Active Adult Communities & Their Names

You may want to read Katherine Shaver's article "Seniors mull over trademark license fee" here. She points out an important issue to consider if buying a home or condominium in an active adult community.

It certainly would not occur to me if I was caught up in the excitement of the decision to move to a new lifestyle community. But can you imagine living in a community for over 17 years and then being told you would need to pay to keep the name and an exterior sculpture.

Leisure World has built a brand name in it's communities. It's surprising that it wants to pull it's name and identity from an existing community.

Additionally, with this action to collect licensing fees how can it help build referrals from these homeowners or build on it's brand.It's an interesting dilemna we should watch.

E-Correspondence Tips

Reviewing email communication for your community is an important consideration as this communication tool is used by our sales teams.

Just because someone is a capable sales person does not mean they are a prolific writer.

I recently received an email from a sales person in response to a request for information.

The email was much too detailed with the nuts and bolts or sticks and bricks. It even described the communities many options and upgrades.

Missing was an ability to paint a visual picture in my mind and entice me to want to visit this particular community. The email was sent on a Friday and not followed with a personal telephone call thanking me for my inquiry.

This is an example of letting a lead slip through the cracks.

Some tips:
1. Review email correspondence
2. Help sales personnel by creating suggested templates for responding to inquiries
3. Brainstorm strategy to get everyone on the same page as to what to write to people
4. Less is more is key in corresponding
5. Remember it's a relationship opportunity to get to know the customer behind the inquiry.

The Worst Place to Retire

A recent article about a website topretirements.com listed states such as Arizona, Florida, Illinois, Michigan, Nevada, New Jersey, and California among the worst places to spend golden years.

As a Florida resident I understand. As a strategic marketing and communications specialist my advice is turn a lemon in lemonade.

States being promoted as worst places need to assess their strengths and weaknesses, determine what can be changed and above all start selling their positives.

Why do people select various states for retirement? Often it's family motivated and the desire to be nearer grandchildren.

People who have lived in a community have roots and whatever the failings of the city and state; this is where they have history. That is a pretty valuable consideration.

New Jersey was described as having the highest property taxes plus cold winters. Yet there are any number of wonderful parks, recreation, vast educational opportunities and proximity to New York to help promote New Jersey. People who live there seem to love it and I'm sure they don't appreciate their negative ratings.

Florida certainly has it's share of troubles but we have some of the finest beaches, outstanding weather and cultural diversity. In any weekend in south Florida you can go from Little Havana in Miami to the posh life of South Beach to the glitz of Boca Raton and Palm Beach and simply enjoy being a pedestrian.

Go Jane

Jane Fonda's at it again. She's just released new exercise DVD's titled "Fit and Strong" and "Walk Out." If anyone can inspire it's Jane and at 72, she looks great. The exercise devotee advises anyone to get off the couch.

These would be great for senior communities to add to the exercise libraries.

Car Dealerships & Senior Housing

What does a car dealership have in common with a senior living community?

Customer service.

This past week it was my challenge to lease a car...an experience which I find worse than visiting a dentist.

To visit the dealership; I was prepared. With my cell phone to read emails and my latest knitting project...I was ready for the negotiating stay.

At one dealership; I should have packed lunch too. In about two hours, all I had was a salesperson who would disappear for endlessly and return telling me he needed to locate the car I wanted. No refreshments were offered.

When I left the dealership; he called me with a new, best offer--reducing the price by $5.00 and that the best he could do.

The next day, he called again to tell me there was a factory strike in South Africa and he didn't know if the car I wanted would be available for very long.

The second dealership was only a phone relationship. No invitation to visit...no reassurance that we could make a deal....just the facts and that was it. The salesman never has called again to check on my decision.

The third dealership was eager for my business. They assured me that they would beat the price from dealer A and B and set up an appointment for Sat.

The wait at this dealership was not unreasonable and I was offered beverages. When I said I needed to go out and get something to eat; I was offered Cuban pasteries and coffee. When the paperwork was signed; the financial person provided me with a complimentary mug and candy. When I needed to unpack my trunk; I was given logo tote bags and plenty of assistance.

Another interesting approach was that the salesperson didn't make the deal...the second person aka busines manager negotiated the fine points which left the sales person more as a good guy.

All in all...it's an interesting example of customer service.

Applications for senior housing--be sure to make customers comfortable. Send down to the dining room for a quick sandwich if needed because people may need more than cookies.

