How to Effectively Communicate Your Message to Baby Boomers (Part Two) 

How to Effectively Communicate Your Message to Baby Boomers (Part Two) 

How to Effectively Communicate Your Message to Baby Boomers (Part Two) 

By: Anthony Herring 

This article continues the subject matter first introduced in “How to Effectively Communicate Your Message to Baby Boomers (Part One)”. 

1 – Changing Times  

With baby boomers willing to understand the newer technology present nowadays, it’s clear that they are a viable part of the market. (This is important to note, as it goes against the misconception that they aren’t, which Alex Shvarts at Forbes magazine further explores in detail.) 

Marketeers always seek the best way to communicate with prospects and their adult children, and while success can be found with radio, billboards, social media, and sponsorships, the holy grail still remains the basics.  

2 – Methods of Communication 

With boomers now in a better position technologically speaking, just how exactly do they use it to communicate? Well, rather than use tools such as social media platforms, they prefer more direct lines of communication—as both Ryan Jenkins of Entrepreneur and Rachel Pelta of FlexJob discuss in their respective articles—such as face-to-face interactions, phone calls, mail, and email. 

There’s the old motto “If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it,” and it seems that boomers are living by that. The days of their youth were dominated by analog devices—as discussed in Part One—so it is understandable why they’d opt for speaking with someone over the phone instead of speaking through direct messages (or “DMs”) on X. (That being said, there are probably boomers who are more willing—or perhaps even more accepting—of the changing times, and are open to using newer communication methods. Imagine a boomer replying to their grandchild’s story on Instagram, or even finally sending that Twitter DM to a distant cousin!) 

3 – Heart of the Matter 

Now, to finally answer the central question: how can you effectively communicate your message to boomers? In our opinion, the three strongest avenues to do this are through still remain to be television ads, direct mail, and emails. On the surface, all three methods are wildly different in terms of execution and possible engagement, but they all can act as a method of direct communication. 

TELEVISION: 

  • Television ads have been a mainstay for decades, and an optimal way to reach boomers. There is a directness to TV that is difficult to replicate: the viewer watches a person or a group of people doing everyday things, like going to the park, hanging out with their family, walking their dog, etc. Seeing these experiences onscreen can personally speak to the viewer, as it can be relatable to them. Let’s use an example. 
  • Marion Smith is a seventy-six-year-old woman who is contemplating going to a retirement community. Her current house isn’t as accommodating as it used to be—what with her back and knee problems—and she needs assistance. As someone who isn’t the best at using newer technology to find places, and the older analog methods not working for her, she has been in a rut. One day, she turns on the TV and sees an ad for a retirement community, where a woman her age is talking about her body aches. Marion called the community’s phone number, scheduled a tour, and was blown away by the services provided. She ended up becoming a member, much to Marion’s joy. She identified with the woman in the ad.  

MAIL: 

  • Much like with TV ads, mail has been a decades-long mainstay. It is a surefire way to reach many people, and while it doesn’t have that same level of visual engagement that TV does, it can be made more personable. The letter sent to an individual is mailed specifically to them, for starters, as it has both their name and address on it. This captures the recipient’s attention, making them go, “Hmm, this is for me? I wonder what it’s about,” causing them to open the letter. The letter—unlike the ad—won’t be able to show a visual to help relatability. Still, it can give specific details about what services the sender can provide to the recipient. 
  • Mason Harrison is a stubborn seventy-eight-year-old man who is set in his ways. He prefers to talk on his phone and receive mail than even participate in receiving emails and texts from family and friends. Unfortunately, his family feels that he should be in a community, but they have difficulty reaching him as his cell phone is rarely handy. They have been finding places for him but can’t send him emails with more information. One day—after a heated argument with his son, Ben—Mason receives a letter from a community in his neighborhood. He opens it, feeling a bit guilty about the argument. The mail details the community’s services for retirees, and as he reads on, Mason finds himself intrigued. He writes down the number and email in the letter, and while he isn’t entirely sure he wants to go, he is willing to look more into it. He calls Ben back and gives him the info, telling his son to investigate the email while he will try calling. 

