Helping providers survive competitive times

Understanding the role and importance of brand is now paramount. Strong brand equity will attract customers and staff, as well as protect profits. For those that do not invest in their brand, I predict it will be a price based competition to the bottom.

Over the past six months I have spoken at numerous conferences and been asked by many owners and chief executives how to 'win the hearts' of potential residents and their families. Here are some practical and cost effective strategies to do just this. 

Differentiate or drown

Get copies of all of your competitor adverts, pin them on the wall, and put yours in the middle and scrutinise. Does your advert look different? What single minded message does it convey that you own and others don’t? Sometimes being different means sacrifice and owning one benefit well rather than promoting a shopping list. Look at colours, imagery and the tone of words to create a personality that represents your brand. Find your point of difference; if you look and act the same in your customers' mind you can’t expect them to select you over someone else

A picture tells a ‘1,000 words'

A client once said to me “words are for people who can’t read pictures”. I laughed for days, but it’s true. When your website is a critical member of the sales team working 24/7, you need to ensure it looks the best it can. Poorly taken photos, low resolution, bad composition and lighting are doing you no favours. Invest in a suite of professional photos across your collateral. An economical alternative is to contact the real estate photographers who are skilled at sitting up a room to look its best and are generally well priced.

Digital needs to be the cornerstone of a media plan

Embrace aggregate listing sites and acknowledge they are going to be trusted more than company ones. If you are spending money advertising and listing then double check their audience data is an audited site. A publishers' claims are not always as they seem. If the site permits photos, then include them – no photo means no interest. Get smart with your adwords. Many providers are overspending and not using the full suite of free analytic tools to customise their campaigns.

Stock photo shots

We all use them – they are terrific; but search smarter. When you are searching for ‘seniors eating dinner’ don’t just start reviewing the images from page one of 55. Start your review on say page 30 or 40 so that you stand a chance of getting images that the rest of the aged care community aren't using. There is a lovely grey haired man that I have seen at least eight times at one aged care expo alone. Also, if you can’t afford a professional and customised photograph, then consider the premium libraries like Getty, Corbis and Shutterstock and search under royalty free. If you are investing in professional photography, then choose your talent wisely. Using residents can be fraught with sensitivity and permission based issues. There are model agencies that specialise in mature talent, for instance, check out Real Models (Editor's note: The website Real Models is owned by Gill Walker).

Compare and save

As part of your advertising strategy, include checklists, diagrams and summaries. Time poor people, especially the influencer targets like daughters, really appreciate people that help do the homework for them. Busy people, and especially the boomer cohort, will pay extra for service and flexibility. For them, the journey of experience is just as, if not more important, than the outcome.

Gill Walker has held senior positions in advertising agencies for more 15 years. She founded Evergreen after being inspired by completing a Master’s thesis on Ageism in Australian Advertising.