The VALUE in Combined Activity & Marketing Events

By: Art Carr

A hallmark of my considerable success in directing fill-ups of new senior living properties and turn-arounds of under-performing communities has been a focus on enhanced resident lifestyles as the foundation for effective marketing campaigns.  Energizing and elevating the level of activity programming makes meaningful interaction between prospects and current residents possible.

 

This contrasts with traditional industry marketing principles that emphasize large socially-oriented events.  Under the WOW theory, an over-whelming impression is made on the prospective residents (and/or their adult children) once they are persuaded to get through the doors.  With the money invested by ownership in upscale furnishings, etc., this has been somewhat and sometimes effective in helping evolve the “rest home” perception for many of the “Greatest Generation”.

 

This type of social event often revolves around FOOD and maybe some entertainment, but is effectively passive in nature, with the prospects more of a spectator than a participant.  Conversely, a combined Progressive Retirement Lifestyles (“PRL”) Activity and Marketing Event is designed to engage the visitors and integrate them into on-going daily activities of the senior living community.  This establishes an important level of normalcy to the process, encourages the formation of relationships with current residents and staff and minimizes barriers to the move-in process.  We have also found this to be somewhat more appealing to the newer, more demanding generations of prospects than the older “Greatest Generation”.[i]

 

To illustrate the difference between these concepts, two examples of marketing events are described below:  a) traditional Dessert Extravaganza and b) a combined marketing and activity program such as the “Older Adults Mind, Body & Spirit Olympics”.  You decide which approach stimulates the greater likelihood of a move-in.

 

Dessert Extravaganza

This type of event is organized under the “shotgun” approach” with the expectation that enough invitations mailed out to prospects (regardless of their defined interests, etc.) will lead to enough attendance with enough prospects being “WOWED” to lead to move-ins.  Therefore, invitations are typically issued to everyone on the prospect list.  A substantial number of guests (25 or more) are expected to gather for a special 2 o’clock Saturday afternoon affair.

This type of event requires a fair amount of time and money for planning and preparation (or purchase) of a variety of baked goods, confectionary treats and other “finger foods” such as petit fours, tarts, cookies, mini-cheesecakes, eclairs, cupcakes, macarons and other pastries.  It does give the Community an opportunity to showcase their “Executive Chef”, especially if s/he has talents as a baker.

 

Each visitor registers (to qualify for door prizes – as well as for follow-up) and is encouraged to “take a tour” on a standard tour route and to view a decorated model apartment.  Afterwards, they partake of the dessert buffet and then sit and (maybe) listen to a pianist or keyboard singer for a couple of hours.  After that, the guests leave and the residents are served their dinner for the day.

 

Does this scenario sound very familiar to events you’ve sponsored or attended?

 

Of course, the $64,000 Question at this type of event is when a guest meets a current resident and says “This was really nice; how often do you have this type of dessert event?”  Typically, the answer is something like “whenever the census gets too low and the marketing department is willing to pay for another party!”

 

The point is that this is perceived as a special event for new prospects and not something that is designed to benefit / improve the lifestyle of the current residents.

 

 

 

 

Older Adult Mind, Body & Spirit Olympics

The PRL Olympics and similar campaigns combine existing activity programs with new initiatives to boost the quantity and quality of activities and resident lifestyles.  Prospects are encouraged to come in, join a TEAM and participate in events with 3 – 4 current residents.

 

This gives immediate satisfaction of their needs for socialization while the opportunity to compete promotes a sense of accomplishment and ego satisfaction.[ii]

 

Our plan is to acquaint prospective residents with rewarding and meaningful daily activities that they can expect to continue on a routine basis after they move-in.  We strive to promote their level of independence while introducing them to new experiences and lifelong learning opportunities.

 

These are actually provided during the event(s) – not just “promised” for some time in the future.

 

PRL takes a holistic approach to our combined activity / marketing events by challenging the participants’ mind and body while improving their spirits through socialization and fostering of new relationships with other prospects and current residents.  This also induces a certain degree of peer pressure that is beneficial in encouraging the prospect to move in.

 

Consider the following PARTICIPATION by a prospect over a several day event:

 

Day 1 – Morning

• The prospect (“Mary Jones”) arrives and registers. She is greeted by Sally, John and Mabel from the Community.  Along with one more prospect or resident, this will make up an Olympic TEAM.
• The TEAM will find a seat and be asked to complete a 10-Question Quiz about Brazil and the Summer Olympics. The answer booklets serve as the registration for prizes for correct answers and door prizes.
• The Opening Ceremony will include an overview of the games with basic rules and a LifeLong Learning Seminar re. Rio de Janiero, Brazil and the Olympics.
• Next, the TEAM will participate in a seated Beachball Volleyball Tournament.
• Mary will have lunch with her teammates.

 

She can take a tour whenever she has down time between events – at her convenience!

 

Day 1 – Afternoon

• Mary will be taught how to win at Sudoku and her team will play Tournament Sudoku utilizing the special PRL Magnetic Board.
• Next, the Team will participate in the seated basketball H-O-R-S-E contest.
• Finally, Mary and her Team will join in the special Steeplechase Horse Racing challenge before dinner.

Day 2 – Morning

• Each member of the Olympic TEAM will complete in the events of the Older Adults Pentathlon:
  • Bicycle: How long will it take to pedal a mile on a stationary recumbent bike or Nu-Step machine?
  • Then “Power-walk” a course through the building’s corridors.
  • Target Shooting: Use a Nerf Gun to shoot 5 targets.
  • Balance Beam & Agility Drill: Staying on the ground (unlike the Women’s Gymnastics), they will walk the “balance beam” and navigate an agility course between orange cones.
  • Big Board Scrabble: Mary will challenge her vocabulary skills in the TEAM Scrabble tournament.

 

Day 2 – Afternoon

• Olympic Golf will be the focus after lunch. Mary will compete on a 9-hole course that is comprised of part Wii Golf holes and part different putting games.
• Then she will be taught (if necessary) how to use a computer mouse to compete in solving jigsaw puzzles on a timed basis.

 

Day 3 – Morning

• “Track & Field” Events will be held outside in the early morning before it becomes too hot:
  • Discus: A Frisbee is used to sail for distance to emulate this event.
  • Shot Put: A softball will be “put” from a seated position with maximum distance measured.
• The last TEAM events for Mary will be the simulated “100M Dash” and the “5x100M Relay”. These are set up similar to the horse racing game with movements and winners determined by roll of the dice.

 

Day 3 – Afternoon

• Award Certificates will be presented in a ceremony during lunch.
• Afterwards, guests are invited for a “formal” tour of the Community.

 

Whether the event is held for 1 day or 3 days (as in this example), the prospects will begin a process of integration into the daily living of the Community that should soften the “transition trauma” of a future move-in.  The visitors will have received a casual tour of the Community as they participated in various events in different parts of the building.  They will have built new relationships with their future neighbors, enjoyed several meals similar to what they can expect in the future, have learned new skills and information and had FUN with an enjoyable and positive experience.

