Welcome to the City ofBrotherly Love

Advice Columnists

Helen FosterFoster Strategy

Todd HarffCreating Results –Strategic Marketing

Barbara Kleger55+ Consulting/KD Partners

You Don’t Knowthe Real Me

• You may know my statistics, but do you really know me?

– Do you know where I work (or if I am retired), where I vacation, my hobbies, my family, etc.

– Do you know where I shop, where I eat, what I do in my free time?

– Do you know my PHD’s ( Plans, Hopes and Desires)

– Do you know my passions?

You Don’t Knowthe Real Me

How can you get to know me? Just ask me!• Through surveys (mail, telephone, internet)

– In focus groups & discussion groups– In personal meetings – In Preview Sessions“ It’s nice that you are interested in me…

and are interested in my opinion.”

You Don’t Knowthe Real Me

ResearchListen

Develop Buyer Profiles

Knowing your marketplace and understanding why your consumers will buy (what motivates them) is more important than how to sell them.

• A moving target -- especially in today’s economic climate!

• As developers and marketers … we must uncover, illuminate and reflect consumer preferences

• Take a holistic view of the audience, marketplace and consumer landscape

• Resist the temptation to follow old industry benchmarks

My Favorite Color Is…

• Follow the consumer, and look outside the industry for queues on development and marketing -- design, technology, building “green,” wellness, etc.

• Tap the web resource: www.trendwatching.com, which offers FREE and fantastic information on consumer trends, with supporting statistics and links to numerous examples

My Favorite Color Is…

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are needed to see this picture.

From www.trendwatching.com

My Favorite Color Is…• An enduring truth is that we become more self-

actualized at 40+• Shift away from “ego” values to “being” values• Majority of U.S. population is 40+ -- David Wolfe’s

“new customer majority”

Read Ageless Marketing, David Wolfe with Robert Snyder

My Favorite Color Is…• Aging of the Zeitgeist fueling many significant

consumer trends

• Major implications for what we should develop, where we should develop, how we should communicate, etc.

My Favorite Color Is…

What is selling to 40+?– Peak experiences that resonate with one’s sense

of self … “like me”– A sure path to achieving lifestyle pillars – A continuation/extension of one’s present lifestyle– Authenticity, credibility, quality & value

• Seek guidance from experts to fill knowledge gaps in development and marketing: land use, architecture, infrastructure, life services, eco/green initiatives, finance, branding/marketing, communications, etc.

• “Winging it” can lead to costly mistakes -- recognize EARLY what you don’t know, and harness the power of collaborative thinking

My Favorite Color Is…

• Avoid the pitfalls of turning off prospects with outmoded terminology and age labels

Avoid … seniors, golden years, silver, age-restricted, aging, rocking chairs, retirement/retirees

Emphasize … choice, opportunity, wellness, access/connection, vitality, individuality, meaningful engagement and VALUE

Mixed Signals

Striking the right balance --

– You vs. Them

– Aspiration vs. Pragmatism

– Features vs. Benefits

– Real estate vs. Lifestyle

– Age-qualified vs. Ageless

– Puffery vs. Authenticity

a basic “go-by”

20% vs. 80%

50 to 50

35 to 65

35 to 65

30 to 70

0 to 100!

Mixed Signals

Be “active,” but mindful of the realities of aging• Understand the cornerstones of “Livable Communities”

and address them appropriately in your development(Research Livable Community Initiatives of AARP, NCOA, n4a, etc.)

• Build-in universal design, even for “active adults”

Mixed Signals

• Let your brand vision be the guidepost for development, operations and marketing --consistency in every execution

Mixed Signals

One Chance to Make a First Impression

Gorgeous Villas

+

A $5 tank top

=

?

One Chance to Make a First Impression

• Authentic

• Relevant

• Consistent

– Branding - Image

– Integrated marketing

One Chance to Make a First Impression

• Integrated touchpoints / brand experience– Online

• Loosing control – be part of the conversation• Authenticity

– Off-line• Onsite experience

– Avoid Desperation

One Chance to Make a First Impression

• Welcoming Welcome Centers

– Displays that tell, show and engage– Create intimacy/build relationships

Let’s Talk about MEMost sales people are only half prepared.

They know everything about their product

and nothing about their prospect.

Let’s Talk about ME

“No one cares how much you know

until they know how much you care.”

Let’s Talk about ME• Let’s get personal!!

– Be relaxed… Help your prospect to be relaxed.

– Build a relationship- People buy from people they like

– Find a link - People buy from people they trust

– Find out what is important to them – People buy for their reasons, not yours.

Let’s Talk about ME• Let’s get personal!!

– Be a psychiatrist -Ask the questions that get to the heart of it all…that evoke emotion.

– Be a good listener –listen at least twice as much as you talk

Let’s Talk about ME• Let’s get personal!!

– Talk about the benefits*, not the features(*what it means to me”)

Let’s Talk about ME

Everything that you need to know to ‘close’,You’ll learn by listening to me!

