So you’ve made the decision to focus your business on helping seniors. Your heart is in it, you have the passion, and you've deepened your senior niche, but where do you start?
In the past, you may have focused your marketing efforts on blast emails and Facebook ads. Some may have even delved into the world of Snapchat and Instagram, looking to connect further with younger clients. However, the same approach may not work as well as you start advertising to potential senior clients.
Of course, that’s not to say that seniors aren’t tech savvy. My grandma, for example, has a profile on Facebook to keep up with her girlfriends, regularly emails me recipes she’s tried, and is the first to pipe in with a cute emoji on our family’s group text thread. The same can be said for plenty of seniors across the globe.
Nevertheless, there are also plenty of seniors out there who aren’t as active on social media or don’t have access to the same technology. There are plenty who use the internet to socialize, but would prefer to save business conversation for face-to-face meetings or over the phone. Some prefer to have physical fliers or handouts rather than electronic files.
With so many different seniors out there, you may ask, what’s the best way to reach all of them, but still keep it manageable for myself? How do I target seniors in my community without ostracizing those who may not have internet access or prefer in-person communication?
How to use seminars for your senior business
Advertising your senior business with seminars is a great way to start. Not only do they allow you to reach a large number of people in a short period of time, but they also provide the perfect base to form relationships with different senior based companies in your area.
Partner with senior communities
Reach out to local senior communities or senior centers, offering an hour long presentation on the different services that you provide. Not only will this type of seminar get you in touch with seniors in the area, but you will then become the perfect point of contact for those centers and communities when they have new members or residents that need assistance.
Leave them with your information
Make sure to bring business cards with your contact information so that attendees can get in touch with you afterward. Better yet, consider creating a handout outlining the different services you provide, or with current and relevant information regarding seniors. Ensure that the text on your handout is large enough for those with vision impairment, and that your contact information is in an easily noticeable spot. This way, attendees can refer back to the information you gave them at home, and they’ll know exactly who to call when they’re ready to make a decision.
As you continue to give seminars at different spots in your area, consider what has worked and what hasn’t and tweak your presentation as needed.
If you do run into trouble or have a hard time getting started, remember that as an SRES® Designee, there are tons of different resources for you to use, including webinars with step by step information on hosting your first seminar, as well as premade fliers, brochures, and other materials to use as handouts.
Remember, practice makes perfect! In time, you’ll be a seminar pro, and have clients pouring in looking for your help.
