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Being an election year, 2012 is projected to be a record year for revenue for broadcasters. Some conservative estimates project spending to reach $2.5 billion — a 40% increase over the last Presidential election. In addition, advertising spending for the Olympics this year is projected to reach $642 million, which is an increase of 7% over the 2008 Olympics. So what does this mean to us as advertisers?

During this timeframe it means it will be harder to get the attention of our potential customers. Because candidates are, by law, given the lowest unit ad rate, this drives up the rates for other advertisers. Politicians take up a great deal of inventory, which results in higher demand for the advertising time that is left. Stations are also far less likely to negotiate for lower rates when a good deal of their inventory is being sold at the lowest unit rate.

While the Olympics don’t usually pose as great a problem, it still does have an impact on rates and available local inventory. The network that carries the Olympics will reduce the local inventory they have available. National advertisers will buy more local spots to ensure they have greater coverage. Both of these factors drive up rates for local advertisers.

In 2008, local broadcast TV stations received the lion’s share of all political advertising with 62%, compared to 14.2% on local cable, 14% on radio, 5% on print, 2.4% on network TV, 1.4% on national cable and 1% on Internet.

Although we do not typically run in prime time for Senior Living, the spending is still pretty spread out across other dayparts and will impact any area of broadcast TV that we would use.

The political window for the general election which falls on Tuesday, November 6, 2012 — is 60 days prior to the election, leading up to election day. Because of this impact, we don’t generally recommend running television campaigns after August. It’s too difficult and expensive to compete, and dollars can be utilized more effectively elsewhere. 

So what are some alternatives to TV? If television is a crucial part of your media mix, we would recommend considering cable, although typically other local advertisers will shift their dollars there as well. Radio can also be a viable alternative if awareness is an important goal, although it’s best to stay away from news/talk formats that political candidates favor. Print is still a very strong medium in an election year to reach seniors, and digital is still a very strong option to reach adult children.

Where are you planning to allocate your Q3 and Q4 advertising dollars in 2012?

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In 2010, we bought a home that needs quite a bit of TLC, and to keep the budget in check, we’re taking on some Do-It-Yourself (DIY) projects. With each one, I’m reminded of the equity we’re building and return on time investment.

Similarly, do you think of your community’s database as its most valuable asset? The work you put into it is like building equity. You can quickly calculate the value of your lead database with this formula: number of active leads x average cost per lead = value of database. If you do the math, you might be surprised at how valuable your database really is. Now, ask yourself these questions to determine if your database might need some TLC.

1. Are there leads in your database who haven’t been contacted within the last 6 months?
2. Do you know the general timeline of when your hot and warm leads will be ready to move in, and are they coded as such?
3. Do you know the level of care needed (independent living, assisted living, memory support, long-term care) at inquiry, and if that’s changed since your last contact?
4. Do you have e-mail addresses for many of your leads, for easy follow-up?
5. Are your leads assigned a specific source code so you can track the results of your marketing efforts?

If you answered No or Maybe to any of these questions, your database may be in need of remodeling. Oftentimes, the DIY work comes from regular contact, relationship building and meticulous notes. Other times, you may need to hire a professional to do some of the cleanup work for you. For many of our clients, it’s a combination of both.

On our home remodel, we’ve done everything from painting to landscaping. What are you doing to make sure your database maintains its value?

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As we’ve all come to learn, nothing is constant in the world of social media, especially when it comes to Facebook. With that said, Facebook shared some time ago it would be rolling out a new look for its business pages. This was officially announced Wednesday with news about switching over to its “timeline” page. On March 30, all business pages will be switched over to the new timeline. For more information about the change, click here.

So what does this mean for senior living communities?
Essentially it’s a visual difference in how Facebook looks to those who visit your page. Timeline gives you an opportunity to be as creative as you want. Because it organizes posts, photos and information in chronological order, it now provides you with more tools to help tell your organization’s story.

If you have a Facebook page, you’ll want to switch your current profile picture to fit the new profile picture space, and add a new “cover” picture to their page. Keep in mind if you don’t make this change, or if you choose not to do anything, your images may not look right once your account rolls over to the new design at the end of the month.

To see what other businesses are doing, check out this article from AdAge, in which they share what they believe to be some of the “Coolest Facebook Brand Timelines.”

Has your community already made the switch to Timeline? Send us a link to your new Facebook site. We’d love to see what others in the field are doing.

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If you’ve ever volunteered, you’re aware of the tremendous benefits you receive by donating time to help give back to the local community. Whether it’s helping at a local food pantry, serving on a board for a non-profit organization or volunteering at church, most people feel a great sense of reward and accomplishment by helping those in need.

At 105 years old, Dorrie Aber Noyek continues to volunteer her time and
is reaping the rewards. She has been volunteering at Memorial Regional Hospital in Hollywood, Florida, picking up and delivering mail to patients for the past 38 years.

Volunteering has been important to Dorrie for as long as she can remember. Watch this video of a very active and inspirational woman who has a sense of purpose in her life.

Like so many older adults across the country, Dorrie continues to serve and give back to her community. How often do you recognize the volunteers (both residents and staff members) at your community for their many contributions?

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What Boomers want. As reported in Huffington Post, the Consumer Federation of the Southeast has listed the results of their survey, and for retirement, Boomers want lifelong learning, access to water, community size (mid-size city or small town), arts and culture, elder care services, affordable recreation, low local taxes, warm climate, affordable housing and top-quality health care. Nice list, but noticeably absent: lattes, luxury Japanese autos and Beatles cover bands.

The unseen. Tough-on-crime policies and long sentences mean a growing, aging population of incarcerated people. And that means age-related dementia and Alzheimer’s. Now inmates are becoming caregivers. Tough story — as hard-edged as hopeful.

Nothing for sale. Penetrating short film about a collector whose home appears to be a shop. He’s a lively soul with a kind heart: Don’t miss the Valentine’s story. “This Is My Home.”

Income inversely related to felicity. Since the financial crisis began, the world has gotten happier, says a survey.

Spud snooze. If you must nap, curl up in a potato. You know how carbs make you drowsy.

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