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Mature Marketing Links of the Week – 2/13/12

Monday, February 13th, 2012

Happy Monday! Following are the links and resources that were most shared, clicked on and commented on via Twitter and LinkedIn last week.

1. MOST CLICKED: Good internal communications are critical for the success of your external marketing http://ow.ly/8RcI0

“Make sure the left hand knows what the right hand is doing,” writes UK blogger Kevin Baughen. Kevin specializes (that’s specialises for our British readers) in helping non-profits with their communications. His post points out that without good internal comms and team work, your brand can’t achieve its marketing goals.

2. A handful of links tied for the “MOST SHARED” title last week.

- If your image of retirees is old people in Florida, think again. The state is now fighting to lure baby boomers. ow.ly/8WEHM

- New post: Is 50+ Housing Declining or Thriving? Stats on household income growth among baby boomers and seniors offer context; excerpts from Todd Haff’s panel presentation at the International Builders’ Show. ow.ly/8Y7dE

- Big thinker (& older innovator) Joseph Coughlin of the MIT Age Lab addressed the idea of age & innovation. I confess a quote Coughlin included from venture capitalist Vinod Khosla set my teeth on edge: “People under 35 are the people who make change happen…People over 45 basically die in terms of new ideas.” Read the full post at ow.ly/8Vlgu

3. Also of interest:

- Laurie Orlov (@AgingTech) explains what Google’s new privacy policies mean for seniors – and for you. ow.ly/8V9xk

- Marketing to the 50+ Home Buyer: Social Media and Much More. Excerpts from Beth Rand’s presentation at the International Builders’ Show. http://t.co/stZPHWPn

- Pinning the future of communications on visuals. http://t.co/FJBvb7aB

As the author, Sarah Skerik, writes: “[C]ommunicators have to redouble their efforts when it comes to visuals. Visuals carry extra weight on Facebook and Google+, they’re rendered on Twitter (drawing more attention to the tweet) and are what makes services like Flipboard and Pinterest so compelling and useful.

Was there a link or resource you felt was of importance to mature marketers but it was overlooked in this round-up? Please share it in the comments, below.

Tags: baby boomers, international builders show, Joseph Coughlin, Kevin Baughen, pinterest, Sarah Skerik
Posted in 40+, 50+, 60+, Boomers, Housing, Internet, Marketing, Real Estate Marketing, Social Networking | No Comments »

Social Media Marketing and the 50+ Home Buyer

Friday, February 10th, 2012

The question crops up regularly on LinkedIn Groups: “What is the best way to reach baby boomer and senior home buyers? Is social media the new priority?” Creating Results’ own Beth Rand will help address that question today at the International Builders’ Show, during her presentation “Marketing to the 50+ Buyer: Social Media and Much More.”

As experienced real estate marketers know, social media may be today’s buzzword in marketing but it takes more than a Facebook page or a blog to reach your 50+ prospects. Since many of us are not enjoying Orlando’s sunshine this week (yes, I’m jealous), we wanted to share some key points from Beth’s presentation.

Statistics: Use of the Internet, Social Media by Baby Boomers and Seniors

* The #1 Internet activity for members of the Greatest Generation, the Silent Generation or the Baby Boom is email.

* The use of social networks by adults of all ages is on the rise. The Pew Internet & American Life Project reports 51% of baby boomers aged 50 to 64 and 33% of seniors over the age of 65 are now using social networking sites.

* In our study, we found that 70% of those over 40 years old were using social networks at least a little. The youngest cohort (Gen X and Gen Jones boomers aged 40-54) were the most likely to be involved; the majority of those over 65 had never tried an online social network or had not stuck with it.

Why Do 50+ Home Buyers Use Social Networking (or why not)?

* Connections rooted in the offline world are the #1 reason why older homebuyers try online social networking, we found in our study of Social, Silver Surfers.

* Reasons often align with lifestage. 40-54 year olds are most motivated by work/career. The Silent Generation and 75+ers by invitations from family members.

* Real estate marketers putting all their eggs in the social media marketing basket should be wary. Our survey found only 15 % of all 40+ers actively engaged in social networks would say “Yes, I want to engage with a brand on these platforms.”

* Older users willing to engage saw three benefits to friending brands: discounts, a convenient channel for information and a feeling of insider access. Those who said no or maybe not cited a preference for communications by other channels (phone, corporate website) or face-to-face, a feeling of being overwhelmed by marketing, and a feeling that brands were intruding on their personal space.

How do Baby Boomers Engage on Social Media?

