The RentCafé Adoption Campaign focused on helping residents across all 18 PAMI properties transition to a new digital platform for paying rent, submitting maintenance requests, and staying connected with their community. PAMI needed more than just an announcement about the new system. They needed a comprehensive approach that would teach residents how to use RentCafé, address their concerns, and provide ongoing support throughout the transition.
I developed a multi phase campaign that combined large scale events with targeted communications tailored to each property's needs. The approach recognized two key challenges: many residents had limited experience with technology, and frequent email changes made it difficult for people to maintain consistent account access. All materials directed residents to hacanet.org/rentcafe for additional resources and support.
The campaign launched with a major activation event held on lease renewal day, where staff helped residents create their RentCafé accounts in real time. To solve the login retention problem, each resident received a custom fridge magnet featuring their property name and space to write down their login information. These magnets were designed specifically for each property and gave residents something tangible and visible to reference when accessing their accounts.
Several months later, I rolled out the "Ready • Set • Go" communication series. The Ready flyer was standardized across all properties to introduce RentCafé and explain its benefits. The Set materials were customized for each property, listing specific dates and times when on site support would be available for questions and troubleshooting. The Go flyers announced each property's official activation date and provided final reminders about accessing the platform.
Throughout the process, I collaborated with property management teams to ensure messaging was clear and accessible, and that the rollout timeline worked for both staff and residents. The campaign achieved 90% resident adoption, with the remaining residents choosing to continue paying rent in person. The project established a reusable framework for future digital service transitions across PAMI properties.
