Summary:

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.

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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

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Find out more from Amanda, check out:

https://www.merrillgardens.com/ 

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

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Links and Resources:

Lisa Wekellis on LinkedIn

Laura Szczes on LinkedIn

Double Z Media Website

Double Z Media on LinkedIn

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Thanks for tuning in! Subscribe to The Paid Media Playbook on iTunes and Spotify, and leave us a review!

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Transcript:

This transcript is computer generated, please excuse any typos

 [00:00:00]

Laura: Welcome, Amanda Warren, vice President of Marketing at Merrill Gardens. Amanda, you have had a long career at Merrill Gardens. Looks like you've been there 13 years, but if I look back in your LinkedIn, you actually were there even before that for a while.

How, how did that work?

Amanda: Yes. So funny enough, it was my second job out of college. So started in the finance world and then, you know, didn't love it. So I was looking for something different. Something in the traditional marketing space and ended up [00:01:00] in senior living, not necessarily by choice or even thinking of it as a career path, just looking for a marketing position.

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 something new, still industry related. Made my way back and I've been here. Yes. 13 years ever since.

Laura: Worked your way up to the to VP of marketing, so you really can't get any bigger than that, so that's awesome. Tell me a little bit about Merrill Gardens and what you've done over the years. 'cause I think you guys had acquired some things and you know, how's it changed?

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 in the month to month rental market. In the space there's people who do entrance fee or buy-ins, and then there's the monthly model, which is our model.

[00:02:00] So independent living, assisted living, memory care kind of varies location by location. So that really, you know, it's funny the world of marketing has changed drastically. If one might think what it was like in 2005 even it's the same industry. I get that question. How, you know, how do I not get bored with doing the same thing really?

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

Laura: Heck Yeah, I agree. It's, this is not a boring, there's always something to learn and there's always something that will drive you crazy so that you have to learn it.

Amanda: Indeed.

Laura: So, yeah. So you have, when you're marketing to seniors, or I guess there's three different audiences, right? You've got the children of the seniors. You've got the seniors, and then you've even got healthcare providers, right?

Amanda: Yes, exactly. Yes.

Laura: mm-hmm.

Amanda: You know, it's an interesting thing because I think it very much depends on the [00:03:00] 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 going to 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 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 [00:04:00] want to still have a life and still have that, that choice.

So that balance is always there. Always at play.

Laura: So you I know do both traditional obviously, but then you have a lot of digital that you have to do obviously too. So, how does digital marketing fit in and what channels are you using that seem, you know, are that decision makers in the senior living space are utilizing?

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, [00:05:00] 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.

Laura: It looks like you are working with your sales team a lot. And we've found that in our marketing we've had to. As a, as an agency, go in and have to play this liaison sometimes between sales and marketing so that we can measure the end of the funnel. Does that make sense? So like, we brought all these people to the website.

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 [00:06:00] going on with the salespeople, how does that work for you? Do you have to, you have to bridge that gap a lot.

Amanda: Good question. So the senior living industry is a bit interesting in that for the longest time it was sort of grouped as one. If you were marketing, sales, sales, marketing, didn't matter. There was no distinction. And so it lived that way for quite a while. And even to some degree it still does. It's been a little bit of a, almost an effort to, to shift the, the paradigm to say, no, they are not the same.

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

Laura: right. Right.

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,

Laura: Ah.

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 team realizes that everything we do is great only so much as it really results in those end results, those [00:07:00] move-ins.

That's really what 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.

Laura: Oh, that's cool.

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?

Amanda: Good, excellent question. I think one of the things that tried and true is consistency itself. So we do not have a bit of a rollercoaster plan, if you will. So we find what works and there's a lot of similarities, market to market, and also things are a little bit unique, but we find what works and we put that plan in place and we stick with it.

So, you know, 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 marketing. So that's a perfect example where we find that works [00:08:00] 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.

Laura: Do you feel like with , our aging population, this is like more of a curiosity question, but is it like just crazy and hard to get into these places because it's, I mean, you know what I mean? Is it just like doing it in itself because there's so many boomers that are getting old.

Amanda: Not yet, but it will in theory. So a couple things have come to play. Yes. You pointed to it, the boomers, right? They're, they're finally at the age where people are moving in. So average [00:09:00] 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 sort of the forecast is that that will come to sort of 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.

Laura: You know, I don't, and there'll be some way to figure it out for the boomers and then when the Gen X comes, we're just gonna be screwed for some reason. I just know it.

Amanda: Yeah, I feel that too.

Laura: don't know what it is. There'll [00:10:00] be plenty. No, they'll still be in there. 'cause they live forever. The boomers live forever and then we'll have no place.

That's what it is. Okay.

Amanda: Yeah. We'll have to just on some magical technology that doesn't exist

Laura: Exactly. That's true. Okay. There's always that to look forward to. Yay. All right. Okay.

Lisa: I read a really funny article. This is only tangentially related about 55 plus communities, so not quite elder care, but 55 plus. Apparently the new generation of people moving into those communities are a little too hip, young, and wild for the people who are currently living there. And there have been some culture clashes, which I think is

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 [00:11:00] communities were sort of originally planned for.

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

Laura: Yeah, I think that is such a good point. If you think about the fact that we are, you're coming into generations and more so that we need. You know, our algorithms and everything has always been catered specifically to us. So if I want a punk rock, you know, senior living place with bands playing, and, you know, that's what I want, you know?

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

Amanda: Yes, I know. Yeah, that bit. I mean it's, yeah, it's definitely a, a thing that's on top of my mind and sort of that,, the old joke of like, people don't wanna just play bingo. Okay, well I think everyone loves bingo. However, it's not just activities, right? It's a whole enrichment. Like, I wanna volunteer and I want to participate and I want to, maybe I still work part-time.

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.

Laura: So, how do you build [00:12:00] trust in your brand when you're dealing with one of the most like emotional or significant decisions that like families can make?

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 [00:13:00] 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.

Laura: Wow. I yes, I get it. I was just thinking, wow, you're right. It's almost like social, it's social work and essentially because you're finding a home and like, yeah, yeah, yeah. And,

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 [00:14:00] 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.

Laura: Wow. So, you know, and I'm just going to, this is me. I'm like the only person in the whole world who wants to go to senior living.

Amanda: It sounds great

Laura: I think it just, like, I don't, I don't know. I lived, I've lived in Alaska for three summers and like all my meals were made for me and like everything was kind of mapped out like a cruise ship except I had to work my ass off.

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 [00:15:00] school.

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

Amanda: Yes.

Laura: the trust is there.

Amanda: The trust is there. And you know, it's so funny, most people say right after they've moved in, they're like, oh, I wish I had done this before. I wish I had done this sooner. Like that is such a common thing, which, you know, I, and most people, if they were to sit and like really think and contemplate on that, would say, yes, I, I want to do this, I should do this.

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

Laura: Go through all this stuff. Yeah.

Amanda: can I afford it? Like, just, there's a lot.

Laura: I've got a cat. I've got five cats.

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.

Laura: Well, thank you so much for sharing.

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?

Amanda: Oh, that is such a good question. I can only come up with one because

Laura: [00:16:00] Oh.

Amanda: one

Lisa: thing that comes to mind? Yeah.

Amanda: Okay. One piece of advice I would give to myself would be to not take any one decision too seriously, that there's a lot of room for growth and change and learning along the way and that you won't ever know everything, that you'll always, always have something to learn and grow and do better at.

Laura: I love that. Yeah, I could

Lisa: that's advice I needed today. Yeah.

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.

Amanda: Yes. So true.

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.

Amanda: Thank you both. This was [00:17:00] fun.

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