8 Keys to Create Compelling Events that Drive Sales in Senior Living

8 Keys to Create Compelling Events that Drive Sales in Senior Living

Do you have 50 plus prospective residents at every event?  If not, why not?  Here are just eight keys to keep in mind when planning great events that can fill your building.

1)   Pick a theme that would compel a senior to leave the comfort of their home, spend $4.00 a gallon on gas to drive to your retirement community and want to invite a friend to enjoy the experience with them.

2)   Organize your event, so every first impression is excellent.  Have someone out front directing parking, greet them at the door with a registration table, train tour guides, your community should be spotless, have an exciting program and maybe most important – present excellent food and beverages for their enjoyment.

3)   The goal is fill your building!  If you are going to have live entertainment, there must still be a 10 to 15 minute program with a resident testimonial.   Or maybe you are going to have a Power Point of your benefits and what differentiates you from other senior living communities?  Don’t be boring…

4)   You only have the senior’s attention for about 1½ hours maximum, so if you spend the time feeding and entertaining them, they will be too tired to tour your community.  Strategize out every minute they are going to be in the building.

5)   Invite them to come back and spend more time, so they can get a better feel of your retirement community.  It’s hard for people to decide in 1½ hours where they are going to spend the next chapter of their life.

6)   There should be at least 1/3 new faces at your event.

7)   Some senior living communities draw new prospective seniors best by advertising with direct mail, others with newspaper and still others work best with a combo.

8)   After spending all the time, money and staff resources on a great event, don’t forget to call them the next day.  Invite them back…

I had two events this week for Continuing Care Retirement Communities; one drew 85 seniors to RSVP in a rural area and the other had over 100 seniors RSVP in a metropolitan area.  This traffic will help fill the building for the next two months.

Do you want more information on how to put on a great event?  Chapter 6 of “Senior Housing Marketing – How to Increase Your Occupancy and Stay Full,” offers a step-by-step approach to successful events and many ideas for compelling themes.  Good luck and please share your success…

Diane Twohy Masson is the author of Senior Housing Marketing – How to Increase Your Occupancy and Stay Full,” available for sale at Amazon.com.  If your curiosity is piqued to inquire on Diane’s availability to speak at a senior housing conference (CCRC, independent living, assisted living, skilled nursing or memory care) – please call: 206-853-6655 or email diane@marketing2seniors.net.  Diane is currently consulting in Southern California for Freedom Management Company, the proud debt-free owners of Freedom Village in Lake Forest and The Village in Hemet, California.  For more information:   Twitter: @market2seniors Web: www.marketing2seniors.net Blog: http://marketing2seniors.net/blog/

Can You Compare Your Senior Living Employees to Disney Employees?

Can You Compare Your Senior Living Employees to Disney Employees?

In the last six weeks, I have been to Disneyland five times.  Am I a little crazy?  I certainly hope so and try on a regular basis to truly enjoy living in paradise.  After a series of interactions last night, I was forced to take an overall look at how I was treated by Disney employees.

The happiest place on earth did not have happy employees last night.  75% of the employees were grumpy, sullen, crabby, tired and worn out looking.  What a surprise, when it seemed that most Disney employees had a sunny personality when I have visited in the past.

There was not one smile on any parking attendant at the parking lot.  I waited 20 minutes to pay and should have been greeted with a smile, but it did not happen.  At the tram, no smiles – only frowns.  Going through the bag check, only weary and sullen expressions.  When I arrived at the park to go through the turnstile, the employee actually yelled at the person in front of me!  No kidding folks, she said, “Can’t you read the signs?  Mickey’s Halloween Party entrance is over there!”  So that meant I was in the wrong line too and changed lines, before I got yelled at too.

After I made it into the park, they were handing out trick or treat bags and I headed to the left, but I was reprimanded to instead head to the right.  Now my husband and I were in and heading down main street and it suddenly hit me that it was not the happiest place on earth tonight.  What happened to the famous Disney experience?  I thought that when each “cast member” comes out “on stage” to their position, they smile and leave all their own personal negativity and family challenges in the break room?

We headed to Space Mountain (transposed into the Galaxy Ghost for Halloween) and the fast passes were already gone for the day.  To make matters worse it had an 80-minute wait, so we went to the Haunted Mansion (transposed into the Nightmare Before Christmas) and it had a 45-minute wait.  Now I was grumpy and I have NEVER felt that way at Disneyland before!  Had all the negative employees affected me?  No one had said to have a wonderful night, enjoy Mickey’s Halloween Party or I am glad you are here – NOTHING!

