3 Follow-Up Techniques Your Sales Team is Skipping
How to Implement a Reliable Method for Transforming Follow-Up Techniques
Giving your sales team CRM software doesn’t ensure your inquiry-to-tour or tour-to-move-in ratio will improve. Even when your sales team captures prospects’ information, they may be missing an important step in shortening the sales cycle—follow-up.
For many operators, follow-up techniques become the weak link in the conversion chain. Inquiries and tours don’t become move-ins because, even when a prospect shows interest, the sales team fails to reach out.
It would be hard to number how many elderly individuals or adult children are sitting as untouched leads in the CRM databases of many senior care communities.
If you’re a small- or mid-sized operator struggling to move toward full occupancy, at market rate rent, your sales team may be neglecting these 3 important follow-up techniques:
1. Following up after an inquiry
It can be disheartening for a sales director if a prospect calls in but turns down an on-site tour. However, just because the prospect isn’t ready to commit to a visit doesn’t mean your team should fail to follow up.
Traditional sales activities (such as calls, invitations to on-site events and emails) are significantly correlated with Senior Living sales. In other words, the more a community reaches out to leads, the more likely a community has more sales.
Here are some ways your team can follow up after a resident calls in with an inquiry:
- After a period of time, call the initial prospective buyer or influencer to see how the search for a community is going. Position yourself as a resource.
- After the inquiry call, send an email that recaps what was discussed with an offer of further help. Recapping the conversations demonstrates you listened and care.
- If your prospect comes from a younger demographic, use social media to reach out and build the emotional connection by fostering an authentic relationship. Share a great article or connect them with a happy customer!
2. Following up after an on-site tour
Follow-up techniques become even more essential after an on-site tour, given the connection between tours and move-ins. The last thing you want is for your sales team to assume that the tour guarantees a move in.
Instead, your community should treat visitors inquiring about your community by coming on site with just as much urgency as a new inquiry. Whether it’s an email, phone call, text or home visit, ensure the effect of your time together at the community doesn’t have time to fade. When your team reaches out, have them reiterate anything relating to prospects’ needs and how your community will meet those needs.
3. Reaching out after a move-in
Following up after a move-in is perhaps the most neglected form of outreach for Senior Living communities. Too many times, the attention shown to a resident before the move-in isn’t repeated after the move in occurs.
However, it’s imperative that the follow-up process doesn’t stop once a prospect becomes a resident. In fact, securing that steady stream of monthly revenue depends on keeping the residents your sales process captures HAPPY!.
When you follow up with residents, probe to see if they are…
- Satisfied with the level of care they receive.
- Pleased with their accommodations and dining experience.
- Happy with your staff.
- Excited with the activities you offer.
- Convinced their experience matches what was promised during the sales process.
(To simplify follow-up after a move-in, be sure to check out Bild & Company’s customized digital surveys for querying residents or their adult children.)
From calling lost leads to touching base after on-site visits, your sales team needs a reliable method for transforming follow-up into new residents.
Help your team build a sales-centered culture for raving fan residents with sales training. Bild & Company has years of industry experience helping Senior Living communities close revenue gaps with effective—and proven—sales systems.
To discuss professional training and coaching, feel free to email me at tbild@bildandco.com or call 1.800.640.0688 to schedule time to speak to myself or Jennifer Saxman.
To your success,
Written by: Traci Bild, CEO of Bild & Co
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