Be attuned to someone's schedule. They may not be prepared to stay for hours and need to return for a visit.

Followup and connect. Check back first thing in the morning. The customers who visited you yesterday may be planning to visit your competitor that afternoon so it's good to check back with them.

Provide small gifts. It's a nice touch to give someone to remember you by. A mug, playing cards, note pads, bottle water with a logo label and use a logo plastic bag.

Everybody seems to have a use for tote bags so sending these home is useful too.

Does Your Community Have A Holiday Game Face?

It is important that your community celebrate the holidays in style. Take a look at decorations and make sure they reflect the image of your community.

We often see holiday decorations that would be appropriate for an elementary school but are not suitable for a senior living community. From activity bulletin boards to the reception desk, it's important to carefully access what first impression you are making.

Sometimes less is more if budget is a concern. Be sure that everyone understand how they may
decorate at home may be wonderful but not fitting of the community. You don't want staff's hurt feelings when their ceramic Santa is removed from the hostess station.

Holidays are a time when communities are on display as families and friends visit. It is also important to make sure holidays recognize both Christians and Jewish people.

If you go all out in your community, this is a wonderful time for holiday open house tours.

We have a community as a client that has a resident who traditionally sets up their electric trains. He's the conductor and everyone really enjoys this celebration. It's become a community tradition.

Celebrate with style and take advantage of this marketing opportunity with prior visitors to invite them for eggnog and cookies one afternoon.

Call Transferring & Lost Opportunities

Certainly there are times when we need to be away from our telephone but how missed telephone inquiries are handled is a critical link that needs to be strengthened.

I called a community's main telephone number. The electronic messages gave me few options and I selected to be transferred to the marketing department. Did a "live" person answer? You would have hoped so but no. I was now in voice mail heaven.

The marketing director's message explained she would be out of the office for 3-4 days and would not return to the office until the middle of the following week. I was told to either leave my telephone number or call her cell if it was an "emergency". Somehow calls to the marketing department of a senior community could hardly be considered "emergencies" so I opted to leave a message.

If I were a customer needing information and desiring a tour/visit, immediacy would be my concern. As boomer consumers who may typically be researching for parents; the desire for information now is typical.


Double check your telephone inquiry systems. Incoming calls for information should not be permitted to slip through the cracks.

Crafting Great Postcards

Postcards offer a wonderful use of direct mail but need to incorporate several key points.

Regardless whether post cards are E-post cards or those requiring postage, these tips may be useful:

1. Get to the point. Catch the reader's attention with a short, catchy phrase. This entices someone to read more;
2. Provide some type of offer. Make sure specific offers have a limited time duration. An invitation can be an offer, price incentive or something free such as moving guide or book;
3. Call to action with clear instructions. Someone who reads the post card should know what you want them to do...call, go to the web site, etc. and make sure they can read the telephone number you want them to use;
4. Use a dominant feature such as headline or picture. One strong photo is better than a collage;
5. Effectively use both sides of the post card but make sure copy is brief and easy to read.

Post cards are terrific and can be used for holiday messages, invitations and more. They often have greater readership than letters and find their way to someone's refrigerator as a reminder.

INVALUABLE FOLLOW UP

We recently did a mystery shopping assignment for several continuing care communities. All of the communities were happy to send us a brochure kit and in one case used federal express services to make sure the kit would be on our doorstep the next day.

Each package was extremely comprehensive to the point of overkill. It would take a specialist to ponder their way through the information but that's for another Blog.

None of the communities called to followup after the packages should have been received. This is alarming. Each kit cost nearly $5 to mail and that doesn't take into account the kit's printing and the time to address the package.

Additionally, since my inquiry explained that a visit to the community would be likely in several weeks, why the need to provide this endless amount of information.

The websites for each community were very comprehensive.

Encouraged is a review of the collateral that is sent to a prospective customer. Less may be more. Review content to see if everything really is necessary...after all, you want a first-hand visit by the customer.

Postage Due...A Customer Turn-Off

This is a small tip...but one that is very important.

Weigh the brochure kits being sent to customers and match postage with weight. It's a good idea to establish what will be sent out and not vary the content since the weight and postage can be predetermined.

Spending too much is a waste of money and not applying the appropriate amount of postage is rude. Sales people may tend to slap any number of stamps on a kit envelop to get it in the mail without considering how much money they are wasting since it's not coming out of their wallet.

