For some senior living providers, high definition video tours are proving to be their best investment to date.
Video tours are not a novelty in senior living. Providers report “virtual” video tours have long been the next-best thing to an actual tour when it comes to attracting prospective residents.
But new tools are making it even easier for senior living providers to market via video by giving them insight into the viewers’ behaviors as they watch. By learning about how and when a prospective resident views a video tour, some providers say they are upping their conversions within a targeted range from contact to move in at a rate as high as 80%.
Arizona-based Late Living is taking this more targeted approach by offering not only customized video tours for senior living communities, but also insight into the behind-the-scenes way in which prospective residents are interacting with the communities they view.
“A lot of companies sell video tours in high definition,” says Jon Scott Williams, executive director for Fellowship Square in Mesa, Arizona. “All of that is good, but the magic behind [this] is I now have analytics. Automatically, as a person watches the video, when they stop and roll backwards and replay again, it shows they are interested in whatever they’re seeing.”
Williams has subscribed to Late Living’s service for almost a year, and says the return on investment is more than he would have expected. Citing an example of one recent Friday when he sent correspondence to 182 interested parties, he says he had rented three properties by the following Monday.
“The newest customer is very independent,” he says. “The don’t play follow the leader. You have to be focused in how you court them. By knowing what they’re interested in, I can provide what they need.”
The technology provides a full, “floating” video tour of the community, lasting as long as 15 minutes. While it’s a longer reel than most video marketing, Late Living has found its audience is not put off by the length. The company conducted a survey to determine what people wanted to see and how, then based their editing accordingly.
“Because prospects are in decision making mode, our data shows that they are OK with watching a 15-minute long Floating Motion tour,” says Lindsi Luffman, Late Living sales and marketing manager. “The Floating Motion video is the next step in virtual tours. Families would rather take 15 minutes from wherever they are to determine their interest level than to drive in person only to find out they may not be interested in that location. The senior housing buying experience has finally caught up to what people expect.”
Honing in on all features can also be a useful marketing tool. Williams says by taking note of the points at which viewers slow down and repeat during the video, he can give them a customized tour when they come on site for a visit. An email capture also collects the viewer’s email address about 30 seconds into the video, at which point they submit their email address in order to continue viewing.
One feature that often appeals: laundry machines. Viewers often stop and repeat on the footage that shows individual full sized washers and dryers, Williams says, which lets him know it’s something to point out on the tour. Another is a full view of the kitchens as well as patio spaces.
“When looking from the sales side, I can see exactly what the [prospective resident] saw. So when they come for the tour, I make sure to point that out to them and have the discussion about it.”
The 333-unit community has received 4,000 hits on its video since March 2013.
Late Living says the new marketing is paying off for its clients; currently the company’s services span 200 communities based in Arizona and a handful in California with plans to expand nationally.
“One of our [client] locations started using the analytics and contacting people,” Luffman says. “They have had an 80% success rate of people who have watched, been contacted, and moved in.”
Written by Elizabeth Ecker
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