The 2024 LeadingAge PA Annual Conference, held at the picturesque Kalahari Resorts & Conventions in the Pocono Mountains, was a resounding success, drawing in senior living leaders, professionals and business partners from across the state for an immersive experience in networking and education. Creating Results was a proud sponsor of the conference, and we want to take this time to share with you a few of the highlights from our time there.
KEYNOTE HIGHLIGHTS: Clint Pulver & Michael Easter
Clint Pulver, an Emmy Award-winning motivational speaker, author and leading authority on employee retention, captivated the audience with his dynamic blend of music, comedy and insightful strategies for engaging and retaining talent. His keynote, “The Undercover Millennial,” provided a unique perspective on the generational workforce, offering actionable solutions to foster loyalty and reduce turnover. It was a powerful keynote, not just in his words, but also in his drum playing. It certainly started the 2024 LeadingAge PA Annual Conference off on the right note! Plus, it was great to meet Clint one-on-one as we were fortunate to have him in our booth for a book signing immediately after his keynote.
Michael Easter, a New York Times bestselling author and professor, took the stage to share his adventures from war zones to the Arctic, and how these experiences inform his approach to expanding human potential. His books, “The Comfort Crisis” and “Scarcity Brain,” reflect his commitment to helping people live healthier, happier and more remarkable lives through practical, science-backed tactics. And from now on, we’ll be taking the stairs at the airport instead of the escalator — or at least trying to!
Rebranding, Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Community Engagement
The marketing tracks at the 2024 LeadingAge PA Annual Conference were a highlight for many attendees. Here are some of the highlights and learnings throughout the three days.
John Kotsatos, VP of Sales and Marketing at Meadowood, shared the retirement community’s rebranding journey, sparked by the changing demographics of their market area and prospects and the need for increased emphasis on digital and search. He dove into how the community transformed its branding while still maintaining its core values and culture. He emphasized how this rebranding has not only increased the community’s presence but solidified its position as a leader in senior living in Pennsylvania.
We had the opportunity and pleasure of sharing our expertise in marketing automation and AI in senior living marketing alongside our client partner, Christina Gallagher of Homestead Village. In front of a packed house, we demonstrated how the community has leveraged these digital tools in both marketing and sales and catapulted presale deposits, increasing them by 354%. The audience especially loved seeing the demonstrations of how AI is changing the landscape of digital marketing and sales engagement.
The conference closed out the marketing track with an interactive session with the team at Fellowship Community. Kelly Gould, VP of Marketing and Development, and Laura Long, VP of Independent Living, focused on the techniques to develop relationships with community stakeholders and how to leverage these opportunities to uniquely position an organization. One example included tapping into the local media for personal interest stories about your residents and their talents or hosting a senior prom and getting coverage on the event. Fellowship even had reindeer onsite at their community during one Christmas party! Talk about thinking outside the box!
Until next time LeadingAge PA …
The 2024 LeadingAge PA Annual Conference was not just an event, but an experience that left attendees inspired, informed and ready to implement new ideas and technologies in their communities. With the insights from keynote speakers Clint Pulver and Michael Easter, along with the many sessions in all areas of our industry, we have no doubt that attendees left ready to implement their learnings!
Read about Homestead Village’s success in using marketing automation and AI in our latest case study.