EMAIL: 

  • Email is essentially the next phase of mail’s evolution. It’s digitalized, it’s faster, it creates less clutter, etc. Much like with mail, however, it is personable: email is sent to users’ email accounts, where they can interact with it directly. They want to respond? They can go right on ahead. They want to ignore and / or delete it? They can do that, too. Unlike TV and mail, email can provide links, attachments, and even images regarding the subject that the sender wants to discuss with the recipient. The recipient can respond or ignore these add-ons if they so choose. Let’s explore one final example. 
  • Sheila Marks is a sixty-eight-year-old woman who retired a few years ago. She is actively looking for retirement communities to be a part of, having grown lonely in her cramped apartment complex. More tech-savvy than Marion and Mason, Sheila—with the help of her granddaughter, Mara—has had no luck browsing for communities online. One day, while browsing her Gmail account, Sheila saw an email from a local community. It was sent to her as a part of an AARP promotion, and after scouring the email, she believes she finally found her dream community. With Mara’s help, Sheila makes her way to the community’s website through a link on the email, and together, they navigate it—though Mara must make sure that she doesn’t go too quickly or else Sheila will be left behind! 

 

Conclusion – Good Luck 

We hope that Part Two has helped to illustrate not only how boomers’ relations with tech have changed, along with showing the three avenues that you can take to spread your community brand’s message. We wish you all the best of luck! 

The details present in this blog article were comprised of information gathered from the sources listed below. I want to give credit where credit is due. 

References 

Man in Blue Long Sleeve Sweater Using Cellphone · Free Stock Photo (pexels.com) 

The Misconception Of Baby Boomers And The Age Of Technology (forbes.com) 

Baby Boomers & Tech – How The Pandemic Changed The Relationship – GWI 

Four Ways Millennials Can Help Boomers Use Digital Tech at Work (livetilesglobal.com) 

How to Improve Communication Between Generations in the Workplace | Entrepreneur 

How to Bridge Communication Gaps Between Generations | FlexJobs 

Thoughtful Holiday Gifts for Seniors

Thoughtful Holiday Gifts for Seniors

Image courtesy of Kampus Production on Pexels 

Introduction – Season’s Greetings 

The holidays are a special time for everyone. Winter starts to set in, bringing beautiful snowfall. Christmas trees begin to be set up, lights and ornaments decorating their visage.  Those who are a part of the Jewish faith participate in the week-long Hanukkah festivities. Heck, even Santa Claus himself prepares for his once-a-year trek across the globe, delivering gifts to those on his nice list.  

It’s funny that we mention gifts, because there’s nothing more important than choosing the right one for their recipients—seniors included! Now, we here at IVY Marketing have compiled a short list of presents that you can gift to your senior family members for the holidays, and we wish to share them with you.  

1 – Hanukkah: A Menorah 

The first Hanukkah gift that we’ll discuss is one that has major significance for the Jewish people: the menorah. 

As detailed by Dani Rhys of Symbol Sage, the menorah is a six-branched, seven lamped candle holder, and is one of Judaism’s most defining symbols. There are two types of menorahs: the Temple Menorah, the original, seven-lamped holder that was housed in the Temple of Jerusalem, and the Chanukkah / Hanukkah Menorah, which is a newer model created to be lit within family homes. Unlike its predecessor, this menorah is eight-branched, and contains nine lamps. The Chanukkah / Hanukkah Menorah is typically used during the titular holiday, with each lamp lit during each night. 

If your senior family member is Jewish and/or practices Judaism, a menorah would be a beautiful gift. Menorahs can come in all shapes and sizes, so it is possible to get—or perhaps even craft—one that “fits” your family member to a tee. (This gift can have a powerful emotional significance as well, if your senior has recently begun practicing Judaism or has been receiving menorahs since they were a child, as the website Jewish Senior Life points out.) 

2 – Christmas: A Medical Alert System 

In an article she wrote for Forbes Health, contributor Angela Haupt included a quote from healthy aging expert Anthony Cirillo; the quote essentially said that when looking for gifts for seniors, it’s best to be practical. So, the first Christmas gift that we’ll discuss is a medical alert system—which Haupt also suggested from her article. 