We recently had our postman request an additional $.31 cents for a brochure kit from a senior community. What if we were the customer? What an awful first impression this sales person made.

The subliminal message would certainly be...if that's their level of compency, how will they care for my family member or for me.

Withholding a calendar, menu, postcards for later mailings may be preferable than sending everything as a one-time package. By showing up repetively in their mail box--may one day have them decide "now they are ready to move" and your materials kept them interested.

Be sure to include a personal note....in addition to a business card. I can't begin to tell you how many sales people send out the kit without a personal note.

Eliminate "U" word in Senior Housing Wordspeak

People live in a "home" or it is their residence regardless whether these are mansions or apartments.

People don't live in "units" which technically is a measurement. Too often in verbal presentations from receptionists to marketing departments, apartments are referred to as "units".

Word usage often trickles down the organization and when people hear upper management use words, they may adopt its use in their vocabulary as well.

I've heard CEO's use the term 'at the end of the day' and listened to how this phrase permeated conference meetings and discussions. Another CEO would say he wanted us to "noodle it around" before making a decision. While I envisioned a plate of pasta ....maybe I was hungry; this also was quickly adopted as CEO speak.

"Units" may be used by architects designing a building but for discussion with potential residents opportunities to use terms conveying a residential flavor is far more desirable.

Lost Opportunities: After hours calls

Okay...there are simply some times when marketing people aren't available to hande incoming inquiry telephone calls at senior communities. We understand.

These times should not be missed opportunities.

While some consultants believe everyone should be trained to handle inquiries, it is my belief that realistically, the most important information training should be in obtaining a person's name and telephone number in order that a qualified person be able to return the call either later in the day or the next day.

In smaller communities after hours calls may be answered by CNAs to dining personnel. Do you want them spending time on the phone when caring for residents is their responsibility?

Training can include a script posted by the telephone and some training in handling these after hour inquiries.

Also, community marketing departments should brainstorm the what ifs...What if someone calls at 6 pm? What if they call on Saturday or Sunday? What about holidays? Transferring calls to some one's cell may be helpful especially when they are out in the field.

It is realistic to plan that a potential resident and/or their families will be calling in advance of a tour. Planning is essential in order that we become a service-oriented organization.

Lost Opportunity In A Prospect's Inquiry

It's as easy as asking for someone's name and address....and yet in the majority of prospect inquiries calling senior communities, this simple step is often missed.

This is an lost opportunity in a prospect's inquiry and a skill that needs improvement.

Why is obtaining contact information vital? How else will you followup without someone's name, address and telephone number. Putting the responsibility back on the customer puts the customer in the competitors' hands.

It's a nice touch to start off a conversation by introducing yourself and providing your title. This way someone knows that you will be qualified to answer their questions.

Generally, people provide their name in return but if not, it's ok to ask by saying: May I ask your name? Obtain last name as well when someone offers only their first name.

It's important to obtain the name of the person that the inquiry is about--the family member for example and then use their name sometimes during the conversation. Be natural or you may want to say....your mom/your dad etc.

Address, telephone numbers and email addresses can be easily obtained even when someone is not interested in a brochure. Tell prospect that your community periodically has events and that you send mailings and invitations and would like to keep him/her on our list. Asking permission to include them on the list is a nice way to gain information. If no is still the response, you may ask for an email address.

If early in the conversation they object--it may take some further discovery to learn where they are from and if you have their name, you can do some quick research on the web to learn their home address to send a thank you for calling note.

Being Prepared for Crisis

This is an excellent reminder of being prepared for a crisis. For more info, click here

Face-lifts & Home Improvements

There's an excellent article in the Washington Post's entitled "Face-lifts aren't just for aging people" by Jean Patteson. She writes about the growing trend in home modification to make homes more user-friendly as homeowners age.

National Aging in Place Week is Oct. 11-16 and the author mentions how she improved a 1,300 square foot house for her aging mother. From improving it with wider door openings, a shower with no doors or steps and a kitchen with more storage at waist level, her mother was able to move within the home with greater ease as well as accessing the outside.

When tackling home improvements working with specialists may be well worth the expense to make sure they are qualified and understand these aging in place features.

To view the article in its entirety, click here.

Home Delivered Groceries

I read about a new business started by a woman who loves grocery shopping. When her youngest child started preschool, she creted Grocery-Gal.com, a website for peple in the Palm Beach Gardens and Jupiter areas to sign up for her grocery shopping service.

