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Creating Results is a full-service strategic marketing, public relations and advertising agency with more than 15 years of experience. Our expertise is motivating mature 40+ consumers, including Baby Boomers, Silent (Ike) Generation and Gen X.
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Super Seniors, Super Senior Living Communities, Super Give-Away

May 23rd, 2013 Posted by Erin Read

Creating Results’ Kathy East and Todd Harff are at the VANHA annual meeting this week. VANHA is the Virginia Association of Non Profit Homes for the Aging, representing many terrific senior living communities serving elders in the state.

Todd and Kathy are there to both learn and help others learn. Tomorrow, Friday the 24th, they’ll be presenting a dynamic session titled “What Do Today’s Seniors Want From Online Marketing and Social Media?” The presentation includes the first look at early data from our national Social, Silver Surfers study. And they’ve jam-packed their session with action items, insights and a case study on how one continuing care retirement community is pursuing social media marketing.Marketing pros play the Super Seniors Trivia Game at the VANHA 2013 conference 

Be sure to attend Todd and Kathy’s presentation — Friday, May 24 at 8a.

They’re also there for fun! If you’re attending, be sure to stop by our booth – #305. Todd, Kathy and Judy Harff (our illustrious CEO) are running a game show. Really, a game show!

VANHA attendees can win prizes on the spot or enter to win a drawing for a social media start-up package valued at more than $1000. Please stop by booth 305 and enter to win!

Not attending VANHA’s 2013 meeting?

Then we want to bring a bit of the fun to you.

Here are a few of the questions asked in our Trivia Game. How well do you know Super Seniors?

 

Mature Marketing Links of the Week – 5/20/13

May 20th, 2013 Posted by Erin Read

As the song goes, “rainy days and Mondays always get me down.” But sharing great resources and insights is a nice antidote!

Welcome to another edition of the Mature Marketing links round-up. This is a collection of content that received the most attention from 50+ marketing pros in the past week on various social channels (Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn, Google Plus, to name a few). And what set folks clicking last week?

1. MOST SHARED: The Baby Boomer Retirement Crunch Begins. US News & World Report took a look at 65-plus Americans, a group growing rapidly as Leading Edge Baby Boomers age. (This age band grew 18 percent between 2000 and 2011.) What does author Emily Brandon see as retirement for the typical 65-plus senior?CHART - Social security as source of income for 65 plus seniors

* Low incomes – In 2011, nearly 3.6 million elderly  people (8.7%) lived below the poverty level in 2011. A typical 65-plus household had a median  income of $48,538.

* Reliance on social security –  86  percent of people age 65 and older receive monthly payments.

* Continuing to work – In 2012, 18.5% of Americans  age 65 and older were in the labor force. Those aged 65 and 69 are the most likely to  be working. Brandon does note that some work because they have to, some because they want to.

RELATED: Re-thinking Retirement – 6 Lessons for Marketers

* Staying put – It’s getting harder for destination retirement communities to attract older adults.

“Between 2011 and 2012, only 3 percent of people age 65 and  older moved, compared to 14 percent of people under 65. And most older  movers stayed in the same state (83 percent) and the same county (61  percent). Only 16 percent of people who traded spaces after age 65  relocated out of state or abroad. Most senior citizens (81 percent) also  reside in metropolitan areas.”

RELATED: Todd Harff discussed locations in this post on Baby Boomer housing trends from the Urban Land Institute conference.

* Making it to Medicare – In 2011, 93% of 65+ers were covered by Medicare and 86% had supplemental coverage to fill in gaps.

* Longer retirement – Retirees and pre-retirees are more aware of the longevity bonus, in which the average life expectancy for people turning age 65 is an additional  20.4 years for women and 17.8 years for men.

RELATED: 5 Facts (& Marketing Tips) about Baby Boomer and Senior Women

Read the whole post in US News: http://bit.ly/12GpXFV

2. MOST CLICKED: 6 Myths about Social Media Marketing. Michael Mothner debunks misconceptions for Inc. We especially liked:

“Myth No. 2: My customers are older, so social media won’t work for my company.

