In this episode, Amanda Warren, VP of Marketing at Merrill Gardens, shares her journey about marketing for the senior living industry, and how her career evolved over more than 15 years at Merrill Gardens. Amanda discusses the changes in marketing strategies over the years, the unique challenges of marketing to seniors and their families, the integration of digital marketing, and the importance of consistency. She also highlights the critical role of trust and human connection in the sales process and provides insights into future trends as the boomer generation reaches the age for senior living.

00:00 Introduction to Amanda Warren

00:48 Amanda's Career Journey

01:26 Overview of Merrill Gardens

02:04 Marketing Strategies in Senior Living

02:38 Target Audiences in Senior Living

04:14 Digital Marketing in Senior Living

05:11 Sales and Marketing Collaboration

07:12 Consistent Marketing Practices

08:31 Future Challenges in Senior Living

11:57 Building Trust in Senior Living

15:47 Amanda's Advice for Her Younger Self

16:47 Conclusion and Farewell

Find out more from Amanda, check out:

https://www.merrillgardens.com/ 

https://www.linkedin.com/in/amanda-warren-3713598/ 

Links and Resources:

Lisa Wekellis on LinkedIn

Laura Szczes on LinkedIn

Double Z Media Website

Double Z Media on LinkedIn

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How, how did that work?

So I'm one of many who just landed in it. I worked there for a few years, loved it, but left to sort of grow my career and learn a new a new thing still industry related. Made my way back and I've been there. Yes. 13 years ever since.

[00:01:36] Amanda: I know, I mean, it's crazy to think about the, the 20 year span and so much has changed. I've seen it larger than it is today. I've seen it very, very small and everything in between. So right now we are at 62 locations, 16 states and really in that monthly, month to month rental market. So in the space there's people who do entrance fee or buy-ins, and then there's really the, the monthly model, which is our model.

But again, that marketing space has changed drastically for everyone, and certainly in the senior living industry as well over those 20 years.

[00:02:35] Amanda: Indeed.

[00:02:50] Amanda: Yes, exactly. Yes.

[00:02:54] Amanda: You know, it's it's an interesting thing because I think it, it very much depends on the location. So even though, you know, every location is doing similar senior living in some, form or function, each location has a very sort of niche. What is our target? What is our market, what is our value there?

If it's a newer building, it's gonna target more independent living. So that messaging is very much to those seniors themselves and lifestyle and choice and sort of vibrancy. If you are thinking memory care, right. You're really, you're talking to those adult children, those decision makers, and certainly healthcare professionals.

It's a message where. A lot is in the middle. So it's a little bit of trying to always speak to the prospective residents in a way that would make an adult child also feel really comfortable about that decision. So really, for the most part, it's resident first talking about their lifestyle and their choice and still really.

Growing and, and being a part of community. And then in most cases, adult children see that as a value as well. So you know, the adult children are worried about the safety and sort of that, that security and is mom gonna get what she needs? And then the, the senior though, , they want to still have a life and still have that, that choice.

So that balance is always there. Always at play.

[00:04:22] Amanda: So on the digital, it's really everything you would imagine. A lot of Google, a lot of the paid search. Facebook on the social side is still our target demographic. Instagram growing, but you know, if we're gonna choose one, it's still Facebook on that side. Retargeting ads at play display kind of playing around with performance Max, Google's new AI driven model.

So a lot in that space. You know, we have some communities who only do digital. And then we have some communities that do both. So we don't have any communities that don't do digital. So it really is digital first and then where needed or warranted. Supplementing with traditional, easy example, if we have a brand new development that's, you know, construction from the ground up there is a lot at play.

So we are certainly doing traditional from print or direct mail and then all the, those digital channels as well.

We've got, we need you to follow up. And so the, you know, it's just become such a, I used to think they were so different, but they're so. Much part of one big funnel and that we know that, but the fact that they didn't always talk and they, they have to talk now because otherwise we don't know what's working and what's not working.

If we can't measure where the leads are coming from, and you know what I mean? Once you get 'em into the CRM or whatever is going on with the salespeople, how does that work for you? Do you have to, you have to bridge that gap a lot.

They are both well deserved disciplines. It must work together, but they each now need to be their own

[00:06:33] Amanda: So in that, in that sense, I suppose we're a bit fortunate in that we're sort of, we're, we're piecing it back the other way, right? It didn't ever really start with the two silos.

It's almost like we're creating the silos,

[00:06:44] Amanda: that same joint. So it's, an interesting way to look at it and really fortunate, I think. Because of that you know, our, our team realizes that everything we do is great only so much as it really results in those, end results, those move-ins.

That's, really what the, the end of the day that return is. So we measure all of those traditional marketing analytics. We also pay very close attention to what is happening on those, those sales conversions as well.

[00:07:09] Lisa: we talked a little bit about how things have changed over the years, but what can you tell us about the, the pillars, the tried and true, consistent aspects of marketing that you've experienced?

So, you know, there's. There's often market factors that come into play or pandemics that come into play that sort of can cause some, some things to say do, do differently. And yet we, we did not make drastic shifts. Like we did not stop spending, we did not stop you marketing. So that, that's a perfect example where we find what works consistently.