She's targeting older people and dual income families who don't want the hassle of shopping. Her fees are based on a flat rate of the total grocery trip.

I think it's terrific. It shows she's exploring opportunities to fill a need many seniors find challenging and another example of a service which affords seniors the ability to stay where they are living.

While home delivery isn't new and many chains have adopted this, grocery shopping is a personal experience. You want someone to smell the melon or not buy unripe bananas.

Just something to ponder.

Reinvention at 60

Cathy Guisewite, the creative of "Cathy" is retiring at age 60. The press release distributed by Tribune Newspapers mentioned her desire to spend more time with family and visiting her parents in Florida. At age 60, the article said "she is just realizing that there is a lot more that I want to do creatively." Sounds like a lot of boomers.

I've enjoyed reading "Cathy" for years as her character captured a universal voice of single woman.

I am eager to learn of Guisewite's reinvention.

Mystery Shop Tips

Having a recorded tape of how your receptionist is answering incoming calls for the community's telephone is a useful practice and helps improve their answering skills.

Permission to tape calls should be obtained from all employees at the time of their employment.

Periodically having these calls taped is quite useful in hearing what a prospective customer hears.

Our calls to numerous communities consistently indicate how poorly the first impressions are made.

For example:

1. Mumbling the name of the community;


2. Speaking too quickly;


3. Not saying their name clearly;


4. Sounding exasperated--and that the call is an unwelcome interruption;


5. Telling a caller no one is available to be of help;


6. Multi-tasking and not giving full attention to the incoming caller;


7. Sing song voice--reading a prepared script;


8. Letting the phone ring numerous rings.

While you can hear for yourself how the receptionist sounds to callers, it is constructive to have someone listen to themselves and practice skills with role playing.

First impressions separate your community from competition. Lost leads at this point is inexcusable in today's competitive marketplace.

Reverse Mortgages

Those in sales and marketing of active adult and senior housing need to understand reverse mortgages as an option for seniors. The recent Palm Beach Post article (Sunday, June 20, 2010) was helpful in providing drawbacks and benefits of reverse mortages and explained it in consumer friendly approach. While there are specialists selling reverse mortgages, the author and her sources noted that reverse mortgages are complicated and a borrower must attend a consumer counseling session with an independent nonprofit group before signing up for a reverse mortgage.

You can view the entire article by clicking here.

Senior Techie's Cover A Wide Range of Abilities

Back in the day our offices seemed pretty sophisticated to provide an IBM Selectric typewriter which now is a vintage relic that no one wants either on EBay or Craig's List. For me learning to use a computer required a lot of courage and patient friends who showed me the way.

Similarly this new world of Apps along with IPhone, Android or Blackberry has many boomers either embracing technology to be the first on their block or those of us waiting in the wings and taking baby steps. We're in search of grandchildren, nieces and nephews to show us the ways.

The Sun-Sentinel's article (Monday, June 28, 2010) offered great information for novices and writer Daniel Vasquez provided excellent explanations about choices of available products.

We need to embrace change and get out of the mousetrap. I'm heading to the Apple store this weekend.

To view the Sun-Sentinel article in its entirety, please click here.

Touring A Senior Community

It's always showtime when a sales representative is asked to show their senior community. Regardless if the tour is just to look and the visitors are not prospects, this should be an opportunity to practice touring skills.

Here are some constructive tips:

• Greet the visitors with a warm handshake and introduce yourself;


• Let them enthusiastically know that you are so happy to show them your community even if a tour is taking you away from a stack of work on your desk;


• Be sure to introduce them to other staff members you see along the tour route;


• Engage in conversation as you walk through the building;


• Get excited about features your community has that are unique. On a recent tour we saw a great art gallery, outdoor card area, music room and a designated classroom but our sales representative was not overly excited about these special features;


• Have brochure kits preassembled for visitors;


• Ask the visitors questions about what they do...learn about them. They could also be shopping for sales people...you never know;


• Ask for their card and send a note;


• If the community is quiet with little activity...offer conversation about how this place really buzzes at night, our residents do their own thing during the day, etc. Use the gift of gab to engage and tell your community's story.

Adopting Social Media Impacts Companies' Growth

A recent article in MultiHousing Professional Magazine (March/April, 2010) by Tamara Schweitzer, cited that America's fastest growing private companies are adopting social media marketing initiatives. Interest in social media has grown since the first study in 2007 was conducted by the Center for Marketing Research at the University of Mass. Dartmouth.

