I wrote this piece for our January newsletter, and I really liked the ideas, so I wanted to share them with everyone else out there, even if they weren't on our property mailing list! Enjoy!
Well, we've made it into the post holiday slump. Youknow, that time of year when the excitement of Christmas & New Year's have passed & we have to just survive until Spring Break & Memorial Day? Because of our constant gray skies out here, this can be one of the most difficult times of the year to keep our residents engaged with us & to keep our team spirits up.
To quell your apprehension, we offer timely ideas for retention!
Let's start with next week's festivities involving the Superbowl. If you have a property with a media or theatre room, this one is a no-brainer! Break out the chips & chili cheese dip, or, if you're limited for funding after your winter gathering, make it a potluck event! Even better would be to hold a "Kick-off Cook-off," having your residents enter the best thing that they make to fill a "Soup-er Bowl." Someone on your site team must have a secret recipe for chili or chicken & noodles that they've been holding back. What a great opportunity to find hidden talents in your team members & residents! If you wanted to kick this idea up one more notch, why not open up the competition for the surrounding community? It's a great way to increase some traffic numbers & make more outside connections, both professional & personal. Everyone loves a chance to be a shining star!
Secondly, we are about three weeks out from one of the greatest resident recognition opportunity days of the year: Valentine's Day! Are you planning a Valentine's Day reminder for your residents to tell them just how much you really love having them there? It can be something as simple as a handwritten valentine to each home or taking a few hours to attach silk roses & a thank you card to the doors. It could be something more complex, like holding a Valentine's Day tea in your clubhouse, or even a whole week of "We Love Our Residents!" based activities. Endless possibilities means open doors for deep connections!
Remember, when we connect, we retain!