 

Most importantly, the event has gone a long way towards dispelling fears about living in a senior living community.  The prospect is given insight into the interactive lifestyle that allows them to continue to maintain their independence and dignity as they LIVE in their new prospective home.

 

We believe this will encourage positive feedback and receptivity to follow-up by the sales & marketing staff.

 

If you would like to learn more about how you can implement the innovative and contemporary “Older Adults Mind, Body & Spirit Olympics” for your senior living community, please contact Art Carr directly at art@progressiveretirement.com or 615-414-5217.

 

[i] The Greatest Generation has been the predominant driving force in the evolution of senior care / living facilities from skilled nursing to independent retirement centers over the past 30 – 40 years.  As the World War II era population dies away, smart operators must evolve their methods to remain relevant to newer generations.

[ii] According to Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs, people of all ages will continually seek satisfaction of these higher level needs.

Even ALL STARS Make Outs 60% of the Time

Baseball can teach lessons to our Senior Living Marketing & Sales Teams- as well as Management and Ownership.  As this picture depicts, the Greatest Hitters in the history of baseball made outs more often than they got hits.

They became All-Stars because they kept trying, learned from every “at bat” and then used that knowledge to get better the next time.

 

Top 10 Lessons We Can Apply to Senior Living

 

10. Realistic Expectations. Management & Owners should NOT expect every person who walks through the door to become an immediate move-in.  “Move-ins are a Process, not an Event”[i] and, generally, the sales & marketing staff must build a relationship with the prospective resident and/or their family before the move-in will occur.

 

9. Positive Attitude. Just as the Batter must go to the plate anticipating that they will hit the ball, the sales staff must be prepared to “close” every encounter with a prospect and capitalize on every opportunity to connect with them.  A batter will surely go into a slump if they lose faith in their ability to hit the ball!  The same is true for the salesperson who loses confidence in their product or their ability to relate to the customer.

 

8. Everyone is Not Equal. Managers set the line-up to give their best hitters the best opportunity to make meaningful hits that give the TEAM the best chance to win the game.  Successful Senior Living Management understands the difference between anyone[ii] being able to show someone around the community and a professional tour conducted by a Super-Star.  They make sure that all “tour guides” are properly trained and have the personality and tools to effectively “close” a move-in.

 

7. Multiple Chances to get a hit During the Game. A tour should be viewed as parallel to the 9-inning baseball game in which the starting players get at least 3 chances to hit.  The sales staff should develop multiple opportunities to “close” during a tour, and not simply wait until the 9^th inning (i.e. the end of the tour) to try and score.

 

6. Take What They Give You! Great hitters can’t always wait for the perfect pitch and the perfect pitch count[iii] before they swing at the ball.  They are opportunistic and prepared to swing when they get a pitch “right down the middle of the plate”.  The sales staff should do the same when conducting a tour and learn to STOP the tour and sales spiel; sit down and move to closing when the prospect provides them the right cues that they are ready.

 

5. Numbers Game. No one is going to get a hit every time they go to bat or successfully close every time they interact with a prospect. Success does depend on NUMBERS → the more “at-bats” for the baseball player and the number of leads / prospects and interactions with them by the Sales Team.

 

4. Sometimes a Walk is as Good as a Hit! In baseball, the key is to get runners on base, so even if the All Star walked instead of getting a hit, he has contributed to the Team’s ability to win. AND, the batter frequently had to work just as hard to get the walk.  In senior living, the comparable might be a person asking for a tour who states up front that “I’m just looking” – possibly for another family member.  The sales person should put just as much effort into providing a first-class tour because it may lead to the next “at bat” when the prospect returns and/or makes a referral to others.

 

3. Short Memory. Ballplayers state that you must have a short memory to be successful.  Whether they hit a home run or struck out in their previous at-bat, they must forget it the next time they come to the plate.  Worrying about the last time (or even what they did in the field) doesn’t allow them to “keep their mind in the game” and focus on the current situation.  The same rule applies to senior living sales, where the sales staff will generally have multiple contacts (in person [e.g. tours], phone calls, social media, etc.) with different prospects during the day.  They must focus on each of those interactions as they occur, regardless of what happened with the previous contact, if they wish to have the greatest chance of success with each prospect.

 

2. Practice and Preparation. All Stars have natural talent but success over their career is predicated on hours of preparation and practice.  They study the opposing team and individual pitcher’s preferences and tendencies to increase their chance of being prepared for the pitches that are thrown to them in different situations.  Then they practice their stance, swing, etc. until the repetition allows it to become “second-nature”.  The sales staff should follow the same concepts:

• Prepare for every scheduled encounter with a prospect or family.
• Review notes from prior interactions and determine “hot buttons”.
• Know which apartments you plan to show during a tour[iv], plan the route to those units and preview the route / apartment to insure no surprises during the tour.
• Learn something about the prospect from every visit and record it to assist in future meetings.
• Critique your “performance” and make notes for future improvements.[v]
• Practice to get better.[vi]

1. Takes a Team. No one baseball player will win a championship. No matter how good a hitter they are, they are only 1/9^th of the Team at any point in time.  Without contributions from other team members, the All Star would have minimal chance of success.[vii]  Activities, housekeeping, food services, care services, maintenance, etc. all play a role in the presentation of the senior living community.  A move-in should generate a Celebration for this entire TEAM!

 

[i] See https://progressiveretirement.wordpress.com/2011/04/01/move-ins/ for a further discussion on this topic.

[ii] I once had an E.D. who insisted that every one of her care assistants could conduct a tour and that she didn’t need to spend the money for a designated “marketer” – even though the building was in declining occupancy with about a 50% census.

[iii] i.e. balls & strikes

[iv] These should be based upon the type of accommodation(s) that the prospect will likely prefer.

[v] This may seem like a contradiction with #3, but it is not really.  The critique should be done, noted and then move on to the next encounter – not dwelling on the past.  There is always room for improvement.

[vi]You may also want to refer to “15 Networking Techniques for Senior Living”: https://progressiveretirement.wordpress.com/2011/04/08/15-networking-techniques/

[vii] If nothing else, the opposition could simply walk them every time they came up and they would never even get a chance to hit!

C’mon Man … Where’s Waldo?

“Where’s Waldo” children’s books[i] ask kids to locate the red-and-white-striped shirt character in a series of camouflaged illustrations.

You won’t find Waldo or any residents in these pictures sampled from senior living websites around the country[ii]. Each depicts a “place” (e.g. main lobby) in a community, and many are very elegant…

BUT, “C’mon man … we’ve been talking about selling LIFESTYLES and not just real estate for over a decade! These pictures – and many more like them on the internet – SCREAM REAL ESTATE SALE!

Who are we trying to impress with these photos?   OURSELVES? (i.e. Look what I built?)

C’mon man … this swimming pool is NO different from the pool at the local multi-family apartment complex. This dining room could be at a nearby campus dormitory and the other shots could be in a hotel lobby. WHERE’S WALDO?

