1) Identify your sales team’s attitude toward the occupancy goals – do they believe they can hit the occupancy goal? – if not – check out my blog tip from last week – Sales Meeting Tips to Increase the Occupancy in 2013.
2) Are they differentiating your senior living community from the competitor down the road? Never say anything bad about the competition, but always highlight your retirement community’s strengths.
3) Have you set a quota for a certain number of calls per week and is the director of marketing or executive director tracking it? Sales people just want seniors to come in and put down a deposit. A lot of sales are made with that quick follow up phone call to invite the senior back again for a 2nd or 3rd look.
4) A “wow” tour, including painting a picture of the lifestyle, can make the monthly fee look like a bargain…
5) Do you have exciting events that draw new faces into your community and inspire 2nd and 3rd looks to move forward?
6) One negative word, like calling your community a facility, can cause a senior to back away from the move. Who wants to leave their beautiful home and move into a facility?
7) Have your focused on selling to personalities? Some analytical drillers want every scrap of paper you have ever published on your community to make a decision and other seniors can walk away from information overload. Tailor each tour to the personality of each customer…
8) Focus on each senior’s hot buttons, like not being a burden to their kids…
9) Are you asking for the deposit – every single time?
10) Creating urgency to make a decision now is a must – it’s awesome when you have two different seniors considering the same apartment!
Diane Twohy Masson is the author of “Senior Housing Marketing – How to Increase Your Occupancy and Stay Full,” available for sale at Amazon.com. Masson’s book will be required reading at George Mason University in the Fall as part of the marketing curriculum. She is currently consulting with Seniors For Living and two debt-free Continuing Care Retirement Communities in Southern California – Freedom Village in Lake Forest and The Village in Hemet, California. Connection and partnership opportunities: Email diane@marketing2seniors.net Twitter: @market2seniors Web: www.marketing2seniors.net Blog: http://marketing2seniors.net/blog/
LinkedIn Discussion: LeadingAge
Hi Diane,
Thanks for this post, and congratulations on your book!! Blessings, Wendy
By Wendy Jane Carrel
LinkedIn Discussion: LeadingAge
Diane, your sales tips are right on target. If salespeople follow all of your suggestions, and implement them regularly, then their community should be at 100% occupancy in not time!
By Mark Sinclair, MBA, CALA
LinkedIn Discussion: Marketing to Seniors
I have purchased Diane’s book and find it very useful. The helpful hits have made a huge impact on my ability to sell. When things start to get slow, I pick up the book and do some reading to put me in that inspired mood! Thanks Diane.
By Carol Harvey
LinkedIn Discussion: Assisted Living Professionals
Good article and summary of the the things we all should be doing. I would add “listen” to what’s important to the Senior(s) and their family. Most of us have a tendency to talk too much and we can miss some of the details that would make us more effective.
By Carl Brugnoli
LinkedIn Discussion: Marketing to Seniors
Actually you made my year! I came from another marketing position to working in senior housing. Your book was what I needed. Now I’m training many of our new hires.
By Carol Harvey