Do you know your audience? I mean really know your audience? If the answer is “yes,” does your email campaign strategy reflect that knowledge?
As an industry, senior living is all over the map in terms of digital marketing and the use of email campaigns.While more and more providers are adopting content marketing, email continues to be a struggle.
We know the adult child tends to comprise the majority of our audience. A smaller percentage is the senior themselves.
But beyond that persona, what do you take in to consideration when you are sending out email campaigns?
Some senior living providers blast the same emails to every. single. lead.
Others have a finely tuned strategy and send targeted emails to specific segments of their audience.
It makes a difference.
That difference boils down to helpful information that a busy family caregiver might put to use and annoying spam cluttering up their Inbox.
Valuable Senior Living Email Vs. Junk
At SCCS, we rarely receive any emails we find valuable. Just this morning in my personal company email I found several messages from people who had likely pulled my email address from LinkedIn. A couple were just a waste of my time.
One in particular was just ridiculous.
They called themselves a “web traffic generating company.” The personalized email from a chap on their marketing team informed me that “leading websites in your industry should be receiving 250,000 unique visitors a day.”
Seriously. Does that work for anyone? Do they really have companies who bite?
I’m gonna go out on a limb and say… no.
If they had even reviewed our website, they could probably guess we are a niche industry. Ain’t no way 250,000 providers a month would visit our site let alone a day.
So what is my point you ask?
Targeting Senior Living Email Messages
In a nutshell, I’m encouraging you to make sure you know your audience AND that you are sending them targeted emails.
If, for example, an inquiry initially came to you through a dementia-related channel. How helpful do you think they will find an email touting the benefits of independent living villas and an open house invitation?
The reverse is also true.
If a couple is considering moving to a villa, is sending them an email campaign explaining the details of your dining program for people with Alzheimer’s a good idea? While active seniors contemplating a move to a continuing care community like the peace of mind knowing those options are available provides, they don’t really want to have to consider it in terms of their own health.
Think of how we tour communities. Do we take healthy, active prospective residents through a hospice wing or memory care? Or take a family looking for memory care through an independent villa?
Not likely. Because we know our audience.
The moral of the story?
Take time to apply your offline knowledge to your online strategies. There are email platforms for all budgets that make all of this easier. And if you need help creating custom messages, shoot us a note. While we have a waiting list for our blog subscription services, we do have some availability for special projects.