Student Housing Experts

We create out-of-the-box student housing brands that make a powerful statement for each community, resonate with the students and reinvent the industry norm.

About Us

The Student Housing market is unique in so many ways, and success often greatly depends on the marketing – that is where we come in.

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Who We Are

The Serendipit team specializes in all things student housing. We understand the needs, wants and communication styles of today’s college student. We continuously innovate our marketing mix for the student housing market. We live, sleep and breathe creativity to develop the most effective campaigns for each market. Our team has established a proven track record of consistently achieving occupancy rates above 95%. In fifteen years of working in the industry, Alexis has never leased a property under 95%. We simply do whatever it takes to get the job done.

Where We’ve Been

  • Arizona State University
  • Arizona State University – Downtown
  • Auburn University
  • Bowling Green State University
  • Brown University
  • California Polytechnic Institute
  • Coastal Carolina University
  • Colorado State University
  • College of Charleston
  • East Carolina University
  • Florida State University
  • Iowa State University
  • Louisiana State University
  • Montana State
  • Murray State University
  • North Carolina State University
  • Old Dominion University
  • Purdue University
  • Ryerson University
  • Sam Houston State University
  • Savannah College of Art and Design
  • Temple University
  • University of Akron
  • University of Arizona
  • University of Arkansas
  • University of California – Riverside
  • University of Central Florida
  • University of Georgia
  • University of Illinois
  • University of Louisiana
  • University of Miami at Ohio
  • University of Michigan
  • University of Missouri
  • University of North Carolina
  • University of North Texas
  • University of Richmond
  • University of Rochester
  • University of South Carolina
  • University of South Carolina – Upstate
  • University of Texas – Dallas
  • University of Texas – San Antonio
  • University of Texas – Austin
  • University of Texas – Tyler
  • University of Wisconsin – Madison
  • Virginia Commonwealth University
  • Western Kentucky University
  • York University

Our Skills

100%Strategy
100%Design
100%Promotions
100%Execution

Meet Our Team

Serendipit is made up of a team of energetic, motivated and creative marketing and PR professionals. The company is led by owners Alexis Krisay and Melissa DiGianfilippo who have instilled their passion and excitement about student housing into the company.
Alexis Krisay

Alexis Krisay - VP of Marketing





With a true passion for student housing, Alexis Krisay founded Serendipit in 2008 with just one client - a major student housing developer and operator. Alexis started her student housing career on the ground floor as a leasing agent in Tucson, Ariz. and worked her way up to regional marketing director, managing a portfolio of more than 20 properties across the U.S. Before starting Serendipit, Alexis also worked for an international marketing agency in digital marketing, and then in marketing and operations for a high-end residential real estate sales company. Alexis has instilled her passion and experience for student housing marketing into the Serendipit team and has led the firm to be recognized as one of the leading marketing agencies in the industry.

Today, Serendipit has contributed to the successful lease up of over 75 communities nationwide and is seen as a valued partner in the eyes of some of the nations leading student housing owners and management companies.


Melissa DiGianfilippo

Melissa DiGianfilippo - VP of Public Relations





With a background in and passion for public relations, Melissa DiGianfilippo joined Alexis as a partner in Serendipit in 2009, overseeing all of the firm’s public relations activities. Melissa has led the firm’s student housing clients to earn millions of dollars in positive media coverage, and has successfully managed the reputation for many student housing communities through crisis situations. Prior to joining Serendipit, she worked for an Internet startup company where she handled the product marketing, media relations, social/viral media efforts and more. Melissa also spent a number of years as PR Director for a large commercial real estate investment company, and also worked in public relations for a Phoenix-based PR agency where she handled the day-to-day media relations, community outreach and crisis communication for local and national real estate clients.

Services

At Serendipit, we believe in strategy through creative discovery. There is no magic formula or method by which we derive our strategic vision - it’s about you. It’s about discovering how we can translate new ideas and inspirations into results for your student housing community. Our goals are your goals, whether they are financial, operational or technological. Our team accepts the challenge and will exceed your expectations.

