Handout from the 2013 Leading Age Conference, with links and insights for senior living professionals eager to optimze their online marketing program.

1. 
Seniors are Online— and Making Moves
In 2012, for first time, more than 1/2 of 65+ Americans were going online. As seniors become
more wired, senior living organizations become more focused on how they can use the Internet to
motivate prospects to move to their communities.
However the digital marketing landscape changes by the minute. There are more tools and
platforms and choices than ever before. Senior living marketers need to understand HOW and WHY
older adults use the web in their move journey so they can know WHEN and WHERE to focus their
efforts.
In this session, learn how you can improve the effectiveness of your digital sales and marketing
efforts, improve your occupancy and reduce your costs per lead.
© Creating Results, LLC 2013
LeadingAge | October 28, 2013
todd@CreatingResults.com — april@leadinsite.com — erin@CreatingResults.com
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2. 
More Seniors Online

In 2012, for first time, more than 1/2 of 65+ Americans using web

For older users, web still seen more as a tool and less as
TAKE AWAYS—ACTION ITEMS
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entertainment. Top online activities (per Pew Internet & American
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Life Project):
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Search
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Email
News
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Seeking out health information more popular with older users than
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youngers
Social, Silver Surfers

National study of 800+ Internet users over 40 (ebook at http://
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www.CreatingResults.com/SocialSilver2013)
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Update of 2010 research; offline intercept studies at locations
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attracting more affluent, more educated active adults; online polling
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Examine web and social media usage patterns, attitudes
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Stats on seniors online usage available for download at www.CreatingResults.com/FactsNotFads
© Creating Results, LLC 2013
LeadingAge | October 28, 2013
todd@CreatingResults.com — april@leadinsite.com — erin@CreatingResults.com
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3. 
Web
TAKE AWAYS—ACTION ITEMS
Categories of Websites Visited

Lifestage strongly influences where people spend time on the web
CATEGORY
MORE POPULAR WITH
Research, Reference
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 Leading Edge Boomers, 65+
seniors
Health, Medical, Wellness
81% of 40-54 year olds (vs 57%
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 Those aged 55+
Weather
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of 75+)
Travel
Those aged 65-74
Shopping
Those under 65 (but it is still a
top category for those over 65,
as well)
News
Those aged 65-74
Web & Move Decisions

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Use of Online Directories in a move journey by Leading Edge
Boomers, 75+ has increased since 2010
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Use of Community Websites by Silent Generation and 75+ has
decreased since 2010
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© Creating Results, LLC 2013
LeadingAge | October 28, 2013
todd@CreatingResults.com — april@leadinsite.com — erin@CreatingResults.com
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4. 
Web & Move Decisions
(cont)

TAKE AWAYS—ACTION ITEMS
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For marketing senior living, see diminishing ROI with Social Media,
Craigslist and Realtor Websites as respondent age increases

1 in 4 mature movers said they visited a community’s site more
than 6 times before they moved there
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Actions taken on Community Websites:

Most users Print Information, (nearly 7 out of 10 of all
respondents) Fill Out Forms (just over 1/2 of all
respondents), Use Internal Search (1/2 of respondents)

Fewest users Share Information with a Friend, or Like/
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Follow/Pin

An increasing number of mature movers have rejected a
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community based solely on its website
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© Creating Results, LLC 2013
LeadingAge | October 28, 2013
todd@CreatingResults.com — april@leadinsite.com — erin@CreatingResults.com
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5. 
Top Housing Website “Pet
Peeves”

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All Ages

Requires registration to get information

Don’t say price

Outdated info


TAKE AWAYS—ACTION ITEMS
Slow site
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Older Age Groups

Hard to navigate the site (50% of Silent Generation vs.
22% of all ages)
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Incomplete or illegible floor plans (60% of Silent
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Generation vs. 31% of all ages)
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Favorite Features

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Top features from 2010 research remain popular with all ages

