In this short series we’re talking about how 4 shifts can radically change the future for your aging in place business. First, we discussed how to transform yourself. And, second, how to transform your offers.
Today, we’re going to cover transforming your marketing.
How to transform aging in place marketing
Right now, your ideal clients are out there. Potential clients are drowning in the problems your company can solve.
Their homes aren’t what they need to be to support them later in life and they don’t know what to do about it. Older adults and families are worried about the future and they need someone to support them.
They need you. They need your transformations. I can’t help them. Your competitors can’t help them like you can. They need you and some need you right now.
That should be the thought running through your mind as you create all of the marketing and promotion for your business.
So what are you supposed to do? How can you help these people?
Stop wasting time and money
You can help people transform their lives, right? Why don’t you just sell it to them?
That flies in the face of the old ways that most companies are still using. (It’s also a big part of why so many companies are headed for collapse.)
The old way of doing things is low price, small steps that may or may not fulfill their needs. In and out, make a buck and bolt.
You see people who believe this by the marketing they do. They give out information & have little follow-through. They cast a wide net and they advertise (because, for some reason, people believe that works).
This way of doing things is haphazard … it’s a spray & pray approach. It wastes time and money. So does …
Good enough
Most people have a few things going on and they think it should be good enough.
For instance, a website. We all know that if you can show up in Google on the first page for things that make you money, you stand a chance at getting some leads.
The problem is, most businesses sites don’t get ranked well. So, they spend money to build a website (or time or energy) and it gets them little to nothing in return; no leads, no clients.
Now, some people get a high authority site built and it generates them leads and makes them sales. That’s a very small percentage. But, it’s an investment and most companies aren’t willing to invest in themselves to do it right.
The reality is that Google is the gateway to way more leads than you’re probably getting now.
Many companies (maybe even you) have taken out ads someplace. You know, newspaper, magazine, wherever. They spend a lot of money to get them created and placed.
Then, nothing happens… no return on investment. Obviously, that doesn’t work.
I’m not saying advertising never has any purpose; it can. All I’m saying is that most often it doesn’t work and there better be some really impressive side benefits to that relationship, because you’ll probably not make your money back on the ad spend.
Or, there’s that listing in some directory or turning over rocks and shaking the bushes. It just doesn’t work well enough.
Let’s not forget those low prices and discounts that are given out to try and get business.
Or, trying to beat out your competition on price. And, any number of other things that so many companies do that end up costing money, time and energy, and can actually have a negative effect.
The reality is that things like this don’t work now because the world is a different place and so are the people.
Sure, you’ll get some people to buy, but most won’t.
You get the dabblers
With each of these things, you lose the most qualified people and you get the dabblers. The only people that are going to keep going through that kind of marketing are the dabblers.
Here’s what I mean …
If my house isn’t what it needs to be, I’m looking for a real solution. And, I’ll pay a premium price for it if:
- Someone comes in and leads me to the right choices, then guides me through the process to get what I need. Someone I trust and will roll up their sleeves to provide a the full solution.
- I’m not distracted by all the obvious fluff and marketing tactics that are there to goad, not educate.
If I want to stay in my home another 15 years, be healthy & live out my life on my own terms, and you’re giving me half-solutions of all the other industry-speak and tactics, I’m out of here!
Also, you remember we talked about how you should be reaching a more affluent customer or one that is willing to spend? The old way of doing things won’t get you to those people consistently.
Another reason why it doesn’t work is that you (or someone you pay) has got to manage all of this stuff. It’s not efficient or effective. That means you’re wasting valuable resources.
All the fluff, non-targeted marketing, offers, ads, downloads, etc. lead to way more and phone calls from people who aren’t going to pay the premium prices. It’s hours spent turning over rocks and kicking the bushes … it’s an awful nightmare and doesn’t generate enough premium paying customers.
There’s another reason why this isn’t the right way.
You waste the client’s time.
You’re offering him a bunch of stuff that won’t solve his problem.
Let’s say you go into the Mercedes dealership and tell them, “I have these specific wants and needs. What do you offer that meets those needs?”
Do they try to sell you the Mercedes hat and work their way up? If you buy that, do they think, “Great. Let’s sell him a t-shirt or one of those new Mercedes racing jackets!” Then, 3 weeks later try to sell you a car?
No. When you walk into the dealership looking to buy a car … by golly they’ll sell you the best car you can get!
It’s the same thing with this. Potential clients are contacting you because they want to solve their problem and help ensure their future.
Why don’t you sell them the thing that will actually do that?
Look, I know you probably get what I’m saying. I also know that you’ve most likely been doing what you’re doing for awhile and probably still saying to yourself right now:
“Most of the people I work with will not buy the whole enchilada.”
You’re right; most of them won’t. What I’m saying is if you want to do more than survive, you’ve got to position yourself as a premium provider.
Premium pricing for the exact solution is the way to get where you want to go.
That customer needs your help. Why don’t you just sell what will get the best outcomes for them?
If you don’t, you’re wasting their time and yours. And, since you’ll have to keep trying to generate so many more leads and sales, you’ll end up doing all that extra work. It doesn’t pay.
The only reason people are still following these old outdated strategies is that they don’t know what I’m about to show you.
Marketing that works
Or, “How to go from the first touch point to getting a check.”
This works even if your offers are $100k or more. (Yes, you read that right.)
This is how you build a business that serves the client and gets you to your income goals.
It is rooted in real transformations.
The best part is, this simple model will actually scale with you. So, whatever your income goal is, it’s just a question of how many clients you need to talk to so you can get there.
1. Identify your best customer who will pay a premium price.
2. Create premium priced offers that will create the transformations they want.
3. Create specific language around topics that relate to their desired transformation and the services you provide. (Speaking directly to those customers you want to serve.)
4. Create a local platform that allows you to continually get these messages in front of those customers.
5. Create a customer experience (with world class service) that thrills them, so they’ll talk about you.
6. Spread your messages, then guide & coach your prospective customers into choosing you.
7. Give them that world class service as you serve their needs.
8. Repeat #6 and #7.
I teach my clients to use the exact process. I help you \identify your best customer who will pay a premium price. Then, we create, visualize and capture the transformations you deliver for your clients. Then, we put that into the words, imagery and concepts that will speak directly to your best customers.
After that, I help you identify, prioritize and capitalize on ways you can get in front of your best customers … this is your marketing machine …where your marketing starts to pay you back in leads and contracts. I help you develop customer interactions that not only creates a fantastic experience for them, but also helps you continually improve so you can get more and more premium clients.
It works for me and it works for everyone who will use it. If you want a successful aging in place business, you can do it too.
When this is all working for you, you should be taking these people from first touch-point to paying client with much more ease … easier marketing, easier sales conversations and much easier delivery.
No wasted time for you or them. And, much greater profit.
