Rebuilding the Lead Database and Depositor List After Expansion

Paradise Valley Estates, a popular military CCRC with historically high occupancy – 98% – opened a new assisted living facility and within a year found itself in a familiar conundrum: attrition in independent living increased as residents transferred to assisted living, and the active wait list dried up as those prospects moved into the community.

In the first quarter of 2009, the community had just two 20% deposits and low lead production. That’s when they partnered with Hamlyn to increase lead production, rebuild the wait list, and re-stabilize their independent living occupancy. Within three months, 20% deposits tripled and wait list deposits quadrupled. Within a year, the marketing department was transformed, and the community was poised to meet their occupancy goals for the coming year.

Here’s how Paradise Valley Estates transformed their marketing department from “order-taking” to an active, relationship-based sales force that gets results.

Structure and Accountability

For the term of the contract, all marketing efforts were managed by Hamlyn Senior Marketing, which allowed the marketing director to focus on increasing call volume and appointments.

  • Implemented reporting systems to address accountability:
    • Bi-weekly sales Status Report that itemized the status of each hot/warm lead,  depositor, and outlined next steps.
    • Weekly REPS reports for occupancy, sales activity, inquiry generation.
  • Conducted intensive sales training on industry best practices for creating relationships with prospects and closing sales.

Highly Targeted Marketing

  • Hamlyn conducted a comprehensive market assessment to determine primary audience
  • Hamlyn partnered with the community to develop a series of cost-effective direct mail and telemarketing campaigns to pique the interest of the target audience, followed by Marketing-on-the-Move seminars in the geographic areas where prospects live
  • Implementation of resident referral program
  • Development and training on use of incentives that allowed prospects to overcome the emotional distress of selling homes that had lost value during the economic downturn.

Results

  • 24 move-ins and 16 20% deposits in hand at the end of the contract, leaving the new in-house Marketing Vice President well-primed to achieve the next year’s occupancy goals
  • Lead generation increased 50% to an average of 119 per month
  • Resident referrals increased 302% to 429 leads for the year.

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