Tuesday, 3 January 2012

The Successful Assisted Living Marketing Program Is Evolving

By Jeremy Sanchez


Some Things Are The same

In our several years of working using the assisted living and senior care business, the fundamentals of increasing the census have remained fairly much the same. The huge changes inside the selling and purchasing process have come in the execution of this technique. The availability and the incredible functions from the internet, wise phones, social networks as well as 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 process.

Furthermore, several assisted living prospects now "demand" to have less difficult access to data, be engaged during the getting method and have a higher level of control. They want to be conscious, up-dated and reassured so they can trust their getting selection (once they are ready to make it), after which win more than their family members.

Suggestions & Suggested Modifications

Here are some suggestions for adjusting your marketing to the evolving selling and buying procedure.

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 buying procedure.

Ask every prospect, family members member and referral source how they prefer to be 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 and the sharing of your site, and provide new tools for people who wish to promote you.

Utilize e-mail and social networks to create 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

Numerous in the senior care market 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 marketing and advertising program 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 method 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 a lot 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) from the benefits of an open house.

Even The Building Of Professional Relationships Is Evolving

In the old days, the typical advertising strategy 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, many 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 be 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 changes in technology are forcing the marketing world to adapt and change, and at a faster rate than it did in 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 must continue to evolve to meet the demands from the "current" buyer and referral source. A greater census (and less financial stress) will prove it was well worth the effort.




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