Senior Living Marketing Perspectives: Recent Episodes

seniorlivingmarketingperspectives

Competition, consumer misunderstanding, culture, recruitment and retention. All of these have a critical impact on occupancy and ultimately success in senior living.Senior Living Marketing Perspectives presents strategic interviews with industry leaders on best practices, new ideas and insights to help overcome today's challenges facing the senior living industry,

Episode Summary:

What separates senior living sales teams that consistently maintain high occupancy from those that struggle to keep pace? According to Reed Davis, Chief Learning Officer at 1-On-1 Sales Academy, it isn't talent alone—it's a commitment to continuous learning.

In this episode, Debbie Howard welcomes Reed back to discuss how the 1-On-1 Sales Academy has evolved from an online content library into a comprehensive learning management system built specifically for senior living sales professionals. Together, they explore why ongoing coaching, structured onboarding, peer learning, and prospect-centered selling create stronger sales cultures and better outcomes for both communities and prospective residents.

Reed also shares insights into the upcoming 1-On-1 Sales Summit, where sales professionals from across the industry come together to exchange ideas, sharpen their skills, and learn from both senior living experts and thought leaders outside the industry.

Whether you're leading one community or overseeing an entire portfolio, this conversation offers practical strategies for strengthening your sales team, improving onboarding, and building a culture of continuous improvement that supports long-term occupancy growth.

Key Takeaways:

Why the highest-performing senior living organizations invest in continuous sales training—even when occupancy is already strong.
How structured learning improves onboarding, coaching, accountability, and long-term sales performance.
The difference between one-time sales training and ongoing professional development.
How the Kirkpatrick Model helps measure learning, behavior change, and real business results.
Why prospect-centered selling creates stronger relationships with prospective residents and families.
The importance of building a sales culture focused on curiosity, coaching, and continuous improvement.
How peer learning and collaboration help sales professionals stay engaged and motivated.
What attendees can expect from the upcoming 1-On-1 Sales Summit, including practical sessions, industry networking, and fresh perspectives on senior living sales.

Resources:

Read the transcript
Check out One-On-One Sales Academy
Discover more with Senior Living SMART
Connect with Reed Davis on LinkedIn

Episode Summary:

In today's senior living landscape, families often complete extensive online research before ever reaching out to a community. By the time they submit an inquiry or schedule a tour, they've likely compared pricing, explored competitors, and wrestled with difficult emotional decisions.

So what happens next matters.

In this episode of Senior Living Marketing Perspectives, Debbie Howard sits down with Christie Freeze, Director of Strategic Growth at SalesMail, to discuss how personalized video can help senior living sales teams build trust faster, create stronger connections, and improve conversion rates throughout the prospect journey.

From reducing tour no-shows to improving post-tour follow-up and leveraging AI without sacrificing authenticity, Christie shares practical strategies that sales teams can implement immediately to create more meaningful interactions with prospects and families.

What You’ll Learn:

Why speed to trust matters more than speed to lead in today's senior living sales environment
How personalized video helps communities stand out in crowded inboxes
The three evergreen videos every senior living sales team should have ready to deploy
How video can reduce tour no-shows and keep prospects engaged
Why post-tour follow-up is one of the most important moments in the sales process
How executive directors can increase engagement and strengthen trust through video
Practical tips for overcoming camera anxiety and creating authentic video messages
How AI can support sales teams without replacing the human connection families need
Ways to measure video engagement and connect activity to occupancy outcomes
Creative ways to use video for event promotion, lead nurturing, and social media content

Key Takeaways:

Trust Wins Before Features Do: Families often know the facts before they ever contact a community. They've reviewed pricing, amenities, floor plans, and online reviews. What they're looking for next is confidence in the people who will guide them through the process. Personalized video helps create that connection from the very first interaction.
Generic Follow-Up Creates Friction: Standard emails and repetitive "just checking in" messages rarely move prospects forward. Christie explains how thoughtful, personalized video follow-up creates momentum by addressing concerns, answering questions, and demonstrating genuine empathy.
Small Videos Can Deliver Big Results: Whether it's an inquiry response, a pre-tour reminder, or a post-tour follow-up, short videos often generate stronger engagement and higher conversion rates than traditional outreach methods. According to Christie, some communities have seen significant improvements in inquiry-to-tour and tour-to-move-in conversion rates by incorporating video into their sales process.
Authenticity Beats Perfection: One of the biggest barriers to video adoption is fear of being on camera. Christie encourages teams to focus less on perfection and more on authenticity. Families aren't looking for polished performances. They're looking for real people who understand their concerns and can help guide them through an emotional decision.
AI Should Enhance Human Connection: As AI continues to evolve, Christie sees its greatest value in helping sales teams save time, stay organized, and create more personalized outreach—not replacing the human relationships that drive trust and move-ins.

Resources:

Full Transcript
Connect with Christie on LinkedIn
Learn more about SalesMail
Explore Senior Living SMART resources

Episode Summary:

What does it take to successfully market a senior living model that looks nothing like the traditional community?

In this episode of Senior Living Marketing Perspectives, Debbie Howard sits down with Francis LeGasse, Co-Founder and CEO of Assured Senior Living, to discuss how his Colorado-based organization has grown from a single residential memory care home into a network of 32 specialized homes serving nearly 300 residents through personalized assisted living, memory care, and brain injury support programs.

Together, they explore the unique challenges and opportunities of marketing the small home senior living model, the power of educational content, the evolving role of AI in senior living marketing, and why authentic human connection remains the most important differentiator in an increasingly digital world.

What You’ll Learn:

In this episode, Debbie Howard and Francis LeGasse explore how small home senior living communities can stand out, build trust, and grow occupancy in a competitive market. You’ll learn:

How the small home model supports more personalized memory care, assisted living, and brain injury care
Why families may seek alternatives to traditional senior living communities
How educational content helps providers answer real family concerns before the first tour
Why hyper-local SEO and Google Business Profile optimization matter for multi-location operators
How AI, AEO, and long-tail search are changing senior living marketing
Why automation should support the human connection—not replace it
How authentic reviews, videos, and caregiver-focused content can strengthen visibility and trust

Key Takeaways:

Small home senior living communities can scale successfully while maintaining personalized care.
Families increasingly value intimacy, hands-on support, and affordability over large amenity-driven environments.
Educational content is one of the most powerful lead-generation tools in senior living marketing.
AI should enhance human connection—not replace it.
Hyper-local SEO and Google Business Profile optimization are critical for occupancy growth.
Authenticity remains the most important differentiator in senior living sales and marketing.

Resources:

Full Transcript
Connect with Francis on LinkedIn
Explore Senior Living SMART resources

Episode Summary:

In this episode of Senior Living Marketing Perspectives, Debbie Howard sits down with Megan Longley, Vice President of Sales at Acts Retirement-Life Communities, for an insightful conversation about occupancy growth, resident experience, referral marketing, and the evolving expectations of today’s senior living consumer.

Megan shares how Acts has built a thriving culture centered around collaboration, wellbeing, and meaningful human connection — resulting in nearly half of their move-ins coming from unpaid referral sources.

Together, Debbie and Megan explore how senior living operators can move beyond transactional sales tactics and instead create experiences that foster belonging, trust, and long-term engagement.

From Future Resident Clubs and personalized move-in journeys to resident storytelling and emotional decision-making, this episode is packed with practical ideas for operators looking to strengthen occupancy while creating communities people genuinely love.

In This Episode, You’ll Learn:

Why occupancy growth starts with organizational culture
How Acts generates nearly 45% of move-ins through referrals
The power of resident storytelling and peer influence
What today’s prospects really want from senior living
How Future Resident Clubs help create belonging before move-in
Why the move-in process is often the biggest emotional hurdle
The role of wellbeing programming in resident satisfaction
How technology is enhancing resident engagement
Why emotional connection matters more than information overload
The importance of differentiation in senior living marketing
How websites and digital experiences must evolve for AI-driven search
Why “micro-engagements” outperform high-pressure sales tactics
The growing importance of authenticity, video, and real resident experiences

Key Takeaways:

✔ Occupancy follows culture

✔ Residents are your best marketers

✔ Referral-based move-ins convert at significantly higher rates

✔ The senior living decision is deeply emotional

✔ The future belongs to communities that create connection, not just transactions

Resources:

Full Transcript
Connect with Megan on LinkedIn
Explore Senior Living SMART resources

Episode Summary

In this episode, Debbie Howard, co-founder of Senior Living SMART, sits down with Chris Zook, Director of Search, to break down the rapidly evolving landscape of Google Ads and paid media in 2026.

As the industry moves deeper into an AI-driven era, senior living operators are facing a new set of challenges: declining keyword search volume, rising cost per conversion, and increasing competition in paid channels. But beneath these challenges lies a major opportunity—reaching more informed, higher-intent prospects who are closer to making a decision.

Chris shares what’s really driving these shifts, from Google’s increased reliance on AI-powered campaign types to changing consumer search behavior and the growing influence of platforms like ChatGPT. Together, they explore how marketers can adapt by refining targeting strategies, improving content, and diversifying their channel mix.

The conversation highlights a critical shift in mindset: success is no longer about capturing the most leads—it’s about attracting the right leads, nurturing them effectively, and building a sustainable pipeline.

For senior living operators, the takeaway is clear: those who embrace data, align marketing with sales, and evolve their strategy alongside AI will be best positioned to grow occupancy in an increasingly competitive market.

Key Takeaways

Paid Search Is Getting More Expensive—and More Competitive

Costs per click and per conversion are rising significantly, driven by increased competition and Google’s shift toward AI-driven automation. More operators are investing in digital marketing, creating a crowded landscape.

Search Behavior Is Changing Dramatically

Prospects are no longer searching with simple keywords. Instead, they’re asking detailed, conversational questions—often through AI tools—requiring a shift from keyword strategy to intent-driven content.

AI Is Reducing Clicks—but Increasing Lead Quality

While fewer users are clicking through to websites, those who do are significantly more informed and closer to making a decision—resulting in higher conversion rates and stronger intent.

Lead Quality Now Outweighs Lead Volume

The focus must shift from generating more leads to generating better leads. AI-driven research means prospects are further along in their journey before ever contacting a community.

The Biggest Opportunity Is in Education and Early Engagement

Search trends show growing interest in in-home care. Communities that create content comparing care options can capture and educate prospects earlier—before competitors enter the conversation.

Sales and Marketing Alignment Is Critical

One of the biggest sources of wasted ad spend (often 20–30%) comes from disconnects between marketing and sales. Teams must work together, using CRM data to refine targeting and messaging.

Retargeting and Lead Nurture Are Underutilized

Re-engaging older leads—through email, calls, or automation—can significantly improve conversion rates. Many prospects go quiet due to emotional factors, not lack of interest.

Diversification Is No Longer Optional

Relying solely on Google Ads is risky. Emerging and underutilized channels like Reddit, streaming ads, and improved Facebook strategies offer new opportunities to reach untapped audiences.

Content Is Still the Foundation of Everything

High-quality, helpful content—especially FAQs, comparison content, and video—drives success across both paid and organic channels and improves visibility in AI-driven search results.

The Market Is About to Get Even More Crowded

As more operators adopt digital marketing, competition will continue to intensify. Understanding your competitive landscape and differentiating your strategy is essential.

Strategic Insights for Senior Living Operators

Shift from keyword targeting to intent targeting
Invest in content that answers real questions, not just ranks
Balance short-term leads with long-term pipeline building
Use CRM data to identify what actually drives move-ins
Explore underutilized channels before they become saturated
Align marketing and sales to eliminate wasted spend and improve conversion

Resources

Full Transcript
Connect with Chris Zook on LinkedIn
Explore Senior Living SMART resources

Episode Summary:

In this episode, Debbie Howard, co-founder of Senior Living SMART, speaks with Maggie Seybold, Vice President of Customer Insights at WelcomeHome Software, about key insights from the 2025 Senior Living Sales & Marketing Benchmark Report.

As the industry stabilizes after several years of disruption, senior living operators are entering a new phase: fine-tuning strategy rather than simply chasing occupancy. Drawing from data across thousands of communities, Maggie explains how prospect behavior, lead sources, and conversion strategies are evolving.

Debbie and Maggie explore the growing influence of AI in the research process, the shift toward lead quality over lead volume, and the continued importance of human connection in converting prospects into residents.

They also highlight one of the biggest opportunities for improvement: the tour-to-move-in stage, where consistent follow-up and collaboration between marketing, sales, and operations can significantly improve outcomes.

The conversation reinforces a simple but powerful truth for senior living operators: communities that combine data-driven strategy with authentic human engagement will be best positioned to grow occupancy and strengthen long-term performance.

Key Takeaways:

The Industry Has Entered a Fine-Tuning Phase
With occupancy rebounding across the industry, operators now have the opportunity to shift from simply filling units to optimizing sales and marketing strategy for long-term performance.

Lead Quality Matters More Than Lead Volume
Lead volume has remained relatively stable, but conversions are improving. Communities that prioritize better-qualified leads over higher volume are seeing stronger results.

AI Is Changing the Research Process
Prospects increasingly use AI tools to compare communities, pricing, services, and reviews. This means families may arrive more informed and closer to making a decision.

Human Connection Still Drives Conversions
Despite the rise of digital tools, speed to response and meaningful voice-to-voice conversations remain critical in building trust and moving prospects forward.

Referrals Remain the Most Powerful Lead Source
Personal referrals—from residents, families, and professional partners—continue to produce high-quality prospects with strong conversion rates and longer lengths of stay.

Executive Director Engagement Makes a Difference
A simple post-tour phone call from the Executive Director can significantly increase move-in likelihood by reinforcing trust and demonstrating leadership involvement.

The Real Opportunity Is After the Tour
Many communities generate tours successfully but lose momentum afterward. Consistent follow-up and thoughtful engagement during the tour-to-move-in stage is one of the biggest opportunities for improving conversion.

Sales and Marketing Must Work Together
Communities that align marketing and sales strategies—supporting prospects throughout the entire journey—create stronger pipelines and better long-term outcomes.

Resources:

Transcript

Learn more about WelcomeHome Software

Connect with Maggie Seybold on LinkedIn

Explore resources from Senior Living SMART

Episode Summary:

In this episode of Senior Living Marketing Perspectives, Debbie Howard, co-founder of Senior Living SMART, welcomes Donna Cutting, founder and CEO of Red Carpet Learning Worldwide and a globally recognized expert in service culture.

Donna has spent decades helping organizations create memorable experiences that build loyalty and trust. In senior living, that philosophy translates directly to stronger tours, deeper connections with prospects, and ultimately more move-ins.

Drawing from both her professional experience and her recent personal journey helping her own mother transition into senior living, Donna shares practical insights on how communities can elevate the tour and move-in experience through intentional planning, personalization, and team engagement.

Debbie and Donna explore how hospitality principles — often associated with hotels and resorts — can transform senior living sales. From discovery conversations to surprise-and-delight moments, they discuss how communities can create emotional connections that help prospects feel safe, confident, and ready to say yes.

They also highlight a critical truth: the sales process doesn’t end with the deposit. The move-in experience and early days in the community are just as important for building trust, encouraging referrals, and strengthening long-term occupancy.

