Let Residents Help Tell Your Brand Story
While reading an article in Fast Company called Brand Storytelling: Connecting with Your Audience, I was reminded of the importance of storytelling. A theme we’ve touched on regularly in this space, storytelling is a tried-and-true method at the very heart of marketing. And who better to tell your story than the people who live and breathe it each and every day: residents.
The first-person experience is something your audience desires. But finding these stories takes some initial legwork. It takes dedicating time and resources to conduct interviews with residents; talking with them about their lives, family, hobbies and new pursuits; and ultimately uncovering unique story ideas.
For operational communities, oftentimes we facilitate what we’ve dubbed as a “story engine session,” in which we visit with residents and key staff members to discover the community’s untold stories. Our goal of the session is to communicate the community’s brand story to the media through the residents’ eyes. This technique instills trust, builds brand awareness, and better connects with your audience of readers and viewers.
Recently I’ve had the opportunity to visit communities and dedicate a full day to interviewing residents and associates. It’s amazing how many human-interest stories are uncovered by simply spending 30 minutes talking with these folks. Following each session, I walk away with a bank of media-friendly stories that can be used to enhance each community’s brand, which inevitably results in articles published in prime news publications and features aired on TV.
At one senior living community alone, we’ve identified a variety of brand-building stories by talking with its residents. The following are examples of some of the media coverage we’ve garnered:
- A news story and two TV segments featuring hundreds of residents who were competing in the President’s Fitness Challenge.
- A story featuring a resident who has been volunteering each week in his spare time at the local prison for the past 22 years.
- Two TV segments featuring three residents who have a lifelong passion for woodworking, and have worked together in the community’s woodshop every day for the past decade.
- A story featuring a couple of residents who, at the request of their grandson, began delving into their family history and have documented their life story in 55 volumes.
To take it a step further, we encourage communities to develop a Facebook page in which residents can convey the brand story online, by posting photos of community events and interacting with their neighbors and associates. Adding videos that bring residents’ testimonials to life can also greatly enhance a community website, and position residents as brand ambassadors.
So, who are the eyes and ears of your community? If you listen and do a little digging, I promise you’ll find a goldmine of opportunity.
Why not let residents help tell your brand story? The positive stories shared by satisfied residents who have adopted your brand might just make all the difference. And always remember the power of storytelling, as it will continue to be an essential component of any successful senior living marketing plan.
