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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.

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 beautifully detailed in Joe Schlesinger’s article The full-time job of growing old. This 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.

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Posted in Boomers, Marketing, Mature Consumers, Retirement, Uncategorized | No Comments »

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:

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. Create 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.
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.
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.
Honesty is the best policy: Designate and train a company spokesperson for television and phone interviews who can respond honestly, accurately and quickly.
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.
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.
It’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.
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.
Sharing is caring: Once you have received coverage, use social media to share that good news with more and larger audiences
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.

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Tags: events marketing, PR, public relations, ragan daily, Real Estate Marketing
Posted in Healthcare - CCRCs, Marketing, Real Estate Marketing | 1 Comment »

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.

1. 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

Also of note:

* Events with resident testimonials, “glimpses of good life” sell homes to older buyers http://bit.ly/12b6Sdi (BuilderOnline)

* 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!

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Tags: Amazon, baby boomer spending
Posted in 50+, 60+, Boomers, Internet | 1 Comment »

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:

Succession: 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.

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Posted in Boomers, Housing, Marketing, Mature Consumers, Uncategorized | No Comments »

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.

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!

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Tags: Bozzuto Management Company, urban land institute
Posted in 40+, 50+, 60+, Boomers, Healthcare - CCRCs, Housing | No Comments »

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 Choices

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
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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Tags: Housing in America, John McIlwain, Perkins Eastman, The Mayhood Company, urban land institute
Posted in 40+, 50+, 60+, Boomers, Healthcare - CCRCs, Housing, Marketing, Mature Consumers, Real Estate Marketing | 2 Comments »

Counting our Blessings

April 23rd, 2013 Posted by Erin Read

photo_si_cover-78-year-old-boston-marathon-runner-2013 One week ago, I was starting a “stay-cation.” My Monday plans were to sleep late and check Facebook for photos of friends running the Boston Marathon. Tuesday’s mission was to walk Boston’s Freedom Trail with my teens. Instead, like so many others, I found myself anxiously wondering after the safety of friends and family, checking Twitter and Facebook for news, and hugging my teens far more than they’d like.

As the week went on I turned to counting my blessings.

I feel a lovely perk of working with seniors is the example they set for how to gracefully navigate an often-crazy world. As the elderblogger Ronni Bennett put it,

“But the amazing thing about living with all these losses is how good we are at it and how resilient. … We adjust, adapt and accommodate.

But best of all, we find, almost naturally, the silver linings in the difficulties that appear in these late years. We trade old pleasures for new ones. We make time to serve others. We each invent the best possible way to navigate the changes and losses we encounter and we make jokes. My god, how we laugh at ourselves even if it is rueful sometimes.”

Creating Results’ CFO Susan Hughes found one such example at (of all places) the airport last week. USAir brought in WWII and Korean War Vets from Hudson NY to spend the day in DC. At Gate 38 of Reagan National Airport, the veterans were greeted by The DC Premier Big Band playing jazz — and dozens of folks clapping, cheering and thanking them for their service. (Susan captured the moment in the photo at right.)

I found my example while surveying seniors at a line dancing class in Bristol Rhode Island on Friday. (Yes, this is what I do on my vacation.) About 15 folks ranging in age from 60s to 90 hit the floor. The dancers chatted as the music played, asking after regulars not in attendance. They shared news of the Boston bombs and worried about the wounded. And they sang along, teased each other, and laughed.

Those marketing to older adults should take a cue from their targets. Transitions during senior years are often triggered by losses — loss of mobility, of hearing, of friends and spouses, of memory, of energy.

A resident at a continuing care retirement community once took me to task for ad copy she felt was avoiding the subject of loss. “We know our health isn’t what it used to be. That’s one of the reasons we came here!” It didn’t have to be the main message of the ad, she said. But seniors face the facts of loss, of increased needs for healthcare and she was telling me that our marketing should face facts, too.

Here are the examples our targets are setting for marketers:

* Don’t fuss and fret.

*Don’t be too negative.

*Don’t lie — be straightforward in what you offer to help elders “adjust, adapt and accommodate.”

*Don’t forget your sense of humor (seniors haven’t!).

And keep counting those blessings.

