The senior living industry has experienced a dynamic shift. Driven by evolving demographics, changing consumer preferences, and even higher demand, senior living communities that want to stay on top should start planning for next year, now. By devising strategic marketing budgets that reflect current trends and challenges, communities can successfully allocate budgets that help them meet marketing objectives, meet the demands of the market, and sustainably grow their communities.
Below are 10 steps your team can use to forecast, plan, and execute your marketing budget ahead of time.
Step 1: Assess Your Current Performance and Marketing Goals
Before you define your Senior Living Marketing Budget, evaluate your community’s current marketing performance and set clear goals for 2024. By having a clear picture of where you stand and where you want to be, you’ll be able to insert the missing pieces. In addition, a well-defined assessment of your status and goals will allow you to budget with realistic benchmarks. On this point, understand where you are in your community’s life cycle: are you new and need to generate lots of leads or mostly occupied and need a maintenance effort? Determining where you are on this continuum will play into your budget considerations.
Step 2: Identify Your Target Audience
First and foremost, know who you’re targeting. Identify the demographics, interests, and needs of your ideal residents to tailor your marketing efforts to their desires. A well-defined target audience ensures focused marketing efforts which will improve lead quality.
Step 3: Determine Which Marketing Channels Are Most Effective
Choosing the right marketing channels to reach your target audience, means using both online and offline strategies. Proper channel selection boosts visibility and attracts potential residents in the most efficient manner possible.
Step 4: Set Your Marketing Mix
Decide on your marketing mix, encompassing both inbound and outbound strategies, in line with your target audience and goals. A balanced marketing mix will reach potential residents at various decision-making stages, leading to increased leads and, ultimately, higher occupancy.
Step 5: Lean On Content Creation
Quality content is central to an effective Senior Living Marketing Budget. Dedicate a part of your budget to creating valuable content that showcases your community’s services, values, and unique selling points. With high-quality content you’ll attract information-seeking residents, leading to stronger relationships and more informed purchasers.
Step 6: Plan Events That Matter
Events can be a powerful marketing tool to add to your Senior Living Marketing Budget. Allocate budgets for event planning, promotion, and execution, be it in-person or virtual. When done well, events create real excitement by letting potential residents experience your community firsthand.
Step 7: Invest in Online Advertising
Allocate funds for online advertising, including pay-per-click (PPC) campaigns and social media ads to stand out in the competitive senior living market. Combined with an effective website and landing pages, you’ll have a winning formula.
Step 8: Budget for Search Engine Optimization (SEO)
Invest in ongoing SEO efforts to improve your community’s visibility in search engine results; especially for local residents. This will generate more organic website traffic, resulting in higher-quality leads.
Step 9: Track and Analyze Every Effort
Allocate part of your Senior Living Marketing Budget for marketing analytics tools and the expertise that will guide you to success. By closely monitoring campaigns, you can make data-driven decisions and optimizations. Remember what gets measured matters.
Step 10: Be Flexible and Open to Adjustments
Flexibility is crucial. Be prepared to adjust your budget based on what’s working and what isn’t throughout the year. A flexible budget allows you to adapt quickly to changes and optimize your strategies for maximum lead generation and occupancy.
Planning your Senior Living Marketing Budget for 2024 is a strategic process that should be carefully thought out. By aligning your budget with your community’s goals and audience needs, you’ll create a roadmap that drives success in the coming year. Finally, remember to plan, bring in the right team members, and find a reliable marketing partner to do the heavy lifting.
When you’re ready, reach out to our team for a free assessment and we’ll help you reach your occupancy goals in 2024 and beyond! Contact us online or call us at 303.499.9291.