* Social sharing tools ranging from email-a-friend “widgets” to YouTube to message boards are common ways that baby boomers engage.

* The older the respondent, the more likely they were to consider email itself a social tool.

* Retirees cited email as a social tool at 8x the rate of those who were employed full- or part-time; 3x as many singles saw it as social than did couples.

How Can Builders and Developers of 50+ Housing Apply This to their Marketing?

Beth offers 5 ways to for real estate marketers to kick social media engagement into high gear with baby boomers and beyond:

5. Provide clear and simple privacy policies.

4. Make it personal. Show your appreciation.

3. Incorporate tools that make it easy to share experiences.

2. Talk with your friends/fans/followers, not at them.

1. Expand your horizons! Social media is far more than Facebook or Twitter.

Are you a marketer using using social media to sell 50+ housing? Share your insights on what works/what doesn’t below.

Tags: international builders show
Posted in 50+, Boomers, Branding, Housing, Internet, Marketing, Real Estate Marketing, Social Networking | 1 Comment »

Is 50+ Housing Declining or Thriving?

Thursday, February 9th, 2012

That provocative headline is the topic of a panel Todd Harff will host today at the International Builders’ Show in Orlando. Todd will be joined by three panelists who are nationally respected developers/marketers of a dozen communities catering to 50+ homebuyers.

What the panelists have in common is persistence, creativity and success. What distinguishes them is the variety of approaches they use to reach 50+ homebuyers – from senior rentals to multifamily to age-qualified communities and $900,000 single family homes. As Todd puts it, “Success in 50+ housing doesn’t come in one size anymore. ”

No one disputes that the population is aging.

No one disputes that there is opportunity in addressing the housing needs of people in their fifties and beyond. However, there is much debate over what the housing and communities for the active adult should look like and live like.

Let’s face it, our world has changed. We know that the large scale master planned retirement communities are too capital intensive to get started today. We know that many age-qualified communities are struggling. What isn’t clear is where the opportunity is to make money with the 50+ homebuyer.

Economic Realities Differ by Age Group

Money is a critical issue with today’s 50+ buyer, as Todd demonstrates in the following three graphs. These show how developers must consider the different circumstances of different age bands within 50+ housing.

75+ homeowners saw their income go up in the late 90s and then pretty much go flat in the last five years. Those who are 65 to 74 are continuing to do well. They had a little dip in the last recession of 2001, but in 2010 they were hardly hit.

Contrast that with the next chart which shows 45-54 year olds. Their incomes have taken a much harder hit. This group had been the “move-up buyer.” Now, they’re not moving up. This in turn is making it harder for active adults to sell their homes. “It’s not just the rich that are getting richer, it’s the older getting richer”, observed Todd

As the following chart shows, older Baby Boomers are actually better off economically than most other age groups. If you were fortunate enough to be in your 20s in the year 2000, your household income was nearly $46K a year. Ten years later, the household income of mid 20-year-olds is struggling to get to$40K. But for the people who are 65+, every year is getting better and better. Their best year was last year!

Asking the Tough Questions about the Future of 50+ Housing

Todd will be putting some challenging questions to his panel today, including:

* Are age qualified communities viable anymore or are they too restrictive?
* Is it possible today to have a successful homebuilding business that focuses on high-end homebuyers? What features and amenities do today’s buyers want?
* How is the age-in-place movement helping and hurting 50+ housing?
* What advice would you give to a builder looking to succeed in this market?
* What did you do differently last year that was successful?

Tune into this blog next week to read some of the answers provided. Or, share your own answers and thoughts, below!

Tags: international builders show
Posted in Boomers, Generation Jones (trailing edge Boomers), Housing, Real Estate Marketing, Silent Generation, Uncategorized | No Comments »

Stop Hunting for Active Adult Homebuyers. Start Gathering.

Wednesday, January 5th, 2011

Many developers of active adult housing still struggle to separate hype from reality when it comes to online marketing and social media. What really works with 50+ homebuyers? That’s the topic Creating Results’ President Todd Harff will address next week in Orlando, where he’ll be a featured presenter at the 2011 International Builders Show.

Todd - along with co-presenters Dee Minich, Group Senior VP of Sales & Marketing for industry leader K. Hovnanian Homes and Jennifer McKee Hannon of the McKee Group – will present “50 Ways to Engage 50+ Consumers Through the Web and Social Media.” They’ll show attendees how to create their own Internet marketing action plan. And, they’ll share key findings from Creating Results’ soon-to-be-released national study, “Social, Silver Surfers.”