Key Takeaways:

Discovery Sets the Stage for Everything

Great tours begin long before prospects walk through the door. Taking time to understand a prospective resident’s background, preferences, and concerns allows sales teams to tailor the experience and create meaningful connections. Donna emphasizes that discovery should focus on both the prospective resident and their family members, who are often navigating complex emotions and logistics.

Intentional Planning Creates Memorable Tours

The most effective tours are not improvised. Planning the route, identifying which staff or residents prospects should meet, and highlighting meaningful spaces in the community can dramatically improve the experience. Even simple touches — such as personalized welcome signage or reserved parking — can help families feel expected and valued.

Your Entire Team Shapes the Sales Experience

Sales is not a solo sport. Every interaction a prospect has during a visit contributes to their impression of the community. By sharing discovery insights with team members and preparing staff to engage with prospects during tours, communities can create authentic connections that reinforce the sales message.

Personalization Builds Emotional Connection

Small gestures can leave a lasting impact. Donna recommends creating a “secret stash of swag” — small personalized items tied to prospects’ interests, pets, hobbies, or background. These surprise-and-delight moments demonstrate genuine care and help communities stand out from competitors.

Trust Is Built Through Transparency

Families are making one of the most emotional decisions of their lives. Over-promising or avoiding difficult conversations can damage trust quickly. Communities that are transparent about what they can and cannot provide often build stronger relationships and credibility with prospects.

Continuous Improvement Strengthens the Tour Process

Donna encourages communities to implement a simple reflection practice called the Take Two process, asking three questions after every tour:

What went well?
What could we have done better?
What will we do differently next time?

This approach helps teams refine their process and steadily improve the prospect experience.

The Move-In Experience Is Where Loyalty Begins

While tours and deposits are important milestones, the real relationship begins after move-in. Thoughtful onboarding experiences, introductions to staff and residents, and proactive communication during the first few weeks help new residents feel a sense of belonging and reduce early move-outs.

Service Can Be a Powerful Competitive Advantage

Communities don’t need luxury buildings or resort-style amenities to stand out. Donna notes that a community with a modest building but exceptional service can often outperform a newer property with weaker hospitality. Strong relationships and a culture of care ultimately define the resident experience.

Resources:

Transcript

Check out Red Carpet Learning

Connect with Donna on LinkedIn

Learn more with Senior Living SMART’s website

Episode Summary:

In this episode, Debbie Howard, co-founder of Senior Living SMART, is joined by Kiera DesChamps, author of After the Tour: Where Senior Living Decisions Are Really Made, to unpack what truly happens after a prospect leaves a community tour.

While operators invest heavily in generating leads and securing tours, Kiera explains why the real opportunity — and risk — begins once families walk out the door. Drawing from years of working directly with families at their kitchen tables, she shares the emotional and logistical barriers that stall decisions, even when prospects say they “love the community.”

Together, Debbie and Kiera explore how sales and marketing teams can reduce overwhelm, remove friction, and become trusted guides — not just tour hosts — to accelerate move-ins and strengthen occupancy.

Key Takeaways:

The Post-Tour Gap:
Communities often lose momentum after the tour because there is no clear, meaningful next step. A strong follow-up strategy must go beyond “checking in” and instead deliver value tied to the prospect’s specific concerns.

Overwhelm Slows the Sales Cycle:
Five tours often result in five packets of financials, vendor lists, and paperwork. Without guidance, families experience decision paralysis — not rejection.

Logistical Barriers Are Emotional Barriers:
Storage units, artwork, pets, family holidays, adult children living out of town — these are not side issues. If unresolved, they become the reason prospects delay moving.

The LEADER Model:
Kiera introduces her LEADER framework — Listening, Engaging, Adapting, Delivering, and Executing Revenue — emphasizing the importance of staying present and adapting to each prospect’s unique journey rather than relying solely on scripts.

Introduce Solutions Early:
Communities don’t need to wait for a financial commitment to offer transitional support. Introducing trusted partners and move-in assistance early can shorten the time between inquiry and tour — and tour to move-in.

Remove Internal Barriers:
Lengthy paperwork, unclear next steps, and intimidating processes (like assessments and lease signings) create unnecessary friction. Simplifying and digitizing these steps improves both the prospect experience and conversion rates.

Human Connection Wins in the Age of AI:
While information is more accessible than ever, the communities that differentiate themselves will be those that create authentic, personalized, human connections.

Resources:

Transcript

Read After the Tourby Kiera DesChamps

Connect with Kiera on LinkedIn

Check out Senior Living SMART’s website

Senior Living Marketing Perspectives: Eliminating the “Sea of Sameness” in Senior Living Marketing with Hoyle Koontz

Episode Summary:

In this episode, Debbie Howard of Senior Living SMART sits down with Hoyle Koontz—partner and co-founder of The Vector and creator of YourTour—to explore how digital sales tools are reshaping the senior living purchase journey. Hoyle shares his path from photojournalism to pioneering interactive content in senior living and discusses how technology, personalization, and business intelligence are transforming how communities engage prospects.

Together, Debbie and Hoyle unpack how prospects’ expectations have shifted, why digital selling is no longer optional, and how tailored, lifestyle-driven experiences can shorten decision timelines and improve conversions.

Key Takeaways:

Boomers Are More Tech-Savvy Than Ever: Older adults are using technology at extraordinarily high rates—often hourly. This creates a powerful opportunity for communities to meet prospects where they already are: online.
Digital Selling Completes the Digital Marketing Journey: Communities invest heavily in digital marketing, but fewer invest in digital sales tools. Hoyle highlights the gap—and why closing it helps prospects advance much further before stepping on campus.
Personalization is the New Differentiator: YourTour enables sales counselors to deliver individualized, one-to-one experiences—far beyond generic virtual tours. Prospects see what truly matters to them, from the right floor plan to lifestyle amenities that reflect their interests.
Lifestyle Storytelling Beats “Sea of Sameness” Marketing: Prospects don’t want empty rooms—they want to imagine themselves within community life. Showcasing resident interaction, socialization, and emotional value is far more compelling than architectural photography alone.
Integration With Business Intelligence Improves Results: Tools like Validify and MoneyGauge help communities identify marketing-qualified, sales-qualified, and financially qualified leads. When paired with YourTour, sales teams gain clarity, confidence, and higher-quality conversations.
Data Shortens the Decision Cycle: Communities using a combined tech stack (Validify + MoneyGauge + YourTour) have reduced average sales cycles from 402 days to roughly 229 days—a major improvement.
Tailoring Matters in Both Life Plan and Rental Communities: Life plan communities use YourTour to nurture long, research-driven journeys, while assisted living and memory care can leverage AI-driven tour guidance to accelerate urgent decision-making.

Resources:

Transcript
Connect with Hoyle on LinkedIn
Learn more about The Vectre
Check out Senior Living SMART’s website

Senior Living Marketing Perspectives: The Future of Lead Qualification in Senior Living with Tripp Higgins

Episode Summary

In this episode of Senior Living Marketing Perspectives, Debbie Howard sits down with Tripp Higgins, Chief Revenue Officer of My LifeSite, to discuss how operators can better qualify prospects through smart financial tools. My LifeSite, known for its educational resources and MoneyGauge financial assessment tool, empowers families to understand what they can afford in senior living—while giving communities actionable insights to prioritize the right prospects.

Tripp explains how MoneyGauge turns affordability questions from a point of hesitation into a confidence-building step for families. By allowing prospects to self-qualify in a judgment-free way, communities receive not just more leads, but more better leads. The conversation explores how this tool integrates with marketing, CRM systems, and even chatbots to prevent self-disqualification and reduce wasted sales effort.

Together, Debbie and Tripp highlight how data-driven qualification helps communities address occupancy challenges, refine marketing spend, and even guide future development decisions.

Key Takeaways

More Better Leads: Operators don’t just need more leads—they need financially qualified leads (FQLs) that have real potential to move in.
Self-Qualification Builds Confidence: MoneyGauge empowers prospects to explore affordability without judgment, reducing fear and hesitation.
Segmentation Made Simple: With red, yellow, and green results, sales teams can prioritize outreach and provide context-specific follow-up.
Anonymous or Gated Options: Communities can choose whether prospects get results upfront or after sharing contact info, balancing lead capture with user comfort.
Data That Drives Strategy: Insights from assessments reveal not only individual affordability but also broader market trends that can inform pricing, inventory mix, and geographic targeting.
Re-engagement Goldmine: Cold and lost leads can be revived when given new tools like MoneyGauge, proving the importance of nurturing campaigns.
Beyond the Widget: The tool works best when embedded in websites, emails, social posts, SMS campaigns, and even direct mail—meeting prospects wherever they are in the journey.
Future Vision: Attribution modeling and deeper CRM integrations are making it easier to track conversions from assessment to tour, deposit, and move-in.

Resources

Transcript
Connect with Tripp Higgins on LinkedIn
Visit https://mylifesite.net/
Learn more about Senior Living SMART

Senior Living Marketing Perspectives: Bridging the Affordability Gap in Senior Living with Sue Farrow

Episode Summary

In this episode of Senior Living Marketing Perspectives, Debbie Howard speaks with Sue Farrow, founder of SHORE (Senior Housing Relief for Elders) and former founder/CEO of Integral Senior Living and Solstice Senior Living. After decades of operating senior housing communities, Sue has turned her focus toward a powerful new mission: making quality senior living accessible to all, regardless of income.

Sue discusses the painful realities of the affordability gap in senior housing—especially for middle-market seniors—and how SHORE is stepping in to help. From launching small grants and aid programs to creating a scalable chapter model for senior living operators, SHORE offers a turnkey solution for communities that want to give back while enhancing brand reputation and staff satisfaction.

The conversation highlights the “foundation in a box” concept, the power of marketing tied to purpose, and how even small donations or fundraisers can make a big difference. Whether you’re an operator looking to start a philanthropic initiative or a vendor looking to make a meaningful impact, Sue’s message is clear: the time to act is now.

Key Takeaways

SHORE Is Filling the Gap: Many seniors fall into the affordability chasm—too wealthy for government-subsidized housing, too strapped for market-rate care. SHORE is creating real solutions.
Start Small, Scale Smart: SHORE began with covering VA application fees and small move-in grants, then expanded to offer a chapter model for operators who want to launch their own foundations.
Turnkey Foundations: With SHORE’s “foundation in a box,” operators can set up a 501(c)(3) without the legal, financial, and compliance burdens—ideal for fundraising and community goodwill.
Marketing with Meaning: SHORE isn’t just philanthropy—it’s a strategic marketing differentiator. Communities that show they give back attract more prospects and top-tier employees.
Vendor & REIT Opportunity: The movement calls on vendors and REITs to do their part through sponsorships, events, and percentage-of-revenue donations.
Impact Beyond Dollars: From bake sales to bocce tournaments, communities can creatively raise funds and directly support residents, veterans, and employees.
Vision for the Future: Sue envisions SHORE becoming an influencer in senior housing policy, expanding its impact through public-private partnerships and advocacy.

Resources

Transcript
Connect with Sue Farrow on LinkedIn
Visit https://seniorhousingrelief.org/
Learn more about Senior Living SMART

Senior Living Marketing Perspectives: Changing the Narrative Through Authentic Storytelling with Nathan JonesEpisode Summary In this episode of Senior Living Marketing Perspectives, Debbie Howard sits down with Nathan Jones, CEO and Founder of Dash Media, to explore how authentic storytelling is reshaping the perception of senior living. With a background spanning faith, football, technology, and a passion for video, Nathan shares his journey from starting Dash Media to producing 90–100 videos a week for senior living operators and reaching 400 million organic views in just a few years.

Nathan explains why real resident stories resonate far more than stock images or scripted pitches, how communities can scale authentic video production affordably, and why platforms like YouTube and TikTok are now key to reaching not just adult children but older adults themselves. The conversation also dives into AI’s evolving role in content creation, how data reveals which types of videos perform best, and why authenticity will remain the most powerful differentiator in senior living marketing.

Key Takeaways * Authenticity Wins Every Time: Residents saying “I wish I had moved in sooner” creates stronger impact than polished commercials or stock visuals. * Scaling Video Content Is Possible: Dash Media uses lightweight filming, repurposed clips, and a detailed tagging system to turn two days of filming into 150 videos. * AI Is a Tool, Not the Storyteller: While AI boosts efficiency in tasks like reporting, real human stories are irreplaceable for building trust. * Know What Content Performs: Stories outperform all other categories, generating 10x more views than activities or static content. Shares and saves are the “gold standard” for social reach. * Meet Audiences Where They Are: YouTube and TikTok are increasingly effective for engaging both seniors and adult children—proving that older adults are active on these platforms too. * Video Multiplies Impact Beyond Social: Communities see improved ROI when video is integrated across email campaigns, landing pages, lobbies, and even presentations.

Resources * Transcript * Connect with Nathan Jones on LinkedIn * Visit mydashmedia.com * Learn more about Senior Living SMART

Episode Summary:
In this episode of Senior Living Marketing Perspectives, Debbie Howard chats with Reed Davis, Chief Learning Officer of One On One Sales Academy, about the changing landscape of sales training in senior living. With decades of experience across operations and vendor-side leadership, Reed offers a fresh, strategic take on why traditional sales methods are falling short—and what to do instead.

They dig into why most communities are underinvesting in their highest-revenue department (sales!), why salespeople need community—not just training—and how empathy, curiosity, and coaching can transform conversion rates. Reed also shares what’s ahead for the Sales Academy and why elevating sales training industry-wide is the key to closing more sales and creating better resident experiences.

Key Takeaways:

Sales Deserve More Investment: Despite being the primary revenue driver, sales teams often get minimal training support. It's time for that to change.
Training Isn’t Enough—Ongoing Learning Is Key: One-off training fades fast. Sales professionals need a learning ecosystem with masterclasses, webinars, coaching, and community.
Empathy and Curiosity Close Sales: Scripted pitches don’t cut it. Listening deeply, slowing down, and letting prospects guide the conversation leads to better outcomes.
Marketing and Sales Must Align: Messaging and follow-up must match a prospect’s stage in the journey. When marketing speaks one language and sales another, trust erodes.
Less Is More When It Comes to Leads: The sweet spot? 125–150 active leads per counselor. Focused follow-up leads to deeper relationships and higher conversions.
Nurturing Long-Tail Leads Is a Must: 60% of leads are in research mode. Pushing them to move too soon backfires. Instead, nurture with empathy, content, and patience.
Culture Sells: Everyone from the front desk to dining staff is part of the sales process. When the whole community supports occupancy goals, performance soars.
“Slow Down to Go Faster” Still Applies: Pushing creates resistance. Empathetic engagement shortens the sales cycle for the right prospects and improves move-in quality.

Resources:

Transcript
Connect with Reed Davis on LinkedIn
https://oneonone.com/academy/
Learn more about Senior Living SMART

Episode Summary:

In this episode of Senior Living Marketing Perspectives, Debbie Howard welcomes Maureen Longoria, CEO and Co-Founder of LivNow Relocation, to discuss the seismic shifts heading toward senior living—and what communities must do to keep up.

