Developing a well-structured marketing plan can feel like putting a puzzle together. There are a lot of intricate pieces that must fit together just right. However, once everything is in place, it creates a comprehensive view that can lead your team to success.
This article takes a closer look at these puzzle pieces and details how to combine them to create a structured marketing plan that drives success.
Step one is to create a unique value proposition (UVP). This serves as the border of your marketing puzzle. It keeps everything in alignment as you add more pieces.
A UVP is a clear statement that highlights what differentiates your community from the competition. It explains why prospects should choose your community over other senior living options.
For example, your UVP may highlight your community’s wellness programs, dining options, robust social calendar, location, personalized services, or other notable factors.
The next step is to set clear marketing goals that align with your community’s mission. This ensures everyone is working on the same puzzle. One of the most effective goal-setting techniques is SMART goal setting. This strategy includes five crucial components.
All marketing goals should be clear and specific to avoid confusion and keep everyone focused. For example, don’t set simple goals, such as increasing social engagement. This is too vague. A more specific version is to grow social media engagement by 15% by promoting resident stories and events.
It’s also important to create measurable goals and identify desired results. This gives your team a clear understanding of the community’s goals and expectations. For instance, instead of just setting a goal to increase bookings, include a measurement, such as increasing tour bookings by 25% over the next 6 months.
You might think setting extremely high goals keeps your team striving for more. The reality is that having unattainable objectives discourages everyone. The last thing you want to do is to set goals your marketing team can never achieve. Having high expectations is okay, but you need to develop realistic objectives that your community can meet.
A quick Google search provides a vast list of common goals senior living communities set. This doesn’t mean that every goal is right for your community. You must have a clear understanding of your community’s values and brand messaging. Then, ensure your marketing goals align with your community’s specific growth plan and mission.
Open-ended goals always seem to be put on the back burner. To avoid this issue, attach deadlines to every goal. This step helps keep the momentum going and ensures your company meets its objectives.
Once you have a UVP and clear goals, you can start filling in your puzzle pieces. This involves developing your marketing strategy, which includes several key components.
Maintaining a robust online presence is a must for all senior living communities. Studies show that 67% of seniors over 65 are online, and 42% own smartphones. Even those who aren’t quite so tech-savvy have children and other family members who are. This means it's necessary to have a user-friendly website and a strong social media presence.
You want to enhance your online presence further by creating a robust SEO strategy. This strategy can extend your reach by attracting organic search traffic to your website or social media profile. It involves using the right keywords and meta tags, link building, and on-page optimization.
Creating a vibrant social media profile can boost brand awareness and provide a space to highlight all the great benefits your community offers. You can also use social media paid ads to drive traffic to your site, generate leads, and improve engagement.
For example, Golden Years Retirement Community ran a series on “Resident of the Month,” showcasing individuals' stories and highlighting their active lifestyles. This gave prospects a glimpse into what it’s like to live in the communities and helped boost engagement.
Making senior living decisions can be difficult and complicated. Seniors and their loved ones can be confused about how the process works and have many questions. This is where an email marketing campaign can help.
You can use lead nurturing email campaigns to guide those who have already expressed an interest through the decision-making process. Consider providing educational materials that address seniors’ main concerns. Always include a call to action directing prospects to schedule a tour or make an appointment.
As the world’s largest search engine, Google Ads provides a great opportunity to reach a large audience, while retargeting ads allow for a high level of personalization. Make sure you're evaluating the success of these ads and tracking metrics.
Bright Horizons Assisted Living used Google Ads to boost leads. After developing an ad strategy focusing on local keywords, the community realized a 20% increase in leads in the first quarter.
Developing local partnerships with healthcare providers, hospitals, and senior care professionals can help boost leads. Collaborations with these professionals are an excellent way to build a continuous referral network.
For instance, Rosewood Senior Living partnered with a nearby hospital to provide free health screenings and informational talks. This allowed the community to build a trusted relationship that created a steady flow of qualified leads.
No marketing plan is complete without a strategy for measuring outcomes. As part of your comprehensive plan, create a list of metrics you want to track, such as:
Frequent ReviewsMarketing plans should be frequently reviewed, monitored, and adjusted to meet the growing demands of your community. Set timeframes, such as monthly meetings, to review the success or failure of your current marketing strategies.For example, suppose a 3-month performance assessment reveals that your Facebook ads aren’t converting. In that case, you can take immediate action, such as testing different ad formats or redefining your target audience, to improve performance.Develop Your Marketing Plan TodayDon’t rely on sporadic marketing strategies to grow your community. Instead, take the time to develop a well-structured plan that reflects the high-level of care and commitment your community provides its residents. Having this plan in place ensures consistency, drives results, boost sales, and increases revenue.The good news is that you don’t have to do it alone. Our team at FIVE19 has the right experience and skills to help your community achieve its goals.Contact FIVE19 today for help developing your community’s marketing plan.