Deciding to move a loved one into a senior living facility is a deeply emotional journey, and marketing this service should be profoundly different from how you’d promote a product or a restaurant. It’s not just about the facility’s features—it’s about connection and care.
Further complicating senior living marketing is the fact you have to appeal to multiple audiences. After all, it’s not just about reaching seniors; it’s also about connecting with their children and younger family members, who often approach research and decision-making in completely different ways.
The emotional layers and audiences’ complexity is what makes assisted living marketing both challenging and rewarding.
In this guide, we’ll cover how to effectively market senior living communities to both seniors and their families by leveraging transparency, collecting positive reviews, optimizing your website, and using SMS for effective communication. Let’s explore how to captivate all generations and create lasting connections.
Get the Right Message In Front of the Right Audience
Anyone who has interacted directly with senior living clients and their families knows that the questions and requests from each group can differ significantly. Additionally, the ways in which generations gather information and seek advice also vary. A savvy assisted living marketing plan will address these distinct priorities by tailoring materials to specific audiences—such as seniors or their adult children—and using the most effective communication channels to engage each group.
Marketing to the Seniors
Assisted Living Marketing Messages That Resonate With Seniors:
- Use empowering language and messages that emphasize the independence (and fun) seniors can enjoy
- Highlight socialization opportunities and enriching amenities
- Position services such as in-suite cleaning and onsite restaurants as available to help free up their calendars for more fun
- Above all else, make seniors feel respected throughout your assisted living facility’s marketing materials
How Seniors Tend to Consume Media and Marketing:
- While Direct Mail and TV ads may still be effective, don’t underestimate the amount seniors are online nowadays, making email also an effective choice
- Seniors overwhelmingly prefer Facebook and YouTube to any other social platforms
- Seniors take their time when contemplating big decisions—they may not chase information as hungrily as their younger counterparts, but they’ll want time to absorb what details they have. Therefore, avoid aggressive calls-to-action.
- Related to the above, don’t expect instant results from your marketing efforts. However, just because a mailer or an email blast doesn’t immediately result in enrollments doesn’t mean it didn’t resonate with your senior audiences
- Seniors will gladly read, but they won’t jump through too many hoops to engage with your assisted facility’s marketing materials. Avoid multi-step processes whenever possible.
Marketing to Younger Family Members (Older Millennials and Gen-X)
Marketing Messages That Resonate With Younger Family Members:
- While younger family members prize their older loved one’s happiness, they may be increasingly focused on the quality of healthcare
- Family members may not be able to keep a close eye on their senior loved ones, meaning that they’ll prize in-depth transparency into the staff and facilities, as well as objective positive feedback through accreditations, awards, and testimonials
- Putting the logical left-brain aside, the emotion younger family members want most is the peace of mind that comes with knowing they’ve made the right decisions on behalf of the seniors they love. Keep this in mind when crafting assisted living marketing materials specific to them
How Older Millennials and Gen-X Tend to Consume Media and Marketing:
- Older millennials and Gen-X will proactively and thoroughly do their research rather than wait for marketing to plant a seed. This means that your senior living facility’s SEO marketing should address questions they’re likely to Google as they observe their older family members struggle
- Prospective clients’ children and younger loved ones will most likely visit multiple forums or review sites to collect as much feedback as possible, making online reviews more important than ever to your assisted living service’s marketing efforts
- Generally speaking, millennials and Gen-X will take action quicker than seniors, so give them ample opportunities to enroll for further engagement. Perhaps this is signing-up to receive a pamphlet they can show their parents or scheduling an over-the-phone consultation.
- Older millennials and Gen-X view lack of online presence and technological prowess as a direct reflection of a brand’s capabilities, whether this is fair or not. Therefore, make sure your website is clean and up-to-date and that digital interactions are without hiccups.
For greater insights into connecting with different age groups, read our guide to generational marketing.
Leveraging Transparency as a Key Marketing Tool
Spotlighting Your Assisted Living’s Residents and Staff
One of the most powerful ways to build trust in your community is by shining a spotlight on the amazing stories of current residents and staff members. Imagine using captivating videos that dive into their unique journeys, share personal experiences, and showcase their daily lives. By bringing these narratives to life, you don’t just humanize your community—you offer viewers a heartfelt glimpse into what it’s truly like to be part of it.
