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Category Archive: Blog

  1. Chatbots: Part-Time Virtual Salesperson Increases Tours

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    Whether you subscribe to the prospect-centered approach as the centerpiece of your sales and marketing philosophy or not, few could have predicted that the website chatbot would become such an important tool for the senior living digital marketer. Afterall, the thought of an emotionless, automated answering machine sounded like the opposite of how we should engage with senior living prospects. But like most ‘smart’ technological advancements, the chatbot has automated our interactions by chatting with us through a very conversational interface.

    And that’s great for senior living marketing, because these bots are proving to be extremely successful at handling routine inquiries and advancing the prospect through the sales journey.

    Here are six of the top reasons why you should be including chat bots as part of your marketing mix:

    1. Chatbots are always available. If an adult child has time to do research at midnight or senior prospect wakes up early with some questions, a chatbot is always available on your website.
    2. Chatbots can handle multiple customers at the same time. No one likes a busy signal or a voicemail. With a chatbot, a prospect will never have to wait for a salesperson to get off the phone or finish a tour to get basic questions answered.
    3. Chatbots can collect and analyze data. Do you get a lot of inquiries Sunday afternoon? Is everyone looking for price? By analyzing the content of your inquiries (and when you get them!), you may have enough compelling data to adjust your tour hours, or add a pricing page to your website or develop more educational content to help seniors and/or their influencers with their research.
    4. Chatbots can help you personalize your conversations with customers. If a prospect is only interested in assisted living, for example, questions and answers can be served to take then exclusively down the assisted living path!
    5. Chatbots can answer routine questions to free up your sales team to connect with their quality leads. Do you get asked about pricing every day? Or what your pet policy is? Or if your community accepts Medicare? Chat bots help non-qualifiers self-select out and qualifiers to engage more deeply with your community.
    6. Chatbots are becoming more mainstream, particularly out of necessity. Many service companies, from utilities to phone to banking have shifted to (AI)artificial intelligence chat bots to interact with their customers. Our audience is becoming more familiar and trusting of chat bots as a way of handling their personal business.

    The Davis Community, a retirement community in Wilmington, North Carolina, found that adding a chatbot doubled the number of tours that were scheduled on the weekend. “The Chabot is available 24/7 and is able to answer many questions immediately from our website in real time, without customers having to wait for a return phone call,” said Julie Lewis, Sales & Marketing Director at The Davis Community. “It assists in filtering prospects and directing them to the appropriate service line (Skilled Nursing, Assisted Living, Memory Care, Independent Living) so we are able to be thoroughly prepared when reaching out to them.” The Davis Community received 60+ inquiries and scheduled 22 tours online in the first 90 days using their chatbot with very little human interaction according to analytics.

    If the logistics of implementing a chat bot is daunting and holding you back from moving forward, then rest assured that the anxiety is far worse than the reality of launching a chat bot. By working with your webmaster or an agency partner like Solutions Advisors Group, you’ll quickly realize the process of onboarding this part-time salesperson is much more effortless than imagined. Contact us today to learn more!

     

  2. Seasonality in Senior Living Digital Marketing is Real. Here’s What We See.

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    The popular phrase ‘don’t wish away your days waiting for better ones ahead’ is certainly one that resonates within the senior living industry as we collectively undertake a mission of inspiring older adults to embrace their legacy, and invest in their physical, spiritual, social and mental well-being TODAY, not tomorrow. However, for the digital marketer within senior living, sometimes tomorrow looks a whole lot better than today.

    Metrics don’t lie. But they do tell a story.

    After years of collecting data and unenthusiastically anticipating the year-end metrics that come from our digital marketing efforts, the Solutions Advisors Group team of digital experts have begrudgingly accepted ‘seasonality’ as a real phenomenon. Not unlike anyone else in or outside of senior housing sales and marketing, we too believed that year-end holidays, from Yom Kippur, to Thanksgiving, to Christmas, were the perfect opportunities for families to come together and see how the family elders were thriving, or not. So, it seems logical that the fourth quarter of every year would be a breakout period for adult children and caregivers to ‘Google’ search for supportive living for their family members. But the metrics don’t lie…the fourth quarter produces less digital marketing performance than any of the other three quarters.

    Flipping the calendar flips the results.

    As we put the first quarter of 2022 to a close, our digital marketing team has identified the dramatic differences in results from December 2021 to January 2022. “We knew that for years we had seen better results coming out of the new year than year’s end”, says Marybeth Parker, SEO Specialist at Solutions Advisors. “But we were really surprised when we put the numbers from several of our clients into a side-by-side comparison report…it was really remarkable to see the stark contrast in performance over such a short period.”

    The findings were indeed remarkable. Across a random sampling of seven CCRCs and/or ‘full-service communities’, we saw an average increase of 42.7% in organic traffic alone from December 2021 to January 2022. And that organic traffic was engaged, with a 75.1% incremental lift in conversions (phone calls and contact forms) over that same time period.