From the $84 trillion wealth transfer to the explosive rise of solo agers, Maureen shares data-backed insights and on-the-ground realities that demand new thinking around marketing, move-ins, and move-outs. Together, they dig into creative solutions to help communities better support residents before, during, and after the transition—and how this support is becoming a true brand differentiator.

Key Takeaways:

The Boom Is Here: By 2030, senior housing demand will outpace supply by 1 million units. Baby Boomers are exiting the housing market in droves, and many aren’t waiting until their 80s to move.
Solo Agers Are Rising—Fast: A growing segment of future residents has no spouse or adult children. That’s 2 million Americans today—expected to grow to 8 million in the next 10 years. These prospects require more guidance, more touchpoints, and more community.
Wealth Transfer ≠ Readiness to Move: Despite having significant home equity, many prospects struggle with the how of moving. Communities need to support the transition—not just the sale.
For-Profit vs. Not-for-Profit Mindsets: Life Plan communities are expanding and managing waitlists; rental communities are struggling with turnover. Messaging and service models must align with these differences.
Closing the Back Door Is Key: Many for-profit operators are focused on occupancy gains, but they’re overlooking the risks of early move-outs. The first 30–90 days post-move are critical to retention and referrals.
Solutions Start Before the Deposit: Maureen emphasizes that relocation support shouldn't wait until move-in. Early engagement shortens the decision cycle and removes key friction for families and solo prospects alike.
Real Estate Market Trends Matter: While some markets remain strong, areas like Florida and Austin are experiencing slowdowns. Education around timing, agent vetting, and financing options like bridge loans and LivNow’s “Market Ready Program” is essential.
Creative Partnerships Can Elevate the Experience: New services like Helpful Heroes (using local EMTs for handyman tasks) offer safety and convenience for older adults and their families.

Resources:

Transcript
LivNow Relocation Website
Connect with Maureen Longoria on LinkedIn
Learn more about Senior Living SMART

Senior Living Marketing Perspectives: Rethinking Sales Strategies in Senior Living with Kelly Singleton Myers

Episode Summary:

In this episode, Debbie Howard, co-founder of Senior Living SMART, is joined by Kelly Singleton Myers, co-founder of KJB Sales Consulting, to explore the evolving landscape of senior living sales. They discuss the gap between marketing advancements and traditional sales methods, the importance of coaching over just training, and how communities can better engage prospects by shifting from qualification-focused conversations to relationship-building approaches.

Key Takeaways:

Shifting Sales Mindsets: Kelly discusses the industry's tendency to focus only on urgent, ready-to-move prospects while neglecting long-term pipeline nurturing, leading to a "hamster wheel" effect.
Balancing Lead Volume & Personalization: As marketing drives more inquiries, communities must rethink sales staffing and processes to handle both high-intent leads and early-stage prospects.
The Power of Coaching: Training alone isn’t enough—ongoing coaching helps sales teams refine their skills, ask better questions, and avoid robotic sales approaches.
Lessons from Third-Party Aggregators: These lead sources succeed because they nurture and guide prospects throughout the journey—senior living teams need to provide a similar, high-touch experience.
Rethinking Prospect Engagement: Instead of categorizing leads as hot, warm, or cold, communities should focus on understanding the emotional and logistical factors driving each prospect's journey.
Avoiding Sales Pitfalls: Too many communities fail to follow up with scheduled tours, making prospects feel unimportant—small changes in responsiveness can significantly impact conversion rates.

Resources:

Transcript
Connect with Kelly on LinkedIn
Learn more about KJB Sales Consulting
Check out Senior Living SMART’s website

Senior Living Marketing Perspectives: Mastering Google Ads to Boost Senior Living Lead Quality

Episode Summary:

In this episode, Debbie Howard, co-founder of Senior Living SMART, is joined by Chris Zook, Director of Search at Senior Living SMART, for an in-depth discussion on leveraging Google Ads to drive leads in the senior living industry. They explore how communities can use innovative search strategies like Performance Max campaigns to reduce dependence on third-party lead generators, improve lead quality, and effectively manage ad budgets to stay competitive in the market.

Key Takeaways:

Understanding Google Ads Strategy: Learn the ins and outs of Google Ads, from search campaigns to Performance Max, and how to apply these tools specifically for senior living communities.
Optimizing for Senior Living Audiences: Discover how to target high-intent prospects, like adult children and potential residents, through search and display ads tailored to their needs.
Reducing Reliance on Lead Aggregators: Chris shares case studies and strategies that have helped senior living communities lower their dependence on third-party lead generators like A Place for Mom, freeing up budget for direct advertising efforts.
Navigating Google’s Special Categories: Understand how senior living communities can work around the unique challenges of Google Ads, such as restrictions from the Fair Housing Act and healthcare classifications.
Creative Budget Allocation: Learn how to make the most of your ad spend by balancing search ads, local SEO, and paid media, ensuring that every dollar drives qualified leads and supports occupancy goals.
Case Study Success: Hear how one client reduced their reliance on lead aggregators by 33% in less than a year by strategically shifting to Google Ads and improving lead quality.

Resources:

Transcript
Connect with Chris on LinkedIn
Check out Senior Living SMART’s website

Senior Living Marketing Perspectives: The Power of Professional Outreach and Referral Source Development

Episode Summary:

In this episode of Senior Living Marketing Perspectives, Debbie Howard of Senior Living Smart engages in a thoughtful conversation with Michael Moye, Senior Account Executive at Welcome Home CRM. The episode dives into the often overlooked but critical role of grassroots marketing and professional outreach in building and sustaining relationships within the senior living industry. Michael shares his experiences from the community level, emphasizing the importance of relationship-building and how it directly impacts occupancy rates and length of stay.

Key Takeaways:

Embracing Grassroots Marketing:
Michael and Debbie discuss the significance of grassroots marketing as a cost-effective and high-impact strategy. This method, often underestimated, requires time, creativity, and a genuine commitment to building relationships with local professionals.
Business-to-Business Mindset:
The conversation highlights the importance of shifting from a business-to-consumer approach to a business-to-business mindset. This shift allows community relations directors to foster meaningful connections with referral partners, ultimately driving greater success in resident placements.
The Value of Being Present:
Michael shares his experiences from his days at the community level, where being physically present and actively engaging with local professionals led to increased referrals and stabilized occupancy. He emphasizes the need for sales teams to step out of their comfort zones and meet potential referral partners face-to-face.
Building Trust Through Outreach:
Trust is a recurring theme in this episode, with both Debbie and Michael stressing its importance in the referral process. They explore how consistent and genuine outreach efforts can build trust with referral partners, leading to long-term relationships that benefit both parties.
Strategic Planning and Execution:
Debbie and Michael discuss the importance of having a strategic plan for outreach while also being flexible and adaptable. They share practical tips on how to efficiently manage time and resources to maximize the impact of outreach efforts.
The Role of Regional Directors in Outreach:
The episode highlights the role regional directors can play in supporting community relations directors in their outreach efforts. By modeling effective outreach techniques and accompanying CRDs on visits, regional directors can help foster a culture of proactive relationship-building within their teams.

Resources:

Transcript
Connect with Michael on LinkedIn
Explore Welcome Home CRM

Senior Living Marketing Perspectives: Insights on Client Success and Marketing Strategies

Episode Summary:

In this episode, Debbie Howard and Doug DeMaio, Director of Client Success at Senior Living SMART, discuss the parallels between marketing strategies for early childhood education and senior living communities. They explore how understanding and leveraging reporting metrics, crafting effective narratives, and strategic collaboration can enhance client relations and drive successful marketing outcomes.

Key Takeaways:

Understanding Metrics and Reporting: Dive into the importance of tracking and interpreting metrics to gauge the effectiveness of marketing strategies. Learn how reporting can reveal insights and guide decision-making.
Creating and Following a Narrative: Discover how building a compelling narrative around your community's story can aid in understanding and communicating reporting metrics effectively.
Strategic Collaboration: Explore the benefits of aligning marketing strategies with broader business goals through collaborative efforts. Understand how this can streamline operations and enhance overall marketing success.
Marketing as a System: Learn to view marketing as an integrated system, where various elements work together harmoniously. This holistic approach ensures that every aspect of your marketing strategy supports the community's goals and resonates with potential residents.
Questions for the C-Suite: Gain insight into critical questions that the C-suite should ask to drive effective marketing and client success strategies, ensuring alignment between marketing efforts and organizational objectives.

Resources:

Transcript
Connect with Doug on LinkedIn
Check out Senior Living SMART’s website

Senior Living Marketing Perspectives: The Executive Director's Role in Sales

Episode Summary:

In this episode, Debbie Howard and Erin Thompson delve into the Executive Director's pivotal role in the sales process. They discuss shifting from a sales to a service mindset, the importance of understanding resident needs throughout their journey, and how building trust and showcasing community strengths can enhance leadership and drive success.

Key Takeaways:

Understanding Success from the Prospect's Perspective: Learn how to recognize and align with what success means to your prospects and current residents throughout their journey in the community.
Shifting from Sales to Service: Discover the fundamental shift needed from a traditional sales mindset to a service-focused approach, emphasizing that leadership and sales intersect through service within the community.
Being a Resource, Not a Sales Pitch: Explore how the Executive Director can act as a valuable resource, providing support and guidance rather than simply delivering a sales pitch.
The Importance of Last Impressions: Understand that how a resident or family member feels upon leaving the community is as crucial as their initial tour or move-in experience, and how this impacts the Net Promoter Score.
Building Trust with Prospects: Examine why the involvement of the Executive Director is essential in building trust and forming meaningful connections with prospects.
Showcasing Community Strengths: Learn how the Executive Director can effectively position the community by leveraging their deep knowledge of the community's strengths and attributes.

Resources:

Transcript
Connect with Erin on LinkedIn
Check out Erin’s Website

Senior Living Marketing Perspectives: Transforming Spaces with Sharon MacDonald

Episode Summary:

In this episode, Debbie Howard talks with Sharon MacDonald, Founder of Model55, about how well-designed model apartments and common areas can influence senior living marketing and occupancy. They explore the role of neuroaesthetics in design, the importance of first impressions, and how professional design can impact sales and ROI.

Key Takeaways:

Impact of Model Apartments: Well-designed model apartments can significantly improve occupancy rates and shorten sales cycles. Effective design helps potential residents feel welcome and comfortable.
Neuroaesthetics: Understanding the emotional and psychological effects of design elements such as color, texture, and light can enhance the appeal of senior living spaces.
First Impressions Matter: The quality of model apartments influences potential residents' perceptions and decision-making. Comparisons to hotel experiences highlight the importance of maintaining appealing and up-to-date models.
ROI of Design Investment: Investing in high-quality model apartments can yield substantial returns, with potential returns on investment upwards of 600%.
Sales Process Impact: The model apartment's role in the sales process is critical. Outdated or poorly designed models can hinder sales, while professionally designed spaces can justify higher rates and reduce the need for concessions.
Model55’s Offerings: Model55 provides custom and semi-custom design solutions, including a turnkey process for design, logistics, and installation.

Resources:

Transcript
Model55 Website
Follow Model55 on LinkedIn, Instagram & Facebook
Connect with Sharon MacDonald on LinkedIn

Senior Living Marketing Perspectives: Social Media Marketing with Kerri-Anne Pendergast Episode Summary: In this episode, Debbie Howard talks with Kerri-Anne Pendergast, Director of Social Marketing at Senior Living SMART, about the evolving landscape of social media marketing in the senior living industry. They discuss best practices, the importance of storytelling, the impact of social media on local search, and the role of AI in content planning.

Key Takeaways: 1. Social Media Guide: Senior Living Smart has published an updated version of its social media guide, which emphasizes best practices for posting, content mix, and the significance of behind-the-scenes content in senior living communities. 2. Social Media for Advocacy, Engagement, and Trust: Social media plays a crucial role in building trust and engaging the audience, particularly in the senior living industry. 3. Importance of Storytelling: Moving away from cookie-cutter strategies to storytelling helps in showcasing the unique personalities and vibrant lifestyles of senior living communities. 4. Impact on Local Search: Social media, reviews, and Google Business Profiles are the trifecta for improving local search rankings and visibility for senior living communities. 5. The Role of AI: AI can assist in content planning and brainstorming, helping to streamline social media strategies without compromising originality. 6. Trends to Watch: Video content, storytelling, and increased marketing spend are key trends shaping the future of social media marketing in senior living.

Resources: - Transcript

Book a call with Kerri-Anne
Senior Living SMART’s Social Media Guide and Infographics
Connect with Kerri-Anne Pendergast on LinkedIn

Senior Living Marketing Perspectives: Consumer Perceptions of the Buyer JourneyEpisode Summary: In this episode of "Senior Living Marketing Perspectives," host Debbie Howard from Senior Living Smart welcomes Jamison Gosselin, a 20-year senior living industry expert. First, Debbie and Jamison dive into SMASH survey findings about consumer perceptions of the buyer journey. Next, they continue on the topic by looking at what’s working in the industry, and what needs improvement. Then, the two shift the conversation to talk about social media and review sites and managing the promotional mix. Finally, they wrap up the podcast by touching on resident, employee, and professional experiences in the industry, as well as expanding the role of the marketing professional.

Topics Discussed and Key Points: * Findings from the SMASH about consumer perceptions of the buyer journey in senior living * What’s working and what's not working in the industry * Social Media vs. Review Sites * Managing the Promotional Mix * Experiences - Employee and Resident Satisfaction, Professionals, Advocacy, and Loyalty * Expanding the marketing professionals' role in senior living organizations -- e.g. the Marketing Mix

Jamison’s Bio: Jamison Gosselin has served in and around the senior living business for more than 20 years in a variety of marketing, communications, and operations roles. Today, he works as an executive-level marketing strategist with B2C and B2B companies focused on seniors housing and multifamily assets.

Prior to his consulting work, Jamison developed business strategies and oversaw the execution of marketing, sales support, and communications in a variety of executive-level roles at leading companies. These companies include Sunrise Senior Living, Holiday Retirement, and Eclipse Senior Living. He also led marketing and communications at Argentum, a senior living trade association, and managed the senior living vertical business at G5, a digital marketing agency and SaaS company. Jamison got his career started at global telecommunications firm MCI (now part of Verizon) as a political action manager and later as a public relations manager at its headquarters in Washington DC.

Jamison has an MBA from George Mason University in Fairfax, Virginia and a BA in Political Science from The American University in Washington, DC. He also has a variety of marketing credentials from Duke University, George Washington University and the Content Marketing Institute.

Connect with Jamison on LinkedIn

Transcript

Senior Living Marketing Perspectives: Behavioral Science in MarketingEpisode Summary: In this episode of "Senior Living Marketing Perspectives," host Debbie Howard from Senior Living Smart welcomes Nancy Harhut, Co-Founder and Chief Creative Officer of HBT Marketing. Debbie and Nancy dive into the connection between behavioral science and marketing, specifically in the senior living industry. They explore the unique challenges that marketers face with customers and how using principles from behavioral science can be a solution. Finally, Debbie and Nancy discuss Nancy’s book, “Using Behavioral Science in Marketing” with some key takeaways that all marketers should consider.