Sadly, seniors are at great risk of medical emergencies, whether they are at home or at a retirement community. Having an alert system on their person—such as the highly recommended Medical Guardian—can be instrumental in helping to prevent said emergencies from becoming worse. (Additionally, Haupt’s article has a contribution from Jonathan Marsh, the owner of a Floridian senior care company called Home Helpers of Bradenton. Marsh believes that these alert systems “gives [seniors] independence” in the sense that they are in the ones in control of calling for their own help, and not having to rely on other parties, such as caregivers.) 

3 – Hanukkah: A Kosher Gift Basket 

Not every Hanukkah gift has to have a significant religious and/or symbolic significance, but care and attention should be present in each one. Therefore, the second and last Hanukkah gift that we’ll discuss is one where those two concepts are exercised: a kosher gift basket. 

Much like with menorahs, gift baskets can be tailor-made to your senior family member, including a plethora of items such as photos, knick-knacks, miniature board games, et cetera! However, with Hanukkah comes the presence of kosher, which—for those unaware—is defined by the OU Kosher Certification Service as food made “as fit and proper as pertains to Jewish dietary law.” So, in the process of adding kosher foods to your senior’s gift basket, please be mindful of the dietary law, so that you don’t accidentally add the incorrect food to it.  

4 – Christmas: A Photo Album 

Now, while Anthony Cirillo feels that senior gifts should be practical—and they can be—there’s nothing wrong with opting for something more thoughtful. So, the second and last Christmas gift that we’ll discuss is a sentimental one: a photo album. 

Photo albums act as “emotional compendiums”: large—or even small—scrapbooks filled with memories that have been collected over the years. Whenever you find an old album that you haven’t seen in a long time, and you find yourself simply skimming through it, don’t you feel the emotions coming back to you? Times with friends and family suddenly flooding your brain? The nostalgia acting as a dopamine boost? Well, imagine being able to provide those same, wondrous feelings to your senior family member! 

You can add a whole assortment of photos to the album, ranging from baby pictures to wedding pictures. It would be a pleasant experience for your family member to see all of what they’ve achieved over their lives. 

These are just some suggestions that we here at Ivy Marketing have whipped up for you. You can try these, come up with your own—perhaps do both—or even use the gift ideas from the references list down below. Happy gift-hunting! 

The details present in this blog article were comprised of information gathered from the sources listed below. I want to give credit where credit is due. 

References 

Elderly Man Holding a Gift Beside a Woman · Free Stock Photo (pexels.com) 

Menorah: The Deep Meanings of the 7-Branched Lamp (symbolsage.com) 

Hanukkah Gift Ideas – Jewish Senior Life of MI (jslmi.org) 

15 Best Gifts For Seniors For Healthy Living – Forbes Health 

4 Best Medical Alert Systems of 32 Tested (2023) (ncoa.org) 

Medical Alert Systems & Devices For Seniors | Medical Guardian 

Bradenton Senior Care | Caregiver Services (homehelpershomecare.com) 

What is Kosher Food? What Does Kosher Mean? OU Kosher Rules & Definition 

8 Things to Know about Celebrating Hanukkah with a Senior – Caring Professionals Home Care & CDPAP 

Gift-Giving Guide for Hanukkah | UnboxMe | Unboxme 

How to Effectively Communicate Your Message to Baby Boomers (Part One)

How to Effectively Communicate Your Message to Baby Boomers (Part One)

How to Effectively Communicate Your Message to Baby Boomers (Part One)

iStock-1428223018-2 copy

By: Anthony Herring

Introduction – The Task at Hand

Communication is a wonderful skill. It has allowed us to forge relationships, establish connections, and bond with our fellow humans on a personal and professional level. It takes care, diligence, and, ultimately, trust, to communicate effectively and honestly.

Unfortunately, it has its flaws. It can be used to harm and misinform. It can be weaponized for abhorrent purposes. It can be warped and misshapen to the point where the intended message is unrecognizable to both those who received it and those who created it.

When considering these advantages and disadvantages, it’s of the utmost importance to fully understand the power of communication—especially as a member of the marketing industry. Communicating your brand message to consumers is a pivotal step in creating a relationship with them.