    “To say we were relieved to see the calendar flip is an understatement”, notes Jeff Felton, Vice-President of Digital Services at Solutions Advisors. “We take this roller coaster ride every year and by late December are starting to question whether our targeting is off, the messaging needs refreshing or our content just isn’t hitting the right notes”, he adds. “But if we can just hold on until the new year, we’ll quickly realize that it’s not about our efforts, but seasonality at play”.

    It wouldn’t be fair or accurate to say all years are going to be the same with comparable fluctuations in traffic and lead generation. The fourth quarter of 2021 had some unique attributes that we certainly can’t rule out as influencing factors. For one, the news media had our full attention during the latter half of the year with a focus on the highly contagious Coronavirus’ Omicron variant. That may have squelched some interest in moving into communal housing for a segment of our audience. And the Google algorithm update of October 2021 caused volatile fluctuations in the Google search results, which likely were felt throughout the entire quarter.

    Preparing for seasonality in 2022/2023 

    So, if we know seasonality in our digital marketing efforts is coming, what can we do about it? Here are some strategies Marybeth Parker recommends that senior living marketers consider this year to help offset the losses in performance in the fourth quarter:

    • Blend seasonal messaging into your blogs that aren’t necessarily about senior living. I.e. think ‘Thanksgiving dinner tips for seniors’.
    • Utilize Google Trends to produce a graph of popular and relevant keywords over a period of time (i.e. monthly) and either double down on seasonal drivers or back away if certain keywords wain in seasonal months.
    • In seasonal months, advertisers are battling for impressions in a very crowded space. Consider a bump in your click-spend budget to remain visible to searchers.
    • Really leverage your email list. The fact that you have their email address demonstrates a positive experience and trust in your community brand. Contact them.
    • Be ready to educate in Q1. Family is going to be searching online during and right after the holidays. Align your content to be educational and helpful during this potentially difficult journey to ensure your community has an informed and entrusted persona.

    Ride the ‘seasonality’ roller coaster with Solutions Advisors Group

    While the seasonality digital marketing roller coaster can be a bit jarring and concerning, it doesn’t have to be scary. In fact, it can be a challenge we tackle together. At Solutions Advisors Group, our digital marketing team is here to develop digital strategies and supporting tactics that help you overcome any sales and marketing hurdles your community can possibly face. Contact us to learn how.

  3. New Google Policy Prohibits Targeting by Zip Code for Senior Living Marketers

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    Officially taking effect on October 19, 2020, Google’s new policy prohibits marketers in the greater housing, employment and credit sectors; including senior living; from targeting and excluding ads based on gender, age, parental status, marital status or ZIP code. These additional restrictions join an already-established list of exclusions of sensitive categories including:

    • Race
    • Religion
    • Ethnicity
    • Sexual orientation
    • National origin
    • Disability

    According to Google, these updates are made in part as “… an effort to improve inclusivity for users disproportionately affected by societal biases; housing, employment, and credit products or services can no longer be targeted to audiences based on gender, age, parental status, marital status, or ZIP code.”

    Google is not the first social media platform to make changes to its housing ad policies. In 2019, Facebook made massive changes to its ad platform after being accused by HUD of enabling predatory practices within the housing sector.

    What Does This Mean for Senior Living Marketers?

    Senior living marketers who had become accustomed to geo-targeting within their primary and secondary market areas will need to find alternative approaches without the use of personal marketers such as gender, marital status and ZIP code when targeting ads within the Google network.

    Any campaigns using the now-eliminated targeting options will automatically be paused by Google. To ensure uninterrupted campaigns, necessary adjustments to remove now-disavowed targeting options should have already been made.

    For most senior living marketers, like SA Digital, this new policy was not a complete surprise, with many already adopting a new set of best practices around targeting radii around a specific address. With more focus now on town, city and county targeting strategies, adjustments to ad copy should accompany landing pages designed specifically for these location-specific targets.

    If you are looking for more guidance on these changes and how your senior living ad campaigns can be adjusted to adhere to the new Google policy, please feel free to use us as a resource and contact SA Digital for more information.

  4. How To Create Facebook Posts That Bring People To Your Website

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    Our SAG Creator Series brings you tips, how-to’s, and general information from our team of creative experts on everything from innovative website and social media content to effective email campaigns to eye-catching printed mailers.

    If your community has a Facebook page, you’ve likely seen big increases in traffic and interactions during COVID-19 lockdowns. Our communities have seen traffic numbers increase anywhere from 75 percent to 400 percent, depending on how their page is being used and how often content is shared. And for those communities that have put the right practices in place, that boost in traffic and engagement is helping to build a strong new resource for leads, while better telling the story of those communities and the people who live and work in them.

