Making immediate improvements to two areas could bolster both interest in your community and your occupancy rates: marketing and sales. In order to help market your Senior Living Community you should utilize these tactice:
Compare your website to your competitors’:
Is your website easy to navigate, even for someone who’s not tech savvy? Does your website load quickly? Are you using high-quality videos and images of your available units, landscaping, amenities, and dining spaces? Do you have virtual tours available? Is your website mobile friendly? Your community’s first impression often happens online. You must invest time and energy to make it inviting, with easy navigation, fast and mobile access, and engaging content that is updated regularly.
Consistently track the ROI of every marketing initiative:
Each market is going to respond to marketing initiatives differently. While some may find that printed ads work best to draw in seniors and their families, others may conclude that hosting on-site or virtual events work better to create interest. With the rise in virtual marketing, communities are also trying creative new options that “gamify” the marketing funnel, offering virtual points and real-life rewards for participation in surveys, raffles, and other actions that both engage prospects and allow a mutual get-to-know-you experience. While it’s good to experiment with different marketing tactics, careful tracking is essential so you understand the effectiveness and make sure you’re investing your valuable marketing dollars only on tactics with high returns.
Be conscience of your presence online:
While getting negative reviews can be difficult and damaging to your brand, it is important you have a member of your team respond to concerns posted online as soon as possible. You want to show people that management at your community is willing to make things right when they go wrong. Sometimes, a great response to a bad review means more to potential residents and their families than the bad review itself.
Optimize your website’s SEO:
Search engine optimization (SEO) is the practice of improving your website to rank in internet searches. Websites get SEO-credit through many ways: following best practices for website design (see #1 above), posting useful content on your website, and leveraging paid search advertising. For example, Google Ads (formerly Google AdWords) is a customizable, efficient marketing tool used by millions of businesses to get their organizations noticed online. Chances are your competitors are already using it. Stay at the top of Google search results — and top of mind for those who are looking for a new place to live — by considering an investment into this service.
Current residents = “brand ambassadors.”
Do you have current residents who love living in your community? Those seniors — and their families — may be willing to become “brand ambassadors” to promote your community. Consider starting a “resident referral program” that asks residents to refer their friends. You can use that connection to let potential residents know that because their friend loves living there, so would they. Also consider using their testimonials online through video and social media — their personal feelings highlight the value of your organization in an authentic way.
