Spring is in the air, bringing with it new hope and a fresh perspective. Spring is a great time to apply this sense of renewal and purpose to your senior living marketing initiatives. Over the last year, many senior living communities moved to increased digital choices out of necessity. The pandemic forced everyone to pivot, and without enough time to strategize, there’s a chance your marketing initiatives were reactive instead of strategic. Change is coming, so now is the time for a spring cleaning of your marketing strategies as we shift from survival mode to adapting to a post-COVID world.
Digital Is In Demand
Digital marketing covers a veritable buffet of marketing channels and strategies. The challenge is to define how they can advance your goals, including lead generation, conversion, and retention. Last year was a great time for trying new channels and strategies. Odds are not all of them were successful. So it’s time to consider what worked and what didn’t and why? Maybe the message wasn’t effective or compelling or the audience wasn’t qualified or motivated to hear your message.
During 2020, nearly half of all inquiries originated from the web for all levels of senior living care. That’s right, almost half! And as Baby Boomers begin to consider senior living communities, they’ll increase the demand for digital interaction.
As you review what’s working and what’s not, spring is the perfect time to take an inventory of your digital channels, including your website, social media, email, video, paid search, online advertising etc. By paying attention to the right data and analysis, you can harness information to focus on the channels your audience values for the best use of your marketing dollars.
For example, email offers the highest ROI of all marketing channels. When you use email combined with a data-driven email list, you can increase the likelihood of your audience taking action and moving through your marketing funnel.
It’s no secret that consumer demands changed in 2020. Your prospective and current residents desire integrated technology, a wellness focus and accessible outdoor spaces. A little spring cleaning in your lists, content, and channels can help you deliver stronger and more effective messaging across all touchpoints.
Provide the Information Residents Want
COVID-19 has increased our need to understand the safety and health procedures offered by senior living communities. This includes cleaning, safety protocols, staff vaccination status, and access to healthcare. A wellness focus matters because it attracts and converts leads. Are your marketing materials emphasizing both your lifestyle and healthcare approach? This combined approach is a shift from the previous sales proposition focused heavily on amenities. By shifting your messaging, you can build confidence and promote an active lifestyle with integrated health solutions.
Nurture Your Audience
The senior living sales cycle takes between 70 and 120 days, depending on the level of care. It also takes an average of 25 touches to convert. Given that length of time and touchpoints, chances are high your marketing materials are due for a makeover. This year feels different with the vaccine rollout and the notable decrease in deaths due to COVID-19. Taking a fresh look at your message and materials gives you the opportunity to tap into a more optimistic approach.
A Digital Marketing Partner
We’ve been doing a bit of spring cleaning ourselves! We understand the power of pivoting, analyzing, and trying new things. We can help you evaluate and realign your marketing strategy to produce the results you demand.
We’d love to hear from you and discuss how we can help boost your digital marketing strategy.