A whopping 56% of Internet users 50 years or older use Facebook. Your clients and future clients are absolutely waiting for you to find them on Facebook–as well as Twitter, LinkedIn, Pinterest, Instagram and other social tools.”

Read all 6 myths: http://bit.ly/17Trehf

Mature couple searching the Internet3. MOST FAVORITED (that’s the Twitter version of Facebook’s LIKE): An “oldie but goodie,” this 2011 post by Todd Harff makes clear the new realities of real estate marketing:

“No longer are builders simply ‘hunting’ 50+ homebuyers with oversized postcards targeted by age, zip and income.  Prospects begin hunting on their own – starting their research online, on their time, long before they think of paying you a visit in the real world.

So an integrated Internet Strategy that matches your prospects’ preferences is a critical resource to help you pursue AND nurture Leads.

Lead nurturing is an ongoing conversation, not a series of hit-and-run campaigns.”

Read the post: http://bit.ly/11Re4QG

 

I hope you’re getting nicer weather in your neck of the woods. How about bringing some sunshine to this blog, and sharing your comments or questions below? Happy Monday!

Hot or Not? Digital Marketing, Seniors and The Need for Strategy

May 16th, 2013 Posted by Erin Read

A recent eMarketer report finds seniors are “Still Lukewarm on Web Activity,” noting use of the Internet, smart phones and social networks by those over 65 lags behind the total US population.

In 2012, for the first time, more than half of people over 65 were using the Internet. However they spend less time on the Web than other age groups. As the authors write “For media usage, TV is still the medium that matters most for seniors, far more so than for younger generations.”

This is no surprise to Creating Results. In June of 2012, we wrote,

“When it comes to influence on consumers, TV is still King. And when it comes to older consumers, Newspapers are the Queen …”

And in April of 2011,

“[W]hile social media marketing may appear to be the darling of the day, “old fashioned” TV and print continue to grab prospects by the wallet.  The effectiveness of television advertising is consistent across all ages – high numbers of Millennials, Baby Boomers and 65+ seniors report that it has an impact on their buying decision.  And the impact of magazine ads increases with age.”

The eMarketer report emphasizes the need for an integrated marketing strategy that helps you leverage the best vehicles for reaching seniors today — while at the same time preparing for future changes.

It’s easy to get distracted by the latest, buzzy tool. Digital marketing it is not a fad, of course, though the breathless media coverage will eventually cool down. You have to take the time to cull what’s hot from what’s not for YOUR audience.

Email Subject Lines: What’s the Magic Number?

May 14th, 2013 Posted by Beth Rand

Email Marketing Strategies for Active Adults and Seniors

A recent report from Experian found that email volume rose 5.4% in the last year.  What does this mean for marketers?  For one- it just got harder to stand out in the inbox.  We constantly are working with our clients who are messaging to active adult and senior living communities to help determine what moves the needle for their respective email subscribers.  Is it the headline on an email, time of day or subject line?  A few times this has begged the question…just what is the magic number for email subject lines to help you get noticed (in a good way)?

According to research released in December from Adestra, subject lines that were either less than 30 characters or longer than 90 were most effective, meaning that length does make a difference.

While the statistics from Adestra are intriguing, smart marketers realize that it’s not the world’s list that dictates the email best practices, but your own. Creating Results has reviewed the messaging we’ve created for and with senior living clients to come up with some industry-specific insights as to just what is the magic number of characters within a subject line.

We found:
•    The average subject line for all messages sent was 43 characters
•    The longest subject line had 72 characters and had an open rate of 37% and a click through rate of 4%
•    The shortest subject line had just 16 characters and an open rate of 34%  and a click through rate of 17%

So what does this mean for active adult and  senior living marketers? Subject lines aren’t the only ingredient required for creating an email that gets noticed. In the case of our Senior Living emails, open rates were more based on how something is said, not how many characters it takes to say it.