I know, I know: the experts say that you shouldn’t show elderly people in your ads; that the prospects won’t relate to the images of the showcased older residents or the advertised community.   They’ll say, “I’m not like them; that’s not the level of service I need!” If the depicted residents appear to need assistance with their daily activities, the concern is that “higher-functioning” prospects will say “I’m not READY YET!” Other views of active adults may be criticized as “unrealistic”.

Thus, we default to sterile pictures of the real estate features and leave it up to the prospects to use their own imagination to picture themselves in that setting. That approach may work for family housing when buyers customize their “new home” to fit their individual tastes.

WE ARE DIFFERENT in Senior Living! We provide “communal living” and should SHOWCASE what we offer. Do we really expect people to want to live in a museum-like environment where you can “look but don’t touch”?   Isn’t that the message that pictures without human beings conveys?

The Progressive Retirement Lifestyles (“PRL”) program is built upon an interactive lifestyle for all of our residents and advocates the marketing of a robust lifestyle to attract newer generations of prospective residents. We believe that senior living communities should depict scenes with a feeling of warmth and positive aging through social interaction and activity that provide benefit on an on-going basis:

• Residents actively participating in a water aerobics class (if you are lucky enough to have an on-site swimming pool) is much more meaningful for a potential resident and their family than the passive picture shown above.
• Residents sharing a meal with their new acquaintances in the dining room would be more appealing than the picture of the empty dining hall.
• Residents using the common area spaces by participating in an activity there – or at least sharing a moment in conversation with other residents – shows that the building is ALIVE!

I’m ART CARR and understand that this is a controversial topic, but am convinced that my Progressive Retirement Lifestyles concepts create Superior Senior Lifestyles that promote increased occupancy. I welcome your contact at 615-414-5217 or via email at art@progressiveretirement.com to learn more about the potential of the exciting Progressive Retirement Lifestyles program.

PLEASE SHARE THIS ARTICLE WITH OTHERS IN THE INDUSTRY AND POST YOUR COMMENTS.

THANKS!

[i] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Where’s_Wally%3F

[ii] These are just a sampling of the vast number of similar pictures posted on community sites and are offered as a representative group for the industry as a whole. For that reason, specific communities and/or companies are not identified.

C’mon Man … Show Some Respect!

Over the past decade, I’ve had success in building occupancy[i] with a focus on activities to demonstrate a superior senior lifestyle. It is encouraging to see more operators utilizing activities to convey LIFESTYLE CHOICE in their ads, but “C’mon Man”, we need to show more respect for our customers than is displayed in this direct mail piece:

“… we offer a lifestyle that allows you to focus on the fun things in life. You never have to worry about what to do today because there’s always something going on to keep you engaged. Join us today for one of our activities and stay for lunch. It’s on the house!”

 

5 Things “NOT to Like” with this Marketing Technique

 

1. This independent living ad targets prospective residents, and/or their families, who are ready to turn lifestyle management over to the facility. This “needs-based” approach has contributed to higher average-aged residents, older residents at move-in and shorter lengths of stay.   It has also led some experts to question whether the recent building boom in senior housing will create a supply that outpaces demand[ii], even with the influx of baby boomers into the “senior” classification.
   • We must promote independence with dignity and respect to meet the positive aging demands of newer, higher-functioning generations and attract adequate numbers of potential residents.

 

2. This ad is synonymous with the “cruise ship on land” marketing concept that assumes “old folks” will be happy to just sail off into the sunset and be happy as long as they get plenty of food and have something to entertain them between meals. Unfortunately, this is good intentions masking a form of benign ageism as identified by the MacArthur Foundation Study.[iii]
   • The dated “rest home” mentality was based on this principle that older adults no longer contribute to society and must be “cared for” in sheltered facilities at their end of life.

 

3. Current and prospective residents have been responsible adults for most of their lives and don’t want to just have “fun” all day.   They lived an active and productive lifestyle BEFORE deciding to move into a senior living community and most desire to retain as much normalcy in their lives as possible.

• Progressive Retirement Lifestyles (“PRL”) draws its scientific basis from Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs.   In order to continue satisfying the higher level needs – e.g. EGO – of older people, our senior living communities must provide mental and physical challenges for their residents with a diverse array of activities. The “3 B’s”[iv] – Birthday, Bible and Bingo – simply won’t cut it anymore!
• Our programs respect and foster the desires of many residents to continue “contributing” in some way – by helping others within the community, by volunteering and/or by providing service to others “less fortunate”.

 

4. “Worry” is a natural part of living and most mature adults don’t want to be treated as though they can’t “act” or “think” for themselves. They don’t expect to just “sit back” and be treated like children with every minute of their day planned for them.
   • The PRL concept has proven successful by offering multiple daily lifestyle options, while allowing the residents to make their own independent choices.

 

5. The only specific “activity” highlighted in the flyer was a “Chef Showcase: Waffle Bar”, which is more “demonstration cooking” than a true resident activity.
   • At best, this is a passive event with residents and other spectators being entertained by the Chef.   Although entertainment is an important ingredient, PRL emphasizes interactive lifestyles with active participation by the residents in activity programs.
   • Unless the “waffle bar” is available every week, there is a risk that current residents will complain that the activity is just a marketing ploy and NOT a lifestyle feature.
   • PRL is a combined operations and marketing approach that enhances operations first and THEN invites prospects to participate in on-going programs.

The PRL program was developed to adapt to the evolving market and promote additional demand by respecting the prior life achievements and recognizing the on-going capabilities of newer generations of seniors. PRL creates positive differentiation from the competition by providing and marketing a more robust lifestyle with a greater quality, quantity and variety of stimulating age-appropriate activities than was frequently the case in the past.

I am Art Carr, the creator of the unique Progressive Retirement Lifestyles program and welcome your comments. PLEASE POST YOUR OPINION about whether you agree or disagree with these observations and share this article with those who might appreciate it.

Please contact me at 615-414-5217 or via email at art@progressiveretirement.com to learn more about the exciting Progressive Retirement Lifestyles program and its potential to enhance operations and serve as the foundation for improved occupancy.

THANKS!

[i] This approach enabled me to build a regional census 6 points higher than the national average and lead the fill-up of several new buildings, as well as stimulating turnarounds of other under-performing communities.

[ii] http://www.wsj.com/articles/new-senior-housing-raises-concerns-supply-will-outpace-demand-from-baby-boomers-1439285401

[iii] See “Successful Aging” by John Rowe, M.D. and Robert Kahn, Ph.D, published by Masterpiece Alliance Foundation, Inc., 1998

[iv] With a thank you to Sara Elizabeth Hamm who first “coined” this phrase.

Rewards for “Participation”

NFL and Pittsburgh Steelers linebacker James Harrison recently sparked a lot of controversy when he publicly returned participation “trophies” that had been given to his two young sons. Mr. Harrison stated on Instagram that trophies should be earned, and not awarded for simply showing up.

