When it comes to finding senior living communities on the Internet, the use of search engines is key. So how is Bing, the newest competitor in the search field, faring? 

Search Insider recently released a report that provides a glimpse at how Microsoft’s new search engine, Bing, is performing for the total search population. This data shows all actual aggregate search traffic share for each of the three major search engines.

Here are what the numbers tell us pre- and post-Bing launch:

So far, Bing hasn’t made much of a dent in the overall search engine share. However, as you may know, Microsoft put a huge ad campaign behind Bing and has the resources to try to make Bing a player.  In fact, just this week Microsoft and Yahoo! announced a partnership they hope will enable them to gain traction in the search engine market.

So what are we seeing in terms of how this is affecting senior living? An organic search sample of more than 40 senior living web sites shows that Bing averages less than 1 percent in terms of referral traffic, which puts it at  No. 11 for incoming traffic sources. On the flip side, Google averages around 30 percent for referring traffic and ranks No. 2 for all traffic sources. (Direct traffic is
No. 1.) 

We are actively watching how Bing impacts the search game, and will continue to update you on whether or not it is changing the way seniors search for your communities.

Just a few weeks ago I woke up in a hotel room on a day when I would meet with clients to brainstorm ideas for increasing lead generation and sales to offset a wave of cancellations for a community opening this fall. Turning on the news, the stories were so universally bleak I wondered how anyone hearing the same could make the decision to move to a retirement community or go on with a decision they made months ago, especially if they hadn’t sold their house yet. How much easier would it be to just stay put? How could our marketing messages offset what they must be hearing and reading constantly? Or, was it just me obsessing about the state of everything? It’s important to keep the customer top-of-mind in our business, but equally important to avoid projecting. After all, our customers have been resilient through a lot of economic ups and downs, and may be less concerned about the current state.
 
That day, I didn’t doubt we could generate the additional new leads and reinquiries from current leads.  That hadn’t changed much. All along, people continued to be interested in researching their options.  Getting the commitment, though, closing the sale — that seemed so much harder. 

Now, all of a sudden, I’ve been seeing for myself and hearing from clients in several markets about what seems to be an uptick in optimism. Not only are customers coming to events and personal appointments and requesting information in increasing numbers, but more people are buying. Sales counselors are closing more sales.

So I Googled it – the word optimism. Psychologists say a positive outlook motivates us to plan for our future and may have an effect on our long-term physical health. Of course, on some level this is just a BGO (blinding glimpse of the obvious). On another, though, it’s a perfect match with the fact that  people who move to retirement communities tend to be “planners,” and that community residents often live longer, healthier lives. Perhaps optimists are uniquely equipped to see past current events and newscasts, to move on with their lives and plans with the expectation that things will get better.

I also found something called the Optimism Barometer, an online tool that shows you how your outlook compares with the rest of the nation. It’s based on The American Reality Study, research commissioned by Northwestern Mutual. It suggests people are maintaining a positive outlook while addressing real challenges. Unfortunately, it follows suit with what we see with most research, that short shrift is given to seniors’ point of view compared with other age groups. The study’s age breakdown at <17, 18-29, 30-45, 46-59 and 60+ suggests less interest in response variations among those age 60 or older. I suppose because older adults buy less insurance (surely those under 18 buy less). Still, it’s worth taking a look at this barometer (www.newamericanreality.com), and it won’t take but a couple of minutes unless you decide to read the whole report.

Here’s to a renewed sense of optimism! With hope that it’s contagious, I pledge to cultivate a more positive outlook and watch-read-listen to less news.    

I’m on the road this week visiting a community and have been fortunate to have visited a lot of communities all over the country. Having never been to this particular community before, I’m sure there are many things that won’t surprise me. Continuing care retirement communities are very similar in many ways. While different in architecture, or perhaps the clientele they serve, the general layout is often similar, with a dining area, a library, the fitness center, maybe a theater or multi-purpose room — functional, necessary, but not surprising.

But here’s the thing I’m anxious to determine – what is this community’s spirit? Talking with my colleagues, we all agree that vital, vibrant communities, those that have a great resident life, give off a vibe that you can sense almost from the moment you enter. That really is the big difference as I travel from community to community.
  
