Shn Sales & Marketing: Senior Living Marketing Futurecast – Navigating The Seasons Of Change In 2025

This article is sponsored by Unlock Health. It is based on a discussion with Larry Williams, Director of Growth Solutions at Unlock Health and Brandon Christiansen, Director of Marketing at Primrose Retirement Communities. This discussion took place on February 18th, 2025 at the SHN Sales and Marketing Conference.

Senior Housing News: Hello everyone, and welcome to the Senior Living Marketing Futurecast: Navigating the Seasons of Change of 2025, sponsored by Unlock Health.

As senior living marketing continues to evolve quickly, we know that sales and marketing professionals must adapt to new challenges and opportunities to drive community census growth.

Together, Larry and Brandon will review the 2025 Senior Living Marketing Survey to present findings and a comprehensive view of this evolving sales and marketing landscape.

Larry, I’m really excited for this conversation because having three years of data is something truly valuable. You’re starting to see more detail, more nuance, and you’re really able to dig into some meaningful insights.

I think the best place to start is by talking about challenges. We’ve seen a lot of evolving operational hurdles over the last five years, especially in a post-pandemic environment. So Larry, I want to pivot to you—what were some of the differences and challenges this year compared to last year? What are you seeing?

Larry Williams: When you look at 2024 compared to 2025, it really shows why senior living marketing is so challenging. There’s so much we’re focusing on. For example, in 2024, AI wasn’t even included in the graph—it was offered in the survey but came in at 0 percent. This year, more people are saying it’s one of their top challenges.

When I see this, it reminds me of a Jim Gaffigan quote. He’s a comedian with five kids, and when people ask him what it’s like having five kids, he says, “Imagine drowning… and then someone hands you a baby.” That’s kind of what it feels like—there’s already so much going on, and now we’re throwing AI integration into the mix.

That said, I always go back to the idea of the “North Star.” When things get overwhelming, go back to the story. Always start with the story. Think about connecting the dots and piecing together what you’re trying to accomplish. At its core, it’s all about storytelling.

The other thing I’ll say is: be kind to yourself. There’s a lot going on. Reach out, talk to others—this community is great. You’ve got a lot of great vendors, other community members. Drive those conversations.

Brandon and I discussed this—you had a great LinkedIn post about imposter syndrome. It’s okay, we all have it. Just continue the conversations, get out of your own head, and start small.

SHN: Brandon, bringing you into the conversation—what are the biggest operating challenges you’re seeing this year? And how do those line up with what you’re seeing in the survey results for sales and marketing?

Brandon Christiansen: The first thing that stood out to me when I looked at the 2025 data was how evenly distributed all the challenges were. We’re all facing these issues, and they’re all important. There’s not one that’s looming above the others.

But when I layered the 2024 data over it, two big categories last year were related to competition—they made up 42 percent of the pie. This year, it’s only 30 percent. So we’re shifting from external competition to more internal struggles—AI being one of those.

Also, budget concerns went up 3 percent year over year. Is it that we don’t have enough budget, or are we spreading ourselves so thin that budget is becoming more complicated?

That’s my big takeaway: give yourself grace. You can’t take on everything at once. Think about how to execute or manage through a partner or vendor. None of us can do all of this alone.

SHN: Definitely. And I think your note on complexity—and Larry, you touched on it too—is a key theme we’re seeing. For example, marketing across multiple channels increased 5 percent this year compared to last.

Larry, does this reflect growing complexity in reaching different stakeholders, or does it suggest there are just more people to reach?

Larry Williams: Yeah, I agree—it’s about finding different ways to connect with people. We all consume communication differently, and we’re trying to connect with people at various points in their journey.

It’s not just about reaching them—it’s about reaching them at the right time, when they’re seeking information. That’s where inbound marketing plays a big role. And remember, there are no random acts of marketing. It has to be intentional. We have the data—let’s leverage it so we can be more impactful.

SHN: You both mentioned AI. It’s a huge buzzword. From my reporting, it seems like operators are just beginning to explore how their tools can be improved by AI. Were there any AI-related results that surprised you?

Larry Williams: I think it’s part of a broader tech trend. On the next slide, we talk about tools we’re using—chat and AI both stood out.

Communities are learning how to leverage AI, but often feel overwhelmed. “We need to use it—but how?” Break it down: generative AI, machine learning, predictive analytics. Once you understand the categories, it’s easier to figure out how to use them.

And try it in your personal life! That’s a great way to test it. For example, my 11-year-old had a rough day and couldn’t sleep—so I used ChatGPT to create a custom lullaby. Just to be silly, but it got me thinking about other ways to use the tech.

SHN: Another area we noticed—there was an 8 percent decrease in prioritizing differentiation from competitors. Brandon, you touched on how competition isn’t as top-of-mind anymore. Are operators shifting focus?

Christiansen: Yeah, I’d agree. We’re not necessarily trying to differentiate from each other—but we all have a common competitor: the home.