Email is the nNorth Hill Website Announce Emailumber one activity of older adults online. It’s a great marketing tool. In order to have the perfect storm for great email open rates you need the following:
1.    Strong subject line thdoesn’t stop at the subject line but continues throughout using dynamic content based on individual interactions.
3.    Clear calls to action for next steps- what do you want the recipient to do?  Don’t leave them wondering, be sure to call it out.
4.    Links to convert to website visitation for further awareness.  North Hill, a CCRC in Boston, leveraged their email list to introduce a new website. Vibrant images of the new site along with links for learning more lead to a click through rate of 30%
5.    Test, test, test- every list (and every subscriber ) is different.  The best way to determine what moves the needle is to go outside of the norm and test new things.

How do you approach the creation of your email subject lines?  Share your thoughts here.

Mature Marketing Links of the Week – 5/13

May 13th, 2013 Posted by Beth Rand

Happy belated Mother’s Day. Today we not only celebrate the most eye catching mature marketing posts about boomers and seniors, but we celebrate Moms the world round.

Most Shared:

A Wall Street Journal article chronicling how Baby Boomers are stepping up as care givers for their parents received a number of clicks this week.  The article shares stories of multiple generations coming together under one roof as aging parents require more assistance and care. When examining fears or concerns about life transitions, the author notes that making sure mom and dad have the help they need (and how to balance that with their boomer children’s own financial worries) is typically high.

Last year my mom was faced with the same challenges and moved in with my brother and family. While it’s an adjustment for all, the benefits have seemed to outweigh the negatives. A similar sentiment was echoed within the article:

Even as these responsibilities loom large, the emotional payoffs can be extraordinary. We bond with our parents in ways we never had before. We feel appreciated, rewarded, loved, grateful and proud.

According to the article, having a sound financial plan will ensure your parents can continue to thrive and enjoy life during this new phase is key, and has helped many ease into this new life transition with ease.  Read the full article here.

Most Clicked:

The business of growing old is Joe Schlesingerbeautifully detailed in Joe Schlesinger’s article The full-time job of growing oldThis well-known journalist shares insights into the challenges that he’s learned to manage or overcome as he’s aged…from a never-ending list of doctors and medications to requiring Google when his memory fails him.

Once upon a time I used to do things like jumping out of a helicopter in Vietnam as it hovered over a landing pad under enemy fire…I can no longer do these things, but, thanks to the internet, I can get around to distant places and events by letting my fingers do the walking. And I do.

Schlesinger inspires with his words of wisdom as he reminds us of the best way to remember your own history- keep exploring.  Read the full article here.

Have articles of note we should share?  Please note in the comment section below.

10 Practical PR Tips for Community Developers

May 7th, 2013 Posted by Karen Pitts Baugher

Developers of master planned and active adult communities don’t want to waste time effort or money, yet too few are taking advantage of a proven technique: PR. Just like the other components of a successful integrated marketing program, public relations should be strategic and well thought-out.

Don’t know how to get started? We’ve got 10 easy and practical PR tips for community developers:

  1. Have a strategy: Just as you would have your blueprints and construction schedule finished before starting a house, you need to have a clear plan for PR efforts. Planner imageCreate a calendar of PR opportunities for the year. Tie your PR to events, building phases, what’s happening outside the community, what homeowners are doing, etc. Be willing to make adjustments when new opportunities arise.
  2. Just because you advertise doesn’t mean your story will be told: There’s a reason that PR is “earned media” not “paid media.” But be aware that smaller publications may be less open to your story ideas if you stop advertising.
  3. The good, the bad and the ugly: It’s not enough to have a PR plan, you also need to have a crisis plan written out for every possible scenario (i.e., mold, product recall, natural disaster). Follow the advice given by Creating Results’ Todd Harff in Senior Housing News: Know who your happy homeowners are and have testimonials from these folks on various subjects ready to counter bad press.
  4. Honesty is the best policy: Designate and train a company spokesperson for television and phone interviews who can respond honestly, accurately and quickly.
  5. Be the accessible expert: Give great sound bites and bite sized nuggets that explain things in ”layman’s terms” and media will likely refer back to you for future stories.
  6. Be ready for the unexpected: In today’s 24/7 news cycle, breaking news happens all the time. How could your story relate to trending topics? This process is called “newsjacking” and it offers both opportunities and risk to brands. If you’re considering trying to inject your brand into breaking news, first read this smart post in Ragan Daily on when it’s appropriate.
  7. corn maze PR event real estateIt’s not all about you: Don’t isolate your community; rather, become part of the larger community. Volunteer and invest your resources –tying your brand to a non-profit is a wonderful way to get your name out, while at the same time doing something positive. We worked with the developers of Arora Hills, a Maryland master-planned community in Clarksburg, Maryland outside Washington, D.C., to turn land slated for future development into a corn maze tying in with the community’s outdoor lifestyle messaging. All the proceeds went to a local charity, Hospice Caring, Inc. of Montgomery County. The result was increased traffic, an award-winning event and positive PR.
  8. It’s a visual world:  People – especially those over 50 – respond to stories told through images. Take advantage of the power of photos and online video and make it easy for media to get those visual assets. Include a (very small) jpeg with news releases emailed to reporters. Invest in professional photographers and videographers for big announcements or events so you can provide b-roll to media that don’t have the available staff to attend the event. Have a gallery of photography on your website that can be used by media at their convenience.
  9. Sharing is caring: Once you have received coverage, use social media to share that good news with more and larger audiences
  10. An integrated marketing/PR approach gives more bang for the buck: For client Westminster at Lake Ridge, a CCRC outside Washington, D.C., print and online stories on residents were repackaged for the client’s web site and direct mail. In the weeks after, prospect calls to the community surged and website visitors roughly doubled. For another client, Fairing Way, we planned a video shoot so that the footage could be used for a broadcast ad, website content and public relations.

Several studies have shown the PR outperforms advertising. A relatively low amount spent on public relations can not only deliver high ROI, it can lift the impact of your other real estate marketing efforts.

What do you think are some important PR tips? Share your tips and success stories in the comments below.

Mature Marketing Links of the Week – 5/6/13

May 6th, 2013 Posted by Erin Read

A mud-splattered race but a clear winner … A galaxy of puns and visual riffs on Star Wars … A nation celebrating the freedom and democracy of another nation … This weekend had it all! If you’re as exhausted as we are from the Kentucky Derby, May the Fourth and Cinco de Mayo, here’s the solution: a round-up of the top links for marketing to baby boomers and seniors.

 

Amazon-50-plus1. MOST CLICKED/MOST SHARED: Amazon is launching a new store — the 50+ Active and Healthy Living Store (www.amazon.com/50activeliving). Why?

As Savvy Shopper Korky Vann reported in the Hartford Courant it’s all about the money. (If we had a dollar for every time some big organization FINALLY realized the economic power of baby boomers and seniors …) She shared the following stats:

“* The 50-plus segment is the most affluent consumer group today, accounting for over 40 percent of total consumer demand.

* The group spends almost $2 trillion on goods and services annually.

* Consumers over 50 spend $7 billion each year on online purchases.

* And new research from Forrester Research found that baby boomers between the ages of 56-66 years old spend the most money online when compared to all other generations.”

Here are some more key facts about baby boomer spending power, the financial might of a cohort that comprises 44% of the population. They account for 49% of total CPG (consumer packaged goods) sales. Baby boomers control 70% of US disposable income. They purchase 80% of luxury travel. They are 41% of the customers buying Apple computers.

Which should explain why Amazon’s store has “departments” for travel & leisure and entertainment alongside those for incontinence and health care.

The new store is attempting to attract all folks over 50 — a very disparate group that can include a 50-year-old first-time parent to a 94-year-old classical music fan. Therefore, per Vann, Amazon is designing “a destination where the typeface is larger to encourage the presbyopic crowd to spend more time browsing, and the promotions are a little, well, less sexy than Amazon’s home page.” There’s also a lot more white space which is nice for eyes of any age.