It’s essential that your senior living marketing highlights a diverse array of residents, representing various backgrounds, ages, and lifestyles. This not only underscores inclusivity but also fosters a genuine sense of belonging, showing that your community celebrates the individuality of everyone. Plus, these personal insights can help potential residents and their families feel more connected and informed about the vibrant environment they may soon call home.
Addressing Common Questions and Concerns
Additionally, transparency means addressing the most common questions and concerns head-on. What are the costs involved? What sort of medical care is available? How do you handle emergencies? Create a comprehensive FAQ section on your website, and consider writing blog posts or creating videos that go into more detail on these topics.
Showcasing Facility Features and Services
Show off the unique features and one-of-a-kind services your community has to offer in your senior living marketing materials—these are the elements that make potential residents ask, “Where do I sign up?” Whether it’s a salon so your residents can always feel their best, gourmet dining options that cater to diverse tastes and dietary needs, or specialized medical care with trained professionals ready to assist, ensure these amenities are prominently featured in your marketing materials.
Use high-quality images and videos to effectively showcase these features, allowing prospective families to visualize themselves in the community. Provide detailed descriptions that not only outline what each service entails but also convey the benefits and experiences families can expect. This approach will give them a clear understanding of the quality of life they can enjoy in your community and calm some of the potential fears of their family.
If your team members speak various languages, it is essential to highlight this diversity when engaging with potential residents and their families. Emphasizing multilingual communication can provide reassurance that effective interaction is not only possible but also prioritized. This approach fosters a welcoming environment, ensuring that residents feel understood and valued, which is critical for their comfort and well-being.
The Power of Positive Reviews for Senior Living Marketing
Why Positive Reviews Matter
Positive reviews can be a game-changer in assisted living marketing. They provide essential social proof, showcasing real experiences that can significantly influence decision-making for potential residents and their families. When families are searching for the best assisted living options, they are often inundated with marketing materials that may not fully capture the true essence of a community.
In contrast, authentic testimonials from current residents and their families offer insights into the quality of care, the atmosphere of the facility, and the overall satisfaction of those living there. Thus, families are far more likely to trust these personal anecdotes over traditional marketing messages, making positive reviews a critical component of building credibility and attracting new residents to your senior living facility.
How to Get Good Reviews
Encouraging happy residents and their families to share their experiences through reviews is key to building a stellar reputation! To make this process smooth and enjoyable, provide clear, step-by-step instructions to guide them through writing a review. Why not offer a laptop or tablet during the next caregiver visit, pre-loaded with the review site, to make it even easier?
Additional Tips to Acquiring More Reviews For Your Senior Living Community:
- Respond to your online reviews—people like seeing that you value their feedback (both positive and negative)
- When creating calls-to-action to review your services, give at least two options (such as Facebook and Google Business), as your clients may have a stronger inclination toward one platform versus another
- Occasionally reach out to your email list ask for feedback (and reviews)
- Train staff about when and how to ask for reviews, emphasizing that they should not make anyone feel pressured, ever. Rather, it may be as simple as giving them business cards with printed QR codes which they can hand to younger family members with a one-sentence explanation about how “your feedback can help other families feel confident in their decisions.”
Bonus tip: Unsure which review sites your potential residents and their families are checking out? Just ask them! Gaining these insights will give you a clear roadmap for your review generation efforts and help you connect with your audience more effectively. Let their preferences guide your strategy!
Using Reviews in Your Marketing Strategy
Once you have a robust collection of positive reviews, it’s essential to leverage them effectively in your marketing strategy. Feature these testimonials prominently on your website, ensuring they are easily accessible to potential clients. Incorporate them into your email newsletters to build trust and credibility with your audience, making your communications more impactful. Additionally, consider showcasing these reviews on your social media platforms, where they can reach a wider audience and encourage engagement.
To take it a step further, think about creating testimonial videos that capture residents and their families sharing their experiences in their own words. This not only adds authenticity but also allows prospective clients to connect emotionally with the stories being told, enhancing your brand’s reputation and trustworthiness.
Your Website is the Ultimate Senior Living Marketing Tool
Making a Strong First Impression
Your website is often the first point of contact potential residents and their families will have with your community, so it’s crucial to make it memorable.
- Website architecture is key make sure that your website is structured correctly, to include individual pages for each type of service, offering, location, audience, etc., and make sure the hierarchy of these pages is structured in the way that search engines like Google prefer. Our marketing partner, High Level Marketing, are experts at creating the correct website foundation and architecture that will set your online marketing efforts up for success the right way from the beginning.