If you’re headed to Orlando, find your way to West 314B on Friday, January 14th. For the rest of us, here’s one big “ah-ha” Todd and his co-presenters will be stressing:

Want to pursue active adults? Stop hunting. Start gathering.

Gathering? Yup. Gathering.

Let’s be honest. 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.

The Internet lead and the in-person lead should receive the same level of energy and service from your team. Start and maintain a conversation. Find out where they want to talk to you (your website? by email? on Facebook?) and respect that choice.

Give generously and frequently of your (online) time and (relevant, useful) content. Offer friendly incentives and discounts. Don’t think huge dollars, but make people feel special.

Play match-maker for other resources. That time-strapped Baby Boomer, trying to figure out how to downsize 30 years of household memories while caring for elderly parents and adult children and still keep her job … she’ll really appreciate your sharing a link to a reliable local plumber, contractor, Realtor or moving consultant.

By shifting your mindset and pursuing an integrated online plan, you’ll build your brand, attract new leads through lots of lovely keyword-rich content, AND you’ll nurture those leads.

Happy hunting gathering!

If you’d like to gather more insights into the online preferences and pet peeves of active adult homebuyers, register to receive the findings from Creating Results “Social, Silver Surfers” research at www.CreatingResults.com/social_silver_surfers.

Tags: international builders show, K. Hovnanian, Real Estate Marketing, Todd Harff
Posted in 50+, Housing, Internet, Real Estate Marketing, Social Networking, Uncategorized | 2 Comments »

Social Media and Boomer, Senior Homebuyers: Untangling the Web

Thursday, February 11th, 2010

Social media marketing seemed to be the topic of the hour at the 2010 International Builders Show (and other conferences I’ve attended in the past few months, such as the American Association of Homes and Services for the Aging event). Builders and developers – of active adult communities, of intergenerational housing, of continuing care retirement communities – are all wondering how these newer online marketing tools can drive sales with Boomer and Senior homebuyers.

In a new white paper with the “Top Ten Take-Aways from IBS 2010,” tip #9 addresses Untangling the Web. While the seniors housing industry is buzzing about social media, there are a lot of questions about whether to dive in.

Is Social Media Marketing Worth It with Baby Boomers and Seniors?

For those with 50+ age-qualified properties, question #1 often is: Should I even bother? As we’ve talked about frequently on this blog, YES. Seniors, Boomers, folks over 40 – they’re online, and actively engaged in social media. Just last week, eMarketer highlighted the growing presence of Boomers on social networks.

It’s not just Baby Boomers, either. The stats show that 36% of Internet users over 63 are actively maintaining a social networking profile. (Roughly 13% of the entire US population is over 65.)

The short answer is every builder needs to be engaged in social media at some level.

Case Study: Using Social Media Techniques to Reach CCRC Retiree Prospects

Recently our team had the honor of working with Willow Valley Retirement Communitiesto revamp their website. Willow Valley is the nation’s third largest retirement community, and – unlike most CCRCs which draw primarily from their local area – it’s a true destination. Willow Valley attracts retirees from 37 states.

Their prospects are educated, active and typically in their 70s. However, the Willow Valley and Creating Results teams recognize the gradual shift that will occur over the next decade, as the Silent Generation (born between 1925 and 1942) is joined by Baby Boomers (born 1946-1964).

Our plan for their new website was to make it not only functional and attractive, but to make the website the first stop on a prospect’s journey to retirement. That means it has to truly engaging. Social media techniques are built in throughout the site:

* share with a friend features – retirees can email, tweet or post content from any where in the site to their Facebook account
* videos embedded into the site from a branded WillowValley-TV channel on YouTube
* publications piped in from a digital publishing library that encourages sharing
* multiple calls for feedback and interaction (“suggest it to our librarian”)

The site is structured so that, looking ahead, the client can phase in more social engagement opportunities – message boards, blogs and comments/reviews.

Getting Social with Seniors, Strategically

Judging by the turnout at IBS social media sessions, many builders and developers are stuck on question #2 is: Where do I start?

I counsel our clients with active adult or continuing care retirement communities to start with the fundamentals, and that includes a plan. Any business wanting to incorporate social media into their Boomer marketing should have a strategy, goals, and have a plan that shows how social engagement is integrated into their rest of their marketing program for maximum impact.

(Creating Results also offers clients a bundle of social marketing services, including education, strategy and training … but that’s another story.)

Let’s put the question to you: In 2010, where will you start in your efforts to untangle the web and reach Boomers/senior homebuyers through social media? How can building community online drive sales for active adult and retirement communities offline?