Topics Discussed and Key Points: * What is behavioral science and why should marketers be interested in it? * Is it hard to add behavioral science to marketing campaigns? * Examples of behavioral science principles, and how marketers might use them. * Testing different behavioral science tactics in marketing strategies * Behavioral science may seem counterintuitive to some marketers – examples and reasons to embrace it. * Takeaways from Nancy’s book, “Using Behavioral Science in Marketing: Drive Customer Action and Loyalty by Prompting Instinctive Responses”

Nancy’s Bio:

Getting people to take action is what Nancy is all about. Her specialty is blending best-of-breed creative with behavioral science to prompt response.

She and her teams have won over 200 international and national awards for marketing effectiveness. Along the way, she’s helped generate $68 million in incremental revenue for Nationwide, establish seven controls for the GM Card, and create one of H&R Blocks’ most successful campaigns.

Recognized for her work in B2C, B2B, and nonprofit, Nancy’s been named one of the 10 Most Fascinating People in B2B Marketing, a Social Top 50 Email Marketing Leader, and a Top 40 Digital Strategist. A frequent speaker at marketing conferences, she’s shared her passion with audiences in London, Sydney, Moscow, Madrid, Stockholm, Sao Paulo, Berlin, Dubai, and all over the US, including several return engagements at SXSW.

Prior to co-founding HBT Marketing, Nancy held senior creative management positions with agencies within the IPG and Publicis networks. Kogan Page recently published her first book, Using Behavioral Science in Marketing, Drive Customer Action and Loyalty by Prompting Instinctive Responses.

Connect with Nancy:

HBT Marketing’s Website: https://www.hbtmktg.com/
Nancy’s LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/nancyharhut/
Company LinkedIn Profile: https://www.linkedin.com/company/hbtmktg/
Buy Nancy’s book, “Using Behavioral Science in Marketing”: https://www.amazon.com/Using-Behavioral-Science-Marketing-Instinctive/dp/1398606480/

Transcript

Using Behavioral Science in Marketing: Drive Customer Action and Loyalty by Prompting Instinctive Responses

Episode Summary: In this episode of "Senior Living Marketing Perspectives," host Debbie Howard from Senior Living Smart welcomes Maureen Longoria, Co-Founder of Live Now Relocation. Together, they dive into the complex process of relocating to senior living communities and discuss how Maureen's company assists both older adults and their adult children during this emotionally charged transition. They explore the unique challenges and best practices involved in senior relocation, shedding light on how communities can integrate these services into their marketing strategy to enhance their offerings.

Topics Discussed and Key Points: * Maureen shares her entrepreneurial journey, highlighting her passion for building services that meet unmet market needs. * The unique aspects of senior relocation, including downsizing, emotions, and local moves, that attracted Maureen to this industry. * Maureen explains the dual customer approach, addressing the needs of both older adults and their adult children. * The importance of validating and addressing the concerns of older adults moving into senior living communities. * Discussion on how LivNow Relocation helps break down barriers and accelerate the relocation process for older adults and their adult children. * The value of pre-vetted and qualified moving professionals and other service providers. * Debbie and Maureen discuss strategies for integrating senior relocation services into a comprehensive marketing strategy. * Maureen discusses the variations in relocation processes between life plan communities and rental senior living communities. * Challenges related to timing, selling homes, and the perception of space. * Addressing emotional barriers, such as downsizing and leaving a familiar home, and how senior living communities can assist prospects. * The trade-off of a better lifestyle and socialization in senior living communities.

Connect with Maureen: * LivNow Relocation Website: https://livnowrelocation.com/ * Maureen’s LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/maureenlongoria/ * Company LinkedIn Profile: https://www.linkedin.com/company/livnowrelocation/

Episode Summary:In this episode of Senior Living Marketing Perspectives, Debbie Howard interviews Sarah Nay, the Chief Operating Officer of Duct Tape Marketing and the founder of Spark Lab Consulting. They discuss the significance of having a comprehensive marketing system and its role in driving predictable growth for businesses. Sarah emphasizes the importance of aligning marketing and operations, sharing strategies to enhance the customer journey, retaining clients, and turning them into advocates. They also explore the critical role of metrics in assessing marketing success and the value of focusing on clients' needs and experiences. Sarah's insights provide valuable guidance for businesses looking to improve their marketing strategies and operations.

Topics Discussed and Key Points: 1. Introduction to Duct Tape Marketing and Spark Lab Consulting

* Duct Tape Marketing: A strategic marketing agency with over 25 years of experience.
* Spark Lab Consulting: Focused on operations and systems consulting.
* Sarah's journey from an intern to COO at Duct Tape Marketing.

The Marketing System vs. Marketing Plan
- Comprehensive nature of a marketing system, including strategy, implementation, and metrics.
- Aligning marketing efforts with a well-defined strategy for consistent messaging.
- The Marketing Hourglass
- Understanding the marketing hourglass as a framework for guiding prospects through stages of "know, like, trust, try, buy, repeat, and refer."
- Importance of consistency across brand messaging and channels.
- Creating Emotional Connections
- Balancing education with storytelling and emotional connection in marketing.
- The role of emotional connection in senior living marketing.
- Aligning with Prospects and Post-Close Marketing
- Aligning with prospects on their journey rather than pushing the brand.
- The significance of post-close marketing in retaining clients and generating referrals.
- Incorporating Fulfillment into Marketing Strategy
- Integrating fulfillment and operations into marketing strategies to ensure a consistent and positive client experience.
- Delivering on brand promises through excellent client service.
- Budgeting and Strategy
- The importance of setting aside time for strategic budgeting and avoiding the chase for shiny objects in marketing.
- Focusing on clients and the channels they use for wise marketing decisions.

Connect with Sarah Nay:

Duct Tape Marketing Website: ducttapemarketing.com
Spark Lab Consulting Website: sparklabconsulting.com/
LinkedIn Profile: Sarah Nay

Transcript

Episode Summary: In this episode, host Debbie Howard engages in a conversation with Scott McCorvie, founder of Vita Senior Living and Generational Movement, about his mission to improve lives in the senior living industry. Scott shares his passion for providing purpose and improvement strategies for seniors and his desire to create a global impact through his company. He discusses his podcast, "The Inner Circle of Senior Living," and how it focuses on connecting with the baby boomer generation and sharing valuable tips and strategies for industry improvement. Scott emphasizes the importance of caring, communication, and connection in the senior living industry, forming the basis for his movement to elevate and enhance the industry.

Topics Discussed and Key Points: * Scott McCorvie launched Vita Senior Living and Generational Movement, a multimedia content platform ,driven by his mission to improve lives in the senior living industry. * He wanted to share improvement strategies and tips globally through his podcast, "The Inner Circle of Senior Living," with a specific focus on the baby boomer generation. * Scott emphasizes the importance of connection, communication, and providing purpose in senior living. * The movement he has created aims to enhance and elevate the industry, with a focus on the new generation of seniors. * Scott discusses the challenges faced by the senior living industry, such as recovering from the impacts of COVID-19, occupancy challenges, and economic factors like inflation. * Despite the challenges, Scott remains optimistic about the industry's future due to the ongoing demand for senior care and the need for human connection and engagement. * The conversation touches on the role of marketing in senior living and the shift toward implementing smart marketing strategies to drive growth and attract residents. * Debbie Howard highlights the importance of creating a sense of belonging and emotional connection with potential residents through personalized marketing campaigns. * Scott and Debbie discuss the balance between older and newer senior living communities and the opportunities for repurposing and updating older properties to meet today's standards. * They explore the similarities between senior living and the hospitality industry and the significance of operations and resident experience in creating successful communities. * The conversation touches on the potential benefits and challenges of establishing national senior living brands and the market-specific nature of the industry. * Scott emphasizes the need for senior living providers to focus on market-specific decision-making and adapt to the unique needs and preferences of each community. * The episode concludes with a discussion on the prospect journey and the importance of addressing the "whether, where, and when" stages to effectively engage potential residents.

Resources Mentioned: * Vita Senior Living * Generational Movement * "The Inner Circle of Senior Living" podcast * Generational Movement on LinkedIn

Episode Summary: This episode explores the current state of AI in marketing, its use cases, limitations, and the future potential of AI in shaping marketing strategies. Debbie Howard and John Jantsch discuss various aspects of AI in marketing and share their insights and excitement about its future developments.

Topics Discussed and Key Points: Current State of AI in Marketing: * AI is being widely experimented with for various purposes in marketing AI, specifically chat GPT (a large language learning model), has gained significant attention and usage. * AI is still in its infancy stage, and many of the current interactions are limited to computation and basic tasks. * AI tools are integrated into various software, providing data, ideas, and efficiencies.

Current Use Cases of AI in Marketing: * AI is used for content generation and creation, especially in producing large amounts of content quickly. * AI tools can assist in writing articles, blog posts, and metadata, saving time and allowing for more creativity. * Personalization is a potential use of AI, tailoring content to specific audiences and personas. * AI can analyze data, extract trends, and provide insights for marketing strategies. * AI is helpful in analyzing target markets, understanding customer concerns, and generating content ideas.

Limitations and Challenges of Current AI in Marketing: * AI-generated content may not accurately represent a brand's voice or values. * AI tools require careful monitoring and editing to ensure brand consistency and accuracy. * Privacy concerns exist when using AI tools that make uploaded content public.

Future State of AI in Marketing: * Future AI applications may involve personalized customer journeys and interactive websites. * AI could assist in reverse engineering data to identify top prospects and shorten sales cycles. * AI may help analyze customer behavior, predict trends, and suggest marketing strategies. * Improved AI image and video generation could facilitate easier content creation. * Concerns arise about the impact of AI on future generations and the need for responsible usage.

Exciting Developments in AI: * Advancements in AI image and video generation, allowing for easier and customizable content creation. * Potential for AI to produce videos based on scripts and various styles, simplifying video production. * AI's role in marketing extends beyond content creation to data analysis, personalization, and customer insights.

Transcript:

AI in Marketing Transcript.docx

Resources:

Duct Tape Marketing Website

Follow John and DTM on LinkedIn

Topics Discussed and Key Points: In this episode of "Senior Living Marketing Perspectives," host Debbie Howard and guest Chris Zook delve into the topic of using Google Ads for senior living communities. They discuss the importance of differentiation, targeting the right audience, and optimizing strategies to maximize conversions.

Chris provides insights on creating effective landing pages and emphasizes the significance of marketing automation in nurturing leads throughout the sales cycle. Overall, Google Ads prove to be a must-have tool for senior living communities to reach their target audience and increase conversions.

Episode Summary: Differentiating Senior Living Communities: Debbie and Chris highlight the importance of creating a unique strategy for each senior living community, even if they offer similar services and amenities. Each community has its personality, presentation style, and target audience.

Financial Qualification Concerns: Debbie raises the concern that it's challenging to financially qualify potential residents. Chris explains that although it's not possible to target income levels explicitly, senior living communities can mention their pricing in ads to attract individuals who can afford their services. He also discusses the use of negative keywords on Google Ads to refine lead quality.

Designing a Strategy: Debbie and Chris discuss the nuances of designing a marketing strategy based on the desired types of leads. They explore the importance of understanding the different stages of the sales funnel and tailoring the approach accordingly. They mention offering options like downloading a brochure, speaking to an advisor, or scheduling a visit in ads to accommodate different preferences.

Power of Marketing Automation: Chris emphasizes the value of marketing automation in senior living marketing due to the longer sales cycle and the need for multiple touchpoints. He explains how offering a brochure as a low-commitment lead generation opportunity can help capture leads who are researching senior living options. Marketing automation, combined with regular email touchpoints, keeps potential residents engaged and increases the chances of conversion.

Landing Page Design: Chris discusses the importance of well-designed landing pages focusing on one specific purpose. He emphasizes the need for mobile-friendly designs, clear calls to action, and an intuitive layout. The goal is to make it easy for prospects to understand what they need to do next and maximize conversions.

Effective Conversion Rates: Debbie asks about the ideal conversion rate for senior living campaigns. Chris explains that the conversion rate can vary depending on geography and budget. Generally, a conversion rate of 8-15% is considered strong. Chris emphasizes that effective advertising is as much about allowing prospects to self-qualify out of the sales funnel as it is about bringing them in.

Understanding the Value of Conversions: Debbie and Chris address the question of how much to pay for a conversion. Chris highlights that conversions are a valuable digital currency, as they provide contact information and indicate genuine interest. He explains that finding the right balance between attracting prospects and filtering out unqualified leads is crucial for both the community and the prospects.

Resources: Connect with Chris Zook on LinkedIn

Episode Transcript

Blog: Googe Ads for Senior Living: How to Find the Prospects who need you

Topics Discussed and Key Points:* Why your senior living community needs to be using technology * Simplifying the move-in process by digitizing the move-in packet * The importance of record keeping in a digitized system * How digitized processes can result in improved resident care

Episode Summary: Deb speaks with Erez Cohen, Co-Founder and Co-CEO of August Health, a modern care platform and EHR purpose-built for senior living communities. Deb and Erez discuss how using technology can make the move-in process go from zero to hero. By utilizing August Health, senior communities can focus on the residents, not the paperwork. From care assessments, reporting, and family portals to medication management and incident reports, August Health covers the bases of thoughtfully designed tools to provide better resident care.

More about Erez:Erez was selected for Aging Media Network’s Future Leaders Class of 2022. Prior to founding August Health, Erez was an executive at Apple, where he led a group of engineering teams. Erez was also the co-founder of Mapsense, a geospatial mapping startup that was acquired by Apple. Erez holds degrees in Industrial Engineering and Operations Research from the University of California, Berkeley.

Resources:Episode Transcript

https://www.augusthealth.com/

erez@augusthealth.com

Topics Discussed and Key Points: * Storytelling versus pitching * Using the and/but/therefore framework to level up all of your communications * Creating your ABT story * Whether to have two separate messages—one for the adult child, one for the parent—when using the ABT framework * Three rules of storytelling * Addressing the COVID elephant in the room

Episode Summary: In today’s episode, Debbie speaks with Park Howell, a storytelling strategist who helps marketers and content specialists grow their business using the power of the story. He is the host of the Business of Story podcast and the author of the 2020 book Brand Bewitchery: How to Wield the Story Cycle System to Craft Spellbinding Stories for Your Brand.

Today’s conversation explores how to sell more by saying less, and how to incorporate storytelling in your branding and marketing efforts in a way that is compelling to the audience you are speaking to. Stories allow us to experience what it is like to use a product or benefit from a service in a way that we would never be able to if we were simply “pitched” that product or service.

When communicating as a brand, instead of leading with logic, reason, data, and numbers, lead with a story. After all, every person, whether or not they want to admit it, buys with their heart and not their head. We only justify our purchases with our logical brain once the transaction has been made.

Park does a deep dive into the concept of and/but/therefore to maximize rapport and agreeableness between you (the salesperson) and the other person (your prospect or potential customer). and/but/therefore uses the three forces of story: agreement (Act 1), conflict (Act 2), solution (Act 3), respectively. This structure takes you out of the center of the story and in your place, the customer.

To use this effectively, you must understand what they want, what’s at stake for them in getting it, empathize with them in that they currently do not have it, and, finally, propose the solution to their problem.

