Data: The Ultimate Differentiator, Whether You're Selling Burgers or Bedrooms

If you want a roadmap for how data-informed marketing can impact business growth and revenue in multifamily, there's a great example ... and you probably have one in your neighborhood.

And for the third-party managers out there, over 90% of this business’s locations are franchises managed by independent owners. Property managers can and should own the customer experience regardless of what “special attention” your owner thinks they want for their asset.

The best way to experience this example? Go hit the drive-thru at your local McDonald’s.

When you pull up, the menu is already tailored to highlight local fan favorites. The systems there are so good that they’re able to personalize the drive-thru menu for each customer.

All you have to do is provide a 4-digit code from your phone.

This isn’t just a cool gimmick — it’s smart marketing at scale.

Over the past decade, McDonald’s has completely transformed how they engage with customers using data, personalization, and digital experiences.

Reimagining Customer Engagement

The drive-thru is just the beginning.

How else has McDonald's reimagined customer engagement?

?? “Ready on Arrival” mobile ordering – McDonald’s upgraded its app to allow customers to place an order, drive to the restaurant, and have their food hot and ready the moment they arrive. Less waiting, less hassle.

?? Fan-led marketing campaigns – In addition to their corporate ad campaigns, McDonald’s embraced user-generated content and smart collaborations (look at examples like the Travis Scott Meal – and broader collaboration – and the Grimace Shake) to turn everyday customers into brand evangelists.

?? Data-informed dynamic menu boards – Beyond the personalization, every McDonald’s drive-thru now features AI-driven menu boards that adjust in real-time based on local preferences, weather, time of day, and even inventory levels to maximize sales and optimize the customer experience.

This isn’t just marketing—it’s data-driven marketing and revenue optimization.

And the numbers prove it works:

?? 150 million active loyalty members

?? Loyalty members visit 15% more often and spend nearly twice as much

?? $6 billion in loyalty-driven sales—in Q4 2023 alone

Apply the Recipe to Multifamily

So… what would happen if apartments adopted the same playbook?

There are so many ways to remix the McDonald's playbook:

???Your website adapts to real-time demand signals, adjusting to show trending floor plans & availability insights, along with recommended deals at nearby sister properties.

“?? Popular today: 5 people toured the flex 2-bedroom this week. Only 2 left!” (We do this on 30 Lines client websites today — it typically increases lead conversions by 6-14%.)

?? Your messaging highlights real amenity usage to sell the lifestyle — “??Our residents brewed 2,350 cups of coffee in the clubhouse last month.” [ Jonathan Treble , let’s make this happen.]

?? Your leasing kiosk or a screen in the lobby greets prospects by name when they arrive for a tour. They enter a code to pull up their preferences, tour details, and the application link for the unit they're about to see.

?? Your resident rewards program lets renters earn points for using amenities, attending events, or renewing their lease.

?? Timely lease renewal incentives that personalize offers to each resident with incentives tied to their lifestyle or new features or upgrades they may have missed

?? Automated resident perks with local businesses give renters exclusive discounts at coffee shops, dry cleaners, and restaurants. Send reminders about resident-only special offers:

• “?? $5 off at [local pizzeria] this week—show your app at checkout!”
• “? Free small coffee at [local café] for [Property Name] residents every Friday!”

?? Real-time amenity tracking through sensors or AI cameras enables operators to know which spaces residents actually use — helping shape smarter development decisions.

?? Dynamically generated video tours — If a prospect browses a 1-bedroom unit, an AI-generated personalized video is sent via email highlighting that specific layout, amenities, availability, and offer to apply.

???Smart email & text personalization based on prospect behavior, like follow-ups and offers based on recent website activity (You can do this now with RentPress Journeys!)

?? Smarter digital ads & retargeting that show live demand data to reduce decision hesitation — “Join 30+ smart renters who toured this week—schedule yours today!”

?? Next-level social proof: Embedded reviews and Rentgrata on your website are great, but you can take this to the next level with resident videos. Prompt residents to share their favorite feature in the building — “Show us: What’s the best thing about living at [Property Name]?” Feature the best responses on your website and social ads.

???Here’s an easy one: tour rescheduling & follow-ups. If a prospect misses their scheduled tour, send an automated follow-up to rebook at their convenience.

?? Dynamic FAQs based on trending inquiries — Automatically surface the most-asked questions and update your website FAQs dynamically.

?? Turn the resident app into a daily touchpoint with live building updates & trending amenities:

• “??? Only two people in the fitness center — plenty of space to get your workout in!”
• “The dumpster is full, but it should be emptied today around 11 am.”

?? Data-driven market insights & competitive positioning — Show how your property stacks up against competitors:

• “Our average rent for a 2-bedroom is $150 less than the neighborhood average!” (Pull comp data from HelloData to automate this.)
• “We’re ranked #1 in resident satisfaction in our area”

?? “Hot Layouts” feature based on market trends — If a floor plan is leasing faster than others, label it “Most Loved” and feature it on your homepage. (Or to personalize the results, dynamically display the floor plans that best match the prospect's search.)

The next time you hit the drive-thru, remember that McDonald’s is one example of many who are writing the data-driven playbook for us.

Their success isn’t just about burgers and fries — it’s about data, personalization, and creating frictionless experiences.

You can do the same by using real-time data, data-informed personalization, and automation to:

? Improve advertising and website conversion rates

? Reduce marketing waste

? Increase lead-to-lease efficiency

? Strengthen resident engagement and retention

Does your brand have to look like McDonald’s? Nope. It shouldn’t. You do you.

But there’s a ton you can learn and remix from how they’re using data to build theirs — whether you own and operate the community yourself or you’re managing assets and seeking to deliver outsized results for your clients.

Want to turn data into a differentiator for your portfolio? Connect with the marketing and customer experience experts at 30 Lines today!