The study looked at 148 of 500 companies and respondents were asked about their usage and familiarity with six types of social media tools including blogging, podcasting, online video, social networking, message boards and wikis.

Social media usage has grown in the past year with 91 percent of the companies reporting that they use at least one social media tool. Many entrepreneurs have embranced sites as part of the their busines strategy including Twitter, LinkedIn, Facebook and My Space.

While 44% of the companies without a company blog say they plan to start one and 36% intend to use some form of online video.

London Opens Senior Play Lot

I wanted to pass along this article about a "senior play ground" that opening in Hyde Park. Residents campaigned for a facility to help older people get fit.

This sounds pretty special and could serve as a model for cities in the US.

There are six low-impact fitness machines which includes a cross-trainer, a stationary bicycle and sit up bench. The park is free and outdoors.

The playground is aimed at people older than 60 and is modeled after similar play areas elsewhere in Europe. People of any age are welcome but the signage refers to the playground as "Hyde Park Senior Playground".

New Products Displayed at ALFA

The Assisted Living Federation of America's (ALFA) conference in Phoenix May 2010 offered great new products geared to seniors.

A puzzle company has created vintage picture puzzles for those with dementia. This low cost product offers elders an opportunity to reflect with a variety of vintage pictures as well as problem solve. The founder of DignifieDesigns, Gini Ballou, wanted a product which would offer elders dignity while playing games and be more age appropriate.

The puzzles are easy to handle and would be useful for therapy and interaction. Go to http://www.dignifiedesigns.com/ or contact gini@dignifiedesigns.com.

Mystery Shopping Aids Relationship Building Skills

Do you know what marketing team members say to customers during a sales presentation or telephone inquiry?

“Using mystery shopping analysis is a constructive way to help sales people improve their sales presentations and feel positive about their strengths and skill with customers,” said Janis R. Ehlers, president of The Ehlers Group.

“Recording telephone conversations is becoming more effective in gauging effective relationship building skills. Without taking time away from real customers, we are finding that telephone mystery shopping can reveal some important tips for sales people to practice.”

In many cases, sales people are data-dumping salient features and prices without even inquiring about a parent’s name. Non-marketing personnel often fail to obtain prospects’ telephone numbers if marketing staff is unavailable to handle inquiry calls.

There’s a goldmine of valuable inquiries slipping through the cracks yet it is second nature for a marketing department to want to spend more in advertising to generate traffic. It costs hundreds of dollars to bring one prospect to a community. Key opportunities are being lost at the point of first contact and in building relationships with families and potential residents.

Telephone techniques can be practiced in sales training sessions to make sure every sales person feels comfortable in creating rapport with callers and piquing someone’s interest to bring parents to visit a community.

For help with mystery shopping, call The Ehlers Group for a project quote.

Medical Visits by Seniors & Caregivers

I recently was in a lab waiting room and a caregiver arrived with her senior client. The senior was a frail, elderly lady and needed the assistance of a caregiver. But this particular caregiver was disinterested in the person and was providing cursory service.

She was curt in answering questions from both the client and the receptionist and claimed to have no knowledge about the client's needs.

For what little help the caregiver was providing, a taxi service would have been sufficient but this patient clearly needed more assistance.

The situation I witnessed would make anyone upset in seeing what insufficient care and concern was being shown to an elderly person.

There are several suggestions that could make a medical visits easier for the senior patient, a caregiver and the medical providers. If senior communities are providing caregivers it should be their responsibility to make sure all parties are informed and if home health care companies are providing caregivers to accompany clients to medical appointments, they are equally responsible.

1. Make sure the patient has the correct information: a form/file with needed history, prescription and doctor. This should be routine--a caregiver accompanying a patient should not leave a community or senior's home without this package. The lab was asking the patient why she was there and she didn't know--but neither did the caregiver. Someone needs to know.

2. The care giver's responsibility is to care for the senior. The care giver's disinterest was obvious as she was more interested in watching the TV than talking with the senior. She turned the senior's wheelchair away from her rather than engage in any conversation.

3. The caregiver should know what test the patient is undergoing and be prepared to wait with the client. The caregiver is more than a taxi driver...he/she is responsible for the patient.

4. The caregiver should know if patient can drink water prior to testing; if patient has had food prior to coming to the medical facility. The lady kept asking for water to drink and the caregiver refused her request saying, "You know you aren't thirsty" and "You pulled this last week".