“Your stories are not about what you make, but what you make happen in people’s lives.” Park goes on to explain how to become a compelling communicator using the power of repetition, addressing the elephant in the room, and crafting your ABT story today.

Resources Mentioned:

Business of Story

Brand Bewitchery

Transcript

Brand Bewitchery: How to Wield the Story Cycle System to Craft Spellbinding Stories for Your Brand

Topics Discussed and Key Points:

Turning data into great messages that grow your company
Reconciling keywords that people search for with the keywords you use to describe your business
The impact of the pandemic on the senior living industry
Transitioning from marketing to sales—and having synergy between both
Catering your message from the Greatest and Silent Generations to the Baby Boomers

Episode Summary:

In today’s episode, Debbie speaks with writer Robyn Bradley. A self-proclaimed “copy bitch by day and novelist by night”, she is an SEO expert who for two decades has put together, among other things, websites, sales letters, print ads, radio spots, and marketing brochures.

Robyn has an MFA in Creative Writing from Lesley University, and she won a short story award in 2007. Her work has appeared in FictionWeekly.com, Metal Scratches, The Breakwater Review, Writer's Digest, and The MetroWest Daily News, and others.

In today’s conversation, Robyn talks all things content marketing and the art and science of writing relevant, unique, and utterly human copy. She says that it all begins with pinpointing the right keywords to write around. With those search phrases as your starting point, you can begin to bridge customer desires with your particular goals as a company and tell an effective and engaging brand story.

Throughout the pandemic—and even as we emerge from it—the companies who thrive stay human and are not afraid to tackle the tough topics. As a senior living provider, trust can be gained when marketing makes an effort to explain, transparently, how the facility and staff will be able to keep residents healthy and safe amid the ongoing crisis. Videos and virtual tours are excellent ways to quickly capture that trust.

The operators who win are those who make it easy for prospects to find them, engage with them, and choose them, by meeting them where they are and removing friction along their journey.

As the industry shifts from catering to the Greatest and Silent Generations to the Baby Boomers, the key to success is to take everything that already works and “dialing them up by hundred,” as Robyn puts it. Radical authenticity and more customizable living spaces are also vital.

Debbie likens generational changes in the senior living space to those of the university, where the traditionally uniform college environment has largely disappeared so that the modern student now enjoys a plethora of choices regarding where they live, work, hang out, and eat.

Resources Mentioned:

E.T . Robbins Productions

Transcript

Topics Discussed and Key Points: * What is a Google Business Profile Gold Product Expert? * Elevating your local search ranking * The importance of keyword research * Building authority in your industry * Taking advantage of voice search * Getting to page 1 on Google * Beating your competitors at the SEO game * Using third-party tools on your Google Business Profile

Episode Summary: In today’s episode, Debbie speaks with Sherry Bonelli, owner of early bird digital marketing, a Search Engine Optimization (SEO) and digital marketing professional with over 23 years of experience. Early Bird digital marketing serves clients all over the country. Sherry Sherry also holds a Master’s of Internet Marketing Degree, is a LinkedIn Learning instructor, and is the host of the Marketing Plan Podcast.

She is a Google Business Profile Gold Product Expert and is a columnist for leading digital marketing websites like Search Engine Land, MOZ, Search Engine Journal, Adweek, SEMrush, BrightLocal, SCORE and others. She received Search Engine Land’s 2018 SEO Contributor of the Year Award. For two years in a row her blog posts were among the top 10 most read articles on Search Engine Land’s website.

Sherry gives her top tips and strategies on elevating your local search ranking. Best practices include optimizing your Google Business Profile (including picking a specific category and accumulating reviews), website, and becoming an authority in your industry by writing valuable blog posts and gaining recognition by other players in your space through guest blogging and appearing on podcasts. “It’s not just one thing that Google is looking at,” says Sherry. “It’s hundreds of different factors.”

Keyword research is also crucial when putting together a strategy. An often overlooked reality is the fact that many potential customers may be using different words and terms while searching for the solution you provide. A provider may think that prospects are searching for “assisted care living” when they might be looking for “nursing homes” or “old folks homes”. At the same time, a good rule of thumb to keep in mind is to write for your user, not for Google.

One way to address this is to creatively include these keywords on your website, articles, and copy to educate visitors on why your facility uses a different term to describe itself. In other words, don’t get trapped into only using industry lingo or jargon.

Take advantage of available tools to figure out how your competitors are winning the local search game. This can be as simple as searching for those top ranking businesses yourself and taking note of how they distribute their keywords on their websites. In short, says Sherry, “Mirror what they’re doing on your site—but do it better!”

Resources Mentioned: Early bird digital marketing

Transcript

Topics Discussed and Key Points:

Why you should treat your business listing on GBP as an extension of your website
Optimizing your listing
Maximizing user experience
Understanding GBP’s Insights and utilizing UTM tags
How reviews impact your ranking
Improving your local ranking
Citation management

Episode Summary:

In today’s episode, Debbie speaks with Claire Carlile, who works at BrightLocal as their Local Search Expert. She also owns her own U.K.-based marketing agency, Claire Carlile Marketing. Focused on making the most out of the digital marketplace, the company specializes in SEO, local SEO, and review management.

Claire does a deep dive into Google Business Profile, formerly known as Google My Business. Your business listing is often the first thing that people see when doing a Google search. That piece of information directly influences whether they visit your website or give you a call, or move on to your competitors.

Because of this, Claire encourages businesses to treat their GBP as an extension of their website. There are several steps you can take to optimize your listing, the first of which is to claim the listing and give the right people access to it. Make sure the company’s name, address, phone number, and primary category are up to date.

It helps to focus not just on the ranking factor, but also the conversion factor. Ultimately, ensure that your profile has everything it needs for visitors to be able to contact you.

Claire explains how to get the most out of your Insights, keys to citation management, and how to create a strategy that can reliably net your listing a substantial number of good reviews.

She also speaks on ranking for local SEO, both organically and for a 3-pack placement. Google’s local algorithm factors in proximity, relevance, and prominence. She reiterates that your GBP listing is a critical influence on the algorithm, particularly your reviews.

Resources Mentioned:

BrightLocal

Claire Carlile on Twitter

Pleper

GMB Spy (Chrome extension)

Postamatic (Google Sheets add on)

BrightLocal guide to GBP posts

Claire's UTM tagging sheet and Moz WBF

Transcript

Topics Discussed and Key Points:

The senior living industry from a sales perspective
Five situations prospects find themselves in
Tailoring your message for lead acquisition versus lead nurturing
Attributes of the best salespeople in the senior living space
The best way to approach personalization
Keys to empathetic selling

Episode Summary:

In today’s episode, Debbie speaks with Leff Bonney, an Associate Professor of Marketing at Florida State University where he teaches both graduate and undergraduate courses in sales and sales management.

Leff has been involved in various consulting projects for major senior living providers to help them define their sales process and do a better job engaging with prospects and guiding them along the decision journey.

Some of the primary insights uncovered by Leff and his team include the fallacy of the persona-driven segmentation. Different situations may arise between customers who match established demographics. Therefore, Leff recommended shifting to situation-based segmentation that takes context into account.

Another unproductive practice is the one-size-fits-all approach that prevents providers from differentiating themselves from others, which of course is vital in attracting the right prospects.

Prospects find themselves in one of five situations when they come through the door. The top two situations are what Leff calls dazed and confused (comprising about 20% of prospects) and red alert (comprising about 30% of prospects), with the rest being either in the ready referral, prepared shopper, or tire kickers categories.

Asked for the attributes of top-performing salespeople in the industry, Leff names adaptability as the number one skill, as this allows them to navigate the often fast-paced developments that a prospect for senior living providers tends to undergo.

Another is curiosity, which allows them to paint the best picture they can of the prospect and their particular situation. Likewise, creativity minimizes the tendency for the salesperson to fall back on a one-size-fits-all approach.

In the same vein, the ability to personalize experiences dramatically boosts that all-important know, like, and trust factor, not to mention contributes to differentiation when done right.

Finally, Leff comments on the power of empathetic selling and how a focus on defining the problem instead of the solution, along with simple tweaks in copy, can make all the difference.

Resources Mentioned:

Leff Bonney on LinkedIn

Topics Discussed and Key Points:

Is print dead?
The basics of a successful direct mail campaign
Integrating online and offline marketing seamlessly
Measuring the success of a campaign
Little touches that set your printed material apart

Episode Summary:

In today’s episode, Debbie speaks with Scott Burford, President of Fischer Group, a marketing agency which creates efficient systems that streamline the marketing materials supply chain by providing creative and branding support, cross-media solutions, direct marketing services, fulfillment, and promotional materials.

Fischer aims to answer three questions: 1) How can our marketing team get more done for less money?; 2) How can we control cost and creative more easily?; and 3) How can we reduce waste and work smarter?

“Is print dead?” It’s a question that Scott has heard time and time again—for over 15 years now. While digital marketing has taken center stage, Scott says that, “If you follow the trends and read the reports, you’d know that print is still a very vital component of any marketing campaign.”

If anything, it is only the form of print that has evolved. Debbie agrees, saying that, while in the past, print was released “in big runs and generic, now it’s in smaller runs and more personal.” This is especially true in the senior living space. From branded books and photo albums to creatively textured business cards, the sky's the limit when it comes to creating printed material that prospects and existing occupants and their adult children won’t forget.

When it comes to putting together a successful direct mail campaign, an important yet overlooked factor is consistency. Ideally, it will consist of a series of mail drops that are delivered strategically over a period of time. The key is to have enough meaningful touchpoints that increasingly resonate with recipients. Brand recognition grows with consistency therefore creating value.

What also contributes to the success of a direct mail campaign is an updated and relevant list, a meaningful offer, and multiple options for the recipient to be able to respond—whether via QR code, phone, email, or a link to a website where they can fill out a response form.

Resources Mentioned:

Fischer Group

Transcript

Topics Discussed and Key Points:

How to use trusted marketing channels more creatively today
Attracting young talent into the senior living space for the long-term
The case for providing training for emotional intelligence
How to make employees feel welcome after the marketing campaign
Minimizing your turnover rate

Episode Summary:

In today’s episode, Debbie speaks with John Gonzales, President of Haven Senior Living and Senior Vice President of Haven Senior Investments. With over 30 years of experience in the industry, John shares his experiences and perspectives on the state of today’s senior housing landscape and what operators should expect in the new normal.

“It’s a critical time in our industry right now,” says John. After a 10% drop in occupancy in 2020, it is only now that the numbers are finally leveling out across the board.

A lot of the issues can be solved with a change in messaging to ensure maximum health and safety for potential occupants and their adult children. The virtual tour is a powerful way to provide this assurance.

“If you have a strong presence online, they’ll find you. But when they do, you have to have the right message to attract those folks.”

Speaking on ways to bring in the newest generation of talent, John believes that employers need to think about creating “anchors” for employees that not only attract them into the industry, but also motivate them to commit to their work. For young talent, this means instilling a sense of purpose in what they do and encouraging relationship-building between staff and residents.

John asserts that marketing, sales, and operations need to be integrated, not just for attracting prospective residents, but for the purposes of recruitment as well. It is not enough, he says, to put together the “perfect” campaign and promote a great image of your facility. There needs to be actual follow-through that actualizes the welcoming environment projected by marketing and promised by sales.

Resources Mentioned:

Haven Senior Investments

Transcript

Topics Discussed and Key Points:

What can we do with lists these days?
How to attract high-value clients
What to know about list pricing
What ailment data tells us
Marketing to the independent living adult versus their adult child
Reaching out to individuals in caregiver roles
How to create integrated campaigns and what kind of results to expect
The relevance of direct marketing in today’s digital world and pull versus push marketing

Episode Summary:

In today’s episode, Debbie speaks with Adam Van Wye of Mailing Lists, Inc. Founded in 1994, Mailing Lists, Inc. offers highly targeted and cost-effective lists for direct mail, telemarketing, opt-in email, mobile marketing, digital advertising, and multichannel campaigns.

As a list broker, Adam describes his responsibility as “[putting] the right message in front of the right person at the right time. When you do that effectively, it’s a win-win for everyone.” This means that the message, no matter how masterfully crafted, means very little if it is ill-timed or sent to the wrong person.

Adam explains that targeting goes beyond highlighting the usual demographics of age, sex, geography, and marital status. He gives often overlooked facts surrounding an individual’s “household income”, considerations around targeting homeowners versus renters, and tips on creating campaigns for marketing events.

He also goes over compiled lists versus response lists, how to determine whether an email list is worth investing in, and how marketing changes based on whether one is marketing to the older adult or their adult child, best practices for target profiling, and how to transition from offline to online through integrated campaigns.

Ultimately, says Adam, the key to strengthening any outreach campaign is through continuous testing.

Finally, Adam makes the case that the vast amount of resources available in today’s digital world doesn’t mean that direct marketing is no longer relevant. In fact, he does a deep dive into the merits of pull (inbound) marketing and push (outbound) marketing and why great marketers never have to choose between the two.

Transcript

Resources Mentioned:

Mailing Lists, Inc.

adam@mailinglistsinc.com

1-800-570-LIST

Topics Discussed and Key Points:

Good news for senior living communities in 2021
Why market analysis is valuable to senior housing providers
Penetration rates between different types of providers
Why developers should consider building smaller, more intimate settings to serve as social hubs for seniors
Segments (i.e. independent living) that have fared better than others (i.e. assisted living)
How the industry should innovate or reimagine itself to respond to questions of health and safety in the new normal
When and how to adjust prices or create short-term incentives

Episode Summary:

In today’s episode, Debbie speaks with Pam Steitz, President of PLS Market Analysis, LLC, which provides market research services including feasibility studies and focus groups to senior housing providers. Pam is also a member of the Board of Directors for the Liberty Lutheran Senior Services and Retirement Community.

Because data informs marketing strategy, Pam speaks on how providers are doing research in order to adapt to the logistical, organizational, and even cultural challenges that have developed over the past year.

Market studies, she says, should always aim to answer the question, “Why are we struggling?” Whereas the senior living industry was somewhat saturated in pre-COVID times and required a different set of skills to navigate, providers now need to pinpoint the obstacles they face in simply maintaining their lead base or nurturing new leads entirely.

Market studies are not a one-and-done event—they are meant to be updated ideally once a year. “We’re going to see so much growth in this industry in the next five years that a market study really needs to be something that is routine,” Pam asserts. She speaks on the value of consumer research to extract lessons from mistakes and, using these lessons, determine how to reposition one’s marketing.

Market analysis is also about helping providers home in on their niche. According to Pam, “It’s really important to understand the marketplace, and that is really through data, both quantitative and qualitative.”

Pam also gives her thoughts on what providers need to know about the future of the senior living industry based on takeaways from market analyses in 2020 and early 2021.

Resources Mentioned:

PLS Market Analysis

Pam Steitz on LinkedIn

Topics Discussed and Key Points:

Operating in a completely virtual environment
How salespeople can effectively address concerns related to COVID-19
Introducing empathy in the call and building a genuine relationship with the prospect with a no-touch system
The senior living space in a post-COVID world

Episode Summary:

In today’s episode, Debbie speaks with Amy McKinley, a 35-year veteran of the senior living space and the Co-Founder and CEO at Senior Source Consulting Group.