The communities that are really alive have hallways filled with residents and staff interacting with each other. At these communities, residents approach us unsolicited to tell us what a great place it is. Like the woman who told me her community was “camp for old people.”

Not surprisingly, these communities attract new residents. They get great referrals. People who tour invariably say, “This is a place that feels good to me.” We are all emotional creatures, and while we may need to justify our decisions with rational reasons, we make those decisions based on emotions. A great community spirit is a huge marketing advantage.

Have you paid attention to this lately? Do you discuss it at staff meetings? Is it fostered through strong resident involvement? Do you think about this while hiring staff or creating dining menus or allocating budgets? Of course, many of you do, because we feel it when we visit your communities.

So many people enter your community every day. Residents, families, business associates, delivery people, service providers. What do they feel? What impression are they taking with them? 

Pay attention to the heart of your community. It’s what gives it life. And you know you’ve hit the mark when you get those spontaneous endorsements during tours, like the woman who told me, “I’m this place’s biggest cheerleader. Just tell me who I need to talk to and we’ll get them in here.”

The first thing you have to know about being older is that it’s a surprise to almost everyone.
 
Those of us of a certain age certainly understand age spots, thinning skin and hair. Perhaps we move a little slower than we used to, but – trust me – inside lives and breathes a younger self who can barely believe the image of their parent in the mirror.

Old is not a specific age. You know people who seem old at 45 and others in their 70s or 80s who seem young and vibrant. There are people in their 90s who are working daily on their investments, painting wonderful pictures or writing books that younger folks will marvel at, enjoy and buy.

So, what else is different about being older?

Because it’s starting to happen to me, I find some people’s reaction to my older self often is rude or solicitous. Salespeople, who often seem to choose their preferred customer and it isn’t the person they’re talking to, respond to me and those who are EVEN OLDER as if we are hard of hearing, slow to comprehend – or the one that brings the young, more abrasive me to the forefront – like someone’s cute pet.

Those of us in senior living know that the older target market members are savvy, bright, experienced, knowledgeable, and have the means to do what they want to do or buy what they want to buy.
 
When dealing with an older person, take a moment to look beyond any physical frailty or your own stereotypical reaction and meet the “real” person. You’ll be combating the last “ism” is this country.

Ageism is alive and well in the everyday world and that’s really the surprise when it happens. It’s what’s different about being older.

As we hear more often than not of late, the future sure ain’t what it used to be. These words may throw some people into a state of panic or even mourning over the past, but for us eternal optimists, it gives us reason to reflect, rejuvenate and look forward to a brighter future. 

At a recent client conference I attended – can you say Dallas in July – I was impressed with the spirit of moving forward. Embracing our past successes, learning from uncertain times and using this “lull” (for lack of a better word) to see where we can improve and just plain do things better. It’s interesting to see how we as individuals, as sponsors, clients and entities, respond to “the new normal.” Do we sit back and wait, as many of our senior constituents are doing, to see what’s going to happen? Or do we take the bull by the horns – a shout out to my Dallas compadres – and find unique, innovative ways to stay ahead of the curve and make the right, although at times, difficult decisions for our future?

Although we certainly could not have foreseen what was coming, I think it has taught us that we must always be prepared for the “what-ifs.” Sound familiar? Maybe a common line when selling the CCRC lifestyle. The same holds true for those of us not there yet – we don’t know what’s going to happen tomorrow, and often get caught up in the churn-and-burn lifestyle we all lead. But if we take this time to sit back and think, we realize that we should always find the time to challenge ourselves, our processes, our beliefs, how we do things – we must not become complacent, but rather continue to push ourselves forward, no matter how much we want to look back.

Here’s a great quote I read recently in our internal weekly agency newsletter that reiterates my thoughts above: “Our dilemma is that we hate change and love it at the same time; what we really want is for things to remain the same but get better.”

Let’s turn over those loose rocks, question everything, and find a way together to build upon the past but forever strive to make the future better for those we serve. We — and most especially they — deserve it.