Need an Attitude Adjustment in 25 Seconds?

Need an Attitude Adjustment in 25 Seconds?

You Can Be Whatever You Want to BeToday, I want to share an inspirational poem that I have read continually since my college days:

You Can Be Whatever You Want To Be

There is inside you

all the potential to be whatever

you want to be ~

all of the energy to do whatever

you want to do.

Imagine yourself as you would like to be,

doing what you want to do,

and each day, take one step

towards your dream.

And though at times it may seem too

difficult to continue,

hold on to your dream.

One morning you will awake to find

that you are the person you dreamed of ~

doing what you wanted to do ~

simply because you had the courage

to believe in your potential

and to hold on to your dream.

~ Donna Levine

I hope this poem inspires you! You have the capabilities inside you to change the world in our wonderful profession. I am thankful that I help seniors every single day.  Tip:  Read it out loud, it goes into your subconscious brain faster.

Diane Twohy Masson is the author of “Senior Housing Marketing – How to Increase Your Occupancy and Stay Full,” available at Amazon.com with a 5-star rating.  The book is required reading at George Mason University as a part of its marketing curriculum.  Within this book, the author developed a sales & marketing method with 12 keys to help senior living providers increase their occupancy.   Masson developed this expertise as a marketing consultant, sought-after blogger for senior housing and a regional marketing director of continuing care retirement communities in several markets.  She has also been a corporate director of sales and a mystery shopper for independent living, assisted living, memory care and skilled care nursing communities in multiple states.  Currently, Masson is setting move-in records as the regional marketing director of two debt-free Continuing Care Retirement Communities in Southern California – Freedom Village in Lake Forest and The Village in Hemet, California.  Interestingly, this career started when she was looking for a place for her own mom and helped her loved one transition through three levels of care.

 

© Marketing 2 Seniors| Diane Twohy Masson 2014 All Rights Reserved. No part of this blog post may be reproduced, copied, modified or adapted, without the prior written consent of the author, unless otherwise indicated for stand-alone materials. You may share this website and or it’s content by any of the following means: 1. Using any of the share icons at the bottom of each page. 2. Providing a back-link or the URL of the content you wish to disseminate. 3. You may quote extracts from the website with attribution to Diane Masson CASP and link https://www.marketing2seniors.net For any other mode of sharing, please contact the author Diane Masson.
Are you an “A”, “B” or “C” player?

Are you an “A”, “B” or “C” player?

"A", "B" or "C" Players?

“A”, “B” or “C” Players?

What’s the difference between an “A”, “B” or “C” player in senior living sales or in any sales profession?

“A” Players

  • Produce 80% of the work
  • Are always positive
  • Good self image
  • Find or create solutions to challenges
  • Embrace strategizing sales
  • Top sales performer in the company

“B” Players

  • Do more than “C” players and way less than “A” players
  • Are equally positive and negative
  • Average or okay self image
  • Need help solving challenges
  • Tolerate strategizing sales
  • Consistent low to average volume of sales

“C” Players

  • Do 20% of the work, but act like they do way more
  • Whine and complain a lot
  • Poor self image
  • Are usually a part of the challenge
  • Resent strategizing sales
  • Say it’s not their fault that they don’t have sales

Here is the good news!  Congratulations if you are lucky to enough to be or have some “A” players on your sales team.  Resources and coaching support can help some “B” players become “A” players.  Others may remain good consistent “B” players.  “C” players need to be evaluated to determine if they have any hope to improve.  If they do not, let them go, because they don’t really want to work for you or anyone else.

Are you willing to share whether you or your senior living sales team mates are “A”, “B” or “C” players?  What other factors contributed to your decision?

Photo Credit: © Jim Barber – Fotolia.com

Please share your strategies, successes, failures or comment below to join the conversation and interact with other senior living professionals on what is currently being effective to increase occupancy on a nationwide basis.

Diane Twohy Masson is the author of “Senior Housing Marketing – How to Increase Your Occupancy and Stay Full,” available at Amazon.com with a 5-star rating.  The book is required reading at George Mason University as a part of its marketing curriculum.  Within this book, the author developed a sales & marketing method with 12 keys to help senior living providers increase their occupancy.   Masson developed this expertise as a marketing consultant, sought-after blogger for senior housing and a regional marketing director of continuing care retirement communities in several markets.  She has also been a corporate director of sales and a mystery shopper for independent living, assisted living, memory care and skilled care nursing communities in multiple states.  Currently, Masson is setting move-in records as the regional marketing director of two debt-free Continuing Care Retirement Communities in Southern California – Freedom Village in Lake Forest and The Village in Hemet, California.  Interestingly, this career started when she was looking for a place for her own mom and helped her loved one transition through three levels of care.

© Marketing 2 Seniors| Diane Twohy Masson 2014 All Rights Reserved. No part of this blog post may be reproduced, copied, modified or adapted, without the prior written consent of the author, unless otherwise indicated for stand-alone materials. You may share this website and or it’s content by any of the following means: 1. Using any of the share icons at the bottom of each page. 2. Providing a back-link or the URL of the content you wish to disseminate. 3. You may quote extracts from the website with attribution to Diane Masson CASP and link https://www.marketing2seniors.net For any other mode of sharing, please contact the author Diane Masson.
How Do You Unfreeze a Frozen Senior?