Perhaps we need some mystery shoppers checking on our professional caregivers.

Ambassadors Offer Community Assistance

I read about a great program called "Ambassadors" which is operating in 21 gated communities in Boca Raton with 80 volunteers who have served more than 500 needy seniors.

This is one of eight across the country recognized by the Alliance for Children and Families, a national family advocacy group as a model for taping older Baby Boomers who assist their elderly neighbors and allow them to remain at home instead of moving to nursing homes.

It is a great channel of volunteer efforts. The article in the Sun Sentinel mentioned a person who buys people their groceries, arranges transportation and connects them with social services and monitors their well-being.

The Jewish Family Service program is through the Alpert Jeishe Family & Children's Service of Palm Beach County and provides volunteers training and more knowledge of community resources.

Our cities need to embrace these efforts--there are great people who want to give back and many seniors who either don't wish to move to a senior community or who can't afford them. These are alternatives that can help without being costly.

Revitalizing Leasing and Sales in Senior Communities

These are times when the tough keep going. Marketing senior living housing to potential new residents takes extra special efforts.

Here are ten useful tips:

1. Know thyself. It’s critical to assess the first impressions a community makes on a prospective resident. Regardless of tight budgets, pay attention to landscaping and flower beds, signage, working entry gates, painted guard houses and front entry doors.

2. Directors of first impressions are both receptionists and security guards. Coordination with these people is essential so they can anticipate visitors and welcome them to the community. This may slip through the cracks as communities get comfortable with procedures.

3. Know the competition. Shop competitor communities more frequently and update information. Knowing their census and current concessions is important. If you are well known in your marketplace, it may be useful to utilize mystery shoppers to glean information.

4. Brainstorm with team to update strengths of your community against competition. A community which is about 10 years old promotes their apartments as being just like new: appliances, carpeting, paint and re-grouted or replaced bathroom tiles. There is on-going preventative maintenance underway and the community always looks sparkling.

5. Conduct informational focus groups with more recent residents and solicit their opinions experienced during first six months to a year.

6. Utilize exit interviews with previous residents and/or families. While it may be impossible to have them return, this sensitive customer service approach opens the door for feedback on what the community either did well or not. People value a listening ear and like to share with unbiased listener.

7. Evaluate the web site. Does your web site have a personality and reflect your potential buyers’ persona or does it look like every other senior community web site? Use words that talk your customer’s language. Think how the site relates to singles and couples as well as families.

8. Treat every customer as an individual. We tend to generalize about customers but everyone has their own distinct personality, needs and timetable. This is when we want sales people who are compassionate listeners and can offer reassurance.

9. Encourage sales people to court their customers. Spend time visiting their home and discover their family legacies and traditions. The time invested to become a family friend will be treasured and will catapult leasing results.

10. Provide positive reinforcement to sales people with constructive and on-going training. Correcting a golf swing takes more than one session with an instructor and similarly every sales person needs coaching and mentoring.

Let us know how you are doing.

Retail Stores Hours Not Matching Consumer's Shedules

It's certainly acknowledged that small retail stores are being challenged as today's consumers watch their disposal income more carefully.

And as all of us boomers stay home nesting and cocooning--crafting must be on the rise. It intrigues me that many specialty craft stores gear their operations to employees rather than for potential customers.

Needlepoint stores seem to close at 4:30 pm on weekdays and earlier on Sat. Knitting shops also rarely stay open past 5:30. Heavens forbid closing at 7:00 or later.

What are we to do? The large chain craft centers such as Michaels which have better hours and wonderful selections with great prices offers little support. The crafter goes it alone without any support or advice from talented employees . There are few classes and demonstrations in many markets.

There are those of us who are "want to be crafters" but opportunities to learn fundamentals are a real challenge.

It's interesting that the customer is the loser. When stores gear their hours to when employees can go home for dinner without staggering these times to attract new customers who have scheduling constraints.

Hopefully they will survive these times.

"Needing More Attention"

A recent stop at a Boca Raton clothing boutique made me think of the wonderful movie "Pretty Woman" and Richard Gere taking Julia Roberts back to the Rodeo Drive store and requesting more sucking up after the sales women slighted her.

This particular boutique needs a similar visit by Richard and Julia.

I stopped in at 4:40 on a Saturday afternoon and before looking at their racks, asked what time they closed. I was told at 5 p.m. which wasn't a problem since I was just browsing.