Brand Development

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Leasing Training

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Grassroots Marketing

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Campaign Management

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Public Relations

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Leasing Center Design

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Brand Development

Serendipit creates brands for today’s modern student. Whether starting from scratch, or tasked with revamping an existing community identity, we develop a full brand strategy.

We incorporate in-depth research, local student profiles, market differentiators, and trends to personify the student population. We create a community name, brand mantra, positioning strategy and design a logo. Our brands tell a story and convey a lifestyle that resonate with students and parents, and that effectively leases up a community.

Pinterest IconCheck out our Pinterest board for examples.

Design

Are you ready to make a visual impact with your community’s brand? Our team of designers will take you through the art of discovery, while creating new and refreshing concepts to represent your brand’s identity. We dig in deep to fully understand your design needs and turn the vision for your community into reality.

  • Website design
  • Vehicle wrap design
  • Billboard design
  • Digital ad campaign design
  • Print ad campaign design
  • Product packaging design
  • Flyer design
  • Logo development

Pinterest IconCheck out our Pinterest board for examples.

Social Media

On average, 85% of college students are on social media multiple times daily. We understand that each market is unique, and we create a custom social media plan for each property including a variety of platforms and applications. We build conversations with students online with action-driven posts, visually branded content, and by implementing a multifaceted engagement strategy. We forge a relationship with fans that makes them feel comfortable and appreciated, and solidifies their decision to sign a lease.

Pinterest IconCheck out our Pinterest board for examples.

Advertising

From direct mail pieces to online banner ads, we recommend a combination of advertising tactics, utilizing both new and traditional strategies. No idea is too big or small for Serendipit. The more out-of-the-box, the better. With the use of social media, video campaigns, vehicle wraps, digital printing and more, we take your advertising presence to the next level.

Pinterest IconCheck out our Pinterest board for examples.

Leasing Training

A community’s leasing consultant is a often the first interaction that a student has with the community. To ensure that the community is represented by nothing but the best, Serendipit offers a full-fledged training program. For past clients, we’ve restructured sales and customer service training programs to appeal specifically to the college demographic. We’ve also created tiered incentive programs to motivate the rock star qualities in each leasing consultant.

Serendipit arms the leasing staff with the best tools to ensure the highest possible level of customer service and professionalism. A large portion of the training focuses on teamwork, motivation and follow-up. We also focus on achieving team and individual lease goals, fostering positive energy and creating an environment in which all team members can thrive. Residents will enjoy interacting with our team members and most of all, being a part of a fun, lively, enjoyable atmosphere.

Pinterest IconCheck out our Pinterest board for examples.

Grassroots Marketing

Whether it’s a flash mob or driving a 40-foot. branded RV around the local hot spots, we create major buzz surrounding your community through off-the-wall marketing tactics. We leverage street teams, community ambassadors, vendor partnerships, and mascot programs to take the market by storm. Our peer-to-peer grassroots program ensures our leasing message sounds genuine to students, because it’s coming from students.

Pinterest IconCheck out our Pinterest board for examples.

Campaign Management

From creating the concept of a campaign to managing the step-by-step actions to execute it, Serendipit creates interactive campaigns to focus on strategic sales cycles, such as new leases and renewals. These overarching campaigns guide everything from events and collateral to advertising and contests. Campaigns are geared towards the interests of current and future residents. Utilizing prolonged interactive campaigns achieves the desired results of the main marketing goal.

Pinterest IconCheck out our Pinterest board for examples.

Public Relations

We pride ourselves in our ability to communicate a community’s message through the media - in print publications, blogs, TV, radio and more. Public relations plays an important role in the success of any student housing lease up, and we have the experience to earn media placements that garner the best possible attention. Not only can we target media with effective messages that students may see, read and hear, but we can also target outlets that will reach parents. Importantly, we have the know how and experience to navigate through potentially detrimental crisis situations and come out on top.

