Tag: sales strategy

When it comes to senior living sales tours, more isn’t always better.

Many communities invest significant time and energy into creating the perfect tour route. The result is often a lengthy walk through every hallway, amenity and common area, packed with facts, features and information. While the intention is good, the experience can sometimes leave prospects feeling overwhelmed rather than inspired.

INFORMATION OVERLOAD IS REAL

During a recent Varsity Roundtable, Hoyle Koontz, Partner at The Vectre, shared a memorable term for this phenomenon: the “Gilligan tour.” Borrowing from Gilligan’s Island and its famous “three-hour tour,” Hoyle described the all-too-common practice of taking prospects on an exhaustive journey through every inch of a community, only to leave them stranded in a sea of details they’re unlikely to remember.

“Those three-hour tours are a waste of your time and likely wasting their time,” said Koontz. “Within one hour, prospects are going to forget half of it. Within a day, they’re going to forget 70 percent. Within a week, they’ve forgotten 90 percent.”

The challenge is that prospects are already processing a tremendous amount of information. They may be evaluating multiple communities, discussing options with family members and navigating the emotions that often accompany a major life transition. Adding even more information to the mix doesn’t necessarily help. In many cases, it creates confusion and makes it harder for prospects to identify what truly matters.

THE MYTH OF THE PERFECT TOUR PATH

Hoyle also challenged the idea of the so-called “optimum tour path.” Too often, communities follow a standardized route designed to showcase every feature, whether or not those features are relevant to a particular prospect. The dining room, fitness center and bistro may be impressive, but so do the dining rooms, fitness centers and bistros at competing communities.

What prospects remember is rarely the route. They remember how a community made them feel and whether they could envision themselves living there.

PERSONALIZATION BEATS PRESENTATION

Instead, the most effective tours focus on personalization. What is this prospect looking for? What concerns do they have? What aspects of community life are most important to them? By simplifying the experience and tailoring the conversation, sales teams can create stronger emotional connections and more meaningful conversations.

Rather than trying to show everything, focus on showing the right things. A prospect interested in social engagement may care more about resident interaction than square footage. Someone concerned about future care may be focused on healthcare services and peace of mind.

At the end of the day, prospects don’t need to see everything. They need to see enough to imagine themselves living there. Sometimes the shortest tour is the one that leaves the strongest impression.

FRESH PERSPECTIVES

The goal of a sales tour isn’t to showcase every square foot of a community. It’s to help prospects envision a better future. Communities that simplify the experience and focus on what matters most to each individual often create stronger connections, more productive conversations and ultimately better sales outcomes.

In senior living sales, there’s constant pressure to move quickly. Leads need attention, tours need follow-up, pipelines need momentum. But the communities that win aren’t just fast, they’re intentional about building trust at the right moment.

According to data shared by Maggie Seybold, VP of Customer Insights at WelcomeHome, in one of Varsity’s weekly Sales & Marketing Roundtable gatherings, one simple action can dramatically accelerate both trust and timing: a brief executive director follow-up call after a tour. In fact, a personalized three- to four-minute call from the ED can shorten the sales cycle by 60%.

“Fifty percent of families never hear from an executive director post-tour,” said Seybold during her Roundtable presentation. “This is a competitive opportunity just waiting to be seized.”

WelcomeHome’s benchmark data shows that timing plays a critical role in senior living sales follow-up. Communities that reach out within one business day of a tour increase move-in likelihood by 42%. Waiting two days still delivers a 27% lift. After that, engagement drops sharply. In a market where average inquiry-to-move-in conversion hovers around 9%, small improvements in post-tour follow-up can have outsized impact.

So why does an executive director call matter so much?

Because it signals leadership engagement. When a prospect hears from the person overseeing day-to-day operations, it builds credibility and confidence. It reinforces that the community is organized, attentive and personally invested. It also differentiates you from competitors who rely solely on automated follow-up or sales-only outreach.

Even better, the lift isn’t theoretical. Half of the prospects who answer an ED’s call move in within 11 days. That kind of acceleration not only boosts occupancy but also reduces marketing spend and shortens the sales cycle.

