In today’s digital world, senior living communities are always on the lookout for new ways to connect with their audience. Enter AgeTech solutions that are designed to support and augment the experience within your senior living community.
However, before you can chase the shiniest new object of innovation, senior living operators must embrace the foundations necessary to be successful when bringing in a new technology solution for sales, marketing, HR, or operations.
In this article, we will cover:
- Hierarchy of needs for implementing AgeTech
- Best practices for implementing the newest bells and whistles for your senior living marketing strategy
- Technology solutions ideas for your sales and marketing strategy
- Automation and AI tips to supercharge your email strategy
ThinkTank 2023’s Hierarchy of Needs for Implementing AgeTech
In Think Tank 2023’s small group on AgeTech solutions, a small group put together an insightful visualization of the hierarchy of needs for implementing AgeTech in the senior living industry.
“The pandemic taught us that technology is a lifeline and the tech options are robust. The perspectives and experiences of our group members empowered us to see the landscape from an angle that unites adoption with a business strategy roadmap. Like everything in senior living, we emphasized the necessity of starting vendor relationships with transparency in communication and expectations.” Anna Hall, The Purpose Equation ®
“There is so much great technology for senior living in our world. Distinguishing what is foundational vs what is truly innovative can be challenging at times. Our project serves as a guide to helping navigate this landscape.”
Deionte Meredith-Davis, VP of Sales, Accushield©
Before senior living operators can implement the innovative new ideas for technology in communities and marketing strategies, it is critical to have the foundational elements in place.
Simple details like Wifi access and a sales CRM are a few of the items noted as “foundational” for future AgeTech success and adoption in your communities. Other foundational marketing tech elements for senior living marketing teams include:
- CRM Integrations with all systems – marketing automation, analytics, & operational platforms – for seamless data flow
- Internal project management system to keep campaigns on track
- KPI Dashboards measuring each stage of the sales funnel
- Access to training resources to support expert execution
Get the full Think Tank resource
Best Practices for Implementing New AgeTech Solutions
Implementing a new technology solution impacts your entire organization. Ask these questions of new tech vendors so you can build a healthy and transparent partnership from the beginning.
- What other operators do you work with?
- What kind of data and reporting do you provide?
- What is on your product roadmap?
- Who are your integration partners?
- Where is the data stored – and who owns it?
- What is the onboarding process and timeline?
- What training do you provide?
- What are common adoption roadblocks we should anticipate?
When taking on a new solution, it is important to have an internal stakeholder who can oversee and champion the implementation internally so your technology aligns with each part of the business. Working with external implementation specialists is another way to get the expert guidance and support you need as you adopt the technology internally.
Smart Girl Digital often partners with operators to support, guide, train and advise on implementation of marketing technology solutions specific to the senior living industry.
AgeTech Solutions to Consider for Your Sales and Marketing Strategy
For the sales and marketing folks, agetech solutions can enhance the customer’s journey, support the sales process, and create connections with your prospects.
Let’s take a look at some of the AgeTech solutions for senior living marketing and sales strategies to consider beyond your CRM of choice.
(REMEMBER: these solutions can enhance your strategy only when your foundations are in place. Implement systematically and know how you are going to measure success.)
- Further’s AI supported Website Chatbot or Virtual Sales Assistant
- SalesMail’s video response tool for sales team members
- ActiveDEMAND’s suite of automation tools for the full customer journey
- Mailbox Power creates automated cross-channel campaigns to automatically send personalized mail (from postcards to greeting cards to gifts)
- Cloud Campaign offers social media scheduling and automation solutions
Other advancements in AI and automation for your senior living digital marketing strategies include Google Ads Predictive bidding for paid strategies. Google and Facebook are constantly modifying their bidding and placement strategies. This requires constant and expert management of your traffic strategies. Be sure you are working with experts who are keeping up with the changes.
Ask about SGD’s Google Jumpstart program for senior living operators.
Automation and AI Tips to Supercharge Your Email Strategy
With the hottest new technology being focused on artificial intelligence. Now is a great time to consider automation and AI – they’re like secret weapons for marketers in the senior living industry. These tools can make marketing efforts smoother, spark genuine engagement, and really level up your digital marketing game.
According to Hubspot, 95% of marketers who use generative AI for email creation rate it “effective”, with 54% rating it “very effective.” (HubSpot’s State of Generative AI, 2023)
Let’s dive into 5 ways AI can supercharge your email automation tactics for senior living communities.
1. Personalizing the Email Journey:
Personalization is key, and AI makes it a breeze by dynamically adjusting email content, subject lines, and send times based on recipient preferences and actions. This means crafting emails that really speak to each person, whether it’s addressing their specific needs or showcasing the perks of community life.
2. Best Time to Hit Send:
AI can analyze recipient behavior to figure out the perfect times to send emails for maximum impact. By scheduling emails to land when recipients are most likely to engage, AI-powered send time optimization boosts open rates and responses.
3. Tailored Content Suggestions:
With heaps of customer data at your fingertips, AI algorithms can sift through it all to dish out personalized content recommendations. Think community events, wellness programs, and glowing testimonials that speak directly to each recipient’s interests and habits.
For senior living communities, this means serving up content that hits home for each prospect and resident, boosting engagement and fostering stronger connections.
4. Segmentation Based on Behavior:
AI can analyze how users interact with email content and automatically sort subscribers into groups based on their interests and engagement levels. This sets the stage for targeted email campaigns that cater to the unique needs and behaviors of each segment.
5. Predictive Lead Scoring:
Want to know which leads are gold? AI-powered predictive lead scoring does just that by crunching historical data, demographics, and engagement metrics. It helps senior living communities pinpoint high-value prospects who are serious about finding the right living option.
In a nutshell, AI is a game-changer for senior living communities looking to up their email game. Embracing AI-driven email automation isn’t just about staying competitive – it’s about meeting the evolving needs of prospects and residents in a meaningful way.
Of course, if you are looking for prompts to help you use AI in your own strategy, grab the ChatGPT Prompts for Senior Living Marketers in our SGD Resource Suite.
To learn more about Smart Girl’s MAP Program & Services – Book a Digital Discovery Call