I admit to having a number of conflicting thoughts regarding this issue and Mr. Harrison’s actions, including:

• IGNORE IT – this is just about kids and has nothing to do with management and/or providing care/services for aging adults.
• It’s easy for a “jock” to take that attitude. He was probably always a “star” at every level from Pee Wee Football through college and into the pros. HE was one of the guys who always got the glory → trophies, awards and recognition. He has never had to “walk a mile” in the shoes of a bench-warmer who maybe tried just as hard (or harder) but wasn’t blessed with the God given talents of the trophy winners.
• On the other hand, as one of those with lesser physical skills, I can’t recall ever resenting the fact that some of my teammates received prestigious awards. In fact, I was proud when they received scholarships to major colleges.
• I do agree with Mr. Harrison that our society is gravitating towards too much “entitlement” instead of earning “it” the old-fashioned way by working hard. To that extent, I applaud his parental stance.
• I have always been more driven by TEAM awards than individual accomplishments. With this focus, there is a place for recognition of the players who show up for every practice and make silent contributions to the TEAM’s success. If you doubt this, watch the movie “Rudy”.

This carries over into my CORPORATE LEADERSHIP philosophies in which I place the greatest emphasis on TEAM (i.e. Corporate, Region …) achievements.

• Maybe the focus should be on the method – or in this case the use of a TROPHY – instead of the concept of rewarding participation. Maybe trophies should be reserved for accomplishments while other means are used to recognize participation?
• Haven’t we always had some form of participation rewards? Wasn’t the letterman’s sweater or jacket always a recognition of some level of participation?
• Just having the chance to put on the team uniform – wear the colors – always gave me a sense of pride AND recognition amongst school classmates and the community. Are we just over-doing it?
• That said, I believe there is still room for individual awards that recognize – when appropriate – unusual contributions such as “Best Teammate”, “Hardest Worker” and maybe even “100% Attendance”. It’s easy when you are the STAR to show up for practice every day and get most of the attention. It takes a special person (again I refer you to the movies “Rudy” or “Invincible”) to show up every day just because you love the game and want to participate. Any coach who doesn’t recognize the value of these participants, isn’t a very good Coach.

Then, I decided to take this a step further and question whether these same issues should be concerns in my professional life and senior living leadership approach. After all, one Company President anointed me as the “Master of Employee Recognition”.

I earned this title by being a little “wild & crazy” when the President attended our 100% occupancy celebration after we set the company record with a 71-day fill-up for a new building. Consistent with my TEAM philosophy, my entire region attended and then participated in a regional meeting the following day. To start the meeting, I arranged for the President to stand at the front of the room and then had my “starting team” march in as I announced them individually and bragged about their highlights and positive accomplishments while they shook the President’s hand. This process gave each manager recognition amongst their peers as well as an unparalleled introduction to upper management of the Company.

Some might dismiss this as “hokey” and I would probably agree if it was attempted out-of-character to the normal management style. It worked for me – and provided a lot of EGO satisfaction for my managers – because I had spent several years in building a regional TEAM and implementing my unique coaching management style.

One of my responsibilities as a COACH was to promote the capabilities of my TEAM members. By doing this – and letting the TEAM know that I’m doing it – I minimized the frequent disruptive competitiveness that occurs when the individuals feel the need to fight for the attention of senior management. Because some people are naturally more aggressive in self-promotion than others, a natural friction develops. Conversely, my TEAM emphasis and public recognition of each person’s traits made the “pre-game introductions” seem like a natural process.

I should also point out that every one of the managers in the region – plus regional support staff – was introduced so this was an example of an informal participation award – BUT without a trophy!

On the other hand, I did recognize the superior performance of the crew that set the fill-up record.  The Company gave a substantial financial reward, but I chose “wacky” awards instead of trophies. For our lead salesman, I presented a customized Louisville Slugger baseball bat inscribed with “Slugger Bob” to recognize his ability to hit home runs with his closing rates. [This was also something he could take to his next new community assignment.] The local managers chose a “Gone with the Wind” theme for the 100% celebration in suburban Atlanta. To recognize the achievement of our female managers and sales team, I ordered Vermont Teddy Bears custom-dressed as Scarlett O’Hara.

Probably the closest we get to the Harrison situation in Senior Living is periodic Occupancy Contests where targets are set and recognition and rewards granted as incentive for achievement. Frequently, this includes financial rewards but tends to cause dissension for those who improve but don’t make their goal and/or fall behind early in the process and then lose all motivation. So, do we reward participation or only superior achievement?

I faced this situation with a not-for-profit whose culture didn’t support performance bonuses (except for limited commissions paid to the sales staff). I took over a number of occupancy-challenged buildings with census as low as 50% for the past five years.

Obviously, setting targets at acceptable levels (even 85% or higher) wasn’t going to work. In fact, the staff was so beat-down by not meeting company expectations, it was questionable if any target could be motivational.

I recognized that I would first have to build some self-confidence and get the local management and sales staff to think outside of the narrow box they had built for themselves. I also decided that I had to “reward participation” because ANY MOVE-IN was a positive step forward.

In this situation, I devised the “+1” Occupancy Challenge and constructed a high-energy training program to kick-off the program. I stimulated teamwork within each community by including the Chef and Activities Coordinator with the Executive Director and Sales & Marketing Staff. I challenged each community to add just one net move-in (i.e. +1 move-in over any move-outs) each week and asked the other departments to add 1 additional feature (e.g. new activity program or special dessert) to improve the resident experience and marketability of the community.

I also introduced the concept of “Participation Bucks” where trainees were awarded for their participation in the training session. At the end of the session, they had the opportunity to convert their “Bucks” into prizes for their facility.

The communities then earned “funny money” over the next quarter for each “+1” weekly goal attained with bonus “Bucks” for exceeding the target. There were additional awards for achieving cumulative goals. Even if a building missed their goal for one week, they would still earn an award whenever they increased the census by 1 over the prior week.

I had “Big Boards” printed for each community with their “+1” weekly targets. These charts were updated weekly with the actual performance and then prominently displayed in the Executive Director’s office and during their daily department head meetings.

I also maintained a chart for the group as a whole and shared the results with the region during a weekly conference call I initiated. We applauded and celebrated every community’s “+1” success on these calls while treating challenges the others faced as learning opportunities.

This was a highly successful program that generated turnarounds in a short period of time. The most outstanding performance was at a 154 unit independent living property that had hovered around the 50% mark for over 5 years. As shown by this chart, the “+1” Challenge concept drove a 33% improvement in 6 months of concentrated “brick-by-brick” progress. The key was in getting the first positive step and then building on it.

At the next regional meeting, I obtained a number of items that would not normally be purchased by the communities, but would be beneficial in the on-going operations and marketing of the communities. This also gave me an easy way to introduce certain new concepts, activity programs, etc. to the communities. Each building was allowed to bid in an auction based upon their accumulated “Bucks” with the strongest performers having the best chance of securing their desired prize(s). BUT, everyone was allowed to “win” something!

I believe these were far more meaningful awards with long-lasting benefits than trophies. They did reward participation but also recognized superior performance.

DO THESE IDEAS INTRIGUE YOU?   WOULD YOU LIKE TO LEARN HOW we utilize a “PAY FOR PARTICIPATION” concept as a key tenet of the Progressive Retirement Lifestyles program for residents?

PLEASE LEAVE YOUR COMMENT IF YOU WOULD LIKE FOR ME TO WRITE MORE ABOUT RECOGNITION AND REWARDS and/or CALL ME at 615-414-5217 for an in-person conversation about how these concepts might be applied to your organization. You may also schedule a time for a discussion via email: art@progressiveretirement.com.

It’s Derby Week!

Building a Multi-part Themed Marketing Event

 

Where will you be at 6:24pm (ET) on the first Saturday in May?

• If you’re a “Kentucky Colonel”, you might be in the grandstand at Churchill Downs in Louisville, KY for the Kentucky Derby → sipping a mint julep.
• Millions of others will be watching the Run for the Roses on their local NBC station on TV.
• And, the tech-savvy may be live-streaming via the internet on their computers and/or smart phones.

 

What about the Residents of your Senior Living Community?

• Does the race fall right in the middle of their normal evening meal?
• Do you have any activities planned around Derby Week?
• Are you missing the chance to provide a venue for your residents to share an activity with their family & friends?

 

What about your Future Prospective Residents?

• Are you missing an opportunity to involve them in a social event & interact with current residents?
• Are they missing out on the excitement by – at best – sitting at home ALONE and watching the race on their small screen TV?

 

This article follows the concepts of the “Turning Residents into our Best Marketers” series on the Progressive Retirement Lifestyles blog. In other words, build a lifestyle enhancement for your current residents and then invite guests to participate. If time is short, apply the K.I.S.S. principle and start with something simple:

1. Use your big-screen TV to broadcast the race; coverage begins at 4 Eastern. Set up chairs, pop some popcorn and treat the Derby similar to a movie.
2. Put up flyers in the community to let residents know of the opportunity to participate – instead of sitting in their room.
3. Get on the phone and invite prospects to attend.

• In 3 days, one community was able to get 100 participants for a 4^th of July picnic by using this approach.

4. Ask your current residents if they have any friends who “always use to love the Kentucky Derby” and invite them as the guest of the resident.
5. Ask your culinary services department to create a “Social Hour” before dinner on Saturday evening. Serve mint juleps and crudités for residents and guests. You’ll turn Saturday into a memorable day instead of a day with just filler activities!

Here are a couple of recipes for non-alcoholic mint juleps:

• http://allrecipes.com/recipe/alcohol-free-mint-julep/
• http://www.food.com/recipe/disneylands-mint-julep-non-alcoholic-148006
• http://www.thedisneydiner.com/2014/03/disneylands-non-alcoholic-mint-julep.html
• http://www.tasteofhome.com/recipes/mock-mint-julep

 

6. Have a sing-a-long activity.

GOOD: Print out the words to “My Old Kentucky Home” and have the audience sing the song along with the TV program before the race. http://www.50states.com/songs/kentucky.htm#.U1_1SaKTIR8

 

BETTER: Download the sheet music and have a musician play the full song on the community piano as the group sings along. ALTERNATIVELY, download the music and have a karaoke contest.

BEST: Use this as a “life-long learning” opportunity with a discussion group. Did you know that the lyrics of the original Stephen Foster song were changed to a contemporary version in 1986[i]? How many other Stephen Foster songs can your residents name[ii]? A few of the most well-known, listed below, could lead to a month-long songfest:

• “Way Down Upon de Swanee River”
• “Camptown Races”
• “Beautiful Dreamer”
• “Jeanie With the Light Brown Hair”
• “Oh! Susanna”

7. Food Service enhancements include possibly creating a special “Race Menu” (e.g. for The Preakness weekend, you might serve Maryland Crab Cakes):

GOOD: Change the meal time on Saturday so that the evening meal doesn’t conflict with the Derby broadcast.

BETTER: Extend serving times to permit those residents wanting to see the race to eat early (or late – depending on your time zone) while others who aren’t interested in the event may stay with their “routine”.

BEST: Since the dining room is frequently one of the largest rooms in the building and because the race itself only lasts a little over 2 minutes, move several big screen TVs into the dining room and suspend dinner service “when the bell rings”. That way, everyone can see the race.

 

Going for the TRIPLE CROWN

 

On average, aging adult prospects require multiple touches before they make the decision to move into a senior living community. Therefore, we create a series of events – some small, some larger – that revolve around the same theme to keep the prospect coming back into the building. Thoroughbred horse racing’s Triple Crown series begins with the Kentucky Derby, continues with the Preakness three weeks later and the Belmont Stakes on the 5^th Saturday following the Derby. This gives you a wonderful window of opportunity to provide some unique programs for your residents while building the relationship with prospects that will result in a move-in. Invite the prospects (and their family when appropriate) to attend as many sessions as possible and encourage their interaction with existing residents.

 

• Life-long learning programs.

o   Evolution of the Triple Crown[iii]

o   Triple Crown Winners

o   History of the Kentucky Derby

o   Different Horse Breeds & Capabilities

o   Different Types of Horse Races

• Flat, Steeplechase, Harness, Endurance

o   Other horse competitions

• Horse shows (e.g. Tennessee Walking Horse show)
• Dressage
• Rodeos
• Fox Hunting

o   Guest speakers if available in your area.

 

• Trivia Quizzes

  There are several suggestions for application of this activity:

GOOD: Ask the questions during a meal and/or in a group session.

BETTER: Post each question and award prizes for correct answers

BEST: Use the questions as the basis for a computer learning class; teaching the residents how to research the answers on the internet.

o   When was the last Triple Crown winner[iv]?

o   What horse holds the record for the fastest time in the Belmont Stakes[v]?

o   When was the first official Kentucky Derby held[vi]?

 

• Fashion Contest

  Whether attending the Kentucky Derby in Louisville, the Iroquois Steeplechase in Nashville, or other signature race, the ladies will be “dressed to the nines” with a high-fashion, usually expensive hat[vii].

GOOD: Have a “Best Hat” contest with residents wearing their hats to a designated meal. Then residents and staff vote on the best hats. This supports the EGO need as identified by Maslow for the winners.

BETTER: Meet SOCIALIZATION and FULFILLMENT needs by creating a craft class in which the residents (YES, it could include the men as well) are taught to design and decorate their own hats. Your local craft store may be able to provide an instructor for a reasonable price. This is better because it stimulates creativity and doesn’t exclude residents who can’t afford an expensive hat.

o   Make sure to take everyone’s picture in their “creation” and post the pictures: digital photo frame, website, social media – Facebook, etc., make a YouTube video, print and turn into a collage to post in the lobby. Use in a storyboard for your next booth at the Senior Expo, etc. Print and turn into postcards à send to family members and then use for marketing.

o   This is a good time to look for volunteers with millinery skills: maybe a staff member or family of a resident. You might also ask for donations of craft materials.

o   Develop several different criteria for judging the hats: most creative, best looking, most unusual theme, etc.

o   Set up an exhibit with the top winners in a display case.

o   MARKETING: invite prospects to participate in a limited number of the craft classes.

♠   You may want to charge them something for the materials, while pointing out that resident participation is “free”.

♠   You’ll probably want to limit eligibility for the actual hat contact to current residents – although prospect should be encouraged to wear their “fancy hat” to the event(s).

♠   Use the craft classes as a means of developing new relationships with existing residents. These relationships will serve as a magnet for future move-ins.

BEST: Plan a full “Spring Fashion Show” to tie in with one of the Triple Crown races. Help the residents arrange their outfits to coordinate with their hats. Solicit assistance from the adult daughters for help with make-up, etc. This is a chance for “Momma to shine”.

♥ Create inter-generational sharing by interacting with a high school or local college class → homemaker, fashion design classes or even drama clubs who might help prepare backdrops, etc. Every student that participates represents an opportunity for another adult parent / grandparent to tour your community!

♥   Contact a local department store and solicit their support of the fashion show. They might offer special discounts to residents and/or provide cosmetologists to help the “models” get ready.

♥   Your on-site beautician should also get involved with special prices for “the show”.

♥   Both the department store and beautician should also be asked to provide a Gift Certificate for the winners in exchange for “free” publicity in the show program.

o   MARKETING: This is intended to be a major marketing event to be held in the evening. As many prospects as possible should be invited to attend, but would not generally be eligible for participation.   It has the potential of becoming an annual event and you want to hold participation as a carrot for move-ins.

♠   Ask the Mayor / other civic leaders to attend and be judges for the fashion show.

♠  Contact the local media (print, TV and radio) and request coverage of your event. You want to leverage your efforts by generating new leads in addition to moving existing prospects through the “sales funnel” to move-in. Consider spending some money for advertising to publicize the Fashion Show with your local media. {Attendance at the event gives you an easy way to measure the return on your investment in advertising.}

♠  Consider investing in a Direct Mailing to notify your target audience of your extraordinary activity and encourage their attendance & participation.

♠   Encourage each resident to provide you the names and addresses of 5 friends so you can send them personalized invitations.

♠  For the size of the crowd, it will probably be necessary to serve some type of refreshments.

 

• Movies.

“Secretariat” and “Seabiscuit” are appropriate films to get your residents in the mood for horse racing and the Triple Crown. Of course, your older residents may prefer Mickey Rooney and Elizabeth Taylor in “National Velvet”. These can be used to build excitement and anticipation for a weekend event tied into one of the races or shown earlier in the day of the race to extend the event.

 

•  Field Trips

  Arrange to take the residents on an outing to a local horse farm and/or horse museum. If seats are available on your bus, include one or more prospects who have participated in your horse themed events.

 

• Horse Racing.

  Ultimately, the Triple Crown is about horse racing, so this is a great time to introduce casino style horse racing to your community.

 

GOOD: The most typical games are “table-top” models similar to those used on cruise ships, which use dice to move the numbered horses “down the stretch”. Residents “bet” on the numbered horse to be the first to cross the finish line – usually with a direct roll count of the dice.

o   If you already have horse rating on your Activity Calendar, your next step is to plan a marketing event and invite prospects. If you are doing a good job of updating your Prospect Management (i.e. Lead) system, you will have identified leading candidates for invitations. The key is to have multiple races over a period of several hours.  We found that this works very well after the evening meal.

o   If you don’t have this in your Activities repertoire, it is advisable to purchase the equipment and get your residents used to it before you try to do an event with outside guests. This activity generates a lot of excitement once the residents understand how it works, how to place their “bets”, etc. and will make a favorable impression on your guests. Then you just have to “follow thru” and insure that horse racing remains on your monthly activity calendars. It has been so popular in many of my buildings, that it became a weekly event.

BETTER: The floor model game works the same as the table top version but is larger and easier for the participants to see and use. The game is played with six horses and a pair of large dice is used to move the horses. One of the dice is rolled (usually by different residents) to select the horse number with the points on the 2^nd dice used to determine how far the selected horse will move. Versions of this floor game may be purchased from NASCO and several other on-line sources, but many appear to be made of cheap plastic and don’t appear very sturdy.

 BEST: My personal favorite is a hand-crafted set that is cut-out of plywood with a jigsaw with wheels added onto axles. Residents participate in moving the horses as well as rolling the dice.

o   This model works well for larger crowds at marketing events.

o   There is the potential for an unlimited number of horse “owners” who can compete with their horse in a number of “heats” /qualifying races. Based on a drawing before each heat (just like the real races), the 1 thru 6 number saddle is added to each horse. This adds another dimension of excitement to the event.

o   A major advantage of this approach is that it generates a lot of active participation by the residents. A resident or group of residents (the “syndicate”) buys their horse and then participates in several workshops to paint and decorate their horse. This gives them an opportunity for guided creativity.

o   You then get the opportunity for another marketing event with the “Parade of Horses” with the guests voting on various “Best in Class” categories for the horses. Examples might include “most authentic looking”, “best looking”, or “most original design”.

o   You could also sponsor a contest for naming of the individual horses. That is certainly more personalized and stimulates more involvement than simply having the red or blue plastic horse!

o   This Lifestyle Director also found that the horse races were a good opportunity to generate volunteer spirit with several of her male residents who helped set up the special rug and carried the horses to the starting line. They were quite proud of their ability to carry the heavy carpet and help out.

 

• Frisbee Horse Shoes

  One final suggestion for a horse themed activity that could be played as part of a marketing event. What would a horse race be without horse shoes? Instead of using metal horse shoes, use Frisbee rings to make the game more senior friendly. Ideally, the game is played outdoors to give the residents a chance for some “fresh air”, but can also be played indoors with the use of small plastic cones as the “poles”. Otherwise, the court and scoring are set up the same as for traditional horse shoes.

This article has demonstrated a method of taking a simple concept (inviting a few people to watch the Kentucky Derby on your Big Screen TV) and evolving it into an AWESOME 5 – 6 week program of superior activity programming that stimulates the residents to remain involved in what is going on outside the 4-walls of your senior living community. Your prospects will become excited and clearly see your community as a “cut above” the competition and be encouraged to move-in.

 

GOOD LUCK and remember that Progressive Retirement Group is available to assist should you desire assistance in designing or implementing these concepts and/or the creative marketing events described herein.

 

[i] http://www.statesymbolsusa.org/Kentucky/kentuckystatesong.html

 

[ii] http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_songs_written_by_Stephen_Foster

 

[iii] http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Belmont_Stakes#Evolution_of_the_Triple_Crown_series

 

[iv] Affirmed in 1978

 

[v] Secretariat in 1973 by 31 lengths at 2 minutes and 24 seconds.

 

[vi] http://www.thedailymeal.com/when-kentucky-derby-2014/42414

 

[vii] http://store.kentuckyderby.com/cart.php?m=product_list&c=301

 

The “GRADUATE” turns 75!

It’s the late 1960’s.  The war in Vietnam is escalating and college campuses are erupting in violence across the country.  Then comes the quintessential coming-of-age film with a young, drifting college graduate fulfilling an adolescent fantasy by being seduced by an older woman.  This film was the springboard for stardom for Dustin Hoffman and “Mrs. Robinson” became a chart-topper and Grammy Award winner for Simon & Garfunkel.

On August 8, Dustin Hoffman will reach 75 years of age and enter into the target demographic for senior living facilities.  He is part of the “Bobby-sox Generation”[1] that will drive occupancy for the next decade.  Other notable bobby-soxers turning 75 this year include:

Bill Cosby                                               

                                                                            Warren Beatty

General Colin Powell (ret)

Former Sec. of State

George Takei                        Billy Dee Williams

“Mister Sulu”                           “Lando Calrissian”

Jack Nicholson 

Roberta Flack

“Betty”

Elinor Donahue

Burt Reynolds      

Morgan Freeman

Richard Petty  “The King”

At the time “The Graduate” was filmed, a U.S. male could expect to live to an average age of 67 years (74 years for a woman)[2].  That meant that the average man – who, in 1967, would have generally been expected to become the principal family breadwinner – would retire at age 65 and have a few years of retirement before dying.  His widow would then live another 7 to 10 years and likely need some form of health care support in her waning years.

These are the demographics and statistics that have driven the development of the senior living industry for the past 40 years and led to the adoption of the “rest home” mentality throughout much of the industry.  A quiet, secluded location was considered appropriate for the aged to live out their remaining years.  As providers, our focus was on giving high quality medical care and supportive services to make the resident comfortable in their final years.

“DO THESE INDIVIDUALS LOOK LIKE THEY ARE READY FOR A REST HOME?”

The reality is that the world has changed radically as a result of medical advances since 1967.  Our sampling of bobby-soxers have already beaten the odds by exceeding their projected life expectancy.  They are still vibrant and active with life expectancy now increased for white men to over 76 years and 81 years for women.[3]  Beyond the extended life projections, the Christian Science Monitor and other articles[4] note several significant changes in the make-up of the aging population.  The gap between male and female mortality has narrowed to just 4 years[5]        as women are now smoking more with higher incidences of obesity and uncontrolled high blood pressure.  In addition, the life expectancy for blacks (African-Americans) has made great strides towards the white statistics.

These analyses suggest that the successful senior living facility of the future must appeal to a much broader demographic than just the traditional 80+, widowed, white female.   Fundamental changes in everything from location and building design to lifestyles management will be necessary to offer a product and services that will appeal to the Bobby-sox generation.

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[1] Born 1935 – 1945.  See http://wp.me/pCemc-bn for a further discussion of the Bobby-sox Generation

[2] See:  http://demog.berkeley.edu/~andrew/1918/figure2.html

[3] Christian Science Monitor, June 19, 2012:   http://www.csmonitor.com/USA/Society/2012/0619/Racial-gap-in-life-expectancy-reaches-new-low-in-US

[4] e.g. ABC World News, June 16, 2011:  http://abcnews.go.com/Health/life-expectancy-men-outpacing-women-study/story?id=13850055#.UCGh26DN6So

[5] USA Today, 4/20/12:  http://www.usatoday.com/news/health/story/health/story/2012-04-19/Life-expectancy-improves-slower-for-women/54419298/1

Relentless Follow Thru

Whether playing golf or hitting a baseball, “follow thru” is critical for consistent success.  The same is true in sales for a senior living community.  Move-ins are a process and not an event.  Simply running an ad in the newspaper or holding an open house is NOT ENOUGH!

What is needed is a systematic approach to prospect management AND the discipline to follow and adhere to that system.  The system doesn’t have to be fancy or complex – an industry leader successfully utilized a manual system for years.  But, it needs to maintain pertinent data about the prospect, track all activity and establish suspense dates for periodic follow thru.

Of course, the system is not enough by itself either.  The process starts with “getting the right people on the bus[1]” Does this mean always hiring a super salesperson – someone who can sell ice cream to Eskimos?

NO, IT DOES NOT!

Is the ability to sell senior living a natural, “god-given” talent that can’t be learned?

NO, IT IS NOT!

Anyone who has ever networked or established a relationship with someone else can be taught how to successfully build occupancy for their senior living community.

So, what makes a person “right” for the job?  Attitude, a desire to help and serve the aging population, willingness to learn and a drive to accomplish something are often more desirable traits than are technical skills.

“This is a very simple game. You throw the ball, you catch the ball, you hit the ball.” is a famous quote from the movie Bull Durham.  Strategy (e.g. bunt, steal, intentional walk) can be complex, but continuous success depends on these basics.

The sales process for senior living should also be kept simple.  The basics are a good game plan, effective training and then consistent and relentless follow thru.

Marketing will create the demand,

but the follow thru will lead to the move-in.

Some of the steps in the sales process can be viewed in a downloadable PowerPoint presentation by clicking here.  This game plan should follow the sports axiom: good offense starts with good defense.[2] In senior living, providing an exceptional experience for the current residents “defends” against unwanted move-outs and provides positive feedback to potential new residents and their families.

There is no “magic pill” that works everywhere.  A customized game plan must be created based upon each unique situation, just as a winning coach prepares differently for each opponent. A building with a low number of prospects needs to focus on filling the top of the “funnel” with marketing, advertising and branding efforts. Others may need sales training / reinforcement, or even changes in personnel.

Over time, most facilities take on the personality of the local manager(s).  Efforts should be taken to understand the local culture and select a manager with a similar background and personality.  For instance, an urbanite with a high energy level who is used to a rapid pace, quick decision-making and a direct (in your face) approach to problem-solving may be a “duck out of water” if assigned to a rural facility. So, in addition to getting “the right people on the bus”, senior management needs to get them “in the right seat”.

Senior living clientele have had success in their lives and are generally smart and sophisticated shoppers.  They will want to become “part of a senior living community that shares common interests, values and/or resources[3]”, but will also be attracted by local management with a personality similar to theirs.

They will build a relationship with the prospect one step at a time by:

Making a Friend

Solving a Problem

Following this approach, a number of people who said, “I’ve never sold anything in my life!” became successful at filling senior living buildings.  In training, they were shown that many networking techniques (similar to those used in a job search) had direct application in this process.  They were taught to use the following techniques:  READ MORE:

1. Establish common ground.
2. GIVE something of “value”.
3. Make the contact about THEM.
4. Have a REASON TO CALL.
5. Do your RESEARCH.
6. Ask questions.
7. Don’t sell.  Listen.
8. Play Sherlock Holmes.
9. Plan the Work.
10. Work the Plan.
11. Make every contact a QUALITY interaction.
12. Be Prepared for No Response.
13. Get away from the trite “Lunch and a Tour”.
14. Don’t expect to “Close”, but be Ready for the Opportunity.
15. Never Give Up!

Relentless Follow Thru applies to all levels of the organization, which must present a consistent message from the top-down.  Initial training, weekly sales calls, regional or companywide meetings, and mini-marketing workshops can be effectively utilized to establish targets, monitor performance, and reinforce adherence with the prospect management system.

Ultimately, however, players must be put into the game and empowered to make decisions in order to build their self-confidence.  This will present continuous “coaching” or personalized mentoring opportunities.  Certain individuals need their high-pressure sales instincts to be toned down.  Others need coaxing and hand-holding until they develop their comfort-zone.

