Marketing to Family Members- Part 1

November 5, 2018

This month, we’d like to concentrate on the importance of the upcoming holidays.

No time of year is more important than RIGHT NOW to be marketing to family members as they begin arriving to visit mom and dad for the holidays. Just take a look at this statistic – 50 percent of inquiries in rental independent living and 30 percent of inquiries in CCRC/ Life Plan independent living originate with family.(2018 Argentum) In fact, one of the busiest days in Life Plan and Rental communities is the day after Thanksgiving. 

Involving the family can be a mixed blessing for senior housing executives. On one hand, they can be extremely beneficial in aiding mom and dad in this big decision – from navigating the terms and choosing the living arrangements to confirming this is the right decision. On the other hand, they can complicate matters by nitpicking the contract or having a sibling show up last minute with a completely new set of concerns. That’s why early conversation including all children can reduce these conflicts.

In your initial discovery process, it’s important to learn the dynamics of all parties involved in the decision. One child can be a caregiver (they will want to dig deeply into all aspects of your medical services); another child can be a financial planner (be prepared for a thorough assessment of your residency agreement).

The key need for family members is transparency. Be clear and open about your pricing, amenities and care levels so all family members are comfortable with the decision.

When setting-up a tour over the upcoming holidays always remember to say “We’d love to have your kids join us!!”

More to come this month on Marketing to Family Members….

Is your community in need of some helpful Sales Training?