    Here is a starter guide to improve your Facebook presence and engage your online community, giving you another way to share your message and build a strong lead generation engine.

    Step 1: Know What You Want Out Of Facebook

    Watching your Facebook followers increase is exciting, and seeing them react positively to your posts can give you an ego bump, but that’s not likely going to help build awareness or lead to people moving in without a plan in place. Think about your ultimate goals: Do you want a larger share of voice in your market? Are you looking for more leads? Are you trying to build stronger relationships with existing residents? Keep the end goal in mind and use Facebook to entice people to get to that destination.

    Step 2: Be Authentic When Telling Your Story

    Whether it’s the story of your community, the residents that call it home, or the team members and staff that help it all work, an honest story is one that will be the most successful. This has been especially important during COVID-19, as we all search for ways to help people learn about our communities without actually stepping foot inside. Sometimes the smallest things are the most engaging. Unique details will give potential residents and caregivers a better understanding of your community and what makes you different, and that goes a long way to helping separate you from your competition.

    Step 3: Think About Your Audience

    Knowing who you’re talking to (and why) will help you figure out what to say and how to say it. And while staying true to your community and your story is important, you need to know how to connect with the people you want to reach. This can be as simple as the language you use or as complicated as how you structure an advertising campaign. A good place to start is to consider how the things you are sharing will benefit the residents, their family or care providers, or potential employees. Then put context around the stories you are sharing to help those audiences see the benefits.

    Step 4: Don’t Stop At Facebook

    Facebook is a great place to make introductions and touch base with people you know, but you want the conversations to happen on your website. It’s rare for people to visit your Facebook page – it’s more likely they’ll see (and hopefully “Like”) individual posts in their newsfeeds, which are filled with other posts to grab their attention. Include links to your website in your posts to give people the option to learn more about the stories or news you share. This also puts them in an environment where they can explore more about your community, and more importantly, share their information to become a new lead.

    Step 5: Invest In Ads To See The Best Results

    The days of Facebook being a free way to advertise and promote your community are long gone. Less than 1% of your actual followers are likely to see your Facebook posts. That doesn’t mean organic, free Facebook posts aren’t important, but if you want this to be a lead generation channel, you’ll need to invest in Facebook Ads. A small budget can go a long way with the right combination of messaging and targeting, especially when paired with the right experiences and conversion environments on your website.

    Step 6: Track Your Success To Repeat Victories

    Facebook offers plenty of information on what’s working and what’s not working in Business Manager, specifically in the Insights section. Use this information to supplement what you’re learning about your community in the comments of the individual posts. If you’re properly linking your posts to content on your website, you should also keep an eye on those metrics to see exactly how your efforts on Facebook are translating into real conversion opportunities.

    If you’re looking for a way to make Facebook work for you, or would like to improve an existing Facebook page, Solutions Advisors Group can help you build and activate your community. Get in touch with us to talk about the right approach to start telling your story on Facebook.

  5. Senior VP Mike Brindley Reflects on Selling in the Time of Covid

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    Mike Brindley, Senior Vice President of Consulting Services, has been with Solutions Advisors nearly 8 years, having spent over 20 years in operations, sales and marketing and community development for two of the largest providers of senior living. As Senior VP, Mike coaches the Solutions Advisors’ team of sales consultants and advises clients on marketing strategies for existing communities, expansions and startups. We asked Mike how Solutions Advisors has helped communities adapt during the pandemic.

    How has Covid changed the way Solutions Advisors approaches sales and marketing?

    In the first few weeks we understood communities were focused on keeping everyone safe – residents and team members.  Internally, we took that time to step back and regroup – what can we do differently to help sales teams continue to work in this new environment. How can we help them remotely and still add value? How can we drive leads and conversions without being able to bring prospects on site? We looked at different technology platforms – Zoom, Facebook Live, OneDay – and immediately began to learn these platforms together and push them out to clients. We acted fast, learning as we went.

    Our sales consultants had to learn how to have sales meetings and planning sessions via Zoom. Instead of being on site 3 or 4 days a week, now we had daily and weekly phone calls to help sales teams adapt, to use their time more creatively to maintain connections with prospects, and to strategize ways to generate new leads without the benefit of on-site events or the ability to see the community or amenity spaces.

    What were some of the new strategies that worked to keep prospects engaged or generate new leads?

    We adapted our events strategy to hold webinars or virtual events.  Instead of a downsizing event, we held a downsizing webinar. Instead of a resident panel, we held a virtual panel and allowed participants to ask questions via chat. Virtual tours have become popular, although we realized it can’t be just about the community, but about the connection. We partnered with OneDay and trained sales teams how to use short videos to stay connected with prospects. Facebook Live is another resource for small scale events that can get a large reach. We emphasized the importance of frequent social media posts. Once communities realized this was the new normal, they began to get really creative in the way they connected with prospects, using webinars, FaceTime, Zoom meetings and creative follow up. One community even held a drive-by open house. We learned together, we brainstormed and shared ideas and “aha” moments among Solutions Advisors consultants on weekly calls so they in turn could share with clients.

