Hiring a marketing agency for senior living can be a great way to increase your community’s visibility and generate more leads. Agencies can save companies time to focus on other areas of their business, provide expertise, and up to date knowledge on the best-performing ad platforms, leading to better results and more qualified leads. But not all marketing agencies are created equal and you definitely have to do your due diligence before making any binding commitments.
When considering hiring a marketing agency, it’s important to consider the following factors:
- Experience: Look for an agency with experience in the senior living industry. Marketing for senior living is not like marketing for a ecommerce brand or for a local dentist. The marketing agency you are considering should have a solid understanding of the unique challenges and opportunities that are involved with marketing senior living communities.
- Services: Determine what services the agency offers and whether they align with your needs. Common marketing services for senior living include digital marketing, website design, lead generation through paid search platforms like Google Ads and Bing, paid social media marketing and lead generation though Facebook Ads, content marketing, email marketing, and branding. If possible, pick an agency that focuses on a small list of skills to ensure you are working with experts. Picking a “full-service” marketing agency could mean you get more services, but less quality and fewer results. When it comes to marketing your senior living communities: choose specialists, not generalists.
- Budget: Determine your marketing budget and make sure the agency’s fees are within your range. Be wary of agencies that offer pricing that seems too good to be true or requires a long-term contract without the ability to opt-out. Just like every other industry, there are plenty of agencies out there who will use less-than-ethical tactics in order to close deals or present you with a low price, but then nickel-and-dime you any time you need the smallest change. Get clear pricing and make sure to ask about potential extra fees.
- Communication: Make sure the agency has a clear and effective communication process. They should be responsive to your questions and concerns, and provide regular updates on their progress. If you are waiting around for a week to get an email response, you are working with the wrong agency.
- Reputation: Look for an agency with a positive reputation in the industry. You can read online reviews and testimonials to get a sense of their track record and the results they have achieved for their clients. If they have one, look through their portfolio or through their case studies to get an idea of the kinds of clients they work with, approximate budgets they are comfortable with, and the kind of results they are capable of generating.
- Cultural Fit: Determine whether the agency’s values and approach align with your own. A good agency should be able to understand your community’s unique culture and values, and reflect that in their marketing efforts. But more than that, make sure that you actually enjoy working with or talking with them. If you are feeling like your company’s culture and their agency’s culture will not mix well, then don’t be afraid to say that it’s not a good fit. They might say the same to you. That’s okay.
- Reporting and Analytics: Ask the agency about their reporting and analytics process. They should be able to provide clear and actionable insights on the success of their campaigns and make recommendations for future improvements. (If you ask nicely, they might even be able to set you up with a custom performance dashboard like this one…)
By considering these factors, you can choose a marketing agency that is a good fit for your senior living community and help you achieve your marketing goals.