Crisis Communications

Crisis situations can occur in any business at any time, but the student housing industry is especially susceptible. When you bring together hundreds or thousands of college students to live in a luxurious off-campus housing community, you can expect that residents will be irresponsible at times and that situations will occur that are beyond your control.

It’s vital to have a solid crisis communications strategy in place to protect a community’s valuable reputation to ensure you can continue to lease up your property. Serendipit’s team of PR professionals is skilled at handling these stressful crisis situations, from message management to media relations to stakeholder communications.

Pinterest IconCheck out our Pinterest board for examples.

Leasing Center Design

The minute that a student steps into your leasing center, they form an immediate opinion about the community. We know that today’s college student wants to feel at home, while still enjoying a hip and trendy atmosphere. That is why we plan and design the leasing center appearance from start to finish. We create an overall experience that includes furniture, décor, and lighting that is cohesive with your community’s brand.

Pinterest IconCheck out our Pinterest board for examples.

Portfolio

Check out our student housing design projects

Testimonials

Campus Suites has been working with Serendipit Consulting since early 2009. Alexis and her team are a group of high energy, creative, and forward thinking professionals who get the job done and have fun during the process. The positive energy is contagious and we have been most pleased with their marketing and social networking expertise as it’s been applied to our business.

Melissa has been managing our company’s PR needs as we grow and diversify. She is on top of timelines and opportunities and we’ve been most pleased with the exposure. An unexpected bonus has been their many referrals of other quality professionals which has saved us both time and money.

The Serendipit team really understand our business and passionately works to exceed our expectations.
-Deborah Fitzgibbon, Executive Vice President of Campus Suites
Thank you so much for all of the hard work you put into our project. It turned out to be amazing. In under 3 weeks, we were able to lease up 75% of our beds! That is incredible. Our brand is now all students are talking about. I very much look forward to working on the next project together. Your team has done a phenomenal job, and you were a real pleasure to work with.
-Ron Kutas, Principal at LifeStage Capital, LLC
Alexis, Melissa, and the Serendipit team have been nothing short of an amazing partner to me and to Asset Campus Housing. If we need something, they are there in the trenches with us to ensure that each property stands out in the marketplace. They know the drill, they get it, they roll up their sleeves to get the job done. They are quick, dependable and most importantly they are great people that do a great job.
-Joe Goodwin, VP of Marketing at Asset Campus Housing
We came to Serendipit with high expectations for one of our new student housing developments in the Auburn market and it is safe to say that they exceeded every expectation from start to finish, in every aspect of the project. From initial brand creation and strategy, to current ongoing marketing efforts, Serendipit has truly acted as our in-house marketing department, constantly generating new and innovative ideas.

We feel confident relying on their big ideas and strategic execution because they consistently do whatever it takes to ensure that our property is leased up. Within the student housing industry, there is no other team that I would trust to deliver such thorough and impressive results for our properties.
-Travis Moore, Director of Operations at J.H. Barrett Properties

Case Studies

From helping to lease a property from 0 to 75% in under three weeks to earning over 120,000 impressions in one week on social media, it is safe to say that we’ve done it all. Take a look at a few of these examples and see for yourself.

We're not owners, we're not managers, but we have just as much skin in the game and we don't stop until we achieve an 100% lease up.

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  • Student Housing
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319 Bragg

319 Bragg

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Campus Suites

Campus Suites

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Chenango Place

Chenango Place

student-housing

In The News

Check out Serendipit's contribution to Student Housing Industry News

How Facebook Helps with Leasing

How Facebook Helps with Leasing
admin In the News

Thinking like a student through Twitter, Facebook and Instagram endears student housing owners to students – and that could mean increased occupancy. Alexis Krisay discusses how creating Facebook contests that match your market’s interests boosts leasing engagement directly on your Facebook page. Use the following social media tips to turn potential residents into signed leases: Discuss what they care about Make your page a one-stop shop Integrate your brand into the student lifestyle Click here to read more.