Printer Friendly Pages

Internal Search Tools

Easy Navigation
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© Creating Results, LLC 2013
LeadingAge | October 28, 2013
todd@CreatingResults.com — april@leadinsite.com — erin@CreatingResults.com
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6. 
Online Leads Do Not
Behave Like Other Leads
TAKE AWAYS—ACTION ITEMS
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© Creating Results, LLC 2013
LeadingAge | October 28, 2013
todd@CreatingResults.com — april@leadinsite.com — erin@CreatingResults.com
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7. 
Online Leads Self Qualify
for Your Community
TAKE AWAYS—ACTION ITEMS
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© Creating Results, LLC 2013
LeadingAge | October 28, 2013
todd@CreatingResults.com — april@leadinsite.com — erin@CreatingResults.com
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8. 
Case Study: Willow Valley

Self-Qualification Analysis
TAKE AWAYS—ACTION ITEMS
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
Isolate digital footprint

Examine every web interaction

Color code content area

Compare to CRM (Customer Relationship Management
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database)
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Re-engage with Win-Ready Lead
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Color Coded Content
Mix Shifts by Month

Month 1: Lead creation & initial exploration

Month 2: Heavy interest in fees and housing

Month 3: Interest shifts to Care & Lifestyle

Month 4: Early validation

Month 5: Close
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© Creating Results, LLC 2013
LeadingAge | October 28, 2013
todd@CreatingResults.com — april@leadinsite.com — erin@CreatingResults.com
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9. 
Online Leads are Great
Leads!

TAKE AWAYS—ACTION ITEMS
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“I’m not interested” often means “I’m not ready to talk with you
yet.”
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
Inactive leads are just not visible to you.

Develop strategies to create Win-Ready leads.

Track and measure everything!
Self-Qualification Process
Accelerate Closures

Behavioral analytics and a systematic focus are needed

“My leads find me to be more sincere and helpful. It doesn’t feel
like a ‘sales’ call because I can be more personalized in my
approach. They can tell the difference.” - Sales counselor
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© Creating Results, LLC 2013
LeadingAge | October 28, 2013
todd@CreatingResults.com — april@leadinsite.com — erin@CreatingResults.com
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10. 
Social Media
TAKE AWAYS—ACTION ITEMS
Use of Social by Older Age Groups

Still not used a high percentage of seniors but we are seeing
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exciting growth and opportunities
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More than just Facebook
More than 200 well-known networks, hundreds more small ones
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“Social Media Revolution 4” http://www.youtube.com/watch?
v=QUCfFcchw1w
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Social sharing tools important—Those most commonly used by 40+:

Email a friend (77% of all ages)

YouTube (72%)

Comments (56%)
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Reported use of User Reviews and Comments by all ages increased
since 2010
Youngest age group most fond of comments
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Oldest age group strongly favors Email
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© Creating Results, LLC 2013
LeadingAge | October 28, 2013
todd@CreatingResults.com — april@leadinsite.com — erin@CreatingResults.com
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11. 
Social Media
TAKE AWAYS—ACTION ITEMS
Level of Social Networking Activity
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Use by active aging adults on the rise, BUT
Nearly 1/3 of our 65+ respondents and nearly 1/2 of our 75+
respondents aren’t using social at all (in line with other national
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research)
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Top Online Social Networks for Seniors
Facebook. (89% of all ages of survey respondents)
The older the respondent, the more likely to see email as a social
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network
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© Creating Results, LLC 2013
LeadingAge | October 28, 2013
todd@CreatingResults.com — april@leadinsite.com — erin@CreatingResults.com
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12. 
Why Marketers Use Social
#1: Increase awareness / Generate Leads
TAKE AWAYS—ACTION ITEMS
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
Branding, name recognition

Lift and substitute for traditional advertising

Drive traffic

Drive web traffic
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Other benefits:

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Listen/learn
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Improve relationships with stakeholders