What ultimately makes the consumer base complex are the demographics, and since we work in senior living, our primary demos include baby boomers and members of the Silent Generation. While Silent Generation members make up a substantial portion of the retirement community population, baby boomers are the ones who will begin to think about staying in them. So, it’s key to understand how to properly communicate your branding to baby boomers so they’ll take your communities into consideration (and hopefully choose to stay in them).

1 – Who are the Baby Boomers?

Before we can discuss that, however, we must answer one important question: just who are the baby boomers?

According to the website Investopedia, the baby boomer generation was the cohort of children born in the eighteen-year period of 1946 to 1964. They are the successors of the Silent Generation (1928 – 1945) and the predecessors of Generation “Gen” X (1965 – 1980). They are given their name due to the eponymous “baby boom,” a result of the end of World War II. When the war ended, many were happy that a time of such destruction was finally over, so they celebrated by creating new families.

As of 2023, boomers are the second oldest living generation (the first being the Silent Generation, who would be in their eighties and nineties now). Thanks to this, boomers are either reaching or firmly in retirement age (as USA Today notes), making them the prime candidates for retirement communities!

2 – Boomers and Tech

Let’s just say that baby boomers and technology aren’t…the best of friends. Unlike their younger counterparts in Gens Z and Alpha—and even Millennials / Gen Y—boomers aren’t digitally literate. They have difficulty grasping the latest technological trends, often requiring help in attempting to use newer devices.

This isn’t surprising, as—like Jan Golden of the Huffington Post discusses—boomers grew up in a time when smartphones, social media apps, and the Internet were nonexistent. Back in their heyday (the seventies and the eighties), phones, mail—or “snail mail” due to its delivery speed—and fax machines were the dominant forms of technology. (Sure, the Internet did come around during the eighties, but it was a much different beast compared to the juggernaut that it is now.) Their brains are hardwired to the analog days of old, and because of that, attempting to adapt to a more digitized world is a rather difficult challenge.

However, the challenge is not impossible. Boomers have shown that despite their conflict with digitization, they are willing to work alongside it (perhaps knowing that they’ll have to accept it eventually, as change is inevitable). As the software platform Xeven Solutions touches upon, boomers over the past several years are open to welcoming assistance learning about new technologies. They understand it can benefit them despite how difficult the learning process can be.

Conclusion – To Be Continued

With that, Part One is concluded. We hope this article has helped to give you a better understanding of baby boomers and how their relationship with technology has changed over the years. Part Two will go into more detail regarding how to use this information to communicate your brand messaging to them effectively. Stay tuned!

The details in this blog article comprised information gathered from the sources listed below. I want to give credit where credit is due.

References

Young woman helping senior man with payment on Internet using laptop · Free Stock Photo (pexels.com)

Assisted Living Statistics: Population & Facilities in 2022 | A Place for Mom

Baby Boomer: Definition, Age Range, Characteristics, and Impact (investopedia.com)

Baby boomers: Age range, years and the generation’s impact on society (usatoday.com)

Why do baby boomers don’t understand technology? – XevenSolutions

The Real Reason Baby Boomers Hesitate with Technology | HuffPost Post 50

Great Autumn Activities for Seniors

Great Autumn Activities for Seniors

By: Anthony Herring

Introduction – Autumn’s Arrival

After a surprisingly brisk and sweltering summer, autumn has finally arrived. The time of beach visits, outdoor concerts, and amusement park hijinks will now give way for cooler temperatures, pumpkin spice beverages, and the changing of the leaves. With that, comes new and fun activities for everyone to partake in—particularly seniors.

Autumn provides several unique opportunities for senior activities, and we here at Ivy Marketing are here to detail a few to you in the hopes that your own community will host them. Let’s get started!

1 – Autumn Festivals

The first activity that we’ll discuss is the eponymous autumn festival, a time for families to get together, eat food, play games, etc. This would be the perfect opportunity to have family members get together with their respective residents and go to a local festival! (This will require plenty of planning ahead, so be mindful of timing and scheduling.)

There are plenty of local festivals in the Chicagoland area, such as Nightmare on Chicago Street in Elgin (October 21st), Free Family Day at the Chicago Children’s Museum on the Near North Side (October 26th), and the Corporate and Community Tree Trim in Brookfield (November 11 – 12th). Additional festivals are can be found on several websites, such as the news site WTTW.

