WHAT'S GROWING ON

Design is a significant element of your digital marketing strategy. You want to design pieces (graphics, marketing materials, etc.) that attract and engage your users. Whether you are a veteran designer or design is one of the many hats you wear for your senior living community, with every design, you should ask yourself - Is it functional for your audience?

All of us have researched a new product or service, whether for personal use or business, so we know how powerful testimonials can be. After all, would you rather read a website where a company describes the benefits of their services or read real people’s firsthand accounts of their experience using the product or service?

If a picture is worth a thousand words, imagine how much a virtual experience is worth! In today's modern-day era of tech-savvy people, the customer experience will always come first. If you do some research, you will see that potential residents and their families are looking for easier ways to engage with your senior living community, especially amid the COVID-19 pandemic.

Everything you do is a reflection of your senior living community and your brand. The look, feel, and voice of all your marketing should be similar. Even the look and attitude of your community staff and the presentations you give should have a similar feel. Every impression counts!

Video and photo services capture your brand's identity, they tell your story visually, and they give your audience a personalized experience. And, since all the assets captured through these services are used, in some form or fashion, across all your channels and various designs throughout your digital efforts, it's no small task. But, these services are a vital part of your senior living digital strategy.

Take a moment to imagine with me...

Excitedly you slide open that sleek white box. You peel back the plastic cover to reveal what you’ve been looking forward to for the last six months. It’s the newest iPhone with the best camera yet. You quickly rush through setup tapping every “skip” button you can find. Finally, you’ve arrived! With a swift click the camera app opens, you snap your dog in the cutest pose you’ve ever seen. But wait... why is the picture so dark? The colors look dull? You didn’t even realize that the leftover bag of Cheetos and dirty laundry were not only on the floor but now in your picture!

We shop online, chat online, and surf online. The audience that you want to reach, I'm pretty sure, is online. So how do we reach them? There are many excellent tools we can use, and the sledgehammer is digital media.

Imagine only experiencing the Super Bowl as still photos. Admittedly, we would be more excited about the snacks (some already are) if the game wasn’t engaging us through, edge of your seat, play-by-play, fast and slow-motion video.

The evolution of marketing and technology over the years has been explosive and has no plans of slowing down. It was just a few years ago that social media started entering the marketing world, and today it is a basic fundamental practice to have a social media presence.

If you’re reading this, it likely means you want to be inspired. You are always looking for new ways to spark creativity. Maybe you are experiencing a creative block, or perhaps you’re just seeking some practices to stay inspired. Everyone has their own ways of staying inspired, but here are a few ways to add to your arsenal for creative fire starting. [Proceed with caution, because fire can be hard to put out!]