The country and the world as a whole are facing uncertain times with the rise of the COVID-19 pandemic. Vulnerable populations, especially senior citizens, are seeking ways to stay safe and healthy with the invisible dangers surrounding them. As a result, senior living communities and assisted living facilities face difficult business challenges in terms of getting new residents through their doors. However, with smart changes to your assisted living facility marketing strategy, you can navigate these troubled times and end up stronger on the other side.
Update Messaging On Your Website
Your assisted living facility website is the face of your community, and most potential residents and their families will go there before they ever pick up a phone to give you a call. Most importantly during a time like this, you’ll want to update your messaging to show that not only are you aware of the dangers of coronavirus, but that you’re taking action to ensure that no residents are exposed to the virus. Your blog is a great platform for this, and creating a special page to discuss the measures being taken in your community will help residents and their loved ones feel safe in your hands. More than just generating leads and creating a return on your investment, marketing lets your audience know that you care.
Letting your audience know that you’re conscious of the pandemic and taking precautions to care for your residence builds trust with your senior living brand. Even if business is slow in the coming days, weeks, and months, you’ll be better positioned for business after the COVID-19 hysteria subsides.
Social Media Marketing for Assisted Living During COVID-19
Along with your website, social media will be a great platform for staying in touch with concerned family members of residents at your assisted living facility. Staying on top of these channels of communication will be pivotal for elevating your brand. Family members will undoubtedly be watching closely. Positive interactions are sure to elevate your brand, while negative interactions can lead to a public relations problem. With this in mind, it’s important to ensure that you’re taking a hands-on approach to managing communication through social networks.
If you’re working with a marketing agency for reputation management, make sure you’re working closely with them to navigate social media through this period of time. If you’re doubtful about how your agency is handling things, it may be time to consider a new provider for this service.
Optimize Your Assisted Living PPC Campaign
Though you may not get the same return on investment in terms of new residents for a PPC campaign during the COVID-19 outbreak, you can take advantage of this period of time while your competitors are reducing or eliminating pay-per-click budgets. Keeping your senior living PPC campaigns up and running will help you achieve greater efficiencies as search users continue to engage with your ads, boosting quality score and lowering the amount you need to bid to achieve higher ad rank. While it may not necessarily translate to booming business during troubled times, you will be much better positioned for great success when concerns subside.
While competitors are pulling back, putting your best foot forward will give you a great advantage. Mirroring their decisions may make sense in some respects, but overall, doubling down on your efforts while others are shying away will be the better strategy in the long run.
Work With Experienced Assisted Living Facility Marketing Consultants
Dreamscape Marketing has helped to guide clients through troubled economic times more than once in its 15-year history. Given our experience, we know how to strategize around these scenarios and navigate smoothly through them. If you’re not satisfied with your current agency, or want more information on how to better handle your assisted living marketing strategy, contact us online or give us a call at 888.307.7304 to get the conversation started today.