Consumers In Control. Building Relationships in a Digital World

Mary Beth Fritz, Greystone CommunitiesJanel Wait, GlynnDevins, Advertising Services

Randy Eilts, GlynnDevins, Advertising Services

2009 AAHSAAnnual Conference

1

Consumers in Control.Building Relationships in a Digital World.

2

Today we’ll cover:

‣ The digital fundamentals

‣ Digital media opportunities

‣ Social networking

3

‣ Digital is changing how senior living communities communicate with prospects and provides powerfulopportunities for building relationships.

‣ Users gather information and engage via the web before they call, email, fill out a form or visit your community

4

Latest PEW Data:

‣ Are Seniors Online?

‣ 78% of those 50-55‣ 71% of those 55-59‣ 62% of those 60-64‣ 56% of those 65-69‣ 45% of those 70-74 (up 25% since 2005)

‣ 27% of those 75+

Source: Pew Internet and American Life Project, Generations Online, 2009

5

Video Component.Please View in Corresponding QuickTime File.

6

The Digital Fundamentals

7

Digital Fundamentals

1. First Impressions.

‣ Your web site is often the first impression a prospect or adult child will have of your community. Bring your community to life so prospects are intrigued enough to want to come and visit your community.

8


2. Web sites are living, breathing organisms.

‣ It is incredibly important to feed your site with new content, promotions and any other content, photos or graphics that might be appealing to your web site visitors. The days of building a web site and leaving it on the shelf are over.

9

How Do People Find You Now?

90%

10%

Other Internet

2005 Sample Community Lead Sources

‣ Advertising-Placement‣ Networking/Events‣ Direct Mail‣ Referrals‣ Signage/Drive-by/Other‣ Internet

10

How Do People Find You Now?

77%23%

Other Internet

2009 Sample Community Lead Sources

3. Make sure your site converts.

‣ Our communities experience approximately 23% of initial inquiries via the web.

‣ Incorporate promotional call-outs, forms for prospects to provide information, easy-to-find phone numbers and more.

11

12


4. Optimize your site for search engines.

‣ Incorporate appropriate keywords, include title tags and more. Smart, natural optimization will put you on top of search engines’ lists.

‣ Help people who don’t know you find you easily!

13


5. Readability. Usability. Functionality.

‣ This goes without saying for the industry we are in, but be sure to optimize your web site for the 65+ prospect. Increase the text size, choose colors that work well together, include simple navigation.

14


6. Interactivity is key.

‣ Include interesting, sticky interactive components to your web site to encourage users to spend more time on your site.

‣ Include calls to action to these interactive components in your offline materials. Don’t just list your URL.

15


7. Start a conversation.

‣ Be sure to capture email addresses in simple forms on your web site.

‣ Seniors use email, and mining a substantial email database will allow you to cost-efficiently sell, build relationships and provide information about your community via email in the future.

16


8. Social Media.

‣ Start incorporating social networking principles into your web site. Start by adding a blog to your site, giving users a way to interact with you and/or your unique residents. Maybe even post a video on YouTube.

17


9. Speaking of video.

‣ Don’t miss the chance to add video to your site.

‣ User-generated content is really changing the way video is perceived on the web.

18


10. Testimonials are powerful.

‣ Promote video or text testimonials with residents, adult children, caregivers, the executive director and anyone else who helps make your community shine!

19


11. Analytics.

‣ The beauty of the web is that everything is measurable and can be easily updated for better results!

NEED GD INDEX

20

Sample Index

GlynnDevins Digital Index

NEED GD INDEX

21


10. Analytics.

‣ Set Goals

‣ Track Them

‣ Optimize Site

22

Digital Media Opportunities

23


1. Develop your email list

2. Send e-newsletters

3. Develop an editorial calendar

24


1. Behavioral Targeting

A. User visits the health section of a news web site

25


B. User searches: Senior CareCommunities

C. User seeks out Senior-related Health Information

on multiple research sites

26


D. After seeing this user across multiple different data points, behavioral targeting ad networks can serve up an ad specific to the user based on their preferences.

27

Social Networking

28


29

Social Networking Arena

30

Social Media

Virtualization powered by Spiral16 Software

1. Why Social Media?

‣ Increase awareness about a community/sponsor

‣ Tell a community’s

story through the voice of leadership, staff, residents and others

‣ Educate the public about benefits and experienceof living in a senior living community

‣ Facilitate a forum where people unfamiliar with senior living can learn from others

31

Social Media

Top techniques to be successful

‣ Keep content fresh and timely

‣ Remember content should be transparent; don’t come across with “marketing speak”

‣ Share thoughts, and ideas; promote

‣ Encourage conversation; be flexible

‣ Tell stories; use pictures and video

Virtualization powered by Spiral16 Software

32


33

User-Generated Content

34

Public Relations Opportunities

35

Online Communities

36

Social Media Outlets

1. Flickr

37


1. Flickr

38


1. Flickr

2. Twitter

39


1. Flickr

2. Twitter

40


1. Flickr

2. Twitter

41


1. Flickr

2. Twitter

42


1. Flickr

2. Twitter

3. Linked In

43


1. Flickr

2. Twitter

3. Linked In

44


1. Flickr

2. Twitter

3. Linked In

4. YouTube


45


1. Flickr

2. Twitter

3. Linked In

4. YouTube


46


1. Flickr

2. Twitter

3. Linked In

4. YouTube


47

Great. So now what?

48

Thank You.

49

Mary Beth Fritz, Greystone CommunitiesJanel Wait, GlynnDevins, Advertising ServicesJanel Wait, GlynnDevins, Advertising Services

2009 AAHSAAnnual Conference

50

Business

Consumers In Control. Building Relationships in a Digital World