What happened at your senior living community today?  What percentage of your employees were “Happy” or “Grumpy”?  Everyday I wake up grateful that I can help seniors improve their lives by moving into the Continuing Care Retirement Communities that I represent.  I know they will have a better life than being isolated in their own home.  Winter is coming and so many seniors don’t drive in the dark.  They will be literally trapped in their homes after 5 pm each night.  Plus seniors will live longer with more nutritious meals and the connectivity of other residents is what us humans need to grow and keep our brains sharp.  Okay, I will shut up, because I am preaching to the choir…

Every retirement community has at least one grumpy employee.  The question is what percentage of grumpy employees do you have?  This could be affecting your occupancy.  If your residents and staff don’t look happy, prospective senior residents see that and don’t want to move in.  Residents at my CCRC communities said the number one reason why they moved in was because of the friendly residents and smiling staff.  Do your residents say this too?

The good news to my Disney experience was that we went on Pirates of the Caribbean and then I was back to the happiest place on earth.  We saw the best fireworks of my life and later on only had to wait 20 minutes for the Haunted Mansion and Space Mountain.

Diane Twohy Masson is the author of Senior Housing Marketing – How to Increase Your Occupancy and Stay Full,” available for sale at Amazon.com.  If your curiosity is piqued to inquire on Diane’s availability to speak at a senior housing conference (CCRC, independent living, assisted living, skilled nursing or memory care) – please call: 206-853-6655 or email diane@marketing2seniors.net.  Diane is currently consulting in Southern California for Freedom Management Company, the proud debt-free owners of Freedom Village in Lake Forest and The Village in Hemet, California.  For more information:   Twitter: @market2seniors Web: www.marketing2seniors.net Blog: http://marketing2seniors.net/blog/

Are Your Over Qualifying Prospective Senior Residents?

Are Your Over Qualifying Prospective Senior Residents?

Sometimes there is tremendous pressure from management to make sure a prospective senior has the financial resources in order to move into your retirement community.

First, engage the customer and make sure they are in love with the lifestyle and connect with what your senior living community has to offer, before you start grinding on them for financial specifics.  Build Value First or Your Senior Prospects Will Run Away!

Even savvy seniors can disqualify themselves.  They consider themselves poor even though they have a mortgage-free home to sell, social security, a pension, possibly an annuity, about 30% have long-term care insurance, IRA’s and of course some type of savings.  Many seniors have worked with an attorney to set up a trust and now have limited their resources.  Sometimes these seniors have to get financial permission from the trust in order to move into your retirement community.

Keep financial qualifying loose, until the senior is really excited about moving into your community.  For example, you may be a Continuing Care Retirement Community that requires twice the entrance fee in assets and 1 ½ times of the monthly fee in income.  Say something more friendly like: “Each person (couple) is unique, some seniors have more assets and less monthly income and other seniors have high monthly incomes and are a little lower on the assets.  Generally we are looking for 1½ times to 2 times the entrance fee in assets and 1½ to 2 times the monthly fee in monthly income.  Many things are considered assets like rental income or long term care insurance.”  Then shut up…or you can lose the sale.

Let them speak next…if you have built a trust relationship, they should open up and start sharing their assets and monthly incomes.  Most people sitting in front of you qualify.  It is very unusual if they don’t.  Please make a note that many children can pay the needed difference too.  Always remember to build value for your senior living community first!

Diane Twohy Masson is the author of Senior Housing Marketing – How to Increase Your Occupancy and Stay Full,” available for sale at Amazon.com.  If your curiosity is piqued to inquire on Diane’s availability to speak at a senior housing conference (CCRC, independent living, assisted living, skilled nursing or memory care) – please call: 206-853-6655 or email diane@marketing2seniors.net.  Diane is currently consulting in Southern California for Freedom Management Company, the proud debt-free owners of Freedom Village in Lake Forest and The Village in Hemet, California.  For more information:   Twitter: @market2seniors Web: www.marketing2seniors.net Blog: http://marketing2seniors.net/blog/

Burnt Pizza Can Be Like Senior Housing – Does this describe your Community?

Burnt Pizza Can Be Like Senior Housing – Does this describe your Community?

At the Seattle airport, Wolfgang Puck had some beautiful pizzas in the display window.  I ordered one and mine was well done – almost burnt.  Should I have taken it back?  I ate it.  It was good enough…then when I walked by the display window again…I had to look…the display had a burnt pizza.  Why would anyone showcase burnt anything?  If you make pizzas, how hard is it to make them perfect (I was in the pizza business for 3 years early in my career)?

How are you showcasing your retirement community?  How is your phone being answered?  Is it answered within one or two rings?  When guests arrive at your community how are they greeted?  Does the receptionist stand to greet them?  Are guests offered water on hot days and coffee on cold days?

