Sinking occupancy numbers can create a downward spiral for you and other mid-sized operators of senior care communities. When the number of move-ins dips, discouragement can hit your sales team, particularly if there are a lot of outs.
In turn, this discouragement leads to poor sales performance. You might find your team failing to…
- Ask the right questions.
- Follow up with prospects.
- Address leads’
And when sales teams do this, you can expect an even lower move-in rate.
The first thing to realize is that your occupancy numbers are just the symptom of a larger problem. The real problem may be that you’re missing two key ingredients in your sales team strategy, key ingredients I’m going to share with you in this article.
You’re not alone.
If your senior care community is marked by sinking occupancy numbers, know that you are not alone. Let me share a case study with you.
Bild and Company was contacted by a senior care provider that found its number headed in the wrong direction. The company had 14 locations of senior care properties and offered independent living, assisted living, and memory care.
However, something went terribly wrong. The company was averaging only 18 deposits monthly, and internal upheavals were compounded by a fatal lack of foresight.
In the midst of this crisis, Bild stepped in to intervene. The story does get better, but it didn’t happen without two key implementations: strategic systems and accountability.
You need strategic systems.
One of the reasons this senior care provider was failing was a lack of strategic systems. Long-term planning did not receive the proper amount of attention. Sales team outreach efforts were unplanned and sporadic.
When we implemented strategic systems, the situation took a turn for the better.
You need to ask yourself if your sales team initiatives lack strategic systems. Do your sales teams…
- Have an organized way to reach out to prospects?
- Have a method for tracking conversions?
- Have a clear understanding of your current numbers and projected growth?
If you aren’t experiencing a decline in move-ins, it could be just around the corner.
You need accountability.
Another way we transformed this senior care provider was through positive accountability. We all know the powerful effects of peer pressure—both good and bad.
When we entered this situation, one of the things we changed was the atmosphere. We put into place a system that leveraged the influence the sales team members had on each other.
Ask yourself if your sales team has this key ingredient of accountability. Your team should…
- Regularly share sales data with each other.
- Feed off each other’s upbeat morale.
- Define goals with each other.
- Collaborate on sales success.
Implementing these two major changes among others produced impressive results. After only a few months, this senior care provider saw monthly deposits go from 18 to 32. That’s an approximate 77% leap in growth.
If you’re fighting sinking occupancy numbers and need help, enroll your team in expert-level sales training.
Just send me an email at tbild@bildandco.com or text 813-390-3349 with your name and number, and I’ll help you start the process.
