How to Turn In-Person Senior Living Events Into Lasting Experiences
Rediscover the Power of In-Person Relationship Building in Senior Living Marketing
In the wake of the pandemic, our field experienced a seismic shift in how we approach marketing and sales. Having endured a period when in-person gatherings were simply not possible, I’ve gained a new appreciation for the power of events—and more importantly, experiences—in creating meaningful connections with prospects.
Why Absence Made the In-Person Experience Even More Valuable
Nothing replaces being in person with prospects, especially when trying to nurture relationships. It sounds cliché, but it’s profoundly true. During COVID, we pivoted admirably to online events and webinars, and in many cases, we did quite well for a crisis situation. But the pandemic truly revealed how much we had taken the relationship-building aspect of the in-person experience for granted. Now, we can leverage what we learned from that time apart and optimize our events strategy in powerful and fresh ways.
The Crucial Distinction: Events vs. Experiences
There’s a meaningful difference between hosting an event and creating an experience. An event often follows a formula: schedule a monthly gathering, try to get as many people through the door as possible, serve a good meal and send them away with a packet of information.
An experience, however, invites prospects to truly feel what makes your community special—not under the pretense of “come have a meal and let us sell you,” but rather “come try us out, see how it fits.” An event only becomes an experience when we genuinely center all our planning on ways the prospect can take part in meaningful activities and personal interactions that help them … well … experience the lifestyle and relationships they’ll enjoy as residents.
Empowering Sales Teams to Focus on Relationships
The biggest success factor is having the sales team understand that we’re building relationships, not just having a sales event. This can be challenging (in a good way!) because they’re salespeople by nature, but the way we reach people in senior living marketing is changing fundamentally. With so much information available online, senior living prospects now control their own sales paths and demand the freedom to explore your community on their own timetable. Patience and a commitment to a nurturing process are more important than ever.
Strategic Experience Planning for Long-Term Success
When planning experiences, it’s crucial to think strategically rather than simply checking boxes to ensure you’re getting a certain number of people through your doors. The most effective approach ties events to your community’s identity—your branding, your message, your differentiators.
Ideally, you should know what you’re going to do for the next 12 months from an event (i.e., experience) series perspective. This doesn’t mean you can’t be flexible, but having that roadmap ensures your various series function as part of an integrated campaign aimed at meeting your goals.
Remember that quality always trumps quantity. Don’t focus on churning through as many visitors as possible. Today’s consumers expect you to treat them special. Having 12 people attend a memorable experience where they truly get to interact with your community is far more valuable than having 50 people show up for a generic presentation.
Meeting People Where They Are
Different prospects need different things based on where they are in their journey. The most effective approach is to segment your prospects beyond basic demographics. Look at personalized prospect experiences based on:
Their previous interactions with your community
Their specific interests and concerns
What would help them take the next step
A person who just learned about your community isn’t ready to talk about downsizing yet. A person who has toured multiple times and is considering a move might find a downsizing event immensely valuable. And this example shows that I am not saying to throw out all traditional sales events; they do have their place … for the right people, at the right point in their sales journey.
Tailoring experiences to match where people are in their process is key to conversion. For example, if you have prospects who have been in your database for nine months, have been on several tours, participate in your e-newsletter and join webinars, but still haven’t made that final commitment, you need to ask what will help them cross the finish line. What do they need to hear, see or feel? This is the perfect time for a truly creative experience.
Conclusion: Collaborate, Create Magic, Have Fun!
Working with clients to craft unique experiences is one of my favorite parts of my job. It’s just plain fun—we get to dream with our sales offices and celebrate all that’s best about the Life Plan Community experience. We focus on what really matters—building relationships with the prospects we’re all trying to serve.
I encourage you to pull in key people from your operations team and think creatively about your own version of special experiences that will get visitors doing things that interest and entertain them while rubbing elbows with residents. Don’t just tell them what it’s really like to live there … show them! If you need a sounding board, you can contact me at abrodie@loveandcompany.com. I’m happy to kick around ideas with you.