P.S. That now iconic photo from the Boston Marathon bombings at the top of this post is of 78-year-old runner Bill Iffrig on the ground just after the explosions. He got up and finished the race.

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Posted in Marketing, Mature Consumers, Silent Generation | No Comments »

CR Speaks! Marketing News (and Presentations) You Can Use

April 18th, 2013 Posted by Beth Rand

We’ve Updated our Library

Gain insights into marketing to Boomers and Seniors when you click here to view our library of recent presentations.

You can learn:

1. The Ins and Outs of Social Media: Explore how to use social networking to motivate the 50+ consumer.
2. The Nuts and Bolts of Email Marketing: Discover how you can effectively reach mature consumers, motivate them to act and measure your results with these simple action steps.
3. How to Align Your Brand with Mission: Learn how you can develop an authentic brand that allows your organization to thrive.
4. The Power of Generational Marketing: Identify how to move various cohorts through the purchase funnel.
5. How to Market to both Gen Yers and Boomers using Social Media and more: Identify the similarities between the two generations and how you can leverage within your marketing efforts.

Upcoming Events and Presentations
VANHA – May 21-24 – The Homestead, Hot Springs, VA
LeadingAge PA – June 19-21 – Hershey Lodge, Hershey, PA

Click here for a list of all upcoming speaking engagements. If you’ll be attending any of these conferences, we hope you’ll a) attend our sessions and/or b) meet us for a coffee! Just email todd@creatingresults.com.

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Posted in 40+, 50+, 60+, Advertising, Boomers, Branding, Email marketing, Generation Jones (trailing edge Boomers), Healthcare - CCRCs, Internet, Marketing, Mature Consumers, Real Estate Marketing | No Comments »

Trust Me – I’m a Marketer

April 15th, 2013 Posted by Beth Rand

… Or, Why Trust Is Critical When Emailing Seniors

As an email marketer I work with our clients on how to build and nurture trust among their Boomer and Senior email subscribers. This is an integral part of developing a relationship that results in engagement and action (and an important step before you attempt to ask for the world from older people).

A recent eMarketer report detailed current concerns about digital privacy among consumers. “The degree of such concern is not terribly high. And while voicing worry about privacy, they often compromise that privacy in their behavior,” the authors noted. The report graph at the right illustrates that the majority of US Internet users might have some worries, but aren’t considered “serious worriers” when it comes to online privacy. The report didn’t note age groups, but Creating Results’ proprietary research shows that many if not most elders are serious worriers.

When conducting our 2010 Social Silver Surfers research, we asked boomers and seniors what they liked and loathed about the web and social media. (Email is a top online and social activity for 50+ers.) We found that privacy is taken very seriously among mature consumers and, in some cases, will cause them to resist subscribing to your email program all together.

In this video, for example, you’ll hear a senior named Bob speak about his privacy fears and concerns in reference to forms, the Internet and Facebook.

Here are 4 ways to develop trust among your subscribers in email marketing seniors:

1. Do What You Say You Will: You set expectations with your subscribers from the minute they sign up for your program. If you say you will be sending a newsletter each month, honor that promise.

2. Don’t Abuse Information: Safety of personal information and how it will be used was a chief concern among those 65-74 that we interviewed for Social, Silver Surfers. Those marketing to seniors must keep this in mind. Just as you don’t want to purchase a list for emailing, you don’t want to sell the information of your subscribers (the old “sign up for one magazine and then receive a slew of them” trick).

3. Get Close But Not Creepy: I’m an analytics nut – just ask any of my colleagues. The beauty of email analytics is that you can track essentially every move your subscribers take, including how they engage with an email, what pages on your website they visit after reading your message, etc. While that information is great to know internally and can help you segment your message for relevancy, calling it out could be a little too in your face for your senior subscribers. Again, they see it as a violation of their privacy.

4. Reward Your Subscribers: Show your appreciation by saying thanks and rewarding these loyal brand enthusiasts with special gifts or contests. Being nice really does go a long way with seniors!

What do Older People Do Online?

It’s Loyalty, My Dear Boomer…Email Loyalty

Social Silver Surfers 2010 ebook

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Posted in 40+, 50+, 60+, Boomers, Email marketing, Marketing, Mature Consumers | 1 Comment »