By Susan Saldibar
The post-holiday lead explosion is coming!
And you’re probably not ready.
Unless you can say “check” seven times on this list:
- Do you have plenty of 2022 reviews already out on the internet?
- Have you responded to each and every review, both positive and negative?
- Do you have a backup team in place to handle the extra volume?
– Can your backup team do a lights-out impromptu tour?
– Can your backup team take calls; show compassion; and take a clear, concise message for follow-up?
- Are you being diligent with the leads already in your database and actively working them?
- Are you working with an experienced partner, like Caring.com (a Foresight partner), to make it super easy for people to find your community out on the internet?
So how many “checks”?
Like I said, you have some work to do.
First, watch this video of Steve Moran chatting with Caring’s Holly Rehbock. Holly knows her stuff. She has been a sales counselor herself, as well as a regional sales and marketing director for large senior living operators. So she knows all about the impending lead explosion.
And she knows you’re in deep trouble if you’re not ready for it.
Let’s get back to that checklist, with Holly’s tips:
- Make sure all your listings are up-to-date. This is that first impression folks get of your community. It’s your one opportunity to showcase your community. (Caring makes this easy, by the way.)
- Respond to ALL your reviews. Not just the negative ones. People look at these. A big blank after a review says you don’t have time, don’t take them seriously and maybe just don’t care. (If you’re with Caring, make sure you’re taking advantage of their Caring Stars reviews program.) But whatever you do, just do it now.
- Have a backup plan and a backup team. Your top sales counselors can’t be there 24/7. Your backup team (Holly called hers her Star Team) has to be really fantastic at:
– Doing impromptu tours
– Answering and providing solid information to after-hours callers
If they’re not already good at this, train them. Hint: Holly used to do a role-play mock tour with her Star Team. Great way to get their feet wet.
- Dig into your lead database.
– Maybe some prospects weren’t ready six months ago, but they may be now.
– Check in with them and ask how Mom or Dad is doing. Don’t do a generic blast. Make it personal. And be intentional about your follow-up.
- You don’t have to “check” every box yourself. If you are working with Caring, you already know that they include prequalified leads (their advisors talk to the prospects and prequalify them according to their budget, location, and need type and level), and they will support you to turn them into new residents. So, if you’re slipping on your follow-up, they’ll help you!
As Holly says, “The lead explosion is good. Being unprepared is not!”
No kidding. If you are finding yourself behind the eight ball on this, contact Caring. They’ll get you moving in the right direction. Just in time for the explosion.
The Senior Living Foresight articles I’ve been reading lately are all disappointing. They sound like advertisements for your 3rd party vendor. Where are the articles with usable information? I don’t want to be sold, I want information.
I am honestly not quite sure how to respond. We publish one non sponsored content every day (except holidays and weekends). We also try to make the sponsored content helpful, whether you purchase a product or service.
What content topics should we be talking about that would be helpful to you?
Hello Steve and welcome to ’23! First, turning the tables on Abbie Richie and having Fara Gold McLaughlin interview HER made for a brilliant and crazy-informative Tech Tuesday this first week of the New Year!
Now…the advice you gave HERE could be retrofitted to improve strategies for EVERY client-based company CEO and referral-reliant business boss. Are you sure you and Holly want to GIVE this away? This guidance is so valuable! Ah…now I realize: knowing THAT you should prepare is a start and knowing HOW you should prepare requires continuing customized counsel.
In some ways, even volunteer-reliant facilitators would grow their intake rate if they followed your LEAD on the lead explosion and just tweaked it toward willing workers. Following up on expressed opinions, showing them why this is worthwhile, giving each the personal touch, plus delegating and training in preparation for overwhelm.
It’s kind of like taking care of relationships. And, in fact, leads are people with whom your organization and work associates will have relationships. Wise words, Steve.
Oh, there is ONE reason why a rep would NOT take your advice: if they’re not convinced their senior community is a wonderful place to live.
I worked as a caregiver for a big, non-profit, long-standing senior community with a long waiting list for residency. My boss told me that she turns down adequate candidates for positions if she wouldn’t love having them provide assistance to her own grandmother. It’s a very good place to work and their sales reps know it’s a wonderful place to live.