The following is a recap from Varsity’s Roundtable, a weekly virtual gathering of senior living marketers and leaders from across the nation. For updates about future weekly Roundtable gatherings, submit your name and email address here.
As senior living demand grows, a long wait list may look like a sign of success. But without meaningful engagement, it can be difficult to know which prospects are truly committed, who is ready to move and where sales teams should focus their time. Turning that passive list into an active membership experience can help communities build relationships earlier and create a clearer path toward residency.
Mary Jane Fitts of Greystone Communities, Cameron Martin of The Highlands at Wyomissing and Derek Dunham of Varsity recently joined Varsity’s weekly Roundtable to discuss how communities can rethink traditional wait lists through membership programs that build emotional connection, better align engagement with a prospect’s readiness and create stronger, more predictable occupancy pipelines. They also shared real-world examples of how these programs are being structured and what they’re learning along the way.
Below are a few Fresh Perspectives from their discussion.
WAIT LISTS SHOULD BE ACTIVE, NOT PASSIVE
A traditional wait list can become a “parking lot” filled with prospects who have little commitment or connection to the community. Membership programs create a clearer path toward residency through regular communication and expectations that keep prospects moving forward.
MEMBERSHIP BUILDS EMOTIONAL CONNECTION
Inviting future residents to events, meals and community experiences helps them build relationships with residents and staff before move-in. That sense of belonging can increase confidence in the decision and ultimately strengthen conversion.
TIERS HELP MATCH ENGAGEMENT TO READINESS
The Highlands uses three clubs to distinguish prospects by where they are in the decision process, from those three to five years out to those prepared to move within 18 months. That structure helps sales teams prioritize qualified prospects while giving each group appropriate engagement.
SCARCITY AND COMMITMENT CAN STRENGTHEN THE PIPELINE
Higher deposits, limited membership and clearly defined timelines can help separate serious prospects from casual ones.
CLEAR RULES MAKE MEMBERSHIP PROGRAMS WORK
Caps, priority dates, realistic availability expectations and policies around declining residences help communities avoid overpromising. Those guardrails also give sales teams a more manageable pool of prospects and can create urgency when membership is limited.
HIGH OCCUPANCY ISN’T A REASON TO STOP MARKETING
Even when a community is full, future residents still need to be nurtured. Consistent communication, personal touches, referral programs and coordination between sales and operations can keep the pipeline strong and help communities pre-sell residences as they become available.
VARSITY’S FRESH PERSPECTIVE
The best wait list isn’t really a wait list at all. It’s an extension of the resident experience that begins long before move-in. Communities that turn waiting into belonging can build stronger relationships, better understand intent and create a pipeline of future residents who aren’t just next in line, but genuinely ready to call the community home.