The Importance of Strong Property Branding

The Importance of Strong Property Branding
admin In the News

The Importance of Strong Property Branding Brand development, when done correctly, is a lengthy process that involves multiple components and the collaboration of a strong team. After all, this is the foundation that can ultimately make or break the lease-up of your community, so it is important to select a team that understands the branding process and how to truly bring your brand to life. The right team will execute the following steps to create a brand that will generate

Negative Perceptions Affecting Your Student Housing Lease Up? Consider PR.

Negative Perceptions Affecting Your Student Housing Lease Up? Consider PR.
admin In the News

Crisis Communication Experts Any branding or marketing expert will tell you that altering the perception of something in the minds of your target audience is a time consuming and grueling process; however, there is a light at the end of the tunnel – a strategic public relations campaign may be the solution to shift those perceptions. PR has the ability to positively impact your student housing community’s reputation in the marketplace by reaching the right audience – whether that is

Boost Your Renewal Rate: Tips to Set Your Property Up for Success

Boost Your Renewal Rate: Tips to Set Your Property Up for Success
admin In the News

Boost Your Renewal Rate The definition of the word “VIP” amongst today’s millennial seems to be getting more and more outrageous every year, but its important to remember that making these residents feel like individuals and taking the time to give them the attention they crave will go a long way. You can make your current residents feel cherished and appreciated by not only giving them the opportunity to capture the best renewal rate, but also to give them access

Can Pinterest Find its Commercial Real Estate Niche?

Can Pinterest Find its Commercial Real Estate Niche?
admin In the News

When a call was put out via Twitter, another popular student housing marketing tool, to see just who in CRE bothers to “pin,” Alexis Krisay of Serendipit Consulting, responded. Her company is a marketing and PR firm that specializes in marketing for real estate and student housing. Krisay found that some student housing companies can use Pinterest as a specific way to target, market to and interact with their key demographic: late high school and college-aged kids. Click to read

Instagram: Grabbing Students’ Attention

Instagram: Grabbing Students’ Attention
admin In the News

Don’t know what Instagram is? (It’s not a door-to-door telegram service.) It’s a popular photo-sharing social media app with more than 75 million users daily. Of these 75 million, 44% are within the Millennial generation and probably right in your wheelhouse for potential tenants, says Serendipit Consulting partner Alexis Krisay. (The other 56% are hip hop artists.) Instagram allows users to customize each photo and share it from the app directly to Facebook or Twitter, so for many college students, it’s the first place they go when posting a new

Snapchat: 3 Ways to Turn it into a Valuable Marketing Tool for Your Property

Snapchat: 3 Ways to Turn it into a Valuable Marketing Tool for Your Property
admin In the News

If you’re not using Snapchat as a leasing tool, you are missing out on a gold mine of potential new leases. Snapchat is the most popular photo and video sharing service in the world, with users sending more than 400 million “snaps” per day. The coveted group of 18-to-29-year-olds is the most avid user of Snapchat, which is why it is one of the most valuable marketing tools for your student housing property. By tapping into Snapchat, you will hit

Digital Analytics in Student Housing

Digital Analytics in Student Housing
admin In the News

Alexis Krisay is a partner and the vice president of marketing for Phoenix-based Serendipit Consulting, a public relations, marketing, branding and event-planning firm with a specialization in the student housing market. GlobeSt.com recently caught up with Krisay to find out how digital analytics functions in the world of student housing. Click here to read more. 

Save the Day with a Social Media Escalation Plan

Save the Day with a Social Media Escalation Plan
admin In the News

Save the Day with a Social Media Escalation Plan Lauren Melby of Serendipit Consulting discusses the importance of a Social Media Escalation Plan for your Student Housing community. With the increased use of online reviews and social media, managing your student housing community’s reputation goes beyond responding quickly to maintenance requests and having an enthusiastic leasing team eager to handle all resident concerns. Click Here to Read More.

Reputation Management: Importance of a Social Media Escalation Plan

Reputation Management: Importance of a Social Media Escalation Plan
admin In the News

Serendipit Consulting featured in Places4Students. Check out our most recent feature where we discuss the importance of a social media escalation plan for your #studenthousing community. Read the article here.

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