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.
Every Marketing office has it–piles of older pieces (be it brochures or photos) that exist only in print. During this quiet holiday week, consider spending time scanning such printed pieces to build up your digital archive and free up some shelf space (because, really, once it’s scanned and archived, you only need one or two actual hard copies). Pieces that are still relevant can be uplodaded to your web site.
Tip: Scan brochures as pdfs. Scan photos as jpgs and, if the photo is small, scan it at a minimum of 800 dpi so that if you one day want to use it in a printed piece you’ll be able to use the photo at a larger size without losing quality.
E-newsletters are excellent communication vehicles for many reasons. They save on print costs, they can be distributed conveniently and immediately, and they demonstrate your savvy in the online world. They can also be customized, as we explain here regarding a client’s e-newsletter. But make sure you’re taking advantage of another important feature of e-newsletters (as we did in the preceding sentence), the hyperlinks.
Throughout your e-newsletter, be sure to provide the reader with hyperlinks back to your website, your posted calendar of events, your archive of other stories, and even other relevant sites that may be of interest to your reader. For instance, a story on an event you are co-hosting might reference your co-host with a hyperlink to their site. And, remember, when applicable, link appropriate information to your company’s Facebook page, LinkedIn profile and other social media.
Links give your readers added value and drive traffic to where you want your readers to go.
> If you need an e-newsletter, give Lazzaro Designs a call or shoot us an email.
November onward is a traditional season for giving. Lots of individuals and families are more inclined toward charity from Thanksgiving to New Year’s than any other time in the calendar year. In fact, according to a recent survey, over half of the nonprofit organizations queried reported that they received over a quarter of their contributions between October and December, with 16 percent receiving more than half a year’s total contributions during that same season.
So what is your organization doing to capitalize on this seasonal generosity?
TIP: A holiday card that does double duty as a donation opportunity is a great way to build your relationship with proven and potential donors, as well as offer a convenient vehicle for them to give. We are in the process of creating such a holiday card for a hospital foundation client, complete with an enclosed donation reply card and envelope. September sounds early? Nope, several clients come to us right around now because it requires planning to consider the message, design and get all the internal buy-ins, not to mention get the mailing lists in order so the card hits mailboxes just after the turkey leftovers hit the fridge.
> If you need a holiday card or help with your development efforts, give Lazzaro Designs a call or shoot us an email.