2 – Nature Walks

With the sweltering summer temperatures now in our rearview mirror, the slightly frostier autumn temperatures have now arrived. With that comes an easier time for seniors to make their way outside for a lovely nature walk, whether that be in the local park or even the local nature preserve. Your community can schedule these walks for your residents on a weekly or bi-weekly basis, so as to give them some fresh air—and maybe even some exercise! The cool air will no doubt be a much-needed reprieve at times, especially if certain residents have been unable to leave the community.

That being said, there are some things that need to brought to your attention. Since the seasons have changed, the weather can have an adverse effect on your residents. (For example, during the summer months—as the website Lifespan explains—seniors are at a higher risk for heat strokes due to their older bodies.) The website Comfort Keepers goes into detail about how the cooler temperatures have a detrimental effect on seniors’ bodies, so it’s best to make sure that when nature walks are scheduled, have them dress in layers. Not only that, but the site also recommends that they be mindful of leaves on the ground, as that could make potentially make them fall.

3 – Halloween Movie Nights

October is the month of the so-called “spooky season”, so don’t be surprised to see an uptick in ghouls, goblins, and gremlins. Not actual ones, thankfully, but rather children dressed up as them! This time of the year is a special one for kids, as they’ll be treat-or-treating on Halloween night, collecting candy by the dozens—if not hundreds!

What also makes this season special are the movies. Hocus Pocus. Beetlejuice. The Haunted Mansion. So many to choose from, and what better way to bring children and the residents of your senior living communities together than by hosting Halloween movie nights! (And the great thing is, you don’t need to limit this to the day itself.) Perhaps every once every week—or even twice—you can invite the residents’ grandkids to come to the community and watch some spooky movies with their grandparents. It would be a fun way for your residents to spend time with family members, along with the kids themselves being treated to sweets and everlasting memories. Have the kids dress up in costume, too, if you like; it would only add to the experience.

If you are struggling to find movies to show, The Hollywood Reporter has compiled a list of films that might hit the spot!

4 – “Autumnal Decoration Days”

The last activity that we’ll discuss are what we here at Ivy Marketing like to call “autumnal decoration days.” What we mean by this are dedicated days throughout the autumn months where your living community can invite residents’ family members to make autumn decorations. (Perhaps make a limit on how many can be allowed.) They can partake in crafting multicolored leaves to hang in residents’ rooms. They can make papier-mâché pumpkins and squashes to post near the entrances and exits. They can hang orange lights in the main halls and eating areas.

These are just starting suggestions that you are more than happy to implement, along with some that you come up with!

The details present in this blog article were comprised of information gathered from the sources listed below. I want to give credit where credit is due.

References

Elderly Couple Holding Hands Near Tree Trunk · Free Stock Photo (pexels.com)

2023 Chicago Festival Guide | Chicago News | WTTW

HOME | NOCS (nightmareonchicagostreet.com)

Free Family Days with Chicago Children’s Museum | Navy Pier

Chicago Zoological Society – Tree Trim at Brookfield Zoo (czs.org)

How Seniors Can Stay Safe in Summer | Lifespan

Autumn Safety for Seniors | Comfort Keepers

6 Festive Fall Activities for Seniors – DailyCaring

Best Halloween Movies for Kids From Hollywood – The Hollywood Reporter

How A.I. Can Improve the Lives of Seniors in Retirement Communities (Part Two)

How A.I. Can Improve the Lives of Seniors in Retirement Communities (Part Two)

By: Anthony Herring

This article continues the subject matter first introduced in “How A.I. Can Improve the Lives of Seniors in Retirement Communities (Part One).”

1 – A Solid Pairing

As mentioned at the end of Part One, A.I. has already been implemented within senior living: two prominent programs are used by retirement communities that are quite beneficial to its residents.

The first program, dubbed “Minerva,” is mentioned by the retirement website myLifeSite in a piece they wrote; the program was created by the tech company TSOLife. Minerva acts as an A.I.-based software that collects data on residents within retirement communities. (Said data is collected with residents’ consent.) This software is in use by the retirement organization known as Benchmark. (The U.S.-based org is responsible for maintaining dozens of smaller communities on the East Coast.) They have a program called “Something in Common,” which is a project that aims to connect residents through mutual interests; Minerva is used to collect data on the residents and find possible matches for them through the project.