- Ensure that your website utilizes high-quality images - Choose images that reflect the warmth and inviting atmosphere of your community
- Aim for an intuitive layout and navigation Skip the bells and whistles in favor of a clear menus and organized content. Use vernacular visitors will immediately understand
- Compelling content is just as important - Tell your community’s story, share testimonials from happy residents and their families, and highlight unique features and services that set you apart
- Don’t make your website visitors hunt for your value proposition Clearly articulate what makes your community unique, why you’re the right choice for their loved ones, and the specific benefits you offer
- Provide easy access to contact information - Highlight multiple options for reaching out, such as phone, email, or a simple contact form. Consider including a chat feature for immediate assistance, making it even easier for potential residents and their families to connect with you.
By taking these steps, you’ll create a marketing website that not only captures prospects’ attention but also converts visitors into assisted living residents.
Crafting Thorough, Informative Content
Develop marketing content that addresses the questions and concerns individuals may have about themselves or their loved ones when considering assisted living services. This can take the form of blog posts, downloadable guides, and informative videos. While testimonials, amenities, and engaging extras are valuable, it’s crucial to remember that this is medical care—a serious matter for future residents and their families.
Therefore, write your assisted living marketing content with clarity. Forego any language that could come across as too aggressively salesy or emotionally-charged. Above all else, avoid fear mongering messaging.
Here are a few senior living content marketing strategies:
- Educational Blog Posts: Writing regular blog posts that cover topics such as senior health, wellness tips, and caregiving advice can position your facility as a knowledgeable resource. By addressing common concerns and providing practical solutions, you build credibility and trust with your audience.
- Informative Guides and E-books: Create downloadable guides or e-books that delve deeper into the specifics of assisted living. These can cover everything from choosing the right facility to transitioning smoothly into assisted living, helping families make informed decisions while showcasing your expertise.
- Resident and Family Testimonials: Genuine stories from current residents and their families serve as powerful endorsements. Video testimonials add a personal touch, allowing prospective clients to see and hear the positive experiences of others, thus humanizing your brand.
- Virtual Tours and Facility Videos: High-quality virtual tours and videos of your facility can give potential residents a vivid sense of what your community is like. Highlighting key amenities, daily activities, and showing happy residents can make a compelling case for choosing your facility.
- Email Newsletters: Regular email updates can keep your audience engaged and informed. Share positive stories, upcoming events, and useful tips for seniors and their caregivers. Email marketing can nurture relationships over time, eventually converting prospects into residents.
- Social Media Engagement: Use social media platforms to share daily updates, success stories, and relevant articles. Actively engaging with your community through comments and messages can enhance your facility’s reputation and foster a sense of community.
- Expert Interviews and Webinars: Hosting webinars or posting interviews with health experts can provide valuable insights into senior care. This not only demonstrates your facility’s commitment to quality care but also allows potential residents and families to learn from trusted professionals.
Your content serves as an opportunity to provide meaningful insights and a nuanced perspective on senior living care. Use your marketing platforms to establish yourself as a trusted expert in the field of assisted living. Ensure your content is easily digestible and delivers genuine value to your audience.
Utilizing Localized SEO to Drive Interest in Nearby Areas
Localized SEO is a powerful assisted living marketing tool that can be used to attract potential residents from nearby areas. By focusing on local search optimization, you can effectively target individuals who are specifically looking for assisted living options close to home.
Here’s how to implement localized SEO for a significant impact:
- Google Business Profile Optimization: Ensure your Google My Business (GMB) listing is accurate and fully optimized. Include essential details such as your facility’s address, phone number, operating hours, and high-quality images of your community. (As a reminder, encourage current residents and their families to leave positive reviews, as these can significantly boost your local search rankings.)
- Our marketing partner, High Level Marketing, actually has an excellent checklist available for free, making sure you haven’t missed any opportunities for Google Business Profile optimization, and they offer free 30-minute consultation calls to review your entire online presence and leave you with actionable, tangible steps you can take to improve your online visibility today.
- Local Keywords: Incorporate local keywords into your website content, meta descriptions, and headers. Phrases like “assisted living in [City]” or “[City] senior care” can help attract local search traffic. For example, “assisted living in Boston” or “Boston senior care.”
- Create Location-Specific Content: Develop blog posts, landing pages, and other content that focus on the local community. Highlight nearby attractions if you provide outings, events, and amenities for residents to enjoy, emphasizing how your facility plays a vital role in the community. This not only enhances local SEO but also shows prospective residents that they will be part of a vibrant, local community.
