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e-NEWSLETTER
FALL 2009
WHAT'S INSIDE
Recipe for Results
Head of Class
Holiday Tip
In Case You Missed It… |
INTRODUCTION
What does Missouri have to do with your marketing plans? If you’re challenging your team to aim for the sky in 2010, we recommend you start by grounding yourselves in Missouri. It’s the “show me” state, and any planning should start with an understanding of how to show consumers (especially mature, Baby Boomers and beyond) that your product/service will deliver such a tremendous value that they are compelled to take action.
In 2010 we see continued high unemployment, a turbulent stock market, rising energy and commodity prices, media that is critical and depressing, and low consumer confidence.
With all this, is it any wonder consumers are fatigued? They’re feeling insecure, worn out and worried. And that mindset is the reality mature marketers must work within in the coming year.
Missouri’s Senator Willard Duncan Vandiver is given the credit for coining this “buzz-worthy” description of his state in 1899. He’s quoted as saying “frothy eloquence neither convinces nor satisfies me. I am from Missouri. You have got to show me.”
Show me.
In 2010, customers of all ages expect exceptional experiences and true value. How will your marketing show them that your brand can deliver?
Best regards,
Todd Harff
President
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Ram Charan,
Business Advisor
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RECIPE FOR RESULTS
Smart Campaign Keeps Prospects Coming to Virginia CCRC
The Situation:
Seniors moving to a continuing care retirement community (CCRC) have traditionally funded their new home with a sale of their existing home. The stalled economy has led many prospective residents of Westminster at Lake Ridge to put their moves on hold.
How could this Virginia CCRC show they were a smart retirement decision, and motivate action?
The Solution:
A one-two punch provided by an integrated online/offline marketing campaign that spoke directly to the benefits of retirement living. The objectives were two-fold: increase the number of eLeads (online registrations) and boost attendance at informational events.
Print ads and targeted direct mail featured “Real Residents … Real Stories.” Testimonials are a marketing technique that has proven highly effective with Baby Boomers and beyond. We introduced three of Westminster’s residents – a Marine Sgt Major, a beagle (and her owner) and a retired businesswoman. Each piece drove to a landing page where prospects could learn more about these savvy seniors and their “Smart Retirement Decision.”
The stories told on- and offline authentically demonstrated benefits relevant to prospects: maintenance-free living, having a choice of independent home style, and freedom from financial/healthcare worries. Each landing page encouraged visitors to register for Westminster’s monthly newsletter and to sign-up for a lunch event.
The Results:
72 eLead registrations were generated during the three-month “Smart Retirement Decision” campaign period. This was an increase of 267% from that time window the previous year! 30 of those leads can be directly tracked to the landing pages.
Event attendance also increased – in July 2009, the CCRC hosted 2.5x the number of prospects as the previous year; in August, it was 8x the number of attendees from 2008.
The Smart Retirement Decision campaign will continue through 2010, and new resident profiles may be added to the mix. Because, as of October, despite the troubles in the real estate market Westminster at Lake Ridge is only two move-ins away from its 2009 goals (and ahead of 2008), proving the campaign strategy and execution were truly “smart.”
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HEAD OF CLASS
Two Tips from New National Course on 50+ Marketing
On November 5, the National Association of Home Builders (NAHB) will pilot its new course, “Marketing to Active Adults.” Creating Results’ own Todd Harff was selected by NAHB to author the program and teach the course.
“The real benefits of this class are understanding how to select the most appropriate marketing strategy for your specific active adult target market and learning how to effectively integrate the various on and off-line components,” says Harff. There are six sections, ranging from an overview of Baby Boomers and beyond (their lifestages, aspirations and other influences) to Marketing Components to Internet Strategy.
He shares two tips from the course with readers of this newsletter:
- A well planned email program is no longer a “nice to have” when targeting a mature audience. It lets you reach out to interested prospects and inexpensively move them towards purchase. As the Pew Internet & American Life Project reported earlier this year, email is by far the most popular online activity of older generations.
- As course contributor Jane O’Connor notes, marketing programs should consider what lifestage their prospects are in. More pivotal changes happen in our 50s than any other time – from age milestones, to employment and relationship changes (empty nests, divorce), to health challenges. It’s a turbulent and often unsettling time, and this insight should impact your messaging.
For information on the pilot, please see MNCBIA website.
To discuss how insights from this new course might be applied to improve the effectiveness of your marketing programs, contact todd@creatingresults.com.
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HO-HO-HOLIDAY MARKETING
The holidays offer organizations some of the best opportunities to get out in front of customers and their prospect base, and to build relationships with them.
A holiday marketing campaign doesn’t have to be as involved as the OfficeMax “Elf Yourself” viral campaign (that quadrupled their site traffic in a matter of weeks). And not every business will want to (or should) change their logo or home page for the season.
Simple, branded emails giving thanks to and for your customers can be very effective. Members of the Silent and WWII generations (65+ers) are especially pleased by companies that show the same good manners with which they were raised. Add content that’s fun, relevant or otherwise “share-worthy” and you can grow your lists and extend your visibility.
Sometimes, holiday-themed communications are simply a way to remind folks that we’re all human, and we’re all in this together.
No matter what form your marketing takes this holiday season, start with a clear goal in mind. What action (if any) do you want prospects to take? How will you measure the success of the effort? Then, create a plan that will cost-effectively get you there.
Remember that any holiday-themed marketing should be
- Personal and personalized (especially for Baby Boomers),
- Sincere,
- Relevant to your audience, and
- Reflect your brand positively.
Ho-ho-hoping for inspiration? Talk to the team at Creating Results about strategy or creative execution.
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IN CASE YOU MISSED IT…
Have you subscribed to Creating Results’ blog yet? If you’re not checking in regularly with www.MatureMarketingMatters.com for insights and analysis, here are a few recent posts you might find of value.
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MOVING ON UP
Our MidAtlantic office is changing spaces but we’re not going very far. As of November 6, you’ll find the Creating Results team in a new location within the same Woodbridge office park – just 100 feet to the left and up a level.
We’re excited for second floor views and the sunlight pouring in. Lots of windows!
Please update your records with our new address:
14000 Crown Court, Suite 211
Woodbridge, VA 22193
Telephone, fax, etc. remain the same.
Please call and arrange for a tour!
Please feel free to forward this newsletter in its entirety to colleagues who value successful mature marketing practices.
For more information about us call (703) 494-7888 or (401) 289-2500, e-mail erin@creatingresults.com, or visit us at our website at www.creatingresults.com
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