How Do You Unfreeze a Frozen Senior?

Unfreezing a Frozen Senior

After a senior has been diagnosed with a progressive disease such as macular degeneration of the eyes, the onset of blindness, dementia, brain tumor, stroke, cancer, etc. – one of two things can happen:

  1. The senior gets their affairs in order and prepares for someone to care for them when they no longer can.
  2. They go into denial.

As a senior’s disease progresses they may come and tour at your community or mine.  It is very difficult to know that this senior may be in an unsafe situation in his or her home.  I think it affects each of us who are caring professionals in the senior housing industry.  Yet, the senior refuses to bring in help to their home or move to retirement or assisted living community.  It becomes even harder when the adult children are extremely worried.  They may be begging you to talk his or her parent into moving into your senior living community.

I believe the biggest reason this type of senior does nothing is because they are only living in the moment instead of recognizing the potential hazards of their health deteriorating further.

What can we do to unfreeze seniors who may be at risk?

  • Ask great questions
  • Find out why they decided to tour your community today
  • Inquire about what is most important for them
  • Help them recognize they have a challenge
  • Try to have them vocalize their plan for when they can no longer take care of themselves
  • Educate them on potential future outcomes

As a professional senior living expert, who has the best interests of the senior at heart, what have you said or done to help unfreeze a senior?

Please share your successes, failures or comment below to join the conversation and interact with other senior living professionals on what is currently being effective to increase occupancy on a nationwide basis.

Diane Twohy Masson is the author of “Senior Housing Marketing – How to Increase Your Occupancy and Stay Full,” available at Amazon.com with a 5-star rating.  The book is required reading at George Mason University as a part of its marketing curriculum.  Within this book, the author developed a sales & marketing method with 12 keys to help senior living providers increase their occupancy.   Masson developed this expertise as a marketing consultant, sought-after blogger for senior housing and a regional marketing director of continuing care retirement communities in several markets.  She has also been a corporate director of sales and a mystery shopper for independent living, assisted living, memory care and skilled care nursing communities in multiple states.  Currently, Masson is setting move-in records as the regional marketing director of two debt-free Continuing Care Retirement Communities in Southern California – Freedom Village in Lake Forest and The Village in Hemet, California.  Interestingly, this career started when she was looking for a place for her own mom and helped her loved one transition through three levels of care.

© Marketing 2 Seniors| Diane Twohy Masson 2014 All Rights Reserved. No part of this blog post may be reproduced, copied, modified or adapted, without the prior written consent of the author, unless otherwise indicated for stand-alone materials. You may share this website and or it’s content by any of the following means: 1. Using any of the share icons at the bottom of each page. 2. Providing a back-link or the URL of the content you wish to disseminate. 3. You may quote extracts from the website with attribution to Diane Masson CASP and link https://www.marketing2seniors.net For any other mode of sharing, please contact the author Diane Masson.
Where is Your Attitude Meter Today?

Where is Your Attitude Meter Today?

Attitude Meter in Senior LivingYour attitude meter can subconsciously be affecting your sales performance.  If I gave the same 10 leads to three senior living sales people with different types of attitudes, the sale results would vary widely.  See where your attitude falls today.

Poor Attitude

  1. “Oh no, another walk in, I am so busy.”
  2.  Complains, “Everyone is simply not ready yet.”
  3. Very low repeat tours.
  4. Major thoughts – I’m tired, the leads are terrible and the sales goals are too high.
  5. Dreads follow up phone calls and people saying “No.”
  6. Believes the senior prospect when they say, “I am not ready yet.”
  7. Cares mostly about themselves.

Average Attitude

  1. Takes a few minutes to gear up to go meet the walk-in tour.
  2. “I have a few good prospects, some are not ready yet.”
  3. A few repeat tours per week.
  4. Major thoughts – I can do this, there are some good leads, I want to hit the sales goals.
  5. Some days feel great doing follow up phone calls and other days are a struggle.
  6. Believes the senior prospect 70% of the time when they say, “I am not ready yet.”
  7. Cares equally about the prospect and themselves.

Great Attitude

  1. Excited to greet the walk-in tour within moments of arrival.
  2. Continually plans strategies to turn warm and hot leads into move-ins.
  3. Lots of repeat tours.
  4. Major thoughts – I am excited, the leads are great, I can exceed the sales goals.
  5. Has enthusiasm in their voice as they eagerly make follow up phone calls.
  6. When a senior prospect says, “I am not ready yet,” they know the prospect is scared, but close to a transition.  Believes they will move forward in the near future.
  7. Cares mostly about the senior prospect and helping them find a solution for their needs.

Where do you and your senior living team members fall on the attitude meter?  What else can you add to differentiate the three attitudes?