- Local Backlinks: Partner with local organizations, healthcare providers, and community groups to earn backlinks to your website. Being listed on regional directories and mentioned in regional news outlets can improve your local search visibility and credibility.
- Optimize for Mobile: Many local searches are conducted on mobile devices, so it’s crucial that your website is mobile-friendly. A responsive design will ensure that potential residents and their families have a positive experience when they visit your site from their phones or tablets.
By focusing on these localized SEO strategies, your assisted living facility can attract more interest from nearby areas, ensuring that your marketing efforts reach the right audience effectively. Localized SEO not only improves your search visibility but also builds stronger connections within your community.
Our marketing partner, High Level Marketing, has extensive experience helping those in the healthcare and Senior Living industries with all of the digital marketing items discussed in this blog post, plus more! Check out just a few of their Senior Living clients here. Dozens of other examples of clients they’ve helped are available upon request.
Using SMS to Optimize Communication
Internal Communications
Effective communication within your organization is crucial for fostering a collaborative and productive environment. Utilizing an SMS marketing platform can significantly streamline internal communications, whether it involves corporate teams reaching out to caregivers for updates, scheduling shifts, or coordinating patient care.
By implementing SMS, you can ensure that everyone is consistently on the same page, which enhances teamwork and reduces misunderstandings. This form of communication allows for the rapid dissemination of important information, ensuring that essential updates are communicated quickly and efficiently. Furthermore, SMS can be particularly beneficial in urgent situations where immediate responses are necessary, ultimately improving overall operational efficiency and patient care.
External Communications
SMS can also be a valuable tool for communicating with the loved ones of residents. Sending reminders about upcoming appointments or activities ensures that families stay engaged and informed. A simple check-in via text can also foster a sense of connection and support. This proactive communication helps keep families informed and reassured about their loved one’s care, strengthening the bond between residents and their loved ones during what can often be a challenging time.
Lead Management and Customer Experience
In the senior living sector, effective lead management is crucial. Leverage SMS to engage with prospects by providing valuable information and guiding them through the decision-making process. Your promptness and availability are vital indicators of the experience they can anticipate when transitioning from a lead to a resident in your facility.
For top-of-the-funnel leads who have expressed interest by filling out a form for a tour or meeting, consider implementing triggered SMS marketing campaigns that ensure immediate response times.
Platforms like Voxie help marketers set up behavior-triggered SMS flows that share valuable insights when it’s most helpful to the recipients. However, the use cases for senior living facilities don’t end there, as our Conversational Intelligence feature can be leveraged to serve as an interactive FAQ in which customers text questions and receive the needed answers right away. When are visiting hours? Are pets allowed inside the buildings? It’s a win-win: prospects and clients’ families are able to receive information near-instantly while your team will have less work on their plates.
Notably, a Voxie customer in the family care sector experienced a remarkable 200% increase in conversion rates using AI SMS compared to traditional human-led efforts.
Delivering a positive customer experience can set you apart in a competitive market.
Conclusion
Marketing senior living communities requires a strategic approach that takes into account the needs and concerns of both seniors and their families. By leveraging transparency, encouraging positive reviews, optimizing your website, and using SMS for communication, you can create a compelling senior living marketing strategy that resonates with multiple generations.
If you’re ready to take your senior living marketing strategy to the next level, consider partnering with our team. We’re here to help you craft a marketing plan that not only attracts new residents but also builds trust and fosters a sense of community.
Voxie
Franchises use Voxie to turn transactions into relationships through personalized communication directly to customers’ hands, tripling customer lifetime value. Leverage the power of SMS to build brand loyalty and drive revenue.
We empower franchise leaders to grow revenue and cut operational costs without increasing their workload. Get the most out of the SMS marketing channel with minimal effort through tools that let you deploy messaging strategies across your network.
HLM Marketing
High Level Marketing is a full-service digital marketing agency, specializing in helping industries such as healthcare, senior living, aesthetics, home services, property management, higher education, and more. HLM focuses on solving business & marketing problems through digital marketing tactics, instead of simply providing one-off services that may not address the full extent of your challenges. Call (888) 717-4249 or visit
highlevelmarketing.com/contact
now to speak to someone within minutes, and receive an in-depth marketing recommendation that will help you solve your business & marketing challenges.