Amy discusses the overnight reality of having to advise providers on selling their community in a no-touch environment. Amy says that salespeople “now have to be more on point.” For instance, in-person tours and face-to-face mystery shopping have exclusively turned into virtual walkthroughs and phone calls—which arguably take more skill to manage.

She adds that, nowadays, “we have to be more transparent, but in a way that is meaningful to the prospect.” It is important to make people feel important on the phone. This is, indeed, more work, but if done correctly, can easily allow one community to stand out in a sea of ever-increasing noise.

Health and safety have obviously become top-of-mind concerns among both prospects and providers. It is vital not just to demonstrate the safety measures your facility adheres to, but also to give good reasons why a family member should make the move to that facility as soon as possible. One point to emphasize is that it is much better for that family member to live among a community than to be alone in these uncertain times.

Salespeople should never rely on filling the CRM alone. Unfortunately, most do. What Amy recommends is for the salesperson to apply tactfulness during the call, keeping an appropriate balance between discovery and building rapport. In other words, salespeople should never forget the lasting power of building genuine relationships.

Emotion, after all, is what creates urgency to make a decision. “They’re not going to get to that point if you’re just asking a checklist of questions,” says Amy.

Resources Mentioned:

Senior Source Consulting Group

Amy McKinley on LinkedIn

Contact Amy: 615-330-9553

amy@seniorsourceconsulting.com

Transcript

Show Notes: Senior Living Marketing Perspectives - Jay Buerck

Topics Discussed and Key Points:

How the pandemic has impacted organic and paid search in the senior living space
Differences between Google and Bing for paid search
How to maximize organic search and, later, complement it with paid search
The steps to mapping out an effective SEO strategy
First-touch versus retargeting campaigns
Paid ads on Facebook versus Google and Bing
How to set proper expectations when running ad campaigns

Episode Summary:

In today’s episode, Debbie speaks with Jay Buerck, Director of Strategy at Digital Strike, a “search-focused marketing company” catering to businesses of all sizes. Specializing in organic and paid search, the company’s focus is to harness intent-based marketing from search engines.

In this conversation, Debbie and Jay do a deep dive into all things Google Adwords, PPC campaigns, and other strategies to increase a business’s web presence.

With over half of Digital Strike’s business being in the senior living space, Jay references a DialogTech study which found that search volume has been decreasing, up to 40% for certain providers. At the same time, 75% of searches related to finding a community have taken place online, with about 83% of those searches coming from individuals who do not have a specific community in mind.

“It’s vitally important to be online,” says Jay, “and increase your visibility, whether that’s through organic search or through paid search.”

Asked about maximizing organic search, Jay refers to the three pillars of SEO that Digital Strike subscribes to: technical, content, and authority. Anyone can start seeing a boost in their search rankings by optimizing all three of these foundational factors.

Jay also speaks on setting expectations when running ad campaigns, saying that it’s important to look not only at your company’s metrics, but those of others who have run comparable campaigns so that you are not looking at your data in a vacuum. It also helps to engage in conversation with stakeholders and refer to reports that reveal current market trends.

Resources Mentioned:

Digital Strike

Jay Buerck on LinkedIn

Topics Discussed and Key Points:

Why Julie decided to write a book specifically about the Regional Director role
How Regional Directors can develop productive relationships with different departments
How Regional Directors can plan their site visits in a way that is appropriate and adds value to all parties
How Regional Directors can create a system for higher conversions and set expectations with their team
Julie’s three-person coaching model for effectiveness
Why the senior housing lost/mismanaged lead statistic has not improved since 2007

Episode Summary:

In today’s episode, Debbie speaks with Julie Podewitz, Chief Sales Officer at Vitality Senior Living and author of the 2021 book Solving the Occupancy Puzzle: A Senior Living Regional Director Sales Playbook.

Asked why she chose to make the Regional Director the focus of her book, Julie says that this is “the role that has the most impact and the role we give the least attention to.” Julie has observed through the course of her career that “Regionals fail because of the lack of systems, the lack of specific expectations, and the lack of training and coaching.”

Julie speaks on the importance not only of communicating, but also of accountability between the Regional Directors of different departments, from sales and marketing to community relations. She also reminds Regionals to make it a point to “maintain their advisor status” in their interactions with prospects, taking care not to cross the line into friendship.

The value of connection extends to one’s strategy for converting prospects. “We’ve got to go back to those basics to build value and connect.” Similarly, Julie emphasizes that Regionals focus on one strategy at a time and double-down on it instead of spreading themselves too thin.

“The quality of your questions will determine the quality of the information you’ll receive.” Practicing these conversations is key, and the best way to practice is through regular roleplay. Julie describes her three-person coaching model for more effective roleplays, in which each of the three take turns (one permutation per training session) assuming the role of customer, sales counselor, or coach.

Resources Mentioned:

Solving the Occupancy Puzzle

Julie Podewitz on LinkedIn

Solving the Occupancy Puzzle: A Senior Living Regional Director Sales Playbook

Topics Discussed and Key Points:

How businesses can communicate with their target market to design better services
Creating an environment that makes prospects stay comfortable while in the pipeline
Tried-and-true advice for all sales professionals
The ever-evolving relationship between sales and marketing
Considerations around “high-tech, high-touch”
Identifying the touches that matter and ignoring those that do not matter
How letting go of (your feeling of) control gives you more control as a company
Creating a solid structure for your business to spark more creativity among your team
The truth about friction in the sales process and how to use friction to your advantage
The difference between a “challenger” and a “provoker” in sales

Episode Summary:

In today’s episode, Debbie speaks with Doug Davidoff, Founder and CEO at Imagine Business Development, a management consulting firm that has worked with over 1500 small and mid-market businesses. Doug describes his career as being about “eliminating or mitigating the conflict between buyers and sellers,” an approach that is applied at Imagine.

Imagine has discovered that most organizations already have the raw material to achieve what they want to achieve. What they need is the correct recipe to make their vision a reality. Doug says that the problem usually lies more in what organizations are already doing and have to unlearn as opposed to what they are not doing. Imagine ensures that their clients maintain the structure of their respective businesses “to enable them to achieve predictable, sustainable, and scalable growth, however they define ‘scalable’.”

Imagine has worked with countless businesses in many different verticals, and the number one issue that Doug found is a lack of empathy. Instead of creating a product or service from assumption alone, companies need to see the world through their customers’ eyes. In addition, companies have a tendency to “try too hard” or overestimate what they can do. Sales professionals simply need to solve for x. They need to map their customer’s journey to make their subsequent decisions more informed.

Historically, salespeople were responsible for communicating the value proposition. Today, that has become marketing’s job. Sales professionals now “facilitate the decision using the resources that marketing has created to reduce the effort involved to make a high-risk decision.” Sales and marketing, previously siloed departments, now work parallel to each other.

“Your job is not to sell the community,” says Doug. “Your job is to help somebody make a good decision about where they should spend their senior years.” With sales and marketing working in tandem, operating by the principles of empathy, the entire process becomes smoother. As Doug says: “The single best thing a company can do to increase sales is to make it easier for someone to buy.”

Links:

Imagine Business Development

Doug Davidoff on LinkedIn

Topics Discussed and Key Points:

How Sagely’s platform adds convenience for everyone in a senior care facility
The importance Sagely places on personal, one-on-one connection
How operators can take advantage of Sagely’s technology to reduce prospect friction
Helping residents adopt new technologies
Activities that have the highest engagement and preparing for the next generation
Customizing Sagely’s platform to different groups
Sagely’s remote learning capabilities and future on-demand initiatives

Episode Summary:

In today’s episode, Debbie speaks with Hollie Kemp, Chief Operating Officer at Sagely, a Honolulu-based IT company that “marries the power of software, data, and the human element to empower caregivers, elders, and their families to improve elders’ well-being. Sagely is a platform to document, manage, and navigate the tracking and delivery of engagement and care programs” that can be used by both residents and their families.

Hollie started out in the senior housing space over 20 years ago as a unit assistant. Through the years, she took on various roles, from caregiver all the way up to Chief Experience Officer. With a primary focus on memory care and engagement, her passion is quality of life and designing stellar lifestyles for the seniors in her care.

Hollie agrees with Debbie that the pandemic has served as an “accelerator” that has forced operators in the industry to focus on making their systems and processes more effective and efficient. Sagely in particular has had to fall back and reflect on their core mission to “keep elders happy, healthy, independent, and connected”.

This required them to create a two-pronged approach for 2020 and beyond: develop technology that is simple to use for residents who may not be tech-savvy, and “free up more time and also provide more efficient tools for that engagement director to meet their residents’ needs at all times.”

Hollie has noticed that, amid the pandemic, “people are less focused on limitations and more focused on possibilities”. The adoption of new technologies today should not actually be as difficult as many make it out to be, even in the senior living space. What makes the difference are the goals you have going into a project, how you hold your team accountable to those goals, and why those goals matter.

“In my opinion,” says Hollie, “in senior housing, technology is never replacing human touch. I do not believe that’s possible. I still think we’re a human business. Technology just enables the human to do their job better.” And this outlook should extend to those initiatives that technology aims to make possible. “A program,” continues Hollie, “can be wonderful on paper, but if it’s not alive in the community, it doesn’t matter.”

Links:

Sagely

Hollie Kemp on LinkedIn

Topics Discussed and Key Points:

Looking at the science of conversion and not just the art
Using behavioral science to understand the thought process of prospects
What data we should be looking at that informs strategic conversations with prospects
Tools to help track engagement metrics
Updating your website and communication tools to adapt to social distancing limitations
Designing a website that gradually educates cold prospects to warm them up over time
Creating content and designing web pages for different segments
Designing your website as a draftsman rather than as an artist
Optimizing your website for the mobile experience

Episode Summary:

In today’s episode, Debbie speaks with Brian Massey, Managing Partner at Conversion Sciences, a data-driven conversion optimization agency which seeks to “find those impulses to act that are hidden in your site.”

If you are counting on the internet to drive your business, you cannot manage it without having access to behavioral data. Brian says that his role is not just the scientific complement to the art of marketing, but one that allows the marketer to “expand their art to be more creative”.

Most businesses today do not need more leads, but more conversion. If they are aware of the data indicating the number of visitors, conversions, and the bounce rate (many companies do not even track these numbers), the first step is to look at the primary call to action that you want a particular page to make. Look at the amount of leads you are driving and how many engagements you are getting. Understanding the data helps you manage your relationship with visitors intelligently.

Bounce rate is a great measure of the quality of the traffic on your website. There is a constant tension between getting more traffic and making the landing experiences better, and there is not necessarily a correlation between the two. Troubleshooting the experience to get more conversions requires an analysis of the visitor’s behavior as they navigate your site or landing page.

Your website should always be updated to adapt to changes in the market. On the most practical level, this means looking at engagement metrics not just to know that data, but to know how to take action based on those changes.

Conversion optimization is “an assembling of segments”, starting with the largest segment in the early stages of your business. Personas are a great tool for understanding what those segments are so that you can keep track of the types of visitors on your website. As you scale and become more sophisticated with your site, you can have more offers targeted toward specific segments. In the senior living space, some of those segments could include the adult children, seniors who would rather live in their home, and seniors who prefer a community.

You should have a variety of content that caters to these different segments, and have pages on your website specially designed for these different kinds of content. Analytics will show how different segments behave differently on the pages you designed specifically for them.

Links:

Conversion Strategies

Topics Discussed and Key Points:

How the senior care space has transformed in 2020
Managing your online reputation
When and how to update your website
Differentiating yourself with intentional copy
Pushing sales messaging into the marketing funnel
Creating content in 2021
Maximizing the conversion experience by incorporating flow
When to automate your processes
What tools operators should consider for their 2021 marketing budget

Episode Summary:

In today’s episode, Debbie speaks with Andy Crestodina, co-founder and Chief Marketing Officer at Orbit Media, an award-winning 38-person digital agency in Chicago.

The challenges we have seen in 2020 accelerated the trend toward the empowered prospect. There is more content than ever before for potential clients or customers to go through, which allows them to make a decision on a product or service even before meeting a representative of the company. Before, to learn what a business offered, you had to talk to people. Today, for many businesses that is no longer the case. The responsibility of a marketer, therefore, is to help prospects make a great decision by considering their product as an option.

The foundation of your marketing efforts is evaluating your digital presence (and those of your competitors). From being present on most of the major social channels (depending on your demographic) to making sure you show up at the top of Google results, having both quality and quantity in your content marketing efforts should be one of the first major goals of your business.

When it comes to designing and updating your website, always think about the perspective of the visitor. The site does not have to sell; but it has to give sufficient information to the visitor. The job of the website is to answer questions. What are their questions? What are their concerns? Which of those questions and concerns are among their top priorities? What are our best answers for those questions, and what evidence can we add to support those answers? When you know these things, you are ready to build a high-converting website. The job of the website is to give visitors sufficient clarity and trust (i.e. answers and evidence) to get them just over the psychological threshold toward contacting you.

Asked about producing the right kind of content in 2021, particularly for the senior living space, Andy encourages operators to focus on the bottom of the funnel. Take care of your current prospects first: those who are already brand-aware. Many cold prospects may continue to have low intent going into the new year and might not be ready for anything—not even the initial call.

Bottom-of-funnel content that answers sales questions should be prioritized; but also use this strategy to grow your email list. Work hard on the call to action to subscribe to your newsletter, because growing your email list puts you in control of your marketing destiny, unlike your social media platforms. Keep your subscribers in flow by keeping them engaged with a tailored content experience that regularly gives them value while keeping you top-of-mind until they are ready to take the next step.

Links:

Orbit Media

Orbit Media Studios on YouTube

Andy Crestodina on LinkedIn

Topics Discussed and Key Points:

Insights uncovered about the senior living industry in March, April, and May
Making the best out of fewer leads
Adapting sales training and hiring practices to the new normal
Confronting fears by tapping into your motivations

Episode Summary:

In today’s episode, Debbie speaks with Alex Fisher, Co-Founder of Sherpa CRM. As the impact of COVID-19 continues to influence all major business decisions, Debbie and Alex discuss data insights for March, April, and May, released recently by Sherpa.

This data provides a qualitative indication of the sales and outcomes of a sample size of about 82,000 units of independent living, assisted living, and memory care facilities. In making sense of the information, Alex stresses that “the sales process should not be predicated on the level of care, but on the person.”

While leads have been down across the board, Alex says that sales and marketing professionals have always tended to “underwork” prospective buyers anyway. With the pandemic causing everybody to pay better attention to the leads that they do continue to generate, there is now an opportunity to put more focus and care into each individual prospect. Says Alex, “Our philosophy is that the new lead is not necessarily going to be better than the old lead. As a matter of fact, there is gold in your existing leads. Some of them may have been resistant to your efforts for a while, but they still exist.”

With fewer leads to work with, Alex emphasizes the importance of really getting inside the heads and the hearts of both the potential residents and their families. Specifically, what is going on in their world as they prepare to make the life-altering decision of whether or not to move into a new community, especially in the face of these challenging times? Making the effort to be truly empathetic to your potential customers’ desires always leads to more sales. As Alex eloquently puts it, “Shallow engagement leads to lower conversions.”