Read the article: http://cour.at/11NDObt

RELATED: Is *your* organization finally recognizing baby boomer spending power (and/or that of seniors)? No need to bend the marketing rules.

 

Also of note:

* Events with resident testimonials, “glimpses of good life” sell homes to older buyers http://bit.ly/12b6Sdi  (BuilderOnline)Seven-Tips-for-Dealing-with-Online-Trolls-300x171

* 7 steps for dealing with online trolls – GREAT advice from Gini Dietrich http://bit.ly/11NGENs

* Social listening: “The full-time job of growing old.” Insights from beloved Canadian journalist Joe Schlesinger http://bit.ly/127ODXE

* Audience Quality > Audience Quantity: Why I stopped caring about the numbers, by Myke Hurley http://bit.ly/13lMJCR

 

We care — about you and your thoughts, comments, tips, best Cinco de Mayo recipe … Please use the comments tool and share below. Thanks!

Mature Marketing Links of the Week 4/29/13

April 29th, 2013 Posted by Beth Rand

Here we go…these are the top mature marketing links, posts and insights from the previous week.  Enjoy (and be sure to share your top mature marketing insights within the comments).

1. MOST CLICKED:  A Princeton University study on ageism examined perceptions of older people across generations. According to the study, three key stereotypes were identified:

Ageism ResearchSuccession: The idea that older people should move aside from high-paying jobs and prominent social roles for younger people

Identity: The idea that older people shouldn’t attempt to act younger than they are

Consumption: The idea that older people shouldn’t consume scare resources such as health care

2. MOST SHARED:  An infographic that imagined the world as 100 people.   The chart examined everything from age (8 out of 100 adults are 65+), information (22 out of 100 have access to a computer) and housing.

***Worth Reading:
Todd Harff’s two part series- What Do Baby Boomer Buyers Want in a Home and Baby Boomer Housing Trends capturing expert insights about the housing of Baby Boomers from the Urban Land Institute Conference, including  trends in economics, creating personalized experiences and more.

Baby Boomer Housing Trends

April 25th, 2013 Posted by Todd Harff

Urban Land Institute Conference Take-Aways (Part 2)

As part of an Urban Land Institute Trends conference, I had the pleasure of moderating a panel on what Baby Boomers want from housing. Yesterday’s post addressed trends in economics, locations and personalization. Today, two new trends.

Choosing Not to be Defined by Age

Julie Smith, President, Bozzuto Management Company, provided some insightful statistics from the more than 36,000 apartments Bozzuto operates.  None of these apartments are age qualified, and yet they are seeing an increase in Boomers.

1. Residents over 50 account for almost 1/5 of Bozzuto’s portfolio.
2. 1/3 of people over 50 choose to live in urban areas.
3. People over 67 stay almost three times as long as people under 50.
4. They are wealthier and have higher incomes than younger renters and demand, and pay for, many more services.

Creating Experiences that are Compelling, Evolving

While most of the panel focused on home size and location, I directed my comments to the actual experience.  After all, haven’t Boomers always focused on creating unique experiences for themselves?

Baby Boomers don’t want the homogenized communities or lifestyles of their parents or grandparents. They don’t want to be given a menu to choose from or an “Activities Director” to give them predetermined programing. No, Boomers want to have their way.  True North

At the ULI conference I spoke about how the increase in home health care makes staying at home not only easier, but actually feasible. Retirement communities better have a compelling experiences in addition drop dead gorgeous product or they won’t survive.

For example, Creating Results’ client North Hill is not only totally reimagining their product, but also offering experiences people couldn’t possibly have if they stayed in their home or moved to a condo. They introduced the award-winning “PurposeFULL Living” which isn’t a program or listing of activities, it’s a call to arms. It’s just the type of idea that will engage Boomers as they continue to make their own rules for living their lives.

What’s Next for Baby Boomer Housing?

Instead of a few dominant models, the Urban Land Institute panel concluded, there will be a multitude of successful niche models that appeal to specific segments of Boomers.

