When you’re new to the senior living market, senior housing conferences can appear to be a magic bullet.
They’re a crash course on the senior living space that gives an opportunity to get acquainted with the niche, cultivate industry-specific knowledge, and walk away with strategies to meet growth goals.
But just because your fall schedule is booked with senior housing conferences doesn’t mean you’ll enter 2018 empowered to drive revenue.
As you may already know, attending NIC doesn’t transform you into an industry expert, and coming to a conference unprepared can leave you more frustrated than equipped.
Whether you’re at SMASH right now or you’re planning on joining the LeadingAge Annual Meeting and Expo, you’ll want solid strategies to maximize your time so you leave empowered and inspired.
Here are our 5 tips for getting the most out of senior housing conferences…
1. Do Your Preconference Homework
When your day is filled with sessions, workshops, and networking events, you may feel overwhelmed by the amount of data you’re soaking in. One easy way to reduce information overload is to do some homework.
Get familiar with industry language, concepts, and trends.
Browse articles at Senior Housing News, check out McKnight’s Senior Living, or read Bild & Company’s blog. A little research can go a long way toward helping you focus…and avoid being distracted by a term you’ve never heard before.
If you have the opportunity, do some homework before you book your flight. But even if you’re already at a conference, try some of these tips at night so you’re prepared for the next day.
2. Target the Events You Select
It’s tempting to overload your conference schedule with a variety of sessions. However, getting the most out of senior housing conferences depends on being selective when it comes to the events you choose to attend.
Only pick the sessions that are….
- Pertinent to your new development.
- Able to close the knowledge gaps you have.
- Relevant to your high-level goals.
3. Don’t Get Overwhelmed
Once you’ve chosen the events that will impact how you increase ROI, it’s time to narrow your focus even further.
Whether you’re listening to a keynote or are involved in a workshop, recognize that you won’t be able to absorb—or apply—everything you learn.
Plan to take notes on only the most impactful information. Don’t try to write down everything, and stick to the highlights. If you dislike taking notes, make a quick audio recording after each event.
4. Come Away with an Action Plan
Attending a conference does your new development no good unless you walk away with a plan of action.
At the end of each day, review your notes or recording, and write down how you’re going to use what you’ve learned to grow your investment.
For instance, use the speech you heard on leadership as a springboard to craft your new development’s core values. Translate that session on quality care into a checklist to vet your communities. Think outside of the box.
5. Connect with Successful Leaders
Senior housing conferences are a key way to sharpen your leadership skills for an important reason—you have the opportunity to rub shoulders with other successful senior housing personalities.
During your time, make an effort to introduce yourself to other leaders in your space and learn from their expertise. Ask them questions like…
- What obstacles do you see foresee for new developments in 2018?
- What strategies have you used in the past to achieve robust occupancy?
- What are your tips for successfully transitioning into the senior housing space?
When it comes to connecting with senior living experts who specialize in helping new developments meet growth goals, you’ll want to meet Bild & Company too.
For years, we’ve empowered senior living leaders to increase occupancy, drive top-line revenue, and improve profitability across their portfolios.
You can find us at SMASH or LeadingAge, and we’ll be more than happy to…
- Talk about your new development—where you are and where you want to be.
- Discuss the challenges you’re facing when it comes to increasing top-line revenue.
- Provide guidance for strategic planning to hit 2018 targets.
To connect with us, schedule a time online to meet up, or call us at 1-800-640-0688 and ask for Liz Simpson. We’ll see you there!
