Assisted living and continuing care communities often miss opportunities for publicity through achieving awards.
We often here the submission process may be time consuming but the benefits far outweigh the investment.
A valuable resource of a public relations company is their ability to research potential awards and handle submissions.
The Ehlers Group often writes submissions and handles the award applications for our clients. We are proud to say our submissions behalf of our clients have garnered many gold and silver awards.
Look around for award competition. The National Association of Home Builders offers a wealth of opportunities but local and state home builders associations have competitions as well. Also, there is the Mature Media Awards for marketing submissions. Your local chamber of commerce may have small business awards, top employee recognition, and beautification awards. For example, while a community is being developed, there are competition levels for what is known as “on-the boards”. If renovations are underway, there are also awards for renovations.
National and state senior housing associations also have awards. Your community may qualify in many different areas and all can be explored once there is a commitment to pursue awards.
As an award recipient, there is no greater joy than knowing your assisted living or continuing care community and efforts were judged to be award-winning.
Here are a few benefits of awards:
- Visibility for your assisted living community. Even if you don’t win a gold award, the fact that your community competed can be marketed to your residents, families and prospective customers. Let your marketing team know that your community is “up for such and such award”.
- If you receive an award, it’s important to promote it in as many ways that you can. Your community becomes an “AWARD-WINNING COMMUNITY” regardless what level of the award including honorable mention.
– Send out a press release to local media and also blast it to your database of prospective customers, employees and suppliers. Let the world know your community is a winner.
– Write an article about the award for your community and corporate newsletter
– Write a blog about the award
– Merchandise the award on Facebook
– Don’t forget your community’s website. It can have a banner illustrating the award
– Banner your ad too
– Telephone answering messages can also be a communication method to promote your award - Be sure to show off your trophy and display it in a prominent place rather than in the CEO’s office.
- Regardless of the year the award was received, your community is an award-winner and the award can be marketed for a years.
- Don’t forget to send a special thank you to the people who made the award possible. It’s great to thank the architect, interior designer and general contractor and let them know the community received special recognition. They can use this award in their own promotion and portfolio. Many times they aren’t aware there is a submission to a competition.
- National press attention can be garnered from winning an award. Media is following industry trends and recognition. A community may not attract attention on its own in the national media but when it is a ‘gold’ winner, more doors will open.
If you have some additional suggestions, or questions about entering an award competition, we would enjoy hearing from you.
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