Some Items Are The same
In our many years of operating using the assisted living and senior care business, the fundamentals of growing the census have remained pretty significantly the same. The big modifications in the selling and purchasing procedure have come in the execution of this technique. The availability as well as the amazing functions from the internet, wise phones, social networks along with other technologies have changed how the public expects to locate your facility and interacts your with staff. These new communication mediums are now “required” and must be integrated into the selling method.
In addition, numerous assisted living prospects now “demand” to have easier access to information, be engaged throughout the purchasing process and have a greater degree of manage. They want to be aware, up-dated and reassured so they can trust their buying selection (once they are ready to create it), after which win more than their loved ones members.
Concepts & Suggested Changes
Here are some suggestions for adjusting your advertising to the evolving selling and buying method.
Utilize a database. This will help you keep track of multiple phone numbers and e-mail addresses, personalize group communications, and keep track of where prospects sit in their purchasing process.
Ask every prospect, family members member and referral source how they prefer to become contacted. Highlight this preference in your database, smartphone and social networks.
Improve your website and make it the hub of marketing and advertising communications. It should include very current evidence of your care and services, integrate your updates with social networks and keep-in-touch systems, encourage return visits as well as the sharing of your site, and provide new tools for people who want to promote you.
Utilize e-mail and social networks to make people aware of your updates. The key is to not overdue contact so people stop paying attention. Mix up the updates with your Activity Scrapbook entries, Caregiver Tips, videos and articles about seniors. We have found that two valuable updates per month is usually sufficient. Replace & Integrate
Several inside the senior care industry will read this article and tremble at the thought of more work. At the beginning, setting up your systems will add work. However, once systems are developed and in place, the evolved advertising strategy will be more efficient. Updates to your website and social networks that are filled with emotion and reality can take a marketing director little time, and be lots of fun. E-mail and social networks that highlight those updates can reach hundreds (or thousands) of people on the three key lists with little effort and cost.
When you compare the investment of time and money needed in this technology technique with what goes into hosting the standard one-time, generic, small-attendance open house, this is a real bargain. Note: By the way, well done updates can make an open house a significantly more effective advertising tool more than a longer period of time. It can also bring the event to those who could not attend. And for those who choose to pass on such an event, a great update system can replace numerous (but not all) of the benefits of an open house.
Even The Building Of Professional Relationships Is Evolving
In the old days, the typical marketing program built relationships by visiting doctor offices and hospitals, dropping off a brochure and maybe some cookies, and chatting a little. The building of relationships is still necessary today. However, several face-to-face visits may evolve into a “tech” visit. The cookies may be replaced by photos of your chef baking, a cookie recipe for diabetics, or a Caregiver Tip on helping seniors with little appetite.
Now I know that several people consider technology to become cold and have no feeling. I agree…when it is left on its own. However, what I am recommending is using the mediums of technology to highlight the warmth, care and expertise of assisted living, and making these valuable assets accessible to more people inside the method they prefer (and at their convenience).
It’s Worth The Effort
The rapid modifications in technology are forcing the marketing world to adapt and change, and at a faster rate than it did inside the past. This does put an additional burden on assisted living marketing departments and small home owners. (So does a low census.) Plans and strategies need to continue to evolve to meet the demands of the “current” buyer and referral source. A higher census (and less financial stress) will prove it was well worth the effort.
Murdock Marketing Specializes in Senior living consulting as well as Assisted living marketing.