FRESH PERSPECTIVE

In today’s senior living sales environment, where lead volume is tighter and connection rates matter more than ever, executive director follow-up is one of the most underutilized growth levers available. And for communities willing to act quickly, it’s a competitive advantage hiding in plain sight.

Find this data and more in WelcomeHome’s Senior Care Insights data platform. Explore their quarterly benchmarks and new 2025 Year in Review here.

Last week, Varsity’s Roundtable was Live from Greystone’s Sales Adventure and featured  John Spooner, Co-CEO of Greystone, and Melissa Heiss, Regional Sales Manager. As guests on Varsity’s weekly Roundtable, John and Melissa shared candid insights on what it takes to build high-performing sales teams and drive sustained interest in today’s increasingly sophisticated senior living market.

From loss aversion and the “invisible cage” of comfort to the power of radical candor and personalized follow-up, the conversation explored how sales and marketing must work together to create real momentum. Below are a few Fresh Perspectives from their discussion.

LOSS AVERSION IS THE REAL COMPETITOR

Prospects aren’t just comparing communities. They’re weighing the certainty of today against the uncertainty of tomorrow. Understanding that people fear loss more than they value gain changes how we guide the conversation.

COMFORT IS THE INVISIBLE CAGE

Whether it’s a prospect resisting a move or a salesperson avoiding a tough question, comfort can quietly stall progress. Growth requires stepping outside routines before you’re forced to.

VALUE PROPOSITION IS PERSONAL, NOT UNIVERSAL

“We’ve been here 40 years” isn’t a value proposition. It’s a credential. The real work is discovering what matters to that specific prospect and aligning the message accordingly.

PRICE IS THE OBJECTION WHEN VALUE IS UNCLEAR

When we fail to connect personally relevant value, prospects default to cost. Incentives don’t replace value — they accelerate decisions once value is established.

HOSPITALITY OUTSHINES CURB APPEAL 

Landscaping matters. But energy matters more. When prospects walk in and see life happening — yoga, lectures, happy hour — they experience betterment, not just amenities.

MARK UP THE BROCHURE

Pristine collateral gets forgotten. Personalized collateral gets remembered. Circle the floor plan. Highlight the poker club. Write notes in the margins. When they pick it up weeks later, it should feel like it was made just for them.

SUSTAINED INTEREST REQUIRES INTENTIONALITY

Prospects don’t go cold. They get distracted. Breaking through requires personalization, timely follow-up and tactical persistence — from “collateral mutilation” to the Golden Email.

RADICAL CANDOR BUILDS TRUST

Seniors don’t need scripted softness. They respond to adult-to-adult conversations that are honest, direct and aligned around next steps.

MARKETING AND SALES SHOULD PUSH EACH OTHER

Innovation doesn’t happen in comfort zones. Marketing should challenge sales with smarter strategies. Sales should challenge themselves to execute better. Momentum happens when both sides lean in.

Varsity’s Roundtable is 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. 

In senior living sales, the real work doesn’t end when the tour does — it begins. Families often leave communities feeling hopeful yet overwhelmed, facing a mix of emotions, logistics, and uncertainty about what comes next. Turning that uncertainty into clarity requires more than follow-up calls — it takes empathy, guidance, and a genuine commitment to helping families move forward.

That’s the message shared by Kiera DesChamps, founder of KD Consulting Group and author of the new book After the Tour, during Varsity’s weekly Roundtable. Drawing on her deep experience helping communities improve occupancy while supporting families through transitions, Kiera discussed how sales teams can transform interest into action through trust, partnership, and hands-on problem-solving.

Below are a few Fresh Perspectives from her discussion.

TURNING INTEREST INTO ACTION STARTS AFTER THE TOUR

The real work begins once prospects leave the community. Families go home to emotional and logistical overwhelm, not disinterest. Sales teams that guide, not just follow up, turn that silence into trust and momentum.

LISTS DON’T CLOSE SