Senior Living Marketing Perspectives: Utilizing Marketing Channels Creatively

Topics Discussed and Key Points:

• How to use trusted marketing channels more creatively today
• Attracting young talent into the senior living space for the long-term
• The case for providing training for emotional intelligence
• How to make employees feel welcome after the marketing campaign
• Minimizing your turnover rate

Episode Summary:

In today’s episode, Debbie speaks with John Gonzales, President of Haven Senior Living and Senior Vice President of Haven Senior Investments. With over 30 years of experience in the industry, John shares his experiences and perspectives on the state of today’s senior housing landscape and what operators should expect in the new normal.

“It’s a critical time in our industry right now,” says John. After a 10% drop in occupancy in 2020, it is only now that the numbers are finally leveling out across the board.

A lot of the issues can be solved with a change in messaging to ensure maximum health and safety for potential occupants and their adult children. The virtual tour is a powerful way to provide this assurance.

“If you have a strong presence online, they’ll find you. But when they do, you have to have the right message to attract those folks.”

Speaking on ways to bring in the newest generation of talent, John believes that employers need to think about creating “anchors” for employees that not only attract them into the industry, but also motivate them to commit to their work. For young talent, this means instilling a sense of purpose in what they do and encouraging relationship-building between staff and residents.

John asserts that marketing, sales, and operations need to be integrated, not just for attracting prospective residents, but for the purposes of recruitment as well. It is not enough, he says, to put together the “perfect” campaign and promote a great image of your facility. There needs to be actual follow-through that actualizes the welcoming environment projected by marketing and promised by sales.

Resources Mentioned:

Haven Senior Investments

Transcript