And then yes, there's like some ups, you know, increases, decreases, but really other than the, the onset of digital advertising, which, you know, we're, gosh, we're about. 12, 10 to 12 years are really full on in that space. That's been the major shift other than that. And then now a little bit of, you know, what are we doing with ai?

How are we playing with that? How's that coming into place in marketing? But the core, those pillars, Lisa, that you said, those are really still true. Do the consistent thing and do it constantly to really keep that pipeline going for the sales teams.

[00:08:45] Amanda: Not yet, but it will in theory. So a couple things have come to play. Yes. You pointed to , the boomers, right? They're, they're finally at the age where people are moving in. So average age, give or take, really is, you know, depends on the community, but call it like mid eighties. And that does depend on the community.

So our boomer population is still a little young for that. The first boomers are just hitting that 80 mark. Some yes, but moving that direction. Now the other thing that's happened is that real estate development has really, really slowed down. It's hard to finance big construction projects these days, so there's not a lot of new development happening.

So the, the sort of the forecast is that that will come to sort of a, a turning point, right? So now there is enough. Inventory, if you will, for the people who are raising their hands today. But fast forward 12 months, 24 months, until that real estate pipeline can turn around, we will come to that point where there's just not enough inventory to meet their projected demand.

[00:09:53] Amanda: Yeah, I feel that too.

That's what it is. Okay.

[00:10:07] Laura: Exactly. That's true. Okay. There's always that to look forward to. Yay. All right. Okay.

[00:10:33] Amanda: Oh man. It is delightful and it's such a good point. You know, it's funny, we talk a lot about what, like even the product, right? The product of our senior living, what we have now is not what somebody who is, you know, 70 today, who's gonna move in in 15 years, what they would want or expect. So there's again, another one I know those clashes, right, those grow, that growing demand and like in like what people want is different than what a lot of communities were sort of originally planned for.

So there will be a lot of that shift happening here.

And is that happening? I don't know. You'll always.

There's a lot that is still happening with our, with our residents today. So that happening today and certainly will just grow and increase.

[00:12:04] Amanda: Yeah. You know, we have a lot of things going for us, which is excellent. So a family owned, operated company, fifth generation family. So the, the senior living component has been around for over 30 years. So those are things we really hang our hat on, right? Like that's hard to find. It's becoming more and more rare and, well, most industries, ours as well.

So those sort of, I guess cornerstones of like, here's who we are, here's how we were built from the ground up. Really play a big role. So that, I think adds to that credibility. , that's the branding component and then talking about that relationship with sales.

That's where that's built. Like, I, I, I listen and I'm gonna earn your trust, and I know that this is a long sales cycle. This is not like I come in and I make my decision. For most people it is a phone, an email, and then maybe I'm finally ready and then I'm gonna come in, and then I am gonna maybe bring my sister.

Her and then maybe we'll finally bring Mom together. Right. There's just a lot. So I think it's it's a willingness to have those ongoing sort of almost social work conversations on that sales side. It's a, it's a process that does not happen quickly and should not be taken lightly for sure.

[00:13:25] Amanda: Yeah. And I mean, you're having, you're having hard conversations either with, with the prospective resident themselves, right? Like, not none of us wanna wanna get old. None of us wanna leave a home that we've had forever or raise children in, or whatever the case might be. So it's a little bit of confronting that, acknowledging it, and that it's, it's okay.

And then helping people through that. And then they're, you know, they're adult kids too. If it's a case where maybe a a parent needs. Needs care, or needs memory care. There's, there's so much guilt and shame around that, which is so hard to just, again, you're building that trust by sitting with that person, acknowledging, educating, being that resource along the way.

So it's a, it's a delicate balance, I think, on that sales side to be the, you, you're, it's sales job and yet also such a human connection to get the, that that trust factor I think is huge.

[00:14:24] Amanda: It sounds great

But the point is. There was some so much simplicity in that, that I feel like some people are just better off that way. Like I'm, oh yeah, we'll go to the pool and then we'll get together for theater class and then we can, I mean, that's, I've been thinking about that since I, I remember eighth grade I was jealous of seniors like doing their morning walks when I had to go to school.

Like, so anyway, some of, some of us are,

[00:15:01] Laura: the trust is there.

But there's barriers in the way, right? I gotta sell my home and I gotta get rid

[00:15:25] Amanda: can I afford it? Like, just, there's a lot.

[00:15:31] Amanda: So there's a lot, there's a lot there that I think most people are very, it's just delighted when it's all said and done, but that in between is hard and it's hard to do.

[00:15:44] Lisa: Amanda, if you could go back in time and talk to yourself at the very beginning of your career, what's one piece of advice you would give?

[00:15:56] Laura: Oh.

[00:15:58] Lisa: thing that comes to mind? Yeah.

[00:16:21] Laura: I love that. Yeah, I could

[00:16:26] Laura: Yeah. Don't stress about like every choice because, and it's like, everything is a journey too, right? Like we're, if you go down this path, it's still, you know, you're, it's the journey, right? Yeah. It, other things open up, so, yeah.

[00:16:42] Laura: Yay. Well, thank you so much, Amanda, and I will, we will post Amanda's LinkedIn and her information on our podcast,

Description. So, thank you, Amanda.