Adult residential care facilities (ARCFs) suffered declining occupancy rates during the COVID-19 pandemic. According to the National Investment Center, the senior housing occupancy rate has increased to 84.4%, as of the third quarter of 2023, but this is still below the pre-pandemic rate of 87.1%. In 2024, ARCFs will be trying to make a full recovery. Use these ideas to market your ARCF.

1. Leverage Direct Mail

Direct mail is a fantastic option to reach more people in your community. Some ARCF marketers pay for lists to target people who may be interested in residential care. However, these lists can be pricey and there’s no guarantee the people on them will be interested. You also risk missing people who would be interested but aren’t on any lists yet.

Instead of relying on lists, consider using Every Day Direct Mail. This allows you to send postcards or flyers to every address in your local community. You can also filter by age, income, or household size. The rates are affordable, and you don’t have to worry about missing anyone.

2. Stay Involved in Your Community

From a marketing perspective, getting involved in your community accomplishes two goals at once. First, you raise awareness for your facility. Second, you make a good impression by positioning your facility as part of the community.

There are many ways to become involved in your community, including:

• Sponsoring local events and organizations. Instead of just paying for advertising, sponsor local clubs, sports teams, festivals, and other activities as a way of supporting the community while driving awareness for your facility.
• Organizing outings. If your local theater group is putting on a play, organize an outing for residents who would like to see it. You’ll enrich the lives of your residents while creating opportunities for word-of-mouth advertising. You can also promote the outing online to show your community what kind of activities you offer your residents.
• Inviting groups to your facility. Sometimes, it makes sense to bring the community to you. For example, you could invite a local choir to perform for your residents. This is another practical way to provide engaging activities for your residents while spreading the word about your facility.

3. Network with Influencers in Your Community

Referrals from professionals in your community can be a great source of business. To grow your centers of influence, look for professionals who frequently work with the kinds of individuals who may need residential care for themselves, their family members, or their friends. Approach these individuals about referring clients to one another and provide materials for them to share.

Consider approaching:

• Estate Planning Attorneys
• Accountants
• Healthcare Providers

4. Send a Monthly Email Newsletter

An e-newsletter is a great way to stay in touch with your residents and their family members. Include updates on your facility, such as the activities you’ve organized over the last month, as well as a calendar of upcoming events. You could also include articles about topics that would be of interest to your audience, such as how to avoid scams that prey on the elderly, healthy aging, and holiday features. The more helpful the information, the more likely residents are to share it with others, which could lead to referral business.

Your newsletter is also a great place to promote your referral program…

5. Promote Referral Programs with Existing Residents

Your current residents may be your best source of new business. Many of your residents have friends and family members who are around the same age. They may be looking for a residential care facility. However, people can sometimes be reluctant to make recommendations or may simply not think of doing so. You can encourage referral business by asking your residents to refer people, perhaps offering an incentive for referrals. Make it easy for residents to make referrals by providing contact information, links, and flyers for them to share.

6. Host Events and Encourage Residents to Bring Friends

To show potential residents how wonderful your facility is, you need to get them to visit. One way is to host events where you encourage residents to invite their friends. For example, you could host a party where you allow everyone to invite one guest. Likewise, friends could be invited to Bingo night or craft workshops. You could also host events to honor individual residents – for example, housewarming or milestone birthday parties – where they can invite multiple guests.

Don’t Forget ARCF Insurance

As your facility grows, so will your liability risks. Make sure you have solid ARCF liability insurance in place. Tangram provides ARCF insurance through the Personal Care & Assisted Living Insurance Center (PCALIC). Learn more.

Article provided by Tangram Insurance Services.