To continue adding value for our advertisers, we at New LifeStyles have partnered with Patty Cisco of Cisco and Co. to offer free monthly sales training via webinar. Starting in January, Patty will post a blog on our site and the following week we will host a webinar to dive deeper into issue facing the senior living  industry now and how to over come them. 

Give us your feedback on what topics you would like covered at 

http://surveys.marketnet.com/TakeSurvey.asp?SurveyID=44I463LI36l3H

Every year, thousands of companies around the country and probably the world face dilemmas – “What are we doing for our Christmas Party this year?”, “Do we need to cut back on this year’s party”, “Should we invite significant others?”, “Should we even have a holiday event?” – the list goes on.

Last weekend was the New LifeStyles’ Christmas Party.  It was not opulent, no expensive champagne flowing from gold fountains, 72 piece orchestras playing “Grandma got run over by a Reindeer”, or caviar delivered by fine British waiters, just a nice dinner gathering and a chance to mix and mingle with each other and our guests, away  from the office.  There were no discussions of last week’s stressful system conversion or the upcoming plans for the company in 2011.  We had no embarrassing moments due to over indulging in adult beverages or me trying to dance.  It was just a great evening where everyone enjoyed each other’s company and some great food.  It happens every year, just a special evening that puts a smile on all our faces and ends the year in the right spirit.

I encourage everyone to continue this tradition and other traditions that you have in your company.  We need opportunities to see the other side of people.  You may find a common bond that strengthens your day-to-day relationship in the office.  You may better understand a co-worker that seems distant.  It gives you a chance to let people know how much you appreciate them.  It may simply give people an opportunity to dress up for an evening out or force young parents to get take a night out for themselves.

What does your company do to celebrate the holidays?  Any fun traditions that represent the personality of your group?  Please take the time to share, so others will have ideas for next year!

(* please feel free to insert Holiday Gathering where applicable)

Bob Gowdy –  Bob is a another New LifeStyles veteran.  He has been with the company for well over 10 years, acting as Sales Director for the SF Bay, Los Angeles/Ventura and Arizona guides, as well as his hometown of Houston.  Bob believes in building strong relationships with his advertisers, especially over the long haul.  With his vast experience in these markets and the industry, he is able to help you find the right combination of New LifeStyles’ products to meet your company’s marketing needs.

On the personal side, Bob is very involved in the extensive athletic endeavors of his kids.  He spends most weekends transporting them, sitting on bleachers and wondering if they are going to make it to the next game on time.  An avid golfer, Bob’s PGA career was derailed by a bad case of the yips that he blames on listening to too much disco.  While he now resides in Dallas, he continues to staunchly root for his Houston Texans, knowing, hoping and dreaming that this, “might just be the year”.

Luke Jansen – Luke is Director of Sales and Customer Support for the New LifeStyles web design group.  Along with a great staff of designers, Luke has been responsible for bringing many great web sites to the scene.   While most of these sites are in the senior living and care industry, Luke has developed many relationships in totally unrelated industries and his group can design a site that will be a success for any business.  Luke brings a strong knowledge base and great inter-personal skills to our company and has been successful in growing this fairly new business segment of New LifeStyles.

Luke was recently married to Lori, a great girl who keeps Luke and his “confidence” in check.  They have a couple four legged kids.  Luke is a softball machine, setting the company record for most home runs and awkward high-fives in a game and spends the remainder of his personal time travelling, staying in shape and trying to defeat the random eating challenge. 

If you need a web site or are looking to upgrade your current site or increase its traffic, there is no one better to call!

Social media failure is not an option

Does Your Blog Generate Leads?

Do you see a downturn in inquiries, visits & move-ins to your senior community/business this time of year?

I recently had a client tell me that her executives expected her to reach their occupancy goal by the end of the year (between Thanksgiving & the new year). Is this possible?

Here at New LifeStyles we have historically seen a decrease in traffic and guides ordered during the holiday months, only to rebound with even higher numbers every January.   Is it that people spend some time with their parents over the holidays and realize that it’s time for change? Are they putting off the inevitable to keep the holidays jolly? Or are we all just too busy with holiday planning & partying?

What do you hear as excuses to why people aren’t visiting & signing this month? What do you do to combat it?

-          Host a holiday party for your residents, their families and friends. Encourage them to invite someone they would like to have as a neighbor.

-          Offer to host a holiday party for local associations/group/business.

-          Sponsor a toy/food/clothing drive or any other charitable act that you can publicize and get people to stop by with their donation.

-          Offer your residents a free meal for a friend they would like to see over the holidays. Maybe extend the offer into the new year after all the hustle and bustle is over.

-          Decorate your community so those driving by notice and appreciate it.

-          Offer specials to “lock-in” this year’s rates

-          Send out a helpful holiday message/marketing piece to seniors in your area & maybe their children (ask for their mailing address)

-          Send a holiday card – Who doesn’t like to get a card?

Please share what you do to keep your senior referrals & business going during the holidays.

Megan Blaser Tschewik – Megan is the youngest daughter of our founder, Les Blaser, so she has literally been around the business all of her life, and has about done every job here. She truly understands the company from the ground up, and as a part owner, she always has the overall interest of the company in mind.

Megan is a graduate of OU with a Masters from the University of Texas. She was recently married at a vineyard in California & has a beautiful little girl.

Megan is the sales director for Fresno & Santa Barbara/San Louis Obispo. She also works in LA, Dallas and many other areas including her multi-market clientele.

Megan is one of our media buyers, placing ads for more than half of our 36 markets, and she handles the scheduling for trade shows and conventions.  Megan does some internal web site updates as well. She wears many hats and is always there to help anyone whether it be a New LifeStyles employee, a client or a vendor.

Michelle Gowdy – Michelle has been with the company for 18 years.  She is also a part owner of the company, as Les was Michelle’s step-father.

Before having children, Michelle handled sales in San Francisco, Houston, Arizona, Austin & San Antonio, Florida, etc… Since then, Michelle has focused her efforts on our best performing market and home base, Dallas. She is co-director for Orange County sales & handles other multi-market companies. She also places media for our publications.  

On a personal note, Michelle graduated from the University of North Texas. She is married with 2 kids and a Chihuahua.

Most companies have them, the salesperson with the innate ability to get a meeting with the key decision maker when all others have failed or the marketing person that comes up with the campaigns that repeatedly make the phones ring and e-mails pour in.  What makes them special?  In most cases, it is a natural gift, just something that they have that others don’t.  It can also be techniques that were learned from a great mentor or peer or perhaps picked up somewhere in the education process or in a seminar.  Whatever “it” is, we all want to have these people on our front lines, bringing in the prospects and getting them to sign on the bottom line.

In next week’s blog, we will present some of the techniques that you use or see used that work almost every time.  We will present some of the traits that you see in your key marketing and sales people.  Also, tell us interesting or funny stories about someone’s technique or how they landed a key client.

What do we see every day here at New LifeStyles?

The Fisherman – checks the water, sees if the fish are hungry, casts out the line and boom lands the big fish.

The Boxer – throws a light jab at the customer, sees if they flinch and then lands the knockout punch while they are off balance.

The Researcher – gets to know everything about the client, then presents the perfect solution without making the client work to figure out what they need.

The Tireless Warrior – continues to pursue the sale over months or years of conversation, showing them the value of the product until finally, one day, they buy!

Please post your tributes, stories or sales/marketing techniques here and check back next week to hear what others had to share!