As younger generations and adult children become more involved, there will be more emphasis on brand voice and connection. They want to feel like they belong to a community. So differentiation is becoming more about expressing your brand’s point of view—why should someone care about it?

SHN: Thanks, Brandon. Moving to assessment tools, Larry, we still see CRMs at the top, which isn’t surprising. But what variances did you notice?

Williams: The top three didn’t change much—but what stood out was chat, which jumped from 37 to 51 percent, and AI, which rose from 24 to 44 percent.

Chat, especially, is becoming more important for adult child decision-makers. They want quick answers—maybe even 24/7. Chat also uses AI to help qualify leads. It’s a more efficient way to stay connected. And with AI, just make sure it’s making you more human. Let it handle routine tasks so you can focus on meaningful interactions.

SHN: Brandon, anything you’d like to add on assessment tools?

Christiansen: Yeah, that 12 percent jump in chat really stood out. We talked earlier about the “hotel swimming pool” theory: are we adding chat just because we think we have to?

Are we actually using it to understand our audience better? Are we analyzing the data, adapting our websites and workflows? It should be more than just another widget.

SHN: From my recent operator conversations, many were skeptical about chat—but later saw improved conversion rates. So it’s exciting to see how it’s being integrated.

Williams: Definitely. And make sure your vendors are connecting your data. We don’t need to drown in data—we need to connect it to see the full story.

SHN: Shifting gears, Larry—what stood out to you regarding where organizations are focusing their marketing efforts?

Williams: Over the last three years, SEO and PPC keep swapping places at the top. It’s like the chicken and the egg. A few years ago, we leaned more on website builds and SEO. Now, we’re leading with paid search because it gives immediate results, and we use that data to inform our SEO strategy. It’s like renting a house (paid search) versus owning one (SEO). Paid gives instant access, but when you stop paying, it’s gone. SEO builds long-term equity.

SHN: Is it about balancing priorities based on your operating model?

Williams: It’s about listening. Often we hear, “Most of our communities are doing well, but we have two struggling.” So we focus our efforts there. But we also want to ensure the broader website foundation is strong.

SHN: Brandon, do these trends reflect what your organization is doing?

Christiansen: Honestly, the survey basically stole my marketing blueprint. When the budget is tight, PPC drops fast—it’s easy to turn off, even though you probably shouldn’t.

But SEO stays long-term. PPC and paid social support SEO. And none of it matters if you don’t have content worth reading. Small teams should focus on doing a few things really well, rather than trying to do everything.

SHN: Budget challenges increased this year. Your thoughts?

Williams: Prioritize. Learn new tools. Paid social, for example, often has a lower CPA than paid search. Focus on ROI.

SHN: Social media also continues to evolve. Larry, what did you see this year?

Williams: It’s going up, and it’ll keep going up. You can tell a more authentic story through social than any other medium. I love what Gary Vaynerchuk said—businesses fear social media’s disruption, but it’s powerful if used well. Paid social is a great tool. Shout out to Dashed—they do awesome video work.

SHN: Brandon, how are you thinking about social strategy?

Christiansen: This is the first year we’re really happy with our content—especially on Facebook. Now the goal is refining strategy. We’re asking: what’s the next step for viewers? Visit the website? Read a blog? Social should lead somewhere.

SHN: Thanks. Now, regarding internal vs. agency support—Larry, what did this year’s data show?

Williams: It hasn’t changed. Same percentages. The key is partnership. Agencies bring data and insight. Communities bring knowledge. It has to be collaborative.

SHN: Brandon, how are you balancing internal vs. vendor work?

Christiansen: We flipped this year—went from in-house to adding support. If you’re doing it in-house, that’s amazing. I learned so much from doing it myself.

Now I have better conversations with vendors because I understand what they’re doing. It’s like how prospects evaluate us: is this a long-term fit? Do we share values?

SHN: Let’s talk about budget expectations for the next 12 months. Larry?

Williams: I laughed when I saw this. Last year, I told people to take a screenshot—because spending increased. This year it went up again—from 49 to 57 percent. And it’ll keep going up. Tools cost money. Marketers are more digitally savvy. It’s a competitive landscape.

SHN: Brandon, where’s your organization at?

Christiansen: My hope is that the 57 percent reflects real investment—not just inflation. Kudos to marketers—they’ve done a lot with very little. And always keep your sales team close. Higher quality leads help everyone.

Williams: And let the data drive your decisions. Don’t spend just to spend. Leverage what you have.

SHN: Definitely. And finally, internal culture—Larry, what are you seeing?

Williams: More and more, we’re talking about marketing as a tool for talent recruitment. I hosted a podcast with Nebraska Medicine—they focused on “retain more, hire less.” Marketing uniquely can tell the internal story—through geofencing, paid search, and social. Use marketing to help potential employees see a path forward within your community.

Unlock Health is a full-service marketing agency that combines art, science, and data-driven insights to connect consumers with care. To learn more, visit: https://go.unlockhealthnow.com/senior-living-marketing-agency/

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