The second program, created by the tech company CareSmartz360, is called…well, “CareSmartz360.” This software is based upon A.I., and is used for home care usage within retirement communities. As detailed by the company itself, CareSmartz360 helps residents maintain their daily lives through multiple avenues: sending reminders for taking medicines, providing communication methods with friends and family, etc. Not only that—and this is probably the tool’s most beneficial feature—CareSmartz360 is capable of monitoring residents’ activities, which can potentially prevent emergency situations from happening.

For example, take the passive sensor technology that was discussed in Part One. An A.I. system like CareSmartz360 can be applied within a retirement community as a method both to help detect when a resident is about to fall on the floor or perhaps even predict the likelihood of a resident falling (a similar estimation made for if A.I. was applied to smart tech like Google Home in Part One). Depending on the situation, community staff can enact measures based on what CareSmartz360’s data determines and act accordingly.

2 – Proceed with Caution

As with every new technological advancement, there are grounds for caution—and A.I. is no exception. With the software’s usage growing at a rather alarming rate, it is unsurprising to see that people are worried at how frequently it’s appearing in our day-to-day lives.

Sadly, this means that seniors—the most vulnerable demographic regarding technology—are at great risk. A.I. is an incredibly malleable tool, so much so that it can be manipulated to spread misinformation, which the media company Decrypt has discussed in an article on the subject. The author, Nathan Reiff, notes that artificial intelligence can be used to create false news articles, blog posts, videos, etc., and that among certain circles, these pieces can spread like locusts. If seniors were a part of these groups—or even just generally browsing the Internet—and found these pieces, they might actually believe that they’re real. Now, if their loved ones were able to catch them in time, then they can prevent them from falling for misinformation in the future. (However, if they can’t, then these seniors might fall deeper down the rabbit hole, believing these pieces more and more to the point of disaster.)

Another notable danger is one that hurts everyone: the scam. Scams have grown more sophisticated since the Internet became more prominent in our lives, and unfortunately, they show no signs of stopping—especially when A.I. gets thrown into the mix. A.I. is capable of fabricating voices, so scammers can make it sound like anyone they wish. Their cousin? No problem. President Joe Biden? No brainer. Your little brother? Of course. It is a scary and dangerous practice, and with seniors as more-than-possible victims, they are easy targets.

One particularly troubling scam aimed at seniors is called “the Grandma scam,” which Forbes deliberates on in an article regarding A.I. According to its author, Carolyn Rosenblatt, this scheme involves scammers using A.I. to trick seniors into giving money to their “grandchildren.” The “children” in this instance aren’t that at all, and are actually the scammers using fabricated voices. Since seniors aren’t able to tell that the voices are falsified, they fall right into the trap.

Conclusion – Time Will Tell

A.I. is here to stay, and with it now being a part of senior living, it can be an incredibly helpful tool for seniors. Unfortunately, it is important to remain mindful of how it can be manipulated to harm them, and to take the necessary precautions. We shall see just how far A.I. goes in this industry.

The details present in this blog article were comprised of information gathered from the sources listed below. I want to give credit where credit is due.

References

A Bearded Man Playing Chess · Free Stock Photo (pexels.com)

Artificial Intelligence Used in Senior Living Communities (mylifesite.net)

TSOLife | Happier more connected senior living community

TSOLife | Minerva–AI for Improved Senior Living

Benchmark Senior Living | Assisted Living and Memory Care Communities

Home Care Management Software for Home Care Agencies | About Us (caresmartz360.com)

Cloud-based Advanced Home Care Agency Software Solution (caresmartz360.com)

Artificial Intelligence Enhancing Home Care for the Elderly (caresmartz360.com)

Cloud-based Advanced Home Care Agency Software Solution (caresmartz360.com)

What Are the Dangers of AI? – Decrypt

Will AI Help Or Hurt Our Aging Parents? (forbes.com)

It’s addicting!  The fast-paced, ever changing world of public relations and marketing captures your interest and keeps you charged up to learn more everyday.  I love to find the best ways to tell our client’s stories and man, they have awesome stories!

