4 things to consider when building your marketing engine

Tip 1 - Maximize your local presence

When searching for a facility, most people focus on a specific geographic area. As such, your marketing must include a strong local focus. Two things to be sure to do are:

1. Use geographic terms on your website  - URLs, titles, descriptions and on-page content. 
2. Claim or create listings on all major local directory sites such as Yelp. Your listings should be comprehensive and include photos and FAQs.
3. Take control of your Google Business profile page by claiming it and adding content.

Tip 2 - Break your dependence on expensive referral networks 

Some referral companies charge as much as an entire month’s rent for a move-in. With a little bit of ingenuity and effort, you can reduce your dependence and how much money you pay these firms. Here are a few steps to get you started on your path to driving your own leads:

1. Evaluate the true ROI on your current referral sources (Not sure how to calculate it?  Call us!). If you don’t have a positive ROI, either part ways or try to negotiate a lower fee. Discontinue using any that do not provide leads that convert to move-ins.
2. Develop a plan for creating alternative referral partners. Care managers, eldercare attorneys, hospital discharge nurses, doctors,  and wealth managers can all be useful partners. Not sure where to start? Contact us for a free template on how to build a plan.  

The best part about building your own referral network is that  it can become an on-going source of qualified leads. That said, you can’t just put it on autopilot, you must continue to nurture those relationships.

Tip 3 – Understand the customer journey and use messaging that matters

Any effective marketing strategy begins with insights. Without a complete understanding of the market, the customer, the competition as well as a clear understanding of your advantages and challenges, you are likely to waste money on random tactics. Follow these steps to gain the insights you need to develop messaging that resonates.

1. Ask family members of current residents and residents themselves how they found out about your community - the facilities, the services, the people.. Continue to ask every new prospect. Ask what they were searching for and where they searched. Who did they trust when soliciting input? Why did they choose your facility or community? Where else did they consider? Who made the decision?
2. Use this input to create FAQs that help prospects pre-qualify (in or out). These FAQs will also help you come up in searches.
3. Provide useful content such as articles targeting adult children who may be looking at moving a parent out of their house. Help provide educational information that positions you as a credible source and thought leader. 

Tip 4– Actively manage reviews and ratings, reputation

Let’s face it, in today’s world it’s easy for anyone to post a negative review in multiple places. Managing review sites is a critical component of lead generation. Studies show that consumer trust reviews from other individuals far more than they trust website content or ads. Follow these steps to manage your reputation.

1. Address problems quickly. Be direct. Acknowledge any responsibility and the remedy. Do NOT be defensive. And never include any personal information such as names in a post. Often, problems are better resolved offline. When this is the case, be sure to add a comment on the resolution. You may even consider asking the reviewer to post a follow up message acknowledging the remedy. 
2. Respond to positive reviews as well. Thank the reviewer and use the post as an opportunity to promote a key message around one of your competitive advantages. Or simply to acknowledge your great team members and residents (and families).

Not sure where to start? We can help.