    What’s been successful?

    Communities that have adapted new technology platforms like One Day to stay connected have been the most successful in keeping prospects in the pipeline or advancing prospects to the thinking or planning stage. Using OneDay we saw the value of building a genuine connection using video versus an email or phone conversation. Even if you cannot have tours or move-ins right now, eventually you will reap the benefits of keeping prospects engaged.

    We’ve identified some interesting trends. For example, we’re seeing more influencers involved in the independent living decision – more like assisted living. The adult children want to know mom’s going to be safe and comfortable at your community and feel confident about your community’s safety measures and protocols. They’re more involved, asking more questions, doing the research. So, we’ve started to look at strategies to communicate with the influencer while respecting the control of the decision with the potential resident.

    Our digital team has been in the forefront of identifying ways to use platforms like Facebook Live and social media to engage audiences and has pushed strategies like SEO, PPC, Google and Facebook ads to make websites more effective in driving leads and conversions. And, somewhat ironically, some markets are responding to the more traditional mediums like print advertising. People are at home more, reading more, listening to news about Covid. So, we are using at both traditional and non-traditional channels to communicate with different audiences.

    What are three top things you would share with sales teams during this time?

    One, it’s more important than ever to create the connection with the prospect, to listen and understand their story. Ask good questions. Not, ‘what are you looking for,’ but ‘how are you feeling?’ Develop trust with the prospect, try to dispel their fear and anxiety. It may not be a decision they are ready to make now, but if they trust you, they’ll come back to you.

    Two, be creative in a genuine way. Introduce yourself via Zoom. Develop a fun video about yourself using OneDay. Maybe they have a dog and you do too, or grandkids, or you share a fondness for reading or crossword puzzles – celebrate whatever creates that connection. Maybe make a short video testimonial from a resident who felt safe and cared about during the pandemic. Use the time you have now to be creative in your approach.

    Three, I respect and applaud our communities for their focus on keeping team members and residents safe. Several have been Covid free or have only one or two cases. That will become important down the road when residents are able to say, “Yes, we were quarantined but we had everything we needed and felt safer here than at home.” Be transparent, answer prospects’ questions about what you are doing differently now. But be real, be honest. Don’t show a dining room full of people if that’s not the reality right now. Show the outstanding customer service as team members deliver meals door to door, show outdoor dining with social distancing, show how you are keeping residents and team members safe while delivering needed services. Communities that are very transparent about what’s going on will win the day.

    Are you optimistic about the future of senior living?

    Look, our older population has been through a lot in their lives, from the depression, several wars, the recession, and now the pandemic. They are a resilient generation and we can learn a lot from them. It’s more important than ever to listen to their stories. We need to be adaptable and fluid. In several of our communities, people are still putting down deposits for the future, still moving, still seeing the value in the environment and services we offer. We need them and they need us. We’ll figure this out together.

    Any closing thoughts?

    Well, as we are talking, I’m driving to a community to meet with the sales team. While we’ve done a good job of staying connected through technology, I have to say it’s fantastic to see people face to face again, to have that human connection, even while six feet away and wearing masks. I guess my closing thought would be not to lose that sense of humanity. It may be a cliché by now, but we truly are all in this together.

  6. Senior Marketing Playbook: Digital Marketing and E-Commerce Should Prepare for Digital Refugees

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    The COVID-19 pandemic has forced many to turn to online resources to meet every-day needs, from work meetings to happy hours to shopping for groceries. And while some people were already natives of the digital landscape, this is a strange and unfamiliar place to many, especially older adults.

    This is not to say seniors are not tech-savvy. As noted by recent Pew research, people 60 and older are spending more and more time in front of screens, and that includes smartphones, tablets and computers. So they are aware of resources that are available online, but don’t often take advantage of them. Now that they’ve been forced to turn to online sources for goods and services, it’s more important than ever to make sure you create a clear direct pathway to help these new digital refugees find the solutions that you’re providing.

    UX For Seniors: Where To Start

    The User Experience (UX) determines how easy it is for someone to learn what they need to learn to feel comfortable and confident enough to buy your product.

    The Pitch

    Think of your homepage, or the landing page environment you created specifically for your senior audience traffic, as your initial pitch. Clearly state the benefit of your product, the reason to believe in it, and how to get it. There are a few things you can do to make this better, but these are the essentials, and you can add other elements later.

    The Details

    When it’s time to talk about what you’re offering, your main objective is to build trust. Does it work? Will you do what you say you’re going to do? If you have testimonials, especially from older patrons, use it to support your claims. If you aren’t a known entity, they may need a little more evidence to ensure you are legit. How you tell the story is important here, the content needs to be easy to find, easy to engage with, and easy to share.

