How important is “internal” public relations and marketing?
Leonard: Internal public relations is very important–and something that is sometimes overlooked. Happy residents and happy staff will reflect positively on the facility as prospective residents and families tour the property. Some facilities will go so far as to have resident tours and answer basic questions about the property. Internal initiatives like this help prospective residents feel like the facility could be home to them and helps families feel like their loved one will be well cared for. Wylde: Well, it’s not the ad in the newspaper that will convince someone to move Mom into your community, but rather it’s whether or not the first person they encounter in your building is warm and friendly and makes them feel at home. All of your marketing dollars can be negated within a few seconds if the prospect’s first impression is not positive. Too many communities leave the one-to-one encounters with their employees to chance. This is the most crucial aspect of a service business–the