Positive reinforcement should be given for “wins” and emotional support for “losses”, with on-the-spot adjustments to procedures and techniques and additional training when necessary.

“HOT” Prospects – the small percentage of prospects who are likely to move-in within the next 90 days – should receive a greater degree and frequency of sales efforts.  An individual can turn hot at any step in the relationship building process – there is no exact formula as to when that will happen.  They may simply say that they’re “ready”, but often some event in their life causes a change in their status.  Examples might include a fall, death of the spouse, or loss of independence.

The key is that relentless follow thru will enable you to know when these events happen and be there to provide support, answer questions and offer a SOLUTION.

A customized strategy should be created for each hot prospect.  Responsibility should be assigned and timing intervals established for facility visits, home visits, phone calls and invitations to activity programs or meals. Determine which features and amenities to highlight, as well as which unit(s) to target as “available”.  Make sure that it’s clearly understood who has the authority to make price concessions to “close” the deal.

It is helpful to notify ALL staff members and expect the unexpected (e.g. prospect showing up when the designated in-house contact is unavailable).  Selecting a resident ambassador(s) and including them in the sales strategy can also be effective.

A Final Observation

Time doesn’t slow down when you retire;

It ACCELERATES

Stuff happens causing a senior’s situation to change drastically overnight.  Don’t lose an OPPORTUNITY by delaying your follow-thru.  Be relentless in pursuing every available means to build a bond with every prospect.

GOOD LUCK!

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[1] “Good to Great” by Stanford Professor Jim Collins, 2001

[2] Lady Vols Basketball Coach Pat Summitt is the all-time winningest coach in NCAA basketball history, men or women, in any division with 1071 victories and an 84+% win rate at the University of Tennessee from 1974 to current.  She was the first U.S. Olympian to win basketball Gold Medals as both a player and coach.

^[3] “Boomers Redefine Retirement Living”, Sally Abrahms, AARP Bulletin, April, 2011

15 Networking Techniques

for Senior Living

The following techniques enable senior living communities to establish strong personal relationships with prospective residents.  These relationships are often critical to the prospect’s move-in decision.

1.  Establish common ground. Build on the prospect’s expressed interest in senior living.  It is often helpful to share aspects of your own life that will appeal to the identified interests of the prospect (e.g. a favorite pet).

2.  GIVE something of “value”. Take a plate of baked goods or other small gift when visiting the prospect in their home.  Begin a phone call by discussing a topic of general interest to seniors (e.g. H1N1 flu shots) including happenings at your facility.  Senior citizens will generally value the time you spend with them.

3. Make the contact about THEM. Tell the person that they are important and show you care about them as an individual – not just as a potential customer.  Be sincere in doing or saying something that will brighten their day.  Respect their time by asking if “this is a convenient time, or should we schedule a specific time tomorrow?”

4. Have a REASON TO CALL.  Of course, you want a move-in, but that is NOT the reason for the contact.  Your PURPOSE might be to invite them to an event or simply to follow-up about something that was going on in their life.  THINK:  Which statement is more likely to receive a favorable response?

“Hi, I’ve got a one bedroom unit open”; or
“Hi, the last time we spoke, you were planning to attend your granddaughter’s wedding – how was it?”

5. Do your RESEARCH. If everyone has recorded notes after each interaction, a wealth of information before contacting the prospect.  Identify potential topics of conversation by reviewing information about the spouse (living or dead), children’s and pet’s names, where the family goes to church, likes and dislikes, what they did before they retired, and clubs they’re interested in (e.g. “Red Hatters”).

6. Ask questions. The elderly are ignored by many people in our society who fail to show the dignity and respect they have earned for their life accomplishments.  By inquiring about their life, you demonstrate appreciation and help them to feel “worthwhile”.  You will be amazed at what you’ll learn and may even find that you really LIKE the senior.  In turn, this friendship will provide you a competitive advantage when it becomes time to move into a facility.

7. Don’t sell.  Listen. This is probably the biggest mistake made by new managers / sales people.  They are so concerned about listing all of their features and amenities that they forget to listen to what the prospect is trying to tell them.  THEN, and only then, will they know which points to emphasize in subsequent contacts.

8. Play Sherlock Holmes. The vast majority of residents don’t move into an independent or assisted living setting unless they have a NEED and have experienced a fairly recent LOSS.  Interestingly, couples frequently make the first inquiry, but only the surviving spouse will move-in.  Seniors are often reticent about disclosing their concerns.  Yet, by discovering their unmet need(s) and presenting your services as a solution, you can generate a move-in.

9. Plan the Work. Getting move-ins is a numbers game.  Successful buildings will have 5 to 15 prospects (depending on the level of care) for each unit.  Different members of the sales team should be assigned a specific target of contacts (i.e. phone calls, personal visits, tours, etc.) for each day / week.  Goals should be set for “contacts made” and not just attempts – it may take 5 or more attempts for each successful contact.

10. Work the Plan. Your sales efforts must be a PRIORITY.  Set your target and then follow your plan every day.  This is what relentless follow-up is all about. There will always be a reason why you can’t get out of the building for a home visit or make all of the assigned phone calls.  You must be self-disciplined to not accept these excuses and find a way to meet your targets.

11. Make every contact a QUALITY interaction. Remember that the ultimate goal is to “score” a move-in. Making calls in which you fail to “connect” with the prospect is simply wasting time.  Instead of padding your statistics by mailing the activity calendar to everyone, select a handful of prospects to invite for a specific program that your research shows would interest them.  Then follow-up.

12. Be Prepared for No Response. Have a customized message ready to leave on voice mail or a hand-written note to leave on the door if the prospect doesn’t answer the call or “knock”.  Include a “hook” to prompt a return call.

13. Get away from the trite “Lunch and a Tour”. It’s formality lacks warmth and sincerity. Because everyone does it doesn’t mean it’s the best approach.  It says “I want to make a sales pitch” with a structured agenda on my schedule.  INSTEAD, invite them for a friendly “visit” and focus on their wishes.  After chatting for a while, you will probably still get around to a tour – likely in response to some point or question raised by the visitor.  It also becomes perfectly natural to ask them to stay for a meal.

14. Don’t expect to “Close”, but be Ready for the Opportunity. This is a major LIFE DECISION for the prospective resident.  It usually takes time, so don’t put undue pressure on yourself or try to force the issue with a “hard sell” approach.  It’s okay to ASK, but the prospect will generally let you know when “they’re ready”.

15. Never Give Up! At times, it seems as though you’re struggling up a mountain because of the lengthy sales cycle.  Relentless Follow Thru will insure that YOU are there when the prospect is ready to make that move-in decision.  Like the little blue engine in this adaptation of Watty Piper’s “The Little Engine That Could”, you should maintain a positive attitude and keep chugging!

Move-ins

A Process

Not

An Event!

Click on the following link to preview a PowerPoint Training Session that highlights frequent steps in a Move-in Process.

Move-in Process