It’s been a while since we’ve talked about voice and how it connects with the families who make up the senior living audience.
But it’s a topic that’s come up in phone calls with prospective clients a several times over the last few weeks.
We’ve talked with marketing teams who are parting ways with writers and agencies because they just can’t get “it” right.
So what is the right voice for a senior living audience and why is it so tough to create content that connects?
Here’s a little insight we think you’ll find useful.
Mastering Voice in Senior Living Content
Think about the senior living personas you hopefully created for your writers.
Have you shared those with your agency or freelance writer? Sure, in a perfect world they would understand those already.
But most agencies don’t have people with industry experience on their teams, especially content writers.
So you’ll need to educate them on who your audience really is…
- A retired couple searching for a CCRC together
- A spouse looking for dementia care for his/her partner
- An adult child who is encouraging a parent(s) to make a move
- An adult child who can no longer care for a parent with dementia
- A professional referral source trying to get to know the area’s resources
Whatever your primary and secondary personas are, take time to help the writing team you hire better understand them.
The Nuances of Senior Living Voice
Next comes the really hard part….
Writing with a voice that connects to seniors or their adult children or both.
What does that voice sound like? At a minimum it should be:
- Empathetic and kind
- Confident and calm
- Educational
You want them to see you as an expert and your community as a solution.
It’s tough to say encourage the writer to put themselves in the senior or their adult child’s shoes, because it’s just not that easy.
If you haven’t been through the process before, especially with someone you love, that statement likely rings hollow.
A better option might be to have them spend some time shadowing your marketing team. Tour the community. Get to know what we do and how we help.
Have them talk with a few new residents, as well as some long timers. And family members, too.
Listening to the pain points and resolutions moving to senior living provided is a great way to learn about our industry.
Hopefully, that will help the writer you hire find a voice that connects with your senior living audience.
Drop us a note if you have any questions or are interested in working with a team that has already mastered voice and audience….ours!
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