    The Sale

    The theme of trust carries through here, as scams and fraud are a real concern. Make sure you have clearly noted where and how the online transactions are secure and safe. The payment method should be as accessible as possible. Venmo is a great application but asking your customer to go download and learn something just to complete a transaction with you is not good UX, and a major barrier to closing.

    In order to meet the needs of this group of consumers, it’s crucial that websites simplify and streamline UX at every touchpoint, especially along the paths that connect seniors to the goods and services they want or need. This is all in conjunction with the right advertising plan to alert these new audiences that you’re open for business, and a relationship management plan to keep them engaged and believing throughout your sales process.

    If you’re interested in finding out how to apply this knowledge to your senior living business model, reach out to Solutions Advisors to set up some time to discuss your goals.

  7. How to Evaluate Your Digital Marketing Strategy

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    Through well thought out senior living marketing strategies, communities have taken control of digital efforts by executing tactics that will drive more traffic to their websites. An increase in website traffic then presents an opportunity to further engage the prospect with relevant, concise content and clear calls-to-action. The result is a boost in online conversions that leads to sales and increased occupancy rates. How can this be accomplished?

    Let’s review some digital best practices and senior living marketing strategies that have brought success to our communities and client communities:

    1. Website Design: build a site that will convert and generate leads and reflect your mission, vision, unique levels of care and programming through quality, mobile-friendly designs.

    2. SEO Services: through strategic SEO solutions, your website will be easy for both users and search engine robots to find and understand your site and optimize your results.

    3. Social Media Management: create a profile that shows family members and prospective residents that you care by using meaningful and useful content. Social media strategy includes the combination of data, SEO and creativity.

    4. Blog Content Management: share meaningful content and position yourself as an expert or thought leader in senior care. By developing consistent, helpful content, you are providing an additional opportunity to connect with families and prospects and increase chances of ranking for targeted keywords.

    5. Digital Paid Advertising: reduce spend on third-party directory sites and use a paid advertising campaign with relevant, high-quality ads to attract qualified leads.

    6. Email Marketing Strategy: stay connected and drive action through your enewsletter or other email communications. When a prospect or family member signs up to receive emails from your community, engage them with short, impactful content that is targeted and helpful. Do not try to sell!

    Start Small and Scale for the Future

    We understand the business challenges that senior living communities face and change doesn’t have to happen overnight. Small steps, with testing along the way, can help you move forward and expand your website content and strategy as you begin to see results and feel comfortable.

    Take Control of Your Digital Marketing

    We work closely with our communities and clients to develop and execute digital strategies that engage emotion and rational thinking for decision-making. Let us help you attract, engage and show prospective residents and family members that you care while highlighting your community’s mission, vision, values and core differentiators. Contact us today.

  8. SEO and Digital Marketing Best Practices

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    Why SEO Matters to Your Senior Living Community

    By Dianna Leyton, Digital Strategist

    As a senior living professional in today’s digital age, you already know how critical your website is to your community’s success. Having an online presence matters, but what matters more is converting website visitors into inquiries. High performing communities generally see at least 40% of initial inquiries originating from their website. How do they accomplish this? Part of the answer lies in SEO.

    Let’s get started by reviewing some of the basics of SEO:

    What is SEO?
    Search Engine Optimization (SEO) is a digital marketing practice that can improve the volume and quality of your website traffic. This can be accomplished in several ways including keyword research, content development, technical website adjustments and more to help websites gain higher visibility on search engines like Google, Yahoo and Bing. Although only one piece of the overall marketing strategy, SEO is generally one of the most effective ways to bring in qualified web inquiries.

    Why does SEO matters and how can it help generate more online inquiries?
    When it comes to researching options for any major life decision like senior living, many begin their journey on a search engine, such as Google. The popularity of search engines is why organic search traffic is generally the primary source of website traffic. But, content also plays a major role in how your website will rank and appear as a search result.

    How is SEO and website content related?
    Creating valuable content and a great user experience is key to a great SEO strategy. This means developing valuable content that is easily accessible with a short path to discovery and fewer clicks. This can keep website visitors engaged and can signal to the search engine that you are a high-quality website, which can lead to more website visitors over time.

    What is the likely result of a successful SEO strategy?
    If you’re executing a well-developed SEO strategy, you will likely notice a greater influx of website visitors who are taking more desired actions on your website. These actions, or digital conversions, include submitting contact forms, calling your community or initiating a live chat conversation with a sales team member. This can increase your inquiry to tour ratio.

    What else can you do for a great SEO strategy?
    Your SEO strategy should include updating your local business profiles such as Google My Business, Yelp and Yellow Pages so information is complete and consistent across all directories. Updating these profiles not only makes you more visible in local searches, but it can also ensure that people are accessing the most up-to-date information.

