Senior Marketing Expert Donna Hahn Explains Senior Living Public Relations and Marketing

July 24, 2015 - Senior Living Housing is a competitive market and marketing professionals need to constantly position their community as different and above the rest. How do you showcase your senior living community through effective PR and marketing? Here are 5 great tips from Senior Marketing Expert Donna Hahn, to incorporate into your senior living public relations and marketing strategy.

1. Use holidays for event marketing - Holiday events are a great way to gain PR for your senior living facility by putting a twist on an event you might have been planning anyway. Or consider adding new events to your calendar like Grandparents Day coming up in September. Give yourself enough time to plan it well. A one-day successful event can generate positive PR for months and help demonstrate the benefits of your community, provide content for your social media strategy and build your contact list.

2. Capture emails and build a database - Anyone you meet or talk to should be in your database. Make sure phone calls capture email addresses and update what you have on file. Make sure your website has an opt-in to receive email communications. Consider everyone a lead. Just because they don't have a need right now doesn't mean they won't in the future. Email marketing is the perfect opportunity to build a relationship that can pay long-term dividends. Send personal emails with links to topics of interest and feature what is new at your community like a new chef, clubs and events.

3. Create community events - Partner with other service providers such as police departments, firefighters, healthcare providers, nutritionists, physical therapists, etc., and put on a senior living event in your community. Offer staff as speakers to other events in your community (Chamber of Commerce, churches and the like). Consider offering your location to groups in your community to meet every month. Volunteer the community chapel to a prayer group or invite a local school to put on a performance around the holidays. It's a great opportunity for PR and will increase awareness for your community among the general public.

4. Photography - Take photos and video of everything; amateur photos and videos are okay. By having an extensive visual library you have plenty of material for social media, your website, newsletters and even media pitches.

5. Highlight Your Residents - Your residents have lived long and interesting lives. Some may have experienced special circumstances or had unique careers. Those stories can be great PR opportunities for your senior living facility while at the same time honoring a featured resident. As an example, a La Costa Glen Carlsbad resident was one of the world's first female aviators during World War II. Through Hahn Communications' media outreach, the story was covered by the San Diego Union-Tribune, resulting in a wonderful article honoring her life and featuring the senior living community.

Think through the unique aspects of your community and find ways to highlight them by using some of these tips. If you need help with your senior living communications and marketing, please contact Donna Hahn with Hahn Communications at donna@hahnmarketing.com.