Yes, Boomers are the largest generation, but they also are the most eclectic one we have ever known. The good news is that we have 78 million individuals who will live somewhere. The bad news is they will want 78 million different options and many of them won’t be able to afford what they want.

Embrace Baby Boomer individuality and deliver the unique experiences that they want to share with their friends, where they want to live.

The CCRC isn’t dead yet, but it will be if it doesn’t rapidly evolve. The same is true of traditional Active Adult communities. To figure out what could work in your area tomorrow, developers must be engaging with Boomers today and forgetting what they built yesterday.

 

RELATED: What Homebuyers Really Want (and What You Should Know) – this month’s newsletter. Not a subscriber? Sign up today!

What Do Baby Boomer Buyers Want in A Home?

April 24th, 2013 Posted by Todd Harff

Urban Land Institute Trends Conference Take-Aways (Part 1)

The big question: “When it comes to a new home, what do Baby Boomers want?” The simple answer: “Everything.”

I recently had the pleasure of moderating an Urban Land Institute (ULI) panel of experts charged with identifying trends in housing Baby Boomers. We had questions. “Do Baby Boomers want to live in the city or suburbs?”  “Do Baby Boomers want smaller homes or larger homes?” “Do Baby Boomers want a vibrant social life in a new community or would they rather age in place?”

The answers (like Baby Boomers themselves) are varied and complex. In today’s post I’ll share trends identified by three of the experts. Tomorrow, I’ll summarize the feelings of a final expert – and add my own thoughts on how to answer the big question in a way that engages Baby Boomers (and helps you meet sales goals).

ULI Report Demonstrates How Baby Boomer Economic Challenges Affect Home Buying ChoicesUrban Land Institute Report- Housing in America: The Baby Boomers Turn 65

John McIlwain, Senior Resident Fellow at The Urban Land Institute started off our panel discussion with highlights from his recently released report  “Housing in America: The Baby Boomers Turn 65.”

This report is a must read for anyone who is involved in Boomer housing.  It shows the increasing economic diversity and wide range of Boomer behavior. Mcllwain provides statistics on incomes and savings that show the critical need for many Baby Boomers to keep working.

He also argues that:
1. The future will not be like the past – It will require many new models.
2. Expect generational conflict as many Boomers out live their savings and require government support.
3. Boomers will need to work longer and are healthier, so just because they are 65 don’t expect a huge interest in retirement communities.

Forget “Senior Ghettos” – Consider Intergenerational Locations

St. John's On The Lake

St. John’s On The Lake
Milwaukee, Wisconsin

 

Dan Cinelli, Managing Principal, Perkins Eastman talked about some of the CCRC communities he has worked on including Newbridge on The Charles and a high rise community, Saint John’s On The Lake.  These edgy, high style communities are not your traditional retirement communities.

Cinelli encouraged the audience to not only be more innovative in the architecture, but to also look for locations that will allow and encourage Boomers to be part of an inter-generational community.

As an example for the attendees of this ULI panel, we spoke about one of Creating Results’ clients, a brand new 55+ community with access to health, wellness and support services called Fairing Way.  It’s part of a master-planned development which will have its own commuter rail station, walkable downtown, businesses, entertainment  and 2,800 homes. The location provides all the help a person might need as they age, while living in and being part of an energetic all age community.

These Boomer Boots Were Made for Walking (And Shopping)

David Mayhood, President, The Mayhood Company, entirely agreed and emphasized the importance of walkability. His clients are in urban areas and he sees Leading Edge Boomers wanting to be in the middle of it all.

Mayhood also spoke about the critical importance of personalization of interiors far beyond a few options, “When they move they want change – many view this as an opportunity to start over and are excited about getting new furniture, new art work, new friends.”  This is a long way from the Silent Generation buyers wanting to make sure that all their furniture from their big home fits in their new apartment.

What examples have you seen of these trends in action? Please share them in the comments below.

TOMORROW: More take-aways from the Urban Land Institute panel on Baby Boomer housing trends.


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