As the Director of Sales at Senior Sign, I tend to approach conferences with an eye towards moving deals forward and connecting with important people in the industry. In this regard, Senior Living 100 delivered. The events were incredible, the time with senior living business leaders was valuable and the accommodations were fabulous. More importantly, I walked away with valuable insights to guide our own company in our support of this industry. But, after looking through my notes, it all boiled down to one central theme: put your residents first.
But how should this be done? Here are some of the ideas.
First – quit selling floor plans, restaurants and chandeliers. Focus on what matters to a new resident. Focus on the emotional experience and the sense of community that you can offer. Relationships matter. Paint a picture of their life in your community.
Second – use real stories about your residents in your marketing. Show the support within the community and the network of people who not only live in your building but LIVE in your community.
Third – involve your residents in the marketing process. Let them create content. If you’ve read the first two points – you will realize that while on paper you are selling apartments and care plans, in reality you are selling a lifestyle. And this lifestyle is completely dependent upon the residents who are already in the community.
So, to simplify things even more, I will repurpose a phrase from a presidential campaign decades ago - “It’s the resident, stupid.”
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