The Growing Problem: Lead Quantity Over Quality
Across the senior living sector, frustration is mounting.
Operators are investing thousands of dollars monthly into digital advertising campaigns—Google and display Ads as well as retargeting—only to be left with a stack of leads that go absolutely nowhere.
Despite robust efforts—multi-channel follow-ups via phone, email, and text—many leads are non-responsive. Not “slow to reply.” Not “deciding later.” We’re talking radio silence.
At a time when Assisted Living and Memory Care are need-driven services, this doesn’t make sense. If a family reaches out in the middle of a caregiving crisis, we expect some level of urgency and responsiveness. So what’s really going on?
What’s Causing This Lead Disconnect?
Let’s be honest: this is not a sales issue. This is a marketing quality issue, and it’s time to shift some of the responsibility where it belongs.
Here are several factors contributing to the poor quality of leads flooding your CRM:
- Misaligned Keywords
Marketing agencies may be using broad, generic keywords to drive volume—“senior care,” “housing for elderly,” or even “cheap assisted living near me”—without proper intent filtering. This generates high clicks but low conversion.
- Incorrect Geotargeting
If your ads are pulling in people from cities outside your trade area or not aligned with your actual service footprint, you’re paying for the wrong audience. A 20-mile radius around your community isn’t enough; real targeting must consider drive time, family dynamics, and caregiving proximity.
- Low-Intent Engagement Triggers
Display ads and awareness-level campaigns are often optimized for impressions, not action. If users are clicking out of curiosity and not actual need, the resulting leads will lack urgency.
- Overreliance on Vanity Metrics
Marketing firms are celebrating “we got you 120 leads this month” while you’re left wondering why only 15 answered the phone. It’s time to stop counting clicks and start measuring conversions.
The Fallout: Lost Revenue and Stagnant Occupancy
Every cold lead represents a lost opportunity.
Empty apartments are not just marketing failures—they’re $4,000 to $6,000/month in lost revenue per unit. Over a year, that’s up to $72,000 per vacancy.
If your agency isn’t delivering viable, engaged leads, the cost of poor marketing adds up fast.
What Senior Living Operators Must Do—Now
As an executive leader, you can’t afford to wait and hope things get better. It’s time to reclaim control over your marketing results.
Here’s where to start:
- Demand Weekly Marketing-Sales Alignment
Your sales and marketing teams should be in constant communication. If 70% of leads are unresponsive, marketing must pivot immediately. There should be a real-time feedback loop—not a quarterly report.
- Audit Your Digital Ad Strategy
Have your team assess:
- Are the keywords specific to senior living buyer intent?
- Is the geotargeting accurate to your ideal customer?
- Are display ads being served to active researchers or just passive browsers?
If you don’t know the answers, you need outside help.
- Inspect Your SEO and Website Performance
Even with good ads, a bad website kills conversions. Is your site mobile-friendly? Fast to load? Is it optimized with calls to action, a chat option, and lead magnets? Are blogs being written and backlinks earned monthly?
If you’re paying for SEO, you should get a monthly report detailing:
- Site traffic growth
- Keyword rankings
- Content created (e.g., blogs, pages)
- Backlink acquisition
- Conversion funnel performance
No report? No action? No results? Time to pivot.
- Stop Paying for Vanity. Start Paying for Results.
Would you rather have:
- 100 unresponsive leads and 10 tours, or
- 50 qualified leads and 15 booked tours?
The answer is obvious—but it requires a mindset shift from your marketing team.
You Deserve Better—And We Can Help
At Bild & Co, we’ve worked with senior living operators across the country for 25 years. We know this sector. We know the buyer. And we know how to spot marketing misfires before they cost you hundreds of thousands of dollars.
Let us evaluate your current strategy—no fluff, no filters:
- Google Ad Review – Are you getting what you’re paying for?
- SEO Assessment – Is it even being done?
- Website Audit – Can your site convert traffic into booked tours?
- Lead Quality Analysis – Are your leads aligned with your buyer profile?
This is a complimentary assessment, with zero obligation—just candid insight.
Ready for Real Results?
Stop wasting money. Start filling apartments.
Schedule your complimentary marketing and lead quality assessment now:
Schedule My Assessment → https://meetings.hubspot.com/inquiries13?uuid=cba6e2fe-2582-47a1-8b1b-fa92fa33afd1
or email revenue@bildandco.com
Final Thought
Marketing and sales must be united in outcomes, not isolated in blame.
You’re not alone in this frustration. But you can be one of the few who takes action, pivots fast, and fills your buildings with the right residents at the right time.
Let’s talk.
