By Jack Cumming
Like most of us, much of my daily email is spam. It’s annoying and often worse. Much of the time, what’s touted is clearly an attempt to sell an inferior product or service. Sometimes, it verges on fraud and, occasionally, it is attempted fraud.
But, not long ago, I got one of those spam messages for a product that really appeals to me. The spam came from Babylon Micro-farms in Richmond, VA. The spam email offered a one-click link to a YouTube tour of Babylon’s office. The tour is led by Sharon Rettinger, Babylon’s National Sales Director. There are many lessons in this simple example to help senior living better achieve its purposes.
Gaining Credibility
The video appears to be locally filmed without that superficially slick quality characteristic of most professional produced videos. Frankly, at least for me, that homemade feeling gives greater credibility to the message. Imagine, what senior living communities might do with a homemade video tour of the campus. Featuring resident testimonials could give it a credibility boost.
But, back to Babylon. The idea of a micro-garden or a micro-farm, created with a modern technology like hydroponics, is something that might appeal to many residents. Merely having such a project on the premises would immediately establish a senior community as hip and with it, embracing the latest science has to offer.
B2B or B2C?
Of course, I have no idea whether Babylon is the value leader or not. What they seem to offer, though, is a turnkey way to display micro-farm freshness and cleanliness, a key attraction for a Life Plan Community (CCRC). I can’t think of anything that would better dispel the impression of old people’s communities as musty, institutional, and dated. Those fresh greens – imagine an entire wall of them – herald a healthy lifestyle and fresh dining.
The one thing I would change would be to shift the Babylon pitch from a B2B appeal to providers to one directed toward residents. I understand, though, that the only drawback to that is that in many communities staff chooses and funds most of the decisions, even when a project like hydroponics might appeal to residents.
The more progressive approach is to give residents control of many decisions as citizens of their senior community, but that is not yet widespread enough for it to make sense for a vendor like Babylon. Most senior housing operators continue to provide institutional facilities with residents unable to spend corporate funds. An entrenched industry cannot be expected to suddenly shift the power balance toward residents and their families.
Learning From Others
Stepping back for a moment, or longer, from the Babylon example, there is much to be learned from a spam message like this that causes people to hesitate before hitting delete. To begin with, the visual is appealing, and the glimpse of fresh vegetables immediately catches one’s eye. Quick impressions are paramount when you are sending spam.
More important, though, is that that first positive instant impression. That is seldom the case with senior living, though there are often pictures of young oldsters enjoying a social moment together. Less appealing, are pictures of an institutional looking building entrance which shouts “facility” as much as the industry may decry that term.
That instant positive eye candy is enough to raise those Babylon click throughs, and the click immediately starts a video interaction with Sharon Rettinger who is clearly more interested in you than in her need to make a sale. That raises the question of how we might make an initial video more about the customer and less about the facility.
Alternatives to Convention
Perhaps, a short dramatic story — a mini-play — could create something people can relate to. Instead of making us teary-eyed about an old man struggling to stay fit, it might be better to show a drama that we would want to be part of. That old man may be the way you view your parents or your granny, but it’s not a situation that makes you think, “I wish that were me, and I could be doing what he’s doing.” How about a scene of a resident mentoring a young employee?
You may be thinking, “Hey, this is just common sense,” and it is. Why then isn’t it more common? I’ve always wondered why common sense is so uncommon. What do you think? For the linked video from Babylon micro-farms, click here.