Love is a Battlefield

Love is a Battlefield• Know who you are

– Drill down to what’s truly unique

– Test assumptions

– Entire company can verbalize

Love is a Battlefield• Be bold

– Creative collaterals

– Dimensional mailings

– Breakthrough advertising

Love is a Battlefield• Vive la diference!

– Avoid vanilla

Slow Down You’re Moving Too Fast

• Is it love at first sight or are we moving too fast?

• It’s a ‘fine line’ between too much follow up and not enough

• Call, write, email, visit, stop by, send flowers …

– Just watch your timing

– Keep the romance going

Slow Down You’re Moving Too Fast

• In order to maintain trust and confidence, you can’t look and feel desperate.

• You don’t want to fall in love in a day. It’s day by day.

• You don’t get good at selling in a day. You get good at selling day by day.

Slow Down You’re Moving Too Fast

• Either you sell your prospect on ‘yes,’

or he/she sells you on ‘no.’

• This is a long-term relationship …

Don’t mess it up at the beginning.REMEMBER …People buy on emotion and justify with fact

Slow Down You’re Moving Too Fast

It’s not a hard sell, it’s a heart sell!

The Little Black Book• Customer Relationship Management

– People, processes, tools (inc technology)

– Gain, grow and improve relationships

– Market more efficiently

– Improve profits and satisfaction

The Little Black Book• Benefits of CRM

– Identify and target best customers– Streamline processes– Eliminate silos– Faster responses– More regular/consistent contact– Match customer needs with product plans and

offerings

The Little Black Book• What data to collect

– SourceS– Learning styles– Communication preferences– Hobbies, passions– Family (spouse, children, grandchildren and pets)– Birthdays, anniversaries

Go beyond names and contact info!

The Little Black Book• How to store the data

– Keep it simple

– Training is critical

– GIGO

The Little Black Book• Use data to build relationships

– Appropriate follow-up pace, channel

– Include personal details

– Make communications dynamic

– Make communications interactive

The Consumer Buying Cycle

• Acknowledge that you have consumers at all points of the buying cycle

• Be honest about your strengths and weaknesses, and align marketing efforts appropriately

Graphic courtesy of Creating Results, LLC

When You Care Enough to Send the Very Best

Awareness• Mass communications strategies, including PR,

advertising and direct mail to build interest and inquiry

• Integrated media to maximize reach

• Invest in quality “purchased” lists - qualify by assets, not income, for one year unlimited use

Awareness (continued)• Emphasize traffic building, even pre-construction

• Release events• Open houses• Luncheon seminars • Entertainment events• Individual tours• Web traffic drivers

When You Care Enough to Send the Very Best

When You Care Enough to Send the Very Best

Interest/Relevance• CRM: Frequent communications to your “active”

(and well-maintained!) database of inquirers

• Main goal: Build motivation to buy

• Every aspect of the sales experience matters --visuals, flow, staff interactions, environments, and printed materials

When You Care Enough to Send the Very Best

Interest/Relevance (continued)• Use hospitality features and premiums to enhance

memorability and trigger discussion • Measure everything and “optimize” strategies

based on performance

When You Care Enough to Send the Very Best

Consideration/Desire• All about rapport and personal connections --

be patient! • Main goal: Lead-to-sale conversion• Invite “short list” to special events to build loyalty and

group identity

When You Care Enough to Send the Very Best

Purchase• Consider how you can refine selection, closing,

customization and move-in -- so these processes become selling points and/or something to share with friends (Boomer+ women … the marketing sweet spot!)

• Ensure adequate choice, but keep it simple

When You Care Enough to Send the Very Best

Retention/Advocacy• Purposefully plan welcome and orientation for new

buyers -- build relationships, amenity use, and satisfaction

• Never stop “marketing” to the passionate advocates

• Naturally build advocacy and and referral by delivering on product promises -- expect 50% or more of new leads to come from referral

• Use cash incentives cautiously, as they can backfire with Boomer+ segments

• Arm the passionate advocates with discussion/referral triggers, and host small group events/meetings

You Say theSweetest Things

• Sponsor senior-staff participation in select community organizations

• Partner with organizations and companies that share your interests

- State 50+ development initiatives, AARP - Civic Ventures/Encore Careers, etc.- Livable community development initiatives- Destinations/Tourism drivers- “Authentic altruism”

You Say theSweetest Things

Say “I do”1. Do your research; anticipate wants and needs

2. Apply insights to product design, programming and communications

3. Get the right messages to the right prospects and be authentic

“… I do, I do, I do …”4. Create a consistent 1st impression on- and off-line

5. Talk about what matters to them – Listen!

6. Stand out from the other suitors – Be Smart & Bold

7. Move at the right pace for your prospects. Balance progress and patience

“… I do, I do, I do …”8. Build relationships by collecting and appropriately

using personal details, insights

9. Use CRM to show you care through systematic and nurturing follow-up

10.Create happy homebuyers and valuable partners to generate referrals and leads

ADVICE COLUMNISTSWELCOME QUESTIONS & IDEAS

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