Even before COVID-19, Alex says that much can be done to improve sales training and what to look for when hiring salespeople. For one, there tends to be an overreliance on product. In an industry full of “glorified tour givers”, she calls for refocusing the focus of sales training onto the prospect by letting go of the outcome. This requires emotional intelligence through self-awareness and embracing the fact that salespeople are “facilitators of change” who help break down emotional barriers so that prospects can have the confidence to make adjustments in their lives.

Links:

Sherpa CRM

Email: alex@sherpacrm.com

Topics Discussed and Key Points:

A primer on the VA’s Pension Benefit
Potential amounts that veterans and/or their spouses can avail of with the VA Benefit
Assets and other factors that count toward eligibility for the VA Benefit
The time it takes to receive the VA Benefit
The role of annuities
How senior living operators are leveraging the Benefit and where they can improve

Episode Summary:

In today’s episode, Debbie speaks with Patty Servaes, a VA accredited agent and the founder of Elder Resource Benefits Consulting. ERBC was founded in 2005 to help seniors navigate different benefits that are available to them. Their specialty is the VA’s Basic Pension with Aid and Attendance Benefits. The company focuses on veterans getting the VA’s Pension Benefit as quickly as possible as soon as they are eligible for it.

“This is not a ‘yes’ or ‘no’ Benefit,” says Patty. “It’s ‘if’ and ‘when’.” She explains the VA Benefit through the image of a staircase, having three main criteria that build on each other: “Did you serve in a period of war?”; “Do you meet the medical criteria?”; and “Do you meet the financial criteria?”

It is critical for a U.S. veteran—Army, Navy, Air Force, Marines, and Coast Guard—to know the “if” and the “when” so that they do not miss even a month’s worth of the Benefit. In 2020, a surviving spouse can get up to $1228 per month, tax free. A single veteran can get up to $1911 per month. A well veteran with an ill spouse can get up to $1500 per month. A married veteran where the veteran himself needs care can get up to $2266 per month. Patty goes into detail about which assets and other factors count toward eligibility for the Benefit.

In evaluating a veteran’s eligibility for the VA Benefit, ERBC looks at their income and assets to be able to tell exactly when they would be able to qualify. They also give advice on what they can legally do with the money, such as paying down a car loan or prepaying their funeral. Patty, however, does not recommend the latter. Rather, she suggests having the VA reimburse the funeral costs after the funeral itself. “I really like holding the VA’s feet to the fire and making sure that, if at all possible, we get that VA money to the claimant or, in the event of their death, to the assisted living or to the family.”

Links:

Elder Resource Benefits Consulting

Phone: (508) 485-0039

Topics Discussed and Key Points:

How John came to develop a CRM platform specifically for the senior living space
Welcome Home’s five, non-negotiable pillars for an industry-friendly CRM
Giving operators greater freedom of choice through integration
The impact of Welcome Home’s CRM on a community’s bottom-line

Episode Summary:

In today’s episode, Debbie speaks with John Lariccia, founder of Welcome Home, which provides a CRM platform designed specifically for senior housing and care.

John identified the gap in the market upon understanding that the sales process is particularly difficult within the senior living space. He points to the fact that “there are so many constituencies that you have to interact with”. The emotional layer of the process is also particularly unique due to the nature of the industry. John realized that traditional CRM technologies did not adequately account for the complexities of the human element of closing sales that is especially important in senior living.

John had to solve for a solution that covered all the considerations of an operator in the senior living space. Being a newcomer to the industry, John took the time to dissect traditional CRM platforms to identify missing features which can be highly useful to a senior living operator. He spent over a year speaking to experts in the industry and honed in on five, non-negotiable pillars for their technology: automation, customization, reporting, mobility, and simplicity.

Asked how adopting Welcome Home’s CRM makes sense from a business standpoint, John says that his team tracks engagement and adoption, time savings, time allocation, results from that allocated time, and other expenses. 93% of users, his team found, are using the entire functionality of the CRM within the first month, and this jumps to over 99% by the second month. Operators are also saving thousands of dollars in training budgets due to the CRM’s simple and intuitive interface. Finally, rote tasks are being successfully automated, allowing sales directors to reinvest that saved time into outreach. All of these factors, among others, are resulting in better conversion ratios. “The CRM is working for them,” says John. “They are not working for the CRM.”

Links:

WelcomeHomeSoftware.com

Topics Discussed and Key Points:

How Scott’s passion for senior living led to the founding of Senior Living Growth Advisors and his podcast
The impact of COVID-19 on Senior Living Growth Advisors
How the pandemic affected design in the senior living communities, both existing and in development
Adapting to restrictions and other lifestyle changes brought about by social distancing measures
Emerging technologies operators are using to redefine the senior living experience

Episode Summary:

In today’s episode, Debbie speaks with Scott McCorvie, President of Senior Living Growth Advisors, and host of The Inner Circle of Senior Living podcast. With 15 years of experience in the senior care space under their belt, Senior Living Growth Advisors assists everyone from owners to developers to investors to operators in optimizing their platform and achieving their desired growth success. Scott’s podcast is dedicated to providing value to the senior living investment industry by hosting discussions and interviews with experts and thought leaders in the field.

Scott believes that the senior living industry has remained resilient in the face of the pandemic and the impact it has had to the economy for the past several months. Investment and development projects have been put on hold and due diligence for acquisitions are delayed. On the other hand, Scott has seen more action in the asset management department as organizations adapt and even innovate amid the various challenges.

To remain competitive, independent living facilities had to have over 50% of their space dedicated to common usage or amenities. This can include anything from movie theaters, libraries, exercise rooms and yoga studies, to even woodworking. But it is those communities whose facilities are expertly designed who have the greatest edge over others who have activity rooms in place but receive little engagement from residents.

Scott recommends, particularly for those communities still in development, to establish centrally located, multipurpose common areas that, on the same day, can be reorganized from a lecture hall into an exercise studio. Marketing a senior living community, after all, is showing off a potential “lifestyle upgrade”, and that impression is sold if prospects can see a thriving, activity-filled space.

In addition to adding infrastructure to bolster the health and safety of residents, especially during the pandemic, Scott says that Innovating the senior living experience also relies on improving engagements between caregivers and residents. This can be accomplished through such implementations as voice-activated technologies which make communication more efficient, or TV screens which display the day’s activities or messages from staff and fellow residents. There are many ways to improve the senior living experience, but Scott encourages operators to be particularly bullish on leveraging as much technology as possible to increase resident engagement.

Links:

Email: scott@srgrowth.com

www.srgrowth.com

Topics Discussed and Key Points:

The motivation to create Mom’s House
How Mom’s House’s certified home buyers save families’ time and money
Growing the Mom’s House network of home buyers and senior living communities

Episode Summary:

In today’s episode, Debbie speaks with Ben Rao, Co-Founder of Mom’s House, a platform which connects certified home buyers with families who are in the process of selling their senior parent’s house. Mom’s House is known today as “the nation’s largest senior home buyer network”.

At some point during Ben’s career as a real estate investor, he got connected to the founders of Family Solutions for Care, which “indoctrinated” him into the senior space. He realized through this partnership that it is a common problem among families to not have the support of an insurance company as they look to enter a care community. It so happened that Ben was also connected with a real estate investor focused on the senior space, who did over 50 transactions a year through referrals alone. The two teamed up to discuss how to fill this gap in the market, leading to the founding of Mom’s House.

Many families lack the resources and knowledge to get a house listed when it is time for their senior members to move into a care community. Hiring a real estate agent is often their only option, and even in this case it takes around four to six months to finally sell the house. That is, if the family is able to shoulder unexpected expenses and prepare for potential delays throughout those months. Mom’s House changes the game by connecting home buyers certified by the company around the country to these families. Buyers then make an offer to buy the house for cash and close the deal in less than 30 days.

Links:

Mom's House

Topics Discussed and Key Points:

The origin of the SMASH conference
How SMASH has evolved over the years
Topics to expect at SMASH 2020
Lead generation, conversion, and management during and after COVID-19
Reimagining sales and marketing in the new normal
Interacting with prospects with virtual tools

Episode Summary:

In today’s episode, Debbie speaks with Bailey Beeken, President of Senior Care Events and the Founder of SMASH—the Senior Care Marketing and Sales Summit.

Bailey discusses the concept behind SMASH, which was established in 2013. This series of conferences brings together C-level executives in the senior living industry, “curat[ing] the best of the best in leading edge marketing and sales.”

In its first year, the conversation was around social media and other branding platforms such as websites and how they can be used to market the company. In the following year, the focus shifted towards content creation and digital advertising for driving leads to these platforms. A couple of years ago, the primary topic became data management and how to create budgets and strategies around it. This year’s conference set for October 19-21 will go into considerations and best practices in a post-COVID-19 world.

With fewer leads coming in and heavy criticism from the media during these uncertain times, Bailey acknowledges that it is time for the senior living industry to “throw out the old playbook” and lead with purpose by “spending 80% of the time nurturing the 20%”. Communities must tailor their messaging around concerns regarding health, safety, and family by producing content at a cadence that is appropriate to the current climate. “We really have to reimagine the entire prospect journey and recreate all of those in-person activities [online],” agrees Debbie.

It is important for organizations to take advantage of virtual tools to connect and strengthen their relationships with families. “People are going to have to act with urgency. It is not just about getting revenue. The first movers will win here. They will not have all the answers, but they are willing to experiment. [...] We have a lot of work to do to counter the message that has been told this past year and everybody has to get onboard with that.”

Links:

SMASH 2020

Phone: (917) 572-1118

Email: bailey.beeken@seniorcaresummits.com

Topics Discussed and Key Points:

How senior living providers can change their marketing strategy following the impact of COVID-19
Reframing the message of an industry under fire by mainstream media during the pandemic
Why websites should not limit their assurances regarding COVID-19 to a single page
Tips on using visual materials such as infographics to improve a brand’s messaging
Differentiating your assisted living facility from a nursing home

Episode Summary:

In today’s episode, Debbie speaks with Jeannette McClennan, Co-Founder and President of McClennan Masson and co-author of the book Innovators Anonymous (2018).

Asked how senior living providers can change their marketing strategy in the wake of COVID-19, Jeannette notes that universities are facing deep occupancy issues not unlike those of the senior housing industry.

There are five factors that universities are focusing on which senior living providers can adopt in order to “reimagine” the industry during these turbulent times: occupancy strategy, testing, temp checks, scientific counsel, and communications strategy. The goal is to raise the comfort level of parents as they look to bring their children onto campus, just as adult children who are finding a home for their aging parents need assurance.

Another observable connection between universities and the senior housing industry is the need to shift marketing strategies and budgets to digital. It is “an opportunity to reinvent your brand and switch up your messaging” to adapt to current challenges.

The senior living industry has gotten a bad rap lately in the media. It is important to reframe the message in a way that is authentic yet direct; comforting yet truthful. Jeannette recommends “overcommunicating in advance” to nip fear and doubt in the bud as opposed to doing damage control after the fact.

Style of communication is also key. It is important to “personalize the message down to the individual”, which is best accomplished via a storytelling format using video featuring authority figures. Jeanette recommends providing a personalized, gamified experience for them on your website to bolster familiarity and trust.

Finally, communities should involve the adult children in their messaging, not just the potential residents, in order to get everyone comfortably on board in making this critical decision.

Addressing COVID-19 should go beyond a single webpage. It requires a complete rethinking of the business’s message. “How do you express safety unique to your brand? Demonstrate it throughout your experience, including through your social presence.”

Links:

McClennan Masson

Innovators Anonymous

Topics Discussed and Key Points:

How putting a pause on move-ins affected Northbridge
The “Northbridge Good Vibes” campaign
Platforms that Northbridge is using to connect with families
Northbridge’s creative magazine ad that focused on the people rather than the facility
What prospects will look for in a senior living community going forward
The “Behind the Mask” campaign

Episode Summary:

In today’s episode, Debbie speaks with Jennifer Hastings, Vice President of Marketing at Northbridge Companies.

In March 2020, Northbridge made the decision to shut down move-ins as other assisted living communities have done in the wake of COVID-19. From a marketing standpoint, Jennifer knows that the process will have changed in one way or another once the day comes when facilities can start accepting new residents again. However, a few key things will remain the same, such as leveraging social channels to be able to engage regularly with existing and future families.

Jennifer talks about the Northbridge Good Vibes program that she and her team launched not long after the outbreak. This is a cross-platform campaign where families can contribute to an encouraging and uplifting atmosphere throughout the community by leaving well-wishes across different forums and social media platforms. She relates how Northbridge’s Good Vibes page received an unexpected 75 “vibes” in the first night alone.

Aside from the Good Vibes initiative, Jennifer talks about the other out-of-the-box ways that Northbridge has adapted to the challenges brought on by the pandemic. From taking advantage of the industry-tailored features of the HeartLegacy app, to a magazine ad that highlights people and families over facilities, to the creative “Behind the Mask” campaign, Northbridge has skillfully focused its marketing efforts toward people and community. This type of messaging, Jennifer believes, is what will resonate the most with future residents post-COVID-19.

“Choosing a senior living community means that you have peace of mind around care, safety, and well-being,” says Jennifer. “It is what people have always inherently been looking for, but today they are looking through a new lens because of what we have all been through.”

Links:

Northbridge Companies
Northbridge Companies on Facebook
Northbridge Companies on Instagram

Topics Discussed and Key Points:

How the internet and social media changed the lead generation game
Why marketing is more important than sales
Qualities of an inbound organization
The basic philosophy and foundational principles of inbound marketing
What touchpoints to put in place to qualify leads as reliably and efficiently as possible
Why having happy customers is more important today than ever before
The difference between marketing qualified leads and sales qualified leads and how to advance each
A primer on lead scoring
Best practices around workflows and marketing automation
Why use HubSpot?

Episode Summary:

In today’s episode, Debbie speaks with Dan Tyre on inbound marketing and marketing automation. Dan is the author of Inbound Organization: How to Build and Strengthen Your Company's Future Using Inbound Principles (2018). He is a speaker, blogger, mentor, and coach for those who want to harness the power of inbound marketing to improve their bottom line. Dan joined HubSpot as a member of the original team in 2007, and today serves as the company’s Sales Director.

Potential buyers, both B2B and B2C, like to consider their options anonymously if possible, and oftentimes do their research well in advance of making their final decision (sometimes up to a year or so) depending on the size of the investment. What they see, in the absence of a salesperson (who they wish to avoid at all costs) is paramount to making the sale. This is why, according to Dan, marketing is more important than sales.

As opposed to focusing purely on sales, “the attributes of an inbound organization is they like to help people,” says Dan. “They do things out of the goodness of their heart.” In fact, in 2014, Dan published an article titled “Always Be Closing Is Dead: How to Always Be Helping”.

As little as ten years ago, there were more gatekeepers and other such hurdles to reach prospects. You had to pick up the phone and make calls. Today, the amount of online tools and platforms you have at your disposal makes inbound marketing an available option even for smaller companies. On the other hand, the average company has 44 competitors today. As Dan stresses, it is important to “add value before you extract value” if you want to stand out.