Please share your successes, failures or comment below to join the conversation and interact with other senior living professionals on what is currently being effective to increase occupancy on a nationwide basis.

Diane Twohy Masson is the author of “Senior Housing Marketing – How to Increase Your Occupancy and Stay Full,” available at Amazon.com with a 5-star rating.  The book is required reading at George Mason University as a part of its marketing curriculum.  Within this book, the author developed a sales & marketing method with 12 keys to help senior living providers increase their occupancy.   Masson developed this expertise as a marketing consultant, sought-after blogger for senior housing and a regional marketing director of continuing care retirement communities in several markets.  She has also been a corporate director of sales and a mystery shopper for independent living, assisted living, memory care and skilled care nursing communities in multiple states.  Currently, Masson is setting move-in records as the regional marketing director of two debt-free Continuing Care Retirement Communities in Southern California – Freedom Village in Lake Forest and The Village in Hemet, California.  Interestingly, this career started when she was looking for a place for her own mom and helped her loved one transition through three levels of care.

© Marketing 2 Seniors| Diane Twohy Masson 2014 All Rights Reserved. No part of this blog post may be reproduced, copied, modified or adapted, without the prior written consent of the author, unless otherwise indicated for stand-alone materials. You may share this website and or it’s content by any of the following means: 1. Using any of the share icons at the bottom of each page. 2. Providing a back-link or the URL of the content you wish to disseminate. 3. You may quote extracts from the website with attribution to Diane Masson CASP and link https://www.marketing2seniors.net For any other mode of sharing, please contact the author Diane Masson.
12 Strategies To Move Someone Who Says, “No!”

12 Strategies To Move Someone Who Says, “No!”

12 Strategies to Move Someone Who Says, "No!"There was an overwhelming response of ideas and tactics through Linked In of “How To Move Someone Saying, “No!” (Part 1).

Many people felt that you should never force a senior parent to move.  Once the conversation specified parents with dementia, then everyone was onboard with possible solutions.  Let me sum up the best strategies and “schemes” on how to move someone who is at risk and seems chained to their current home.

  1. Move your parent directly from a hospital crisis to a senior living community.
  2. Be ready to transition your parent to an assisted living community when the rehabilitation is over.
  3. Say, “As soon as you are better, I will move you back to your home.”
  4. The primary care physician can convince mom or dad that it is time to move and list the reasons why.  (This generation is programed to abide by the doctor’s recommendations.)
  5. Bring a contractor by your parent’s home and say, “We need to work on the house and the plumbing will be shut down for two weeks.  You are only going to move temporarily while the house gets worked on…”
  6. Sample stays of two to seven nights – to test-drive a retirement community.
  7. Show them where you want them to move and compare with an awful place they dislike.
  8. Send them to an adult day program for several weeks before moving them in full time.
  9. Sometimes you just need to push them to the next step when your parent’s health dictates it.
  10. The safety of your parent means switching the child/parent roles.  You the Boomer child becomes the parent and makes the decision.
  11. Cajoling: Asking for the GIFT of peace-of-mind from worrying about them.
  12. Cultivating a move can take months.  Include as many lunches and residents activities as possible at a prospective senior living community.

FYI – If a retirement community knows that you are struggling they will triple their efforts to help you and support your parent(s) integration into their community.

Remember that 95% of cognitive seniors who move all say, “I wish that I had moved sooner.”  Once they start thriving they won’t want to move back to their isolated home.  Patience and empathy are two necessary ingredients that must be present for your parent’s transition.

Any more ideas?

Please share your successes, failures or comment below to join the conversation and interact with other senior living professionals on what is currently being effective to increase occupancy on a nationwide basis.

Diane Twohy Masson is the author of “Senior Housing Marketing – How to Increase Your Occupancy and Stay Full,” available at Amazon.com with a 5-star rating.  The book is required reading at George Mason University as a part of its marketing curriculum.  Within this book, the author developed a sales & marketing method with 12 keys to help senior living providers increase their occupancy.   Masson developed this expertise as a marketing consultant, sought-after blogger for senior housing and a regional marketing director of continuing care retirement communities in several markets.  She has also been a corporate director of sales and a mystery shopper for independent living, assisted living, memory care and skilled care nursing communities in multiple states.  Currently, Masson is setting move-in records as the regional marketing director of two debt-free Continuing Care Retirement Communities in Southern California – Freedom Village in Lake Forest and The Village in Hemet, California.  Interestingly, this career started when she was looking for a place for her own mom and helped her loved one transition through three levels of care.

© Marketing 2 Seniors| Diane Twohy Masson 2013 All Rights Reserved. No part of this blog post may be reproduced, copied, modified or adapted, without the prior written consent of the author, unless otherwise indicated for stand-alone materials. You may share this website and or it’s content by any of the following means: 1. Using any of the share icons at the bottom of each page. 2. Providing a back-link or the URL of the content you wish to disseminate. 3. You may quote extracts from the website with attribution to Diane Masson CASP and link https://www.marketing2seniors.net For any other mode of sharing, please contact the author Diane Masson.