It’s my job to discover our client’s goals and then match the best processes to achieve them, within their budgets, of course.  I get to explore traditional, digital and every manner of communication to determine which tactics, whether it is direct mail or TV advertising, a new website or PPC (to name just a few) will efficiently and effectively capture the attention of prospects. 

I also get to work with great people at IVY – they’re creative, fun, caring and super smart.  We’ve all been around the industry a while so there is not a novice among us.  Our clients are very cool too and totally passionate about the services they offer.  We’ve been working with most of them for years so we know they truly care about being innovative and responsible to the markets they service.  I have great admiration for all of them and look forward to every day. 

It’s true what “they” say, if you love what you do, you won’t work a day of your life!

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IVY was established in 1990 with a basic premise to offer professional, ethical and highly creative marketing, advertising and public relations services. We have successfully maintained our core values and have been part of many amazing projects, client growth and changes in the world of marketing that continue to happen at lightening speed. Most of our clients serve older adults in some capacity so we keep abreast of the opportunities and challenges they face.   Each day, we keep it real and fun and consistently deliver positive results to our clients and their markets.

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As a hybrid graphic and digital designer/web developer with over 17 years of experience, I am always on the lookout for innovative digital and print visual communications. IVY Marketing Group’s broad range of projects keeps my job challenging and rewarding, as each campaign is a new and exciting opportunity to effectively communicate our clients’ messages and help them achieve their goals. It’s my passion!

My body of work encompasses a diverse design style and wide base of clients, ranging from national associations, small businesses and big name brands like Hyatt and LiftMaster. I firmly believe that form follows function and highly value the communicative power of simplicity. 

Areas of professional expertise include Photoshop, InDesign, Illustrator, Word Press, Responsive Design, CSS3, and HTML5. The industries I’ve served include senior living, health care, hospitality and finance.

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All my life, I have loved writing. As a child, I could often be found in my room “writing a book.” While “novelist” is not (yet) on my resume, I am a storyteller. I believe that everyone and everything has a great story, and it is my joy to find that story and share it with the world.

After earning my bachelor’s degree in journalism and completing my master’s studies in the same field, I joined a small advertising agency with powerhouse clients in the hospitality industry, such as Hyatt, Hilton International and Carnival Cruise Lines. I began as a proofreader and achieved the position of senior copy writer within a year.

After my first son was born, followed by two more, I started a freelance writing business that included (among several others) such clients as Advocate Health Care and Coldwell-Banker Realty. Clients in the education arena included DeVry University’s Becker CPA and Stalla CFA Reviews, DePaul University, and Naperville School District 203, for which I won two state public relations awards.

For nine years, I was employed as Communications Director for a large faith community, where I managed all aspects of internal and external communications. I was writer, editor, designer, web master, and content manager.

As such, I am experienced and comfortable writing multimedia for a broad variety of industries, products and services.

I joined IVY Marketing Group in 2013, when I began writing client press releases on a freelance basis. I loved the work—and my teammates—so much, I was thrilled when I was invited to come on board in a greater capacity.

I have immensely enjoyed getting to know our valued clients in the senior housing industry, the people they serve, and telling the many wonderful stories that come out of content marketing done right—with the love and care our IVY teams puts into everything we do.

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It all starts with one idea. Working with the Ivy creative team for over two decades has always meant taking one great idea and bringing it to life to help our clients meet their goals. We enjoy the challenges offered with every creative opportunity and try to make the design process itself enjoyable for our clients.

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Making certain that the projects IVY produces are word- and picture-perfect is my specialty. But I also love implementing marketing campaigns and programs that bring our clients success. Details are my thing, so it is a pleasure to have worked with IVY twice now, first after college four years ago and, recently, for the past two years.

The IVY Group is a terrific team of creative, positive and talented professionals that I love working with and, judging from the length of stay of our clients, I think they love our team, too!

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Rock-climbing, training for an 80-floor stair climb event, running a 5K…This is just a tiny peek into what people 20 and even 30 years older than I am, are doing on a fairly regular basis at some of the retirement communities that IVY represents.

