3 Senior Living and 55+ Marketing and Sales Solutions for 2021

By Lori-Anne Bonante

As challenging as 2020 may have been, it brought new opportunities for senior living and 55+ communities to adapt their marketing and operations to the current business landscape. Industry professionals have been introduced to new ways of communicating with prospects and attracting new leads.

And as we move further into 2021, the senior living and 55+ industries are continuing to adapt to changes influenced by the events of 2020, as well as new challenges arising. In this post, we dig deeper into three 55+ and senior living marketing and sales solutions for 2021.

1. Webinars and Virtual Events Continue to Be a Leading 55+ and Senior Living Marketing and Sales Solution in 2021

How many webinars did you attend in 2020? Chance are, you attended more than you had in any previous year. In 2020, senior living marketers learned the benefits of webinars and other types of digital events. Our prediction is that, even upon society returning to a state of normal, communities will continue to use virtual events and meetings as an additional nurture point in between a prospect’s first inquiry and when they visit the community. Our clients held several successful virtual events and webinars for their prospects in 2020 and are continuing to do so in 2021.

person using computer during virtual meeting

One such example is Noble’s Pond, one of our 55+ active adult community partners located in Dover, DE. We worked with the Noble’s Pond team to plan several virtual events in 2020, including a summer-long webinar series. The Virtual Summer Series proved to be a hit with prospects and was a strong inquiry generator. The July webinar, which offered an introduction into the Noble’s Pond lifestyle and homebuilding process, received 82 RSVPs, with 44 of those RSVPs attending the live session.

Marketers have found ample opportunities to connect with their prospects on many subjects through webinars and virtual events. We helped our clients develop strategies for virtual events focusing on downsizing, financial planning, arts and crafts, and even virtual Christmas parties! In 2020, an average of 55% of webinar registrants converted to attendees. That’s good news for senior living and 55+ community marketers. The key is to plan virtual events based on topics your prospects are interested in, and then promote these events through your owned channels (email, social media, etc.). Before you know it, the RSVPs will start coming in!

2. Communities Should Borrow From the Small-House Senior Living Model

Senior living communities were among the first hotspots for Covid-19 outbreaks.

The small–house model of senior living is not a new concept, but it is still niche within the industry. With that said, statistics suggest that communities that adopted the small-house model prior to the pandemic have had more success minimizing the risk of Covid-19 spreading through their communities. According to Green House Project, of their communities using the small-house model, only 9 out of 245 reported positive cases. Positive cases resulted in six deaths overall.

The numbers show that having a smaller number of residents reduces the risk of Covid-19 entering a community and allows for positive cases to be caught before spreading. We predict that providers will find ways in which they can incorporate elements of the small-house model and emulate its perceived successes in providing a safe and comfortable environment for residents.

3. It’s Time to Up Your Investment in Digital Marketing. That’s Where All the Leads Are!

Seniors who may not have known a lot about technology before the pandemic are now using Zoom, Netflix, Facebook and countless other apps in their daily lives. As the older demographics continue to familiarize themselves with the world of digital communication and commerce, senior living providers and 55+ providers can no longer doubt the effectiveness of having a digital-first marketing plan. Failure to adapt to the consumer’s digital preferences means leaving leads — hundreds or thousands of them — on the table.

Senior living has historically relied on traditional media for lead acquisition. While digital marketing has been the norm in the industry for some time, digital-first strategies had yet to be fully embraced before the challenges presented by the pandemic.

Whether it is having virtual tours or digital ads, prospects are browsing online more than ever before, and you want to make sure you stand out in the sea of ads. Increasing your sales and marketing budget can help to meet this challenge. One provider increased their budget by 40% with a focus on digital. Having more of a digital presence will not only bring more awareness to your community, but it could also play a role in increasing your census in the current landscape.

How do you plan to implement the 55+ and senior living marketing and sales solutions outlined in this post in your strategy? Do you have 55+ and senior living marketing and sales solutions that have been effective for your community?

Let us know by tweeting at us or sending us a message on LinkedIn!

TAGS covid-19, pandemic, senior living, vaccine

CATEGORIES Seniors

3 Senior Living and 55+ Marketing and Sales Solutions for 2021

By Lori-Anne Bonante

1. Webinars and Virtual Events Continue to Be a Leading 55+ and Senior Living Marketing and Sales Solution in 2021

2. Communities Should Borrow From the Small-House Senior Living Model

3. It’s Time to Up Your Investment in Digital Marketing. That’s Where All the Leads Are!

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