If you think someone in their twilight years isn’t looking online for an assisted living center… well, you might be partly right, but they aren’t your primary online audience. Their children are often the ones doing research and looking for the best option for their parents, and both groups want to feel confident and happy in their choice.

In what can be a significant and emotional decision, assisted living facility marketing can play a role in building connections, empowering residents and families, and setting your brand apart. The critical question is: how you can help make a scary life change into a clear and comforting choice?

Content is a great place to start. The adult children of your prospective residents want to learn as much as they can about your facility before approaching their parents, and they want to ensure it feels like a good fit. While many facilities say they care, smart marketers follow the best practice, “show don’t tell.”

With the right visuals and strategic message, you can help seniors and their children feel ready and excited about partnering with you. Today’s post explores five tips to put visual marketing to work for your Joplin assisted living facility.

1. Capture Resident Stories

New residents and their families want to know what to expect. And who better to share that with them than your current residents? While you could list bullets on your website or print materials about amenities, recreational activities, and your incredible staff, a more personal and powerful option is to give your residents a voice. Putting the spotlight on them can show prospects that you’re all about the people you serve.

Sit down for informal interviews and ask residents about their hobbies, interests, and what they enjoy most about your facility. You can pair written answers with professionally shot portraits, or take it to the next level with video. Quotes and stories can be packaged together into a bigger piece, or sliced and diced for use in multiple social media or blog posts. Sharing a Q&A blog post that’s focused on a single resident can make that individual feel special, while demonstrating to prospects that you care.  

2. Share Testimonials from Family Members

Just like your residents have valuable perspectives to share, so do their children and other family members. A smart way to answer questions and ease concerns of potential residents’ loved ones is to build a collection of positive testimonials.

Perhaps a resident’s daughter was nervous about helping her mother transition to your assisted living facility, but your staff helped them feel right at home. You can give families comfort and assurance by sharing what other satisfied clients have to say about their experiences.

3. Showcase Your Staff and Programs

Help potential residents get to know the people that will take care of them at your facility, and the kind of assistance they can expect. Your website’s About Us page is the perfect place to share photos and videos of staff in action, as well as information about their expertise and passion for what they do. Additionally, you can dive deeper with regular staff spotlights and interviews, shared on your blog or social media pages.

Your assisted living facility is more than just an apartment — it’s also a community. Do you host ice cream socials or bingo nights? Day trips out in the community, holiday parties, or gardening clubs? Whatever you offer, bring it to life with photos and videos.

4. Spell Out Your Mission Statement

You do things differently than other assisted living facilities, and likely have a mission statement that captures your Difference Maker. But how is that demonstrated day to day? Words like “quality care” and “commitment to excellence” can fall flat on their own. Think about how you can “show not tell,” leaning on your staff and residents to share how you don’t just talk the talk — you walk the walk.

5. Address FAQs

It’s likely that some questions come up again and again among potential residents and their family members. What is your staff to patient ratio? Do you have a medication management program? What typical services are available, and what training do staff members go through?

A simple FAQ page on your website is a solid place to start, and there are many creative opportunities to make sure questions are fully answered. Split them up and examine them one by one in explanatory videos. Put them together in a visual infographic. Pair your FAQ list with a form to collect feedback and additional questions, so prospects know you’re invested in their peace of mind.

Visual marketing can share your facility’s story and make it a clear choice. However, you have a lot on your plate, so you may be pressed for time and wondering how to get started with making your marketing more visual. It helps to outsource, and that’s where we come in. Contact us to talk about how to put visual marketing to work and attract new residents at your assisted living facility.