I’m of the generation that still has reoccurring nightmares about what the next step looked like when my grandmother could no longer live by herself. The very best option at that time was living at a “facility” and  included eating rubbery chicken and playing an occasional game of BINGO. Period. That’s why my parent’s generation begged us not to ever put them into “one of those places.”

I am so proud that IVY’s clients are at the very forefront of an industry that creates opportunities, challenges, and most of all freedom for seniors, allowing them to explore hobbies, interests, passions…the next chapter of their very full lives.

I feel reassured for my own future. Even more, I feel honored to be able to share the impactful stories about this paradigm shift in the world of senior housing. What we hear and see at our clients’ communities is fascinating and inspiring!

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Keeping up to date on new public relations strategies, online engagement tactics, and promotional tools is my passion.

With my hospitality background in marketing top Chicago restaurants and hotels, I was eager to bring fresh concepts and communication strategies to our clients and have really enjoyed learning various industries.

Our clients have such exciting and unique events and programs, which really makes it motivating for me to make the most of their content.  Results like increased sales leads, website visits and social media connections make everyday rewarding and interesting.

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I oversee, plan and implement projects and processes at IVY.  Often,  I am the conduit between our writers and designers, with printers, and other vendors to fulfill the marketing needs for our clients. I also manage media buys and coordinate production of advertisements.

Working for a flexible and fluid company that is constantly growing, changing and evolving is fun and rewarding. There is always something new to learn.

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My bio has a big blank in the beginning—Mom and Dad rescued me in Wisconsin, and no one really knows my origins. They were probably ruff. What matters though is where I am now, running IVY Marketing Group. There are humans here who think they’re in charge. In truth, they do actually have amazing experience in content marketing and public relations, but I’m super important and the center of attention. I mean, look at this face. Right? And I know I’m the top dog because honestly, I’m the only one allowed to sleep through staff meetings and eat things that people drop on the floor.

The fact is though that I truly love staying awake at staff meetings. Everyone talks and laughs and they’re always excited. That surprises me a little because it’s not like anyone has thrown a ball to play fetch or anything. But I guess what gets my pack of peoples’ tails wagging is their work and their clients. I don’t know what a website or a blog is, but I do know that my pack must be good at them because they’ve earned all sorts of awards for these and other things. My bed had to be moved because the framed certificates were taking up so much room. Despite the inconvenience, I’m proud of these awards!

I serve several important purposes at IVY. I always let Mom (and the world) know when the mailman is here. When people come into the office, just one (usually) quick non-invasive (usually) sniff, allows me to determine important characteristics…like if they had anything good for breakfast, own any pets (pet owners are the best!) or if they stepped in anything on the way in. (It’s sort of like me conducting a first job interview.) I generously share my tummy because I know people like to give it a good scratch. I always give kisses, whether one is feeling lonely or not. And I’m always happy to share someone’s meal, especially if they’re trying to lose weight. My pack describes me as being engaging, amusing, and entertaining. (When I hear a siren, I “sing” along and it makes them laugh.) NPR talks about the benefits of having a pet at the workplace. Studies show pets lower stress hormones and improve morale and productivity. I wholeheartedly agree that a dog in the workplace is the best thing since rawhide bones.

As for my pack of people at IVY…they are amazing and always make my tail wag!

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I could not be more thrilled to work alongside the IVY team.

For over 25 years, I have been employed in top executive positions across the Chicago area and have consistently built profitable businesses, generated sales, and developed and launched new product lines.

Strategically positioning companies and commodities for growth is a strong suit I’m eager to bring to ResponderHub™, IVY’s new crisis communications solution. I’m also excited to help expand IVY’s reach in the senior marketing industry.

I believe people are more open than ever to thinking outside the box and looking at new ways to reach their customer base, while at the same time reducing their cost of sale. The senior industry is exploding, and IVY is perfectly positioned to respond to the need for innovative, quality content marketing services and effective crisis communications.

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I love being able to use my skills to help improve other people’s lives, and with a growing elderly population, it’s important to create meaningful and user-friendly digital solutions to aid the senior living industry.I have a wide range of technology and design skills with a deep interest in Human-Computer Interaction– helping IVY provide outstanding web design and print design services. IVY has a long-proven track record of excellence, and I’m proud to be able to help carry on that tradition. 

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