Please share your thoughts and questions below.

Tags: AAHSA, Boomers social media, eMarketer, international builders show, Willow Valley Retirement Communities
Posted in 50+, 60+, Boomers, Housing, Internet, Mature Consumers, Real Estate Marketing, Social Networking, Uncategorized | 3 Comments »

Marketing Active Adult, Retirement Communities to Boomers and Beyond Requires an Internet Blueprint

Wednesday, February 10th, 2010

It’s time for tip #9 from my “top 10 take-aways” from the 2010 International Builders Show (IBS): “Untangling the Web.”

Marketing to seniors and Baby Boomers via the Web involves making full use of SEO best practices, social networking tools, interactive features, active adult friendly designs and more. Sadly, too many builders and developers forget to approach online marketing the way they would a new home: with a blueprint for success. I love the way eMarketer puts it: “planning and organization are no longer optional.”

At IBS, sessions related to Internet marketing and homebuyers were very popular. It seemed like everywhere builders and developers looked at this Las Vegas conference, someone was telling them to bet some or all of their marketing dollars on the Web. Without an internet strategy – a “blueprint” –, many communities are wasting time and money.

When speaking at the 50+ New England Housing Council’s annual meeting last month, I said there are three things to keep in mind for marketing active adult and retirement communities online:

* Print is not dead
* The Internet is not free
* Internet success is not overnight success

I invite you to share your thoughts below: In your experience, are builders and developers spending enough time on internet strategy? What “three things” will you keep in mind for your efforts in 2010?

P.S. The “10 take-aways” white paper I mentioned above offers additional insights and some statistics from the new NAHB Marketing to Active Adults course that can help you benchmark your Internet success. Complimentary download here.

Tags: 50+ Housing Council, international builders show
Posted in 50+, 60+, Housing, Internet, Real Estate Marketing, Uncategorized | 1 Comment »

What is the Future of Active Adult Housing?

Tuesday, February 9th, 2010

Was 2009 the end of 55+, age-qualified, active adult housing? It certainly was a painful year for builders, developers, and experts like myself, who had expected this market would out-perform the overall housing market during a downturn. Instead, as I note in my Top Ten Take-Aways from IBS, mature homebuyers – primarily discretionary purchasers – exercised their discretion and stayed put.

Active Adult communities have been age-qualified; you must be 55 years old or better to live in one. For years, this type of housing has been a sweet spot.

However, the Baby Boomers were hit hardest of all by the crash of the financial, real estate and employment markets. Now, gone are a willingness to pay for golf course views or useless and expensive upgrades. Is the willingness to live in an age-qualified community gone, too?

Redefining Reetirement Communities

Even before our current economic challenges, Baby Boomers were already redefining retirement, and therefore redefining retirement communities. Tennis courts were being replaced by business centers. Bonus rooms were used as home offices. Research we conducted for Central Parke 55+ Resort Communities led to the establishment of an Osher Lifelong Learning Institute (OLLI) campus at their Victoria Falls community.

As I wrote for the 50+ Housing Magazine in 2007,

What’s next? At this year’s International Builders Show (IBS), industry experts told me the future was in:

Urban infill
Co-housing
Aging-in-place
University-affiliated senior housing
Intergenerational communities

Everyone seemed to have a different opinion of where the industry would go. I think that they are all right, and I’m not even a politician. I say The Active Adult Market is Dead – Long Live the Active AdultS MarketS.

The Baby Boom is a generation of roughly 78 million. The US 50+ population is becoming increasingly diverse. One size of housing will not fit all; indeed, it never has.

For builders and developers, the challenge is to define which 50+ subgroup you’re targeting, and to take steps to truly understand them. Hire a good market research agency. Comb through your database. That prospect on your list is in a different place, economically and psychologically, than they were in 2008 or 2009. Conduct new surveys and listening sessions to understand what they now need and desire.

What do you think? What is the future of active adult housing? What can builders, developers and mature marketers do to thrive in a world with many different active adults marketS?

Tags: 50+ Housing Magazine, active adult communities, international builders show, Osher Lifelong Learning Institute, Real Estate Marketing
Posted in 50+, Housing, Real Estate Marketing, Uncategorized | 11 Comments »

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Posts Tagged ‘international builders show’

Is 50+ Housing Declining or Thriving?

Economic Realities Differ by Age Group

Asking the Tough Questions about the Future of 50+ Housing

Marketing Active Adult, Retirement Communities to Boomers and Beyond Requires an Internet Blueprint

What is the Future of Active Adult Housing?

Redefining Reetirement Communities

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