Listen in as Dan unleashes a treasure trove of best practices for today’s inbound marketer, including how to define your persona, qualifying (and disqualifying) prospects, creating an effective sales funnel, and HubSpot’s competitive advantage over other growth platforms.

Reach out to Dan at https://www.dantyre.com or dtyre@hubspot.com, and order a copy of his book at https://www.inboundorganization.com/

Topics Discussed and Key Points:

Roobrik’s purpose and unique approach to gathering data
Gathering data and building trust via anonymous “conversational assessments”
What senior living operators can learn from data gathered by Roobrik
How COVID-19 has impacted prospect behaviors and uncertainties
Other potential uses for Roobrik’s decision science technology

Episode Summary:

In today’s episode, Debbie speaks with Nate O’Keefe, Founder and CEO of Roobrik, “a survey or decision tool that helps older adults and families get unstuck [and] activate that audience that is right on the cusp. How can we help them understand their needs; their options?” Roobrik’s solution? Decision science. Their goal is not to market senior living as a prospect’s only choice, but to better inform them so that they can make that choice themselves.

The typical senior living company website is, unfortunately, little more than an online brochure filled with impersonal stock images. “Nobody searches for senior living for fun,” says Debbie. Marketers have to make that extra effort to not only lead prospects to their website, but also to create comfort in order to help these prospects make life-altering decisions about their future.

Roobrik gathers relevant information that helps prospects see if they are a fit for a community. They also put together resources that engage and build trust for those who are looking for options. Data is gathered through anonymous “conversational assessment” with the prospects which take their mindset into account, particularly with regards to their fears and worries. The assessment is anonymous because fears and worries, which prospects tend to minimize during the initial call, are the biggest challenges that operators need to tackle when promoting a new lifestyle as a possible solution.

Prospects need to feel empowered and informed. Roobrik’s tool helps potential residents “overcome uncertainty and inertia” which, again, is why data is gathered anonymously. COVID-19 has obviously had a profound effect on the gravity of prospects’ doubts around senior living spaces.

Nate acknowledges that perspectives will continue to evolve in the new normal. To gain a foothold over these ever-changing uncertainties, Roobrik asks, “What can we do that is additive and not noise?” The key is in gathering data, which serve as the foundation for any strategy. To this end, Roobrik has released “COVID impact reports”, which reveal that more people are looking—that prospects have developed a greater sense of urgency about their future options and are more willing to engage in conversations that will help them get unstuck.

Learn more about Roobrik at https://www.roobrik.com/

Topics Discussed and Key Points:

The new channels Leading Response is leveraging to continue introducing people to their clients
Is direct mail still a useful marketing tool today?
What types of content are prospects looking for in the new normal?
How to nurture and advance leads who are already in the pipeline
Measuring ROI
An easy way to double your click-through rate
What the most successful senior living companies during the pandemic are doing differently

Episode Summary:

In today’s episode, Debbie speaks with Val Whitman, VP of Senior Living at LeadingResponse, on marketing, thought leadership, and innovation. LeadingResponse is a client acquisition firm with a focus on connecting qualified leads—adults, children, seniors—with the senior living client to nurture their relationship. This is best done is face-to-face, preferably onsite; but in the new normal, the company was forced to adjust its primary strategy.

Fortunately, along with organizing in-person events, LeadingResponse has solutions for connecting people to their clients using online campaigns. Today, these campaigns have taken center-stage.

LeadingResponse has a webinar platform that has proven to be their most popular tool for educating and building relationships with existing consumers. Using white-labeling capabilities available on the platform, clients can customize this visual experience to navigate the new normal with their prospects with ease.

Prospects today are still looking for the basic information they have always wanted and needed; i.e. the differences between care levels, how costs are covered, how to have tough conversations with loved ones, etc. But now they also want to know how a company, as a brand and as a representative of their industry, can keep their loved one safe. The client needs to take this opportunity to showcase the benefits of staying at a senior living community during the pandemic.

During these uncertain times, labor costs have generally gone up, as well as budgets for supplies, which could include test kits. Organizations need to learn how to do more with fewer dollars. It is important for a business to look at the tools and platforms that they currently employ, including webinars, direct mail, and virtual tours, and measure the ROI on each. If there is a problem in the execution of these tools, consider small solutions first. Sometimes, it is just a matter of changing the content or call to action.

In some cases, improving ROI is also about sales execution. Are people following up with prospects? Are they even reaching out to new leads on time in the first place?

Topics Discussed and Key Points:

The lackluster quality of most stock photos depicting seniors
What it is like to work with 80+-year-old models, including those with cognitive disabilities
Why Tom incorporates stories into his photos
How senior living facilities can improve their marketing by showcasing quality photos
Justifying the cost of quality photoshoots for marketing purposes
Rebuilding trust in senior living communities post-COVID 19 through photography

Episode Summary:

In today’s episode, Debbie speaks with Tom Sanders, a professor of photography at Savannah College of Art and Design and the founder of Senior Living Photography and Senior Stock Photos. He is the author of the coffee table books The Last Good War: The Faces and Voices of WWII (2010) and Vietnam War Portraits: The Faces and Voices (2020).

Debbie considers Tom to be the best in the senior photography niche which, she laments, is severely lacking. She notes the oftentimes routine, inaccurate, and sometimes even silly representations of seniors in traditional stock photographs. One reason for this, addresses Tom, is that many senior living companies are unwilling to invest in high-quality photoshoots.

Debbie also criticizes run of the mill photos as idealized images of prospects that lack relatability (i.e. models are often a decade or two younger than the usual senior living demographic). Tom, on the other hand, is unafraid to literally get up close and personal with the people he is trying to represent. Debbie points out that many of Tom’s photos clearly display the wrinkles of his 80+-year-old models. They are posed simply, their humanity, personalities, and vulnerabilities all laid bare.

Tom encourages more photography companies to take advantage of the stories that seniors have to share, so as to bring out the individuality of every single model. It is this level of care and openness that helped The Last Good War to earn the title of “Non-Fiction Book of the Year, Editor’s Choice” by the Forewords Review Magazine.

Companies should be willing to invest in better quality photos of their seniors the same way they are already used to spending on photos of their facility. After all, a marketer’s job is to sell lifestyle, not real estate.

Check out Tom’s portfolio at https://seniorstockphotos.com/ and https://www.seniorlivingvisuals.com/

Topics Discussed and Key Points:

Key impacts of COVID-19 on the senior living industry in China
The importance of building relationships with prospects amid COVID-19
Useful technologies and other strategies to engage with prospects during quarantine
How to “check the temperature” of your lead base during these turbulent times
Training salespeople that can effectively navigate the current climate

Episode Summary:

In today’s episode, Debbie speaks with Jeff Gronemyer, Director of International Census Development with Meridian Senior Living. He gives a global perspective on the impact of COVID-19 on the industry. Overseeing sales efforts for Meridian in China, Jeff is essentially a couple of months ahead in terms of best practices for interacting with prospects during the pandemic.

In China, Meridian has completely shut down their buildings. The question prospects lead with is no longer, “When can we move in?” but, “What can you do to keep my mom and dad safe?” Meridian has shifted its marketing and sales to cover common concerns brought about by the new normal. This includes helping seniors gain easier access to produce and other basic necessities. There have also been a number of changes to protocols for moving in particularly with regard to making sure that health and sanitation take precedence over all else, while of course keeping the process comfortable and fear-free for seniors.

During a time when communication is more important than ever for closing prospects in the senior living industry, Jeff says that there is now more focus put into the relationship aspect of things. Building a relationship with the prospect while leading them through the sales process has always been a tricky balance. The difference today is that prospects will not be moving into facilities until further notice, and so the pressure to close in advance is no longer there. This simply means taking the time to have meaningful conversations with prospects. One way that Meridian encourages its sales staff to adopt this focus is through sending information on relevant topics to chat about with seniors, such as historical events ranging from 1960 to 1976.

This is a time to experiment and innovate with different technologies and other strategies to engage with prospects. It is also important to discover the changing attitudes, mindsets, and goals of your client base. Reach out—whether through surveys or focus groups—and soak in the different hopes, worries, and fears that prospects are currently experiencing. This is especially important since senior living communities are being dubbed as dangerous “petri-dishes” by certain media institutions. In order to respond to these messages, there is no better strategy than to communicate on a more intimate level with those you are looking to serve.

Topics Discussed and Key Points:

SiteStaff Chat’s edge over other conversion services
The two types of prospects that chat support representatives typically engage with
How SiteStaff’s engagement specialists conduct conversations with prospects
The importance of earning the right to ask for a prospect’s personal information
Why Bill is passionate about empathy and culture

Episode Summary:

In today’s episode, Debbie speaks with SiteStaff Chat Founder Bill Jennings on how prospects for senior living facilities engage with Chat’s online support staff. Bill founded his company as a response to the many other support services that have the unfortunate tendency to offer generic, information-laden responses to website visitors. Instead, SiteStaff Chat’s approach is that of “an emotional selling process; making people feel comfortable.” This approach turned out to be the perfect fit for the senior living industry, of which the emotional component is naturally higher among prospects.

SiteStaff Chat typically sees two types of customers. The first type are family members looking for a place for their aging parents, but have little to no idea what to expect from or how to go about the process of moving them into a senior living facility. The second type are those looking to move themselves into a facility simply because they are looking for community and, of course, assistance. In both of these cases, support staff need to be both empathetic and understanding as they work to dispel prospects’ common fears while guiding them towards a decision.

Chat’s engagement specialists are looking to provide real answers to prospect queries, as opposed to canned ones. Bill laments the “copy-paste” tactics of traditional services, where answers are scripted and superficial. Chat aims to qualify the prospect, not by attempting to methodically close them, but by “humanizing the experience”, first by establishing whether there’s even a fit for them in the first place, followed by diving into specifics around the prospect’s particular circumstances and goals.

Today, Chat’s representatives spend an average of eight and a half minutes chatting with prospects. These eight and a half minutes are not spent giving an elevator pitch, but on having real, human-to-human conversations that aim to earn the right to ask the prospect if they are ready for the next step of the transaction.

When much of the modern marketing world focuses on vanity metrics such as views, impressions, clicks, or website traffic, it is crucial for a company (and refreshing for prospects) to create personal experiences that give visitors real value. After all, senior living communities deal with high-intent prospects. By empowering these prospects to make informed decisions through meaningful conversations, any business can achieve more of the metric that truly matters: conversions.

Try SiteStaff Chat for 30 Days Free of Charge by visiting https://www.sitestaffchat.com/ or give Bill a call at (303) 349-4282

Topics Discussed and Key Points:

The importance of creating an effective sales culture
How to develop a sales training process
Practical advice on empathetic selling to maximize your existing database when COVID-19 has slowed down the flow of new leads
Lessons learned by Mike after having done over 150,000 mystery shops

Episode Summary:

In today’s episode, Debbie speaks with Mike Miller, President and CEO of Primo Solutions, LLC, and the author of Selling at Combat Speed (2008) and Stop Selling & Start Caring (2011). They discuss the core message of Mike’s newest book which, while always relevant, is many times more so today amid the COVID-19 pandemic.

The inspiration behind Stop Selling & Start Caring came when a colleague discussed the uncomfortable experience of looking for a senior living community for his mother. After visiting several communities, his colleague found that none of them even bothered to ask him how he, as the adult child, was feeling about the process. Instead, it seemed like all these communities cared about was making the transaction.

Many institutions lack a clearly-defined sales training process which, by extension, results in a lack of a cohesive sales culture. Debbie and Mike agree that it is key to have a great sales trainer that regularly conducts sessions to help instill and maintain this culture. But more importantly, the company has to have leadership in place that, once training is done, can efficiently and effectively delegate in order to ensure the healthy growth of its culture.

“You can have a great strategy,” says Mike. “But if you do not have the culture in place and the buy-in where people really believe in the process and what they are doing, then it is not going to work.”

COVID-19 has forced many businesses to focus on their existing database as the pandemic has led to fewer new leads coming in. Mike believes that senior living communities tend to spend too much money on incoming leads, and that many can actually fill their communities by investing in their current database. Additionally, the problem with a constant stream of leads is that communities will eventually have a difficult time to work with and nurture those leads already in the CRM.

With regards to the current situation, Mike says that we have no choice but to “make a difference on the phone.” Even today, it is possible to increase your conversion rate via deliberate, creative, and empathetic selling. It starts with reducing your marketing spend and putting more focus on training your staff to work with existing leads.

Ask Mike for a free PDF of Stop Selling & Start Caring at mike.miller@primosolutionsllc.com

Topics Discussed and Key Points:

What direction should marketing and communications take amid COVID-19?
The power of “sharing, not selling” as a long-term approach to business development
Why your organization should shift from crisis communication to resource communication
How to get people comfortable about potentially moving into a senior living community during a pandemic
What can we learn from this situation, marketing and communications-wise, to become better prepared should another crisis hit?

Episode Summary:

In today’s episode, Debbie speaks with Dan Hutson, Marketing Strategy and Communications consultant. The pair discuss best practices around marketing and communication strategy used by various industries amid the COVID-19 pandemic, and how these practices can be implemented by the senior housing industry.

Today, organizations have to choose between quietly waiting out the crisis, and looking for opportunities to innovate. Much of the senior living world has chosen the former strategy. Worse than that, some even chose to do “tone-deaf” marketing that completely ignores the new normal. Consumers and clients are more forgiving towards vulnerability and more “raw” messaging, as long as the company can assure them, with a level head, that they are willing and able to consistently follow through in spite of current challenges.

“This situation has freed up your time from doing a lot of the business-as-usual marketing work,” says Dan. “Take this time to really think about interesting ways of connecting with your audience—communicating and creating ongoing conversations with them.” If more organizations adopt this paradigm, there may endure, long after the end of this crisis, a “sharing, not selling” approach to business.

It helps greatly to put yourself in the shoes of those you’re trying to serve. Imagine what a typical member of your target audience is thinking, feeling, and doing at this very moment. One thing’s for sure: there’s so much uncertainty in the world today that people in general are just looking for leaders to help make their struggles more bearable. This, says Dan, becomes the perfect opportunity to serve as your customer’s go-between—to position your company as an incredible resource which provides useful services outside the usual scope of your business.

At a time when social distancing is the norm, ask yourself how you’re adopting technology to support your sales and marketing effort. If you want more people to become comfortable with the idea of potentially moving into a senior living community, particularly during this pandemic, digital and inbound marketing should be your priorities. Many people are uninformed about the different types of available communities, not to mention their concerns about sanitation in these spaces.

If relevance is what you’re after, there’s no better time than this moment to put out regular content that tells your customers exactly what services they should be expecting from your organization. This content should illustrate the reality of your senior living space as a “living, breathing community of people who are engaged in interesting, purposeful lives.”

Julie Podewitz - Chief Sales Officer at Vitality Living: Vitality Living has found great success using new marketing, sales and communication channels during the COVID pandemic. Their brand reach has quadrupled and their teams are successfully adopting new technologies to attract, nurture and close sales. Julie shares their best practices and results. Get ready to be inspired!

The senior living industry has weathered hurricanes, earthquakes, tornadoes and fires. But COVID-19 is requiring a whole new playbook. Join us for the inaugural podcast as we discuss lessons learned during COVID-19 and making the most of this unique situation.