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WHAT’S WORKING WEDNESDAYS

Solving Immediate Occupancy Needs

Maura Richards, VARSITY

March 12, 2014

Maura Richards, Vice President of sales and marketing at Varsity, shared several ideas with the attendees of what has worked to solve immediate occupancy needs for her clients. Focusing on the existing database where leads have already started the sales cycle is the best opportunity for an immediate sale.

To more effectively target your database, first conduct a data append for age, income, assets, homeowner and marital status. This will allow you to target leads based on your available inventory, for example:

• One bedroom – specific direct mail piece for leads best suited for that inventory based on income and marital status

• Cottage/Villa – specific event for those best suited based on financial information and marital status

• Adult Child – mailing to contacts in the database looking on behalf of their parents

Review the notes section on existing leads and cater the mailing to any objections and interests, such as:

• If prospect enjoys exercise, send a listing of exercise classes;

• If prospect enjoys golf, send a voucher for a round at a local golf course;

• If prospect is more needs- based, send a mailing specifically about assisted living services.

Take pictures of your model apartments and cottages/villas. Print the pictures and mail them to the appropriate leads with a note inviting them for a visit. People like to have hard copy photographs of specific units of interest to them.

Host inventory-specific events to group prospects together that share similar lead criteria and interests, such as:

• Host cottage/villa dinner for ten prospects to keep it intimate;

• Host a morning of coffee, muffins and afternoon tea in a cozy corner of the dining room or small common area in the apartment building;

It is very helpful to allow people to experience the community directly, not just through the eyes of the marketing department. Create opportunities for “unaccompanied” time in the community. For example:

• Send a voucher at the beginning of the month to the leads in the database offering a lunch or dinner at your community that is only valid for that month. “Come for lunch or dinner in the month of December.”

• Send a voucher to a prospect that allows them to attend a set number of fitness classes or a month membership to the fitness center.

• Do a promotion to the database for a night stay in a model apartment, instead of in a guest room. Pair the guest with residents that share similar interests for meals during their visit. Be sure not to over schedule the prospect.

Remember to create opportunities for prospects to experience living at your community. They are in the database and have an understanding of what you have to offer. It is now time to help them experience life at your community and make the decision to become a resident.

For more information contact Maura Richards at mrichards@

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