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Marketing Apartments to Active Adults - Mike Brewer. To preface. Active Adults are not statistics Home really is where the heart is Taglines The third age Forward Living Gray Wave Aging in place Redefining small Right-sizing not down-sizing
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To preface • Active Adults are not statistics • Home really is where the heart is • Taglines • The third age • Forward Living • Gray Wave • Aging in place • Redefining small • Right-sizing not down-sizing • It is a process; it is not a traditional leasing process. It takes time • Not homogeneous, can’t make sweeping generalizations • Healthier and Wealthier than previous generations • Embrace youthful lifestyle • Want new pursuits and to fulfill undone areas of their life • Motivated by lifestyle change not real estate purchases
Active Adult Living • Age 55+ • 21% of the population is age 55 or older • 330 an hour • 25% of population by 2010 • 75 to 80 million people • Born between 1946 and 1964 • $2 trillion to spend annually • 22.3 million have incomes over $50,000 • Half will continue to work; consulting and telecommuting • Very discriminating when searching for housing • They love to gab • Desire independent living • Desire to remain very active • Desire a sense of community • Do not desire to be confined • Not all active adults desire to move to another city, state or country • Climate is important • Can focus more on wants vs. needs • Young at heart • Want to avoid stress
Trends • Want to be close to family • Moving back from Florida and Arizona • Moving back to the city from the burbs • Overwhelming choices to com • Smart living (for older Active Adults) • Fridge that tracks use • Flooring that tracks movement
How they receive information • News junkies • Television: • 80% watch both regional as well as national news • Watch more TV than any other activity • Up to 6 hours a day • News, game shows and talk shows • Top networks; Hallmark, TCM, Golf Channel, History Channel, Fox News, CNN, AMC, and TWC • Newspapers: • 80% read the newspaper daily or several times a week • Top Sections of the newspaper; general news, editorial page, business/finance, sports, food/cooking • Internet (according to Nielsen/NetRatings, active adults are the fastest growing age group online • 70% of active adults go online (57% for news, 76% to purchase goods and services) • Use search to find information • More likely to use print or product labels to go to websites
What they face • When they want to move • Where they want to move • How much they can afford to spend • Proximity to healthcare • Choices are growing • Do we need two locations • Does my spouse have the same dreams • Climate • Purpose • Work? • Volunteering opportunities • Are we close to friends and family • Want to be close to the city • Want to be close to the beach • Want to be close to small town and cultural events • Want to be near a lake or river for fishing • Close to resorts for weekend getaways • Might move more than once • They are on a fixed income • Failing eyesight
Questions they ask themselves • Do I want to maintain my current home as I age? • Am I willing to leave the home where I raised a family? • Do I enjoy being a part of a community? • Do I want to live around others my age? • Would I like to live in a facility with amenities such as a pool and golf course? • Am I comfortable living in an apartment? • Do I have the income or savings necessary for monthly rent? • They make lists of things they enjoy and then they prioritize them
Benefits they look for • Low maintenance cost and time commitments • Security • Low cost • Freedom • Camaraderie • Close to family and friends • Uber-premium customer service • Work on emotions and how you make them feel • Key elements: timing, dependability, communication and flexibility
Community Amenities • Super huge community centers • State of the art fitness facilities • Access to trainers and assistance in diet, health and well being • Indoor/Outdoor swimming pools • Saunas • Shuffleboard • Bocce ball • Arts and Crafts • Libraries • Computer labs • Game rooms • Wii and other life enhancing video games • Spa • Tennis courts • Basketball courts • Horseshoe pits • Walking trails • Restriction on children
Apartments in General • Single Family Feel • Single Story • 2x1 and 3x2 most popular floor plans for apartment living • 900 to 2000 sq. ft. • 1x1 if older than 75 • Want space to be uniquely theirs (choice) • Open space with lots of light • Urban settings • Smaller developments • Attractive scenery
Apartment Amenities • Single floor • Master, Kitchen, Living and Laundry • If 2 story: guest live upstairs • Home offices • Free wi-fi in unit and hotspots in the clubhouses and pool areas • High-end kitchens • Granite Countertops • Hardwood floors • Tiled Bathrooms • Few steps or stairs • Toggle switches • Lever handles • Wider doors • Shower with a seat • Little of no maintenance or upkeep (yard, snow or landscape)
How to reach them • Websites • Print media guides (Senior Outlook: For Rent Magazine) • Rotary Club and other social meetings • HR health fairs • Company specific seminars • Newspapers stories • Television stories • Infomercials
Marketing Words to avoid Retiree Senior Citizen Aging Elderly Golden years Silver years Prime time Mature
Marketing Messages that work • Emphasis “Active” • Value/Affordability • Benefits • Lifestyle they want • Sense of community • Both social and intellectual • Amenities • Social in nature • Enhance experience around dining and activity
Where to market • Channels that deliver news and information • Websites (must emulate the personality of your community) • Video, hosted tour of community and specific units • Easy to create and share conversation; forums, blogs • Maps and downloadable colorful and designable brochures • Banner ads on relevant news oriented sites • Online communities; Web 2.0 or social media sites around the follow: • News, local dining, activity calendars, message boards, local events, weather, games, downloadable handbooks • Branded E-newsletters • Blogs • Search engines (www.cranky.com) • Media press releases • Lifestyle, health and business reporters • Grand opening, unique people in community, national trends that you can localize to your community
Website tips • Larger fonts or at least the ability to increase size • Easy to navigate, simple, clean, consistent • Provide checklists of things to think about • Lists of questions to think about • Provide common answers to those checklist and questions • Test it with users and be open to change • Link to sites dedicated to active adults • Pay for links if need be • Think about PPC (pay per click); Google’s adwords • Get SEO counsel • Be prepared to follow up fast; they expect it
Resources where you can learn more • Activeadultmag.com • BestGuide-RetirementCommunities.com • Activeadultliving.com • Topretirements.com • Myactivecommunity.com • Newretirementcommunities.com • Retirementhousingonline.com • Senioroutlook.com (Forrent magazine)