How Senior Living Marketers Can Leverage Adult Children Influencers During the Holidays
With the crisp autumn days upon us,
we know that senior living sales leads tend to slow down in Q4. Families don’t want to move during the holidays and many will put off the decision until after New Year’s Day.
But this holiday season is a huge opportunity for senior living marketers to make an impact. As families gather, it’s a time when adult children may realize how unsafe their parents’ home is for aging in place. Senior living communities can act as a guide through these conversations, building your brand before the research and selection process even begins, which will give your sales team a huge advantage when families are ready to make a decision.
Now is the time for senior living communities to strategically develop and promote content that encourages families to discuss housing options with their aging parents.
In the following article, we outline innovative marketing solutions for senior living communities—specifically, how you can build relationships with adult children influencers by providing information about discussing senior living with their parents.
How to Broach the Conversation of Senior Living
It’s important for senior living marketers to equip adult children with the tools they need to have the hard conversation with their aging parent. These tools can include how-to PDF guides, practice conversations, or videos with tips on starting the conversation, which you can promote on social media.
The holiday season is a time of togetherness, joy, and cherished moments with loved ones. It’s also an opportune time for adult children influencers and their senior parents to engage in meaningful discussions about transitioning to senior living communities. Initiating this conversation can be a sensitive process. Here are a few tips that can make it more effective and compassionate.
Finding the Right Moment
Timing is essential when broaching the subject of senior living. To start the conversation effectively:
- Choose the right time. Choose the right time. Look for a moment when everyone involved is present and not distracted by other holiday activities. After a shared meal or during a quiet evening can be ideal.
- Select a comfortable environment. Ensure your senior parent feels at ease. Their comfort will help foster a more open and productive conversation. Consider how sitting comfortably in the living room would be more conducive to a conversation versus when everyone is cleaning up from dinner. Keep the group small; you don’t want to make them feel ganged up on. Having the grandkids or extended family around might make your senior parent hesitant to admit to health or safety issues they may be experiencing.
Approach with Empathy and Sensitivity
The conversation should be approached with empathy and sensitivity. Acknowledge that discussing senior living can be a sensitive topic for your senior parent. Here’s how to do it:
- Listen actively. Begin by asking open-ended questions and actively listening to your senior parent’s concerns, fears, and desires. Show that you genuinely care about their feelings and preferences. Ask why they may be hesitant to make a move, so you know what barriers you’ll need to overcome. And be sure to ask about what your parent may desire in their next home. If you can help your parent imagine the lifestyle that senior living communities offer, then they may be more open to exploring options.
- Share your concerns. Gently express your own concerns and reasons for wanting to discuss senior living. Be sure to come from a place of love, not from wanting to hinder their independence. You might point out how their current home may be keeping them from staying as active as they wish. Let your senior parent know that you’re not pushing an agenda but seeking the best possible outcome for their well-being.
Provide Information
Before you initiate the conversation, arm yourself with information about senior living communities. Being well-informed will help you answer questions and address concerns effectively. Here’s how:
- Gather resources. Collect brochures, websites, or printed materials from reputable senior living communities that can help your senior parent understand what’s available.
- Highlight the positives. Emphasize how senior living can enhance their quality of life by offering companionship, safety, and access to healthcare services. Talk to sales team members of area communities to understand the amenities and activities that might intrigue your parent. Many communities will connect you with resident ambassadors so you can get a firsthand account of living in that community.
How to put this information in front of adult children influencers.
So, how can senior living marketers encourage these open and empathetic conversations between adult children and their aging parent? There are many methods of utilizing this content and messaging strategy to your community’s advantage:
- Create a dedicated landing page. Consider creating an educational landing page on your website that is tailored toward the adult child influencer. This is the landing page all advertising and social media content could drive to throughout your holiday campaign. The content should position your community as a trusted resource for helping families facilitate these hard conversations. You could include a printable conversation guide with frequently asked questions as well as a brochure about your specific community. Consider adding a video component that includes tips for starting the conversation. Don’t forget to include CTAs to capture prospect information.
- Host an informal informational event. Hold a low-key coffee or lunch workshop for adult children that offers these tips for talking to their parents about senior living. Let them practice with your sales team members or even with each other. Or, just practice active listening yourselves by listening to the prospects’ concerns about talking to their parents. You’ll not only build a relationship with the influencer but also may learn more about what it will take to close a sale with their senior parent.
- Host an online webinar series tailored to the adult child. Focus on topics relevant to the adult children, starting with initiating the conversation as well as senior care planning, financial considerations, legal aspects, and the benefits of senior living. Provide actionable insights and solutions during these sessions to keep prospects moving through the sales funnel.
- Social media engagement. Utilize your social media channels to promote these resources. Posts can drive to the landing page and registration for in-person events or webinars. Exciting videos could share quick tips or explanations about the options for adult children who may be completely new to the idea of senior living.
- Email marketing. Ensure your database allows you to segment prospects by adult children influencers so you can tailor email messages specific to them. Consider a series about having these conversations during holiday gatherings, and financial implications families should consider going into the new year.
- Online advertising. Based on your budget, consider Google Ads, social media advertising, influencer marketing, or other paid media opportunities to get this message out. Tailor messaging to the adult children and lead all paid placements to your custom landing page.
Ultimately, we hope this article inspires your sales and marketing teams to double down during the holiday season. If you would like a custom campaign created for your community, we’d love to chat. AcrobatAnt is a results-oriented agency specializing in senior living marketing strategies. We offer creative solutions that inspire your audiences to action.