But then another sales person came up to me and announced, "we close in fifteen minutes." Following me around, she restraighened any clothes I touched. I left in five minutes.

How do you make a customer feel unwelcomed?

I hardly believe any of the women in the store that afternoon were its owners. Considering the economic climate today, it would seem that any prospective customer would warrant being made to feel comfortable despite the store's closing time.

Perhaps I was in search of a fabulous outfit to wear that evening and I just decided nothing in my closet would do. These less than attentive sales people not only missed one sale but future sales.

The old adage about keeping customers satisfied versus losing them and how a dissatisfied woman will tell not one but many of her experience certainly holds true.

When we conduct exit interviews with families about their family member's senior living community experience, resident satisfaction is what is talked about the most. We hear if families were satisfied with staff. Staff that shows concern and interest and keeps the lines of communication open makes all the difference in the world.

Retail and senior housing seem pretty different but there are some similarities. We want people to be relationship oriented...we want to have someone interested in us. It just takes a few more minutes.

I hope Richard and Julia tell that boutique on Palmetto Park Road in downtown Boca about the power of sucking up to prospective customers. In the meantime, I think I'll return to Nordstroms at the mall.

Seeking Senior Love Stories

Our company is seeking "365 Senior Love Stories" by July 31, 2010.

The Ehlers Group, an award-winning strategic marketing communications company which specializes in marketing programs for senior housing communities, is kicking off its quest for 365 Senior Love Stories on Valentine’s Day, February 14, 2010, for a book being compiled by authors Janis Ehlers and Kerry Green.

“We are often inspired after meeting residents at our clients’ communities,” said Ehlers. “They often have such rich histories. From their first meeting and courtship to when they married and their early lives, these are wonderful heartfelt stories that need to be written down.”

The idea for the book was sparked during a recent visit to The Carlisle, a retirement community in Naples, Fla. Residents Jim and Winnie Perrill shared the story of their second marriage with Ehlers, who thought the romantic couple’s life sounded like a Lifetime Television movie.

“They are so in love and happy,” said Ehlers. “Everyone enjoys hearing a great love story.”

Entries for 365 Senior Love Stories must be submitted by May 31, 2010. Additional submission guidelines include:

* At least one party must be at least 70 years at the time of submission;
* Both parties must be living when the submission is made;
* The submission may be written by the couple, relatives or third-parties on their behalf;
* Submissions must be no more than 400 words (include how the couple met, courtship, wedding ceremony, length of marriage, etc.);
* Submissions must be typewritten and include the full names of the couple, address and telephone contact information for verification;
* The published story will contain only first names and ages;
* Submissions without telephone numbers cannot be considered;
* Submissions may be rewritten, edited and shortened at the discretion of the book authors;
* Book authors reserve the right to select the love stories for publication and will notify the submitters in advance of the selection;
* If you would like to submit a photo(s), it could be a wedding photo, a picture of the couple when they met or a recent photo. Pictures need to include the couples’ names and a photographer’s name if credit is required. Photographs altered in any fashion are not accepted. Pictures can not be returned. Image requirements: JPEG file format and 300 dpi. Please provide pictures that avoid red-eye, busy backgrounds, etc. Image where the couple’s heads and eyes are on the same level are preferred.

To submit a Love Story, please email SeniorLoveStories@TheEhlersGroup.com. For more information, please call 954-726-9228 or visit 365SeniorLoveStories.blogspot.com.

Hope you will help us in finding Love.

What's Cooking for Super Bowl?

Tired of traditional chili and doritos for the Super Bowl?

This year if you are cheering for the Saints, you may want to kick up the menu with a bowl of gumbo. I have adapted this recipe from Cooks.com for Shrimp and Okra Gumbo .

Now for anyone that says they don't like okra...you can't even tell it's there.

4 tbsp. canola oil
4 tbsp. flour
2 lb frozen chopped okra
1 large onion chopped ( I used sweet)
2 cans (large) plum tomatoes chopped or whatever's in the pantry
1 can tomato sauce (medium)
1 bell pepper chopped fine
2 stalks of celery, chopped
1/4 c. parsley (or tablespoon of dried)
1/4 tsp. thyme
1 tbsp. basil
1/2 tsp. Worchestershire sauce
2 lb peeled shrimp
2 quarts water
salt and pepper
Optional: 1 package Andouille sausage
Misc Cajun spices to taste, file powder and hot sauce

Make a good dark roux in a heavy pot with hot oil and flour. Add water slowly then okra. Add all vegetables and seasonings. Black or red peper or Tabasco may be used depending on your preference.

