EXTENDED-CARE MARKETING EDITION
From what we can tell, many extended-care organizations don’t blog or, if they have a “news” or “events” page, they aren’t developing that to include the elements of a blog.
This is a missed opportunity. Why? At its very basic function, a blog is an essential foundation to build loyalty with your audience and distinguish yourself from your competitors. Blogging can also be a platform from which to launch effective e-marketing.
Let’s play the scenario out. You decide to build a blog that targets the families of your residents. This is a highly motivated reader with a consequential interest in your organization. She is not just dropping by for an appointment and then moving on. She is, in fact, intent on feeling connected to her mother who is, let’s say, in your extended-care facility for rehabilitation after a broken leg from a fall. The grown daughter feels engaged with your facility through your blog and enjoys the frequent entries that speak directly to her concerns. She is likely to spread the word to others in the community about what fine care Mom received and how she, the daughter, felt welcomed and engaged.
Mom is discharged, but the daughter continues to follow the blog, because you are continuing to provide her with relevant content on the care of older adults with entries on say, how to take the car keys away from an increasingly forgetful father. Eventually Dad needs long-term care for his progressive dementia. You know where this daughter will turn because she now enjoys a relationship with your facility that endured beyond her mother’s stay. In a year or two, the daughter herself needs a short-term rehab stay after a joint replacement. Guess who comes first to mind?
Starting a blog is not technically difficult, but it does take thought and commitment. We’ll walk you through the first 3 critical steps here, here and here.
> If you need help building a blog, give Lazzaro Designs a call or shoot us an email.
> Coming soon: Ways you can “bump up” the effectiveness of your blog: writing and design tips, how to use photos and infographics, as well as setting yourself up for an e-marketing campaign.
You know that nothing happens immediately, but still it’s hard to send out your first marketing e-blast, write a bunch of blog entires, or tweet your first tweet and then wait for your inbox to be flooded with inquiries.
Here’s a little wisdom from a guide called Successful Advertising written by Thomas Smith in….wait for it….1885. In it, Mr. Smith says:
The first time people look at any given ad, they don’t even see it.
The second time, they don’t notice it.
The third time, they are aware that it is there.
The fourth time, they have a fleeting sense that they’ve seen it somewhere before.
The fifth time, they actually read the ad.
The sixth time they thumb their nose at it.
The seventh time, they start to get a little irritated with it.
The eighth time, they start to think, “Here’s that confounded ad again.”
The ninth time, they start to wonder if they’re missing out on something.
The tenth time, they ask their friends and neighbors if they’ve tried it.
The eleventh time, they wonder how the company is paying for all these ads.
The twelfth time, they start to think that it must be a good product.
The thirteenth time, they start to feel the product has value.
The fourteenth time, they start to remember wanting a product exactly like this for a long time.
The fifteenth time, they start to yearn for it because they can’t afford to buy it.
The sixteenth time, they accept the fact that they will buy it sometime in the future.
The seventeenth time, they make a note to buy the product.
The eighteenth time, they curse their poverty for not allowing them to buy this terrific product.
The nineteenth time, they count their money very carefully.
The twentieth time prospects see the ad, they buy what is offering.
Will you need 20 attempts before prospective clients knock on your door? Hopefully not. Using e-blasts as an example, we like to counsel clients on a series of 6 to 12 monthly blasts before they evaluate their effectiveness. One thing we can say with certainty, whatever mix of marketing strategies you decide upon, you’ll need more than one!
> If you need help with e-blasts, give Lazzaro Designs a call or shoot us an email.
Many of our clients, especially those who are sole proprietors, want to use LinkedIn as a powerful tool to raise their visibility, market their brand and get more clients. But sometimes they don’t know where to begin. We can help. Lazzaro Designs has in the past six months gotten several new clients from the love and attention we’ve paid our individual LinkedIn pages. We’ve shared our learned lessons with several clients, including Mary Lee, president of Innovative Microsystems Consulting, Inc. IMC provides tech network and software solutions to companies. Here’s some of what we did for Mary Lee and what we can additionally do for you:
1. As you can see here, Maryellen provided Mary with a customized LinkedIn profile background with her IMC logo, as well as iconic images picked up from her website. This enlivens her page and promotes her brand across different platforms.
2. We can help you upload portfolio samples to show a real peek at your work and/or services.
3. We can advise you on picking your best professional head shot and help you find a good photographer.
4. Editorially, our writers can clean up your summary and experience sections.
5. We can consult with you about what groups and companies to follow, as well as what skills to display.
6. We have specific tips to share on getting more recommendations and connections.
7. We can also give you advice on sharing updates and posts.
8. We can help you link in (pun intended) your LinkedIn to your company’s website.
In our experience—and Mary Lee’s—using Lazzaro Designs to polish your LinkedIn presence can really be a big-bang-for-a-little-buck effort.
> If you need help optimizing your social media presence, give Lazzaro Designs a call or shoot us an email.
“When Kim and Maryellen suggested my using an infographic to increase my social media presence, they took the time to explain the whole concept and also gave me different options that were suited for my business. They stayed on top of the project keeping in mind all the deadlines. They walked me through the whole process diligently and patiently and made all the required changes in a timely fashion. The personal attention and direction that they provided helped me to keep the focus over the several weeks of this project. I could not have better support. They are extremely resourceful, professional and know their stuff. I will always go back to Kim and Maryellen and would highly recommend them.”
—Masooma Z. Ali
Principal Broker, Connecticut Choice Realty
