| p>Recently I was invited back to Wisconsin to speak | | | | where to turn for services and resources (not their |
| to the Wisconsin Association of Homes and Services | | | | fault), and the Yellow Pages is the first place they |
| for the Aging. They wanted to know more about 2 | | | | look to find help. Ugh. |
| things....how to get more private pay clients, and my | | | | Let's move away from the platitudes....and start |
| thoughts on how we, as senior providers, can do a | | | | educating consumers instead. |
| better job of marketing our businesses to seniors | | | | So, my recommendation is this- if you want to build |
| and adult children of aging parents. For this column, | | | | your database of qualified prospects, and you want |
| I'm going to talk about the marketing piece...and this | | | | to have plenty of business, fill the rooms, fill the |
| is only the tip of the ice-berg. | | | | beds, etc....then you or your organization needs to |
| I want to let all of you in on my marketing | | | | become the trusted resource in town. |
| strategy...one that DOES work, but you have to be | | | | Try this. The next time you run an ad or send out a |
| able to move away from the "norm" a bit. | | | | newsletter, make an offer. |
| Do you know what a "platitude" is? A platitude is sort | | | | Offer a FREE REPORT on the Top 20 Questions You |
| of like a "given"....for instance... for all of the phrases | | | | Should Be Asking Before Hiring an In-Home Care |
| below, if you can say "Well I would hope so!!" then | | | | Agency...or, Top 20 Questions You Should Be Asking |
| the phrase is a platitude. All of these come directly | | | | Before Deciding on a Nursing Home (Independent |
| from advertisements in the Yellow Pages- and are | | | | Living Community etc). |
| advertising senior services of some kind- independent | | | | Make sure you actually WRITE a free report on the |
| living, assisted living, nursing home, home care, etc. I | | | | top 10, 15, 20 questions people should be asking, and |
| did not make this up. | | | | keep it simple, 1-2 pages max. |
| "Well I would hope so!!" List.o Luxurious dining.o We | | | | Before you make such an offer, go back to my |
| treat residents like family.o Quality Care.o The BEST | | | | previous columns where I talked about "inside reality" |
| in Senior Living. (as opposed to what?)o Senior Living | | | | vs "outside perception". Make sure those match up |
| at it's Best! (see any similarities here?)o Spacious | | | | before you tell people what they should be looking |
| apartments.o Courteous, compassionate staff.o | | | | for in a good service. |
| Park-like setting.o Resort-like services and amenities.o | | | | If you are the facility, or organization that chooses |
| Elegant dining.o Luxurious Retirement Living.o Full | | | | to educate your local community on topics related to |
| service retirement living.o We care. For You. (???)o | | | | what good quality care REALLY means, how to pay |
| Care is our business.....o Life away from home can be | | | | for long-term care, what legal documents consumers |
| more enjoyable than you ever imagined....(nursing | | | | should have (like DPOA etc), then the community will |
| home ad) | | | | begin to trust your organization. |
| If you are a consumer who has never worked in the | | | | Take a look around at the competition in your area. |
| senior services industry and has never place a loved | | | | What are THEY doing to educate the community on |
| one into any form of care, do these phrases or | | | | a regular basis? How can you differentiate yourself |
| words really educate you about anything? Every ad is | | | | from them? Offer something that they haven't even |
| almost identical. They say nothing really. | | | | thought of yet.....lose the platitudes and become an |
| Unfortunately, we also have a large population of | | | | educator. As consumers we can use all the help we |
| adult children of aging parents who have no idea | | | | can get. |