Leslie Newlife

Today’s seniors are inundated with marketing specifically designed to catch their attention. But what do seniors really want? Simply stated, today’s senior is probably looking for reliable goods and services and excellent customer service.

Reflecting back to how things were 50 years ago gives us a vantage point for the senior’s expectations. Seniors grew up in a time when stores were compartmentalized by specialty and service was paramount. If something broke, they took it back to the source and the issue was quickly resolved, often by someone they knew. In today’s world, things are not so easy anymore. We no longer know the folks down at the hardware store, as it has been replaced by the large, franchised mega­-store. A phone call to a business may result in a quagmire of automated questions. Times have changed, but many seniors long for the way things were.

Below are some helpful “Marketing to Seniors” tips for your business.

“I like to think of sales as the ability to gracefully persuade, not manipulate, a person or persons into a win ­win situation,” Bo Bennett.

Most senior care business directors and owners have one goal: find new residents and clients. However, though finding customers can happen without planning and direct action, it’s much better to understand how to prospect. You can then use prospecting to attract clients who are more likely to move into your community. Though prospecting is just one part of the sales process, many professionals consider it the second most crucial part, next to asking for or closing the sale.

For many,

However, without prospecting, many SMB owners waste time trying to sell to people who aren’t ready to make a decision, cold and lukewarm leads at best.

The Steps to Simple Prospecting:

• Define your ideal customer or target market and the decision-­maker who will actually sign on the dotted line:

(ie. the adult child earning $X/year, the active senior couple with X hobbies and $X retirement savings, etc.) The more specific and detailed you are in your description, the easier finding prospects will be.

Cold calling is hard for people who aren’t seasoned sales pros. However, there’s a way to soften things. Prospecting is part of that. Try sending a piece of direct mail or email first before calling on the phone. Asking the person if they received your correspondence is a much easier way to start a potential sales conversation. Direct mail is more memorable than email. Try sending a little 3 x 4­ inch booklet or a standard tri­-fold brochure that beautifully advertises your community or care service; along with a cordial sales letter with a call-­to-­action asking them to call you or contact you online.

Too many business owners aim for an immediate year lease. However, you may want to close a free trial weekend, social event or something softer and easier for your potential clients to agree to. This will make the whole encounter easier for you and them.

Growing and managing a senior living community in the modern marketplace isn’t easy. There’s a lot of competition. However, one of the easiest ways to stay afloat is to use big data to qualify leads for your organization. Data analysis provides you with a very rich prospect pool of people more likely to want or need your product or service, who are also financially able to pay for it.

For years, the retirement industry has focused on the Baby Boomer population and has anticipated the changes they would bring to senior living complexes. Boomers are here, and they are somewhat a surprise to developers and housing providers. Instead of a focus on opulent surroundings and a relaxing ambiance, today’s senior is most likely looking at staying active and engaged.

A study completed in 2005 showed that 29 percent of seniors were interested in web based education. That figure is expected to grow. Seniors want to live in communities that provide state-­of­-the-art computer systems and support. Active post­-retirement adults are technologically savvy and they want services that allow them to get online. They are looking for college courses, wellness classes and recreational activities on the Internet. Communities that woo these consumers will have to provide reliable connectivity and, perhaps, even closed-circuit learning opportunities.

People in their 60s and beyond have experienced a lot of change and want to leave a legacy that matters. In great numbers they espoused ecological responsibility, down to recycling and organic food preparation. That means they want the place they call home to reflect those values.

Another change that retirement communities must make if they are to stay viable is moving from a quiet place to “spend their last years” to a vital place to begin a new life. Seventy-six percent of Boomers intend to work beyond retirement age. Many are looking for second careers. That means senior living complexes must meet needs for transportation, networking, investment education and other resources. Boomers are also more active than any older population segment has ever been. Communities that hope to attract them should have things like biking and hiking paths, gyms, exercise rooms and pools on site or close at hand.

One problem in all of this is that the economy has hit many seniors hard. Retirement funds and investments have ridden a roller coaster since 9­-11 and Boomers are wary of lavish spending. In the competitive market of senior living complexes, this translates to the issue of providing the services at a price seniors can afford. Communities that offer discounts and “coupons” may gain an edge.

Do you want to get people passionate about your community and passionate about passing the word along that you are a community that is caring, compassionate and worthy of consideration for their loved ones?

Get face-to-face once in a while.

“How” you say? Try and get out in the community for a while and meet people. Hold or get involved in a community fair, or several small ones.

You’re likely to meet two kinds of individuals:

Both worry about conditions, money, and all the other aspects of long term or short term care. They have questions and they don’t know who to talk to. They are unable to research facilities in their area to any real extent. And furthermore, they do not trust the internet. Try and have a sit-down conversation with them and you will hear that.

There’s still a generation out there who prefer face-to-face contact and to be able to talk about their impending future to the professionals who might be caring for them. Once they feel they would like to consider something, they will, in turn, take that information to their family members, the next generation(s) who will be instrumental in making decisions for them. And what’s the first thing this generation is doing? Checking out the institution on the internet. It serves the purpose of connecting to social media and it also helps give the loved one a feeling of autonomy when making decisions about their future.

By getting out in the community, you have accomplished two things. You have made contact with the generation that does not always do or trust social media; and you are giving a nod to the extending decision makers when it’s time to help mom get a place. You are also putting a face to a name. People like what is familiar to them.

When you first hear that a prospective client is interested in moving to your senior living and care community, it’s very tempting to respond with urgency. After all, you know everything there is to know about your community, its amenities and advantages. It is important to resist this temptation and start slow, however, if you want satisfied customers. The most important role for you in the initial phase of the client relationship is as a listener. If you are successful in helping clients articulate to you what they want and need from their new housing arrangement, you are that much more likely to be able to provide it.

The decision to move out of one’s home and into a setting designed exclusively for seniors is never easy. It involves letting go of a well-established set of habits and routines and becoming open to new ways of living and meeting one’s needs. To make this decision wisely, you can use these questions to help clients determine what they are most looking for in this next chapter of their life.

Many people are tired of the financial cost and stress of maintaining their existing homes. Some are tired of having to drive long distances to entertainment, restaurants, health care or to visit family. Some are ready to stop feeling isolated or lonely. Others feel their homes are no longer safe places for them to live. If the pressures and burdens of the “old house” are no longer worth putting up with, senior living may offer alternatives that are easier, cheaper and more in line with their future plans.

Some people are eager to simplify their lives and possessions in order to spend more energy doing the things they like best. Others want to invest in new social relationships and communities. Many seniors are deeply engaged in work and other pursuits and want to be closer to supportive resources for these endeavors. Others want to spend more time with family members. Senior living arrangements can facilitate all of these goals by supporting independent living without the burdens of home ownership.

Deciding to leave home and start a new kind of life can feel upsetting. To avoid unnecessary anxiety about this decision, it is helpful to see your worries as useful signals about how to move forward. It is natural to grieve when we say goodbye to one part of our lives and enter another. Encourage clients to take time to process these emotions without rushing. This will help make their transition a time of optimism and excitement.