Are first impressions a priority for your organization?  Or is everything good enough?  Is your 85% to 90% occupancy good enough?  What would it take to go to 95% or 100%?   How are you differentiating yourself from your competitors?   Is everyone in the neighborhood, just getting by and just good enough?  Why not stand out from the senior housing pack and go above and beyond?  How about exceeding expectations?  What about giving a WOW experience?

What does it take to give a WOW experience?  Sometimes it is only a 5% to 10% difference, but it takes a team approach!  Some communities are making changes and watching the occupancy grow!  What is making the difference?

1)   Pull in the driveway of your community with the eyes of a customer on a regular basis.

2)   Have someone mystery shop your community to find out how guests are greeted by telephone and in person.

3)   Offer refreshments to guests.

4)   Find out what the prospect’s needs are and why they came today.

5)   Listen!!

6)   Ask open ended questions to discovery their needs, wants and desires.

7)   Listen!!

8)   Invite them on a tour tailored to their needs.

9)   Every staff they encounter needs to be smiling and welcoming to them.

10)   Introduce prospective residents to key staff.

11)    Check in with them to see if what you are showing them addresses their needs and if they can picture themselves or their family member living at your senior living community.

12)    Ask for the deposit and determine next steps…don’t be pushy…it is in their best interest to have a plan for his or her future, so the children will not have to put them some place in a crisis situation.

Your senior living community has a choice to be the best you can be with first impressions or just be good enough – an almost burnt pizza…

Diane Twohy Masson is the author of Senior Housing Marketing – How to Increase Your Occupancy and Stay Full,” available for sale at Amazon.com.  If your curiosity is piqued to inquire on Diane’s availability to speak at a senior housing conference (CCRC, independent living, assisted living, skilled nursing or memory care) – please call: 206-853-6655 or email diane@marketing2seniors.net.  Diane is currently consulting in Southern California for Freedom Management Company, the proud debt-free owners of Freedom Village in Lake Forest and The Village in Hemet, California.  For more information:   Twitter: @market2seniors Web: www.marketing2seniors.net Blog: http://marketing2seniors.net/blog/

Which Internet Lead Referral Company Provides the Most Value?

Which Internet Lead Referral Company Provides the Most Value?

Value for the MoneyWhen all the smoke and thunder blows away, which company can provide me the best quality leads that will increase my occupancy immediately?  Keep reading for the answer.  I was shocked to find out in my research how many Internet leads a senior housing community has to go through in order to get two sales – the answer can be about 100!

This is my third article regarding researching senior housing Internet referral companies.  All the major players do a pretty good job of differentiating themselves from each other.   Some companies seem to do a better job of identifying and targeting qualified leads than others.   Some have great web sites, live care advisors, blogs or have fantastic placement on the Internet.  A majority of the legitimate leads tend to need some help with the activities of daily living.

Pay Per Move In – In talking with a lot of administrators, in a variety of senior housing options, they tend to shy away from paying an entire month of rent for a move-in.  It is a big chunk of change and I have personally experienced several bad outcomes with this choice.  One challenge was when we offered the 2nd month free to get move-ins.  The Internet company received one months rent, we gave the 2nd month away for free and the residents moved out at the end of the 2nd month.  Yes, it cost us money to have these people live at our assisted living community.

I have also had great results with pay-per-move-in in the past, including increasing sales by 10% per month with straight independent living or assisted living rental properties.  The key was working the leads immediately, because the Internet lead company would send the same lead to 5 or more of my competitors.  The retirement community who called the lead first won and he who followed up two or three times also won.

Monthly Subscription – Monthly subscription Internet leads are not as high quality, because no live person filters them.  About the only advantage I can see, is your community will be included in the paid search field at the top or side of a Google search (within that referral source).   This will run you about $150 or more a month for this benefit.

Pay Per Lead – The companies that provide pay-per-lead have a wide variety of outcomes depending on their level of filtering the leads.  You will pay $35 to $50 per lead with results ranging from 2% to 8% turning into move-ins.  This means that every 50 leads your company calls will turn into a sale in the worse case scenario.  The average for one company was about 4% or one sale in every 25 leads.  One company claimed that the best quality sales people could produce one sale out of every 12 leads.  Why the discrepancy?   They said that lead results were better for those sales forces that proactively used quick follow up when the lead was received and then continued with multiple attempts of connecting with the prospective resident.  I have found this to be 100% true with those I coach.

So the bottom line is the better the sales people, the lower the cost per lead.  Internet leads come in, then sales people are supposed to turn them into tours, so they can become sales and finally become a move-in.  What can you do if your sales people don’t manage leads effectively and you need to increase your occupancy now? A couple ideas would be to hire a sales coach or have stricter monitoring and management of metrics to set goals in your sales lead tracking system, both of which would help to increase existing performance on all your leads.

