With the dramatic shift in senior living over the past decade, communities are finding it now takes more than traditional features and services, security and dining to attract new residents. Carlyle Place, a Life Plan Community with 225 Independent Living residences in Macon, Georgia, is no exception.
When it opened its doors in 2001, the upscale community was known as a place where only the wealthy could retire. Twenty years later, those initial perceptions—and many of its original residents—remained. Coincidentally, the dated look and feel of the community brand didn’t appeal to a new generation of seniors. With time, the community experienced a significant drop in census and faced a broader perception issue, making it difficult to generate leads and sales. It was time for a change.
Breathing New Life into an Aging Life Plan Community
The leadership team knew that in order to boost occupancy and attract a younger audience, they had to understand how they were being perceived in the marketplace. They decided to invest in a third-party assessment of their situation and chose Love & Company. Step one involved using one of the most advanced marketing tools available—the human ear. The assessment team listened carefully to what staff, board members, residents, families and the Macon community had to say. It became abundantly clear that while the community’s brand messaging was dated, the spirit of its residents was quite the opposite—full of life. Now it was time to bring reality to perception.
Finding Their Happy Place
The result was a fresh new brand platform and messaging approach that reflected the vibrant character of Carlyle Place and its residents. The new brand showcases the community in a whole new light—a warm, welcoming place that’s approachable, active and fun.
Engaging imagery in marketing material now features younger residents living their best lives. The decision to use actual residents adds to the authenticity of the brand story, and no one can tell that story better than they can. Just one quick sampling of social post videos below will have you wanting to move in—click on the images and take a look as residents share different ways they experience the new Carlyle Place theme that has everyone, including staff, energized: “Craft Your Happy.”
Getting Results
The community rolled out its new Craft Your Happy brand with a refreshed website, sales collateral, lead generation materials, TV spots and social media videos. Within the first several months of the rollout, Carlyle Place realized a census increase from 70% to 80%—a boost directly attributable to the rebrand. And within the first year, Carlyle Place enjoyed a 145% increase in monthly social media engagement and a 43% increase in daily website sessions. To learn more, see this case study.
Today, the residents and staff feel a sense of pride and purpose, while a younger audience finds the prospect of calling this community home exciting. Carlyle Place is a modern active community where everyone can be themselves, live their best lives—and craft their happy.
Key Takeaways for Senior Living Community Sales and Marketing Directors
The moral of the Carlyle Place rebranding story is that a community’s brand must reflect the character of the community. One way to boost your occupancy and brand image is to start by bringing in an experienced set of fresh eyes to take a look at your messaging. Specialty firms like Love & Company have an in-depth understanding of how to apply senior living branding to the unique characteristics and preferences of today’s and tomorrow’s Life Plan Community prospect.