Find vendors, sources, partners
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Monitor, recruit, provide customer service
Find inspiration
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Why Seniors Use Social
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To Connect with Offline Networks of Family/Friends
NOT to Connect with Brands
Q: Do you want to be a brand’s friend/follower/fan?
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The older the social networker, the more likely they are to say
“no” to online social engagement with a brand.
© Creating Results, LLC 2013
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LeadingAge | October 28, 2013
todd@CreatingResults.com — april@leadinsite.com — erin@CreatingResults.com
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13. 
Social Media Engagement
Challenges:
Desire to keep social media social (not commercial + Concerns
TAKE AWAYS—ACTION ITEMS
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about privacy, intrusiveness = lack of interest in engaging with brands
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on these platforms
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Opportunities:
Increase in number of older people trying social out of curiosity, or
because of a friend’s invitation = hope for marketers
How To Lead Folks to “Follow”:
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Keep expectations realistic
Keep in mind the audience frustration with time consumed by social
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media and aversion to “selly-sell” messaging
Demonstrate the value of engaging socially — from the user’s
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perspective
Address privacy/security fears
Don’t be too salesy—content should be thoughtful, relevant, useful
Integrate social opportunities into all parts of your digital plan (and
offline vehicles, where possible)
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© Creating Results, LLC 2013
LeadingAge | October 28, 2013
todd@CreatingResults.com — april@leadinsite.com — erin@CreatingResults.com
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14. 
About Your Presenters:
Todd Harff - Creating Results
Todd@creatingresults.com
Todd Harff leads a talented team of marketing, public relations and advertising professionals that has
marketed 106 age-qualified communities in 15 states during the last 20 years. NAHB’s University of
Housing hired Todd to develop the day-long course: “Marketing to Active Adults.” Creating Results' clients
have been honored with dozens of awards from the National 50+ Housing Council, the National Sales and
Marketing Council and Mature Media awards.
Creating Results conducts research to better understand and influence mature consumers. Todd & Erin’s
insights have been featured in Brand Week, Ad Age, Marketing Charts, The Wall Street Journal and
Marketing Sherpa. He also shares his thoughts through the agency’s blog,
www.MatureMarketingMatters.com. Todd has contributed to Sales and Marketing News, 50+ Magazine,
Selling to Seniors, Housing to Seniors, 50+ Housing News, Nation's Building News, Active Aging and has
spoken at Leading Age national and state annual meetings, International Council on Active Aging, Building
for Boomers, Boomers and Beyond and other national conferences.
April LaMon - Lead InSite
April@leadinsite.com
April has serious marketing chops bringing experience honed with blue chip companies like Kraft, Pepsi and
Armstrong. In addition, she formed her own strategic marketing shop consulting with a wide array of
clients, including in the senior living space. Having worked with senior living organizations on branding and
marketing, she noticed that the not-for-profit sector lacked some of the critical marketing metrics that she
had relied on to make sound marketing decisions. This led her to co-found Lead InSite which provides
senior living organizations with data on how their prospects are interacting with their websites and how
they can capture more leads. April enjoys applying sound strategic thinking, savvy marketing skills, creative
insights and pragmatic style to help LeadingAge members become more successful.
Erin Read - Creating Results
Erin@creatingresults.com
Erin Read (Ruddick) researches, writes and speaks to regional, national and international audiences about
seniors and digital marketing. At Creating Results, Erin spearheads PR and digital marketing (web, email
and social media marketing) for clients in senior living and other industries. She leads the digital efforts for
North Hill senior living among other clients. The North Hill online marketing strategy won the Gold Best
of 50+ Housing award and the Platinum Generations Award in 2013; its website won two additional Gold
Generations Awards for excellence in design and overall functionality. Erin is the principal blogger for
MatureMarketingMatters.com; find her on Twitter @CreatingResults.
© Creating Results, LLC 2013
LeadingAge | October 28, 2013
todd@CreatingResults.com — april@leadinsite.com — erin@CreatingResults.com
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