Cook for 30 minutes to an hour. Then add shrimp but do not overcook. Gumbo should have a thick consistency, somewhere between a soup and gravy. Serve with cooked white rice in a bowl and sprinkle with file powder.

Enjoy and Go Saints......

Directors of First Impressions

I love the title "Director of First Impressions".

I've seen this nameplate at several offices and the receptionists seem to love the designation. It's a subtle reminder of their value.

In many welcome center offices for 50+ housing and senior living commuities, computerized systems may be used more frequently and in some ways this is a shame.

A live person can set a welcoming first impression....or not. In mystery shopping many communities both by telephone and visiting on site, I find the personnel selected as a Director of First Impression need some polishing.

A few tips:

1. Say the name of the community....your name....and a greeting. Good morning. This is (name of community) and (name of person) speaking.... or Thank you for calling (name of community) this is (name of person) speaking.

2. Speak slowly and clearly.

3. If person needs information regarding sales/marketing/care, the persons who handle these calls should be predetermined. Smaller communities may funnel calls to an administrator or director of nursing or both. The person answering the phone may also be the person providing information. If this is the case, they should provide their title or information as to their role so the caller knows to whom they are speaking.

4. It's much more important to get a tour than provide a laundry list of features and services.

5. Ask about the family's situation/parent's name and use the name at least once in the conversation.

6. A call is an opportunity to start a relationship and make a good first impression.

These few tips may help Directors of First Impressions.

Buying Jeans

Boomers will agree buying jeans challenges one's dignity. While it is recommended that a jeans shopper bring an objective advisor along to look at the back, I recently had to rely on mirrors and a sales person for this back view.

While some may associate Las Vegas with gambling and entertainment, I find it a wonderful place to buy jeans.

During the recent International Builders Show (IBS), my reward for networking and lecturing was a pair of new jeans. Off I headed to The Forum Shops in Caesar's Palace.

Last year I found a great jean selection at Scoop but to no avail this time. The jeans were geared to generation X and Y or very skinny boomers. When I asked the young sales woman if they had jeans for her mother, she didn't understand my sense of humor.

I then opted for 7 For All Mankind. Here I found the sales person of my dreams...Mandy. Mandy showed her expertise by letting me know she had been selling jeans for 17 years, starting at the Gap and then moving up the jean label ladder of success.

She wanted me to have the latest. I was hooked. To the dressing room I went and was offered bottled water. Nice touch.

When I found a style I liked, Mandy found it in the wide variety of washes and an equally variety of wiskers--the bleaches streaks that blend out horizontally on each leg.

And then there were the lengths....to wear without without boots, heels and flats. One length does not suit each heel height. Mandy suggested a length that could be slightly tacked with tape rather than permanent hemming. She also educated me about air drying vs. drycleaning.

The retail shopping therapy session lasted about 45 minutes. The result: Mandy successfully sold not one but two pairs of jeans.

Lessons learned:

1. Gain the shopper's trust. Mandy shared her background and experience.
2. Know your product. This lady knew the merchandise and the types of bodies best suited. She had my trust so I took her word what would look good on me.
3. Make the customer comfortable. It was a nice touch to offer water.
4. Listen to the customer's comments. She brought jeans to me that reflected my comments about length and coloration.
5. Be patient. Her energy was remarkable and she was very patient and confident her product would sell.
6. Love what you do. This lady was fantastic....she could sell houses I'm sure too.

Boomers Aren't Retiring Just Yet

Developing an active adult community? It is a misnomer to refer to your community as a retirement community. More and more boomers will continue to work well into later years and many by choice.

I recently heard a great term "Encore Careers" used to describe those of us who may discover new career opportunities and new chapters in our lives.

I visited a senior condominium community in Princeton which is technically a 55+ community but with gourmet dining and a more comprehensive service package, conversation with people at the next table was very interesting. They were professors at a nearby university working with graduate students and they were 80+. It was inspiring.

They liked the conveniences offered by the maintanence-free lifestyle which enabled them to work and travel worry free. While missing their prior home, they found this new community much better suited to their lifestyle. Now someone else arranged for the snow to be shoveled and they didn't have to come home after working to cook. They sat at dinner planning their next European cruise.

This is the customer we need to think about when planning our marketing efforts.