

U-Lease plans to expand to other areas in the future. Our goal is to expand to other cities

with large universities to align with our target market of college students with busy lives. We

will start by expanding throughout Missouri and then to surrounding states, hoping to have a

24
presence in all 50 states eventually. Our main goal is to be present in at least 5 states by 2024.

After becoming an established company in the Columbia, MO area, we hope to have at least

20,000 listings in the first year and a half. In order to reach our goal for listings, we will need to

have an adequate amount of advertisements on our social media platforms. We plan to have at

least 5 different types of ads posted 3-4 days at a time. Based on our ad interaction, we will

either decrease or increase the amount of ads we post. With our ads and listings, we hope to be

able to pay off our app in 3 years. Our app will cost roughly $300,000 so, we will need a

minimum of 10,000 listings per year allowing us to make a minimum of $100,000/yr just from

our listings. Once our app is established, we plan to consistently make updates to make sure that

it is running smoothly. Eventually, we would like to have in-app purchases that frequent users

can buy to make their use easier. Another goal is to have at least 20 campus ambassadors at the

University of Missouri in our first year of being established. Our goal for them individually is to

reach out to at least 10 different clubs or organizations to give a presentation about everything

that U-Lease has to offer. Since we know that apartments aren’t the only thing in demand, we

will be expanding to homes and townhomes that are needing to be subleased. Our partnerships

will increase to not only apartment buildings, but also landlords. By 2024, we hope to have

$500,000 in revenue from all of our listings, advertisements for other companies, and our in-app

purchases.

25