Pay Per Tour – There’s a new model that I’ve recently come across, pay per tour, which seems to address the efficiency and ROI challenges of all the existing models. This model addresses the lead efficiency issue that I’ve seen with some companies managing Internet leads while getting a reasonable effective cost per move-in.

It’s a new program being launched by Seniors for Living and based on their preliminary data they show an average of a move-in for every 4 to 7 tours (depending on the community).

The cost is around $400 per tour, so if my sales people provided great tours, an Internet move-in would only cost me around $2000.  This would save me the hardest and most time-consuming part of the sale process which is following up the lead and qualification to get to the tour.  I have spent 14 years in senior housing and have trained hundreds of sales people on how to turn inquiries on the telephone into great senior living tours so I know what it takes to get to a tour.

This pay per tour sounds like it will be the best approach, particularly for those retirement communities with sales teams already spread thin from their other sales activities. As part of my researching for this blog series and speaking with Seniors for Living I have begun working with them on their advisor training to help them refine their process to generate a better tour and the best overall experience for prospects and communities. Since this is a new approach I’m eager to see how this works with wider use by more senior living communities.

I look forward to hearing your feedback on all these models. What’s your experience?

Diane Twohy Masson is the author of Senior Housing Marketing – How to Increase Your Occupancy and Stay Full,” available for sale at Amazon.com.  If your curiosity is piqued to inquire on Diane’s availability to speak at a senior housing conference (CCRC, independent living, assisted living, skilled nursing or memory care) – please call: 206-853-6655 or email diane@marketing2seniors.net.  Diane is currently consulting in Southern California for Freedom Management Company, the proud debt-free owners of Freedom Village in Lake Forest and The Village in Hemet, California.  For more information:   Twitter: @market2seniors Web: www.marketing2seniors.net Blog: http://marketing2seniors.net/blog/

I’m Not Ready Yet!!!!

I’m Not Ready Yet!!!!

When you hear a senior prospect or family member say these words – what runs through your mind first?  How do you respond?  Do you believe them?  At every encounter with a prospective resident, someone always buys the popcorn – either the sales person or the senior!

Recently, I was going through some retirement community’s databases and lead after lead after lead had a “NRY” as the number one response in the notes.  I had to ask, “What is “NRY”?”  The retirement counselors in unison said, “Not ready yet.”  I thought quietly to myself, “Why the heck would anyone put such a negative assertion in his or her database?”  The next time they look at the lead, they are going to immediately think that it’s a crappy lead.

I believe that every lead is great!  If someone hangs up on me, the prospective resident is just having a bad day.  I have actually called these back again and they have been receptive, come in for a tour and eventually moved in.

When someone says they are not ready yet, do you blow the person off like I see some sales people do?  Are you just looking for a quick sale on a silver platter or a 30-day move-in?  Well then you are missing a ton of sales and this is why the occupancy is down at your retirement community.  Real sales people know that persistence pays off.  I have called people every month for one year and then they turned into a sale!  Those can be the most gratifying sales!

Do you have a Negative Nellie working your precious (expensive) senior housing leads that could be potential move-ins?  Believing Betty understands that each lead could be worth thousands of dollars and calls with enthusiasm and passion.  The customer needs to hear us smiling through the phone and feel our energy and excitement when they arrive in person.  We need to believe in our leads and keep calling them back…

When someone says they are not ready yet, they are one fall or one diagnosis away from suddenly wanting to move immediately.  Don’t schedule the next call for one year away, because it’s not the golden goose quick sale.  Understand the frailty of the senior customer and schedule to call them on a quarterly basis or your competition will get this move-in instead of you!

So when a senior tells me that they are not ready yet…this is great…they are interested for the future. The first thought that runs through my mind is: I need to educate them more about the lifestyle!  The second thought I have is: What did I miss saying?  Did I build enough value for health services?  After I learned about them through discovery, did I tailor the tour to their needs?  I need to fill the retirement community today, one year from now and 5 years from now!  So if someone wants to wait a year or two, no problem… my positive contact with them can speed up their decision.  Then when they suddenly want to move in, whom will they think of first?  Well, the nice lady on the phone who was never pushy and always had their best interests at heart…of course!

Diane Twohy Masson is the author of Senior Housing Marketing – How to Increase Your Occupancy and Stay Full,” available for sale at Amazon.com.  If your curiosity is piqued to inquire on Diane’s availability to speak at a senior housing conference (CCRC, independent living, assisted living, skilled nursing or memory care) – please call: 206-853-6655 or email diane@marketing2seniors.net.  Diane is currently consulting in Southern California for Freedom Management Company, the proud debt-free owners of Freedom Village in Lake Forest and The Village in Hemet, California.  For more information:   Twitter: @market2seniors Web: www.marketing2seniors.net Blog: http://marketing2seniors.net/blog/