    In addition to updating your local business profiles, online reviews that live within these directories should be given extra attention.  Now more than ever, prospects and influencers are looking at these online reviews to help them determine the best senior living communities in the area.

    Conclusion
    Understanding how SEO works and how to implement a smart digital marketing strategy to grow your senior living community may seem overwhelming. A great place to start is through a website assessment with a team of digital marketing experts. The SA digital team has helped many senior living communities with personalized website assessments. The assessments help identify gaps and areas for improvement in SEO strategy and other areas of digital marketing.

    We would like to put our skills to work for your community!
    Call us at (888) 312-0889 or submit an online form at Contact Us.

  9. Marketing Best Practice – Part Three: Direct Mail

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    Too often communities dismiss direct mail as ineffective after just one or two failed attempts.
    While it is true that seniors (as well as the rest of us) receive an overwhelming amount of unsolicited mail, direct mail is still a key lead generator and can be a cost-effective way to communicate to a large audience.

    However, there are several best practices that must be followed for direct mail to be successful:

    • Always have a clear call to action – In most cases, a direct mail invitation to an event will have a clear and simple method of response, either via phone or email. Your call to action should NOT simply ask the prospect to call for more information or call for a personal appointment.
    • Use authentic photos that represent your target audience – If you are a high-end community, your photos should represent the same; the opposite is true. Don’t show pets if pets are not allowed. Try not to use the same stock photos everyone else is using. If possible, conduct a professional photo shoot to develop a portfolio of photos you can use in a variety of ways, from direct mail to your website. Be cognizant of equal housing opportunity rules concerning minority representation based on your geographic market area.
    • Use a variety of formats and folds – Do not stick to one size postcard or format. Switch up between sizes and folds and use envelops on occasion. At Solution Advisors we’ve experimented with sizes, envelopes and even fonts to find formats that get opened. Variety is the most crucial factor.
    • Don’t mail everything to everyone – Avoid direct mail fatigue that occurs when you mail to the same list repeatedly. Revisit the desired outcome of the event and select your mailing list accordingly. Want to advance prospects to the next step? Select those who have already attended an event or toured your community. If new lead generation is the goal, review your primary market area and look for new zip codes or areas that have not been penetrated before.
    • Segment the mailing lists/All messaging is not the same for all people – the target market and call to action for the direct mail should be determined based on the ultimate intent of the piece. For example:
      • If your inventory has an abundance of one-bedroom styles, the content should speak to that smaller unit footprint. Additionally, the mailing list should be segmented based on those most likely to buy that style unit. In this example, messaging can be directed toward single individuals, older individuals or those with more modest incomes.
      • Append a large mailing list for square footages of existing homes. For example, the mailing list could be segmented to identify those people with existing homes with square footages under 1,500 square feet to market available inventory that is 1,000 square feet or under, or vice versa for larger inventory. Mail a downsizing event direct mail to only those prospects who have larger square footages and have resided in their existing residence for 10 years or longer who would benefit from this type of mailing.
    • Personalization and Variable Data – direct mail is a mass marketing tool. However, direct mail can be personalized to include the prospect’s name in the piece so they are more likely to open and respond. Varying data fields do not have to only include letters. Variable data can be on other types of mailers, including self-mailers. Personalization allows for a more person-centered approach to marketing efforts.

  10. Marketing Best Practices – Part 2: Plan Strategic Events

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    Having a successful event entails more than serving chips and dip. Breathe new life into events that generate excitement and build confidence with clients. Strategic event planning is an important component to successfully generating inquiries and, potentially, advancing sales through the sales cycle. Event best practices include:

    • The outcome of the event should be determined first, even before the event is planned. In other words, is the outcome to simply inform or educate the audience? Advance the prospect forward in her decision-making? Close the prospect? Depending on the desired outcome, we categorize events as follows:
      • Lead Generation Events have the sole purpose of generating as many qualified leads as possible. These events are usually promoted via a direct mailer sent to a purchased list of age and income qualified households to generate new leads.
      • Advancement Events have the dual goal of generating new leads and moving existing leads from one level to the next in the sales cycle. The goal is to communicate the lifestyle of the community by having depositors speak about what life will be like at the community, showcasing the type of activities residents will regularly participate in and to generate leads.
      • Conversion Events have the goal of moving prospects from one phase of the selling cycle to the next, typically from ‘planning’ to ‘action’. The events should be intimate in nature and have a high degree of resident involvement.
    • Events should incorporate the strengths of the community. For instance, if your community is focused on wellness, plan events that will demonstrate the benefits of your wellness program. If food is the focus, plan events that will showcase the culinary experience at your community. Pet friendly? Plan a “Yappy Hour” for prospects to mingle with residents and their pets. Remember to capture the results of the event in terms of attendance, follow up appointments and sales, to measure the effectiveness and outcome of each direct mail campaign and event.
    • Events should be a cornerstone of your professional outreach strategy, giving team members a reason to call on referral sources and invite them into the community for continuing education, as a thank you, for pampering (manicures and martinis), or giving something of value to them (perhaps CEUs.) While professional events are typically not as highly attended as prospect events, they serve two purposes: first, they provide ongoing, fresh opportunities for referral sources to hear from your team, by phone, evite, and in-person; second, they create deeper connection into your organization and your referral source organizations, providing onsite opportunities for these partners to meet and mingle with your team members at once. Professional events for independent living are a good way to generate awareness and brand the community.
    • The most successful event topics include:
      • “Dine and Discover” (off-site for communities in pre-opening) for initial introductions into the market – Lead Generation
      • Sales center (or sales office) open house for communities in pre-opening – Lead Generation
      • Social event tie-in with state wine month or similar type of focus (food) – Lead Generation
      • Grand opening event one to two months following the opening of the community – Lead Generation
      • Farm-to-Table – When able, partner with a local food delivery group (farm-focus, organic) to deliver fresh fruits and/or vegetables to the community and have an event hosted around the food and wellness component of the community – Lead Generation or Advancement
      • Resident Panel explaining the experience of choosing the right community – Advancement
      • A “University” type of event for communities with interesting residents with strong backgrounds; teaching and sharing their expertise – Advancement
      • Standard moving and downsizing events to educate prospects on moving, the real estate market and downsizing – Advancement
      • Coffee/Lunch/Cocktails/Dinner with residents (roundtable event) – Advancement
      • Coffee/Lunch/Cocktails/Dinner with the executive director (small, roundtable event) – Conversion
      • Progressive dinner for select/hot prospects – Conversion
      • CEU event for professionals – Outreach
      • Yappy Hour (Halloween dog costume) for Professionals – Outreach or Advancement for prospects

  11. 5 Quick and Easy Tips to Improve Your Digital Marketing Performance

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    As we head into the last quarter of the year, sales and marketing teams are feeling the pressure to accomplish multiple initiatives before the calendar flips. From developing marketing plans and budgets for 2019, to scheduling those last events in 2018, to making a final push for depositors and move-ins, there’s often little time to focus on functionalities such as your digital marketing efforts.

    Knowing how stretched sales and marketing teams are this time of year, we’ve put together a list of five quick-hit tips that take little time, effort and cost to implement but can have big (positive) impacts on your digital marketing efforts.

    1. Take Advantage of Google Posts. Released in June 2017, Google Posts allow for additional content postings within the Google My Business profile. It’s a free feature for businesses to promote incentives, events and advertisements. If your community is actively publishing blogs and news articles, this is a great way to further promote that content. Events will stay live up until the event date and all other content (blogs, articles, news, etc.) have a 7-day lifespan on Google Posts.
    2. Scoop Out the Competition. A new feature Facebook introduced in June 2018 to make Pages and ads more transparent was the Info and Ads section. Go to any of your competitor’s Facebook pages and locate ‘Info and Ads’ in the left sidebar. If they’re running paid advertising campaigns, you’ll see the exact sponsored content. Keep tabs on the competition to know what incentives and content (videos, downloadable white papers, cost calculators, etc.) they may be promoting. You won’t have access to their targeted audience or performance metrics, but at least you’ll know what you’re competing against in the paid Facebook advertising market. Think this feels seedy? Don’t worry…this information is public and they’re looking at your ads too.
    3. Respond to Reviews. The senior living industry has done a great job of telling its participants how important it is to respond to negative reviews on third-party review sites. This cannot be stated enough. But equally important is responding to positive reviews. A simple ‘thank you’ to a compliment or positive message tells the review reader that your community finds input from others to be important and improves the community’s opportunity at creating a dialogue with the review reader.
    4. Add Calls-To-Action to Your Content Posts. Regular postings of blogs and news articles are an excellent way to drive visitors to your website. At the end of your blog or news article, don’t leave readers hanging without a next step. Adding a call-to-action function such as ‘download a white paper,’ ‘watch a video’ or ‘sign up for an enewsletter’ puts the reader just one click away from a deeper dive to answer their questions and provides new pieces of information.
    5. Add Directional Buttons to Your Blog Posts. A user-experience best-practice is to add a small toolbar or buttons at the bottom of each blog post or news article to allow the reader to go to the <Previous> or <Next> blog or news post. This is particularly effective if you categorize your posts by subject such as Healthy Living, Retirement Planning, Caregiving, etc., since the directional buttons will take the reader to other articles common to their interest. Combined with tip #4 above (adding calls-to-action to content posts), this practice engages the reader and improves the chance for a conversion.

    Performance improvements to your digital marketing campaigns don’t always require time-intensive and costly investments. Often just a few tweaks to an existing campaign is all it takes to make a good campaign great. For more information about the 5 tips noted above, contact Jeff Felton, Vice President of Interactive Innovation, at jfelton@solutionsadvisorsgroup.com.

  12. Marketing Best Practices – Part 1

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    There was a time when the saying, “if you build it they will come,” was true in senior living: time when prospects lined up to make a deposit, when wait lists were long and the sales cycle short, and when sales people were ‘order takers’ with little need to actually ‘sell.’ And while there is evidence that occupancy of senior living communities began dipping in the early 2000s, it took a nose-dive following the 2007-2009 recession and has yet to fully recover in many parts of the country.

    In fact, the recession may have done more harm to the senior living industry than reduce occupancy. In a Perkins Eastman white paper, a survey of 200 providers and industry consultants conducted in 2015 showed that sixty-one percent of respondents feel the 2008-2012 downturn of the residential market and economic conditions permanently changed people’s outlook and expectations for their housing and service choices in their later years.¹

    The implication for the senior housing industry is that, as people’s expectations change for housing and services, the way in which we market and sell to this audience needs to change as well. Generational differences play a huge role in how we market to the senior audience. The “GI Generation” born from 1901 to 1924 are now in their 90s and, if alive, are likely to be in a nursing home. The “Silent Generation,” born from 1925 to 1942, currently are the primary market for senior living and active adult communities. And, of course, we now eagerly anticipate the dawning of Aquarius – the “Baby Boomer” generation – born 1946 to 1964. Over the past several years consultants, architects and all types of industry pundits and experts have been tripping over themselves trying to predict and forecast what this new generation of seniors will want in housing when their journey begins to enter the senior living world. Yet, at 72, the oldest boomers have just started on that journey and, at 54, the youngest boomers are not even on the bus.

    This 40-year age gap between the oldest members of the silent generation and the youngest boomers make marketing to older adults even more difficult. Add to the mix the influence of adult children and you have a wildly disparate group with vastly different experiences, needs and desires. While some are getting their information through traditional channels such as print advertisements or television/radio commercials, other savvier seniors are using laptop, computers or mobile devices to get information via the internet. A Pew Research Center report on seniors and technology issued in May 2017, shows that four in 10 seniors own smartphones and 67 percent of adults 65+ are online. Thirty-two percent have tablet computers and a growing number are comfortable with social media platforms like Facebook or Twitter.² Scott Townsley, founding Principal of Trilogy Consulting, asserts that “Today’s consumer (not tomorrow’s) has high expectations regarding the availability of technology. Tele-health/telemedicine, the ability to monitor and manage health and well being, to socialize and otherwise connect will fast become the standard.”³

    When it comes to senior living marketing, one size does not fit all. Multi-channel marketing is a best practice, meaning the utilization of more than one – and often several – types of media, from traditional media to digital marketing. This paper constitutes what we feel are the best practices to consider as part of the multi-channel marketing mix.

    Do the Research (Step One)

    Critical to the marketing effort is doing upfront research to understand both your market area and your audience. Established communities have the advantage of historical data to understand who their customers are: where they came from, their age at move-in, marital status, gender, home value, income and assets. Communities not yet opened must rely on understanding potential geographic and psychological barriers as well as overall local knowledge to determine the primary market area (PMA). And, over time and testing, this market area may change based on what the marketing efforts tell us.

    • Define your primary market area (PMA): Plotting the prior addresses of your residents will give you an idea of how wide (or narrow) your primary market is and may point out untapped market areas or areas you should be penetrating but are not. Understanding age, marital status and average income of residents as well as other demographic information will lend a clue as to how you are positioned in your marketplace: what prospects are you appealing to and why; alternatively, who aren’t you appealing to and why not?
    • Understanding the psychographic attributes of your residents and prospects is also an important component of attracting prospects more likely to move in. People prefer to live with other people who have similar interests and lifestyles. Conduct an interest survey of residents or potential prospects to understand what extracurricular and cultural activities they enjoy. For deep markets with a large population of age and income qualified prospects, narrow down your target market to include psychographic parameters, including interest in:
      • Cultural activities
      • Art/Theater/Performing Arts
      • Nutrition
      • Health and wellness
      • Outdoor activities
      • Subscriptions to specific publications based on interests
    • Competitive research should be conducted to understand who your competition is, their occupancy, pricing and services. How does your community stack up against your competition? Put your eyes on the competition or, better yet, secret shop them to find out if and how they may be marketing against you. The more data you have about your own community and customers as well as the competition, the better you can position yourself for success.

    Look for Marketing Best Practices – Part 2 in the September Solutions Advisors eNewsletter.

    ¹ “An Industry Poised for Change” Perkins Eastman Senior Living Survey 2015

    ² Pew Research Center “Tech Adoption Climbs Among Older Adults”, May 17, 2017

    ³ “CCRCs and Life Plan Communities, A Heretics View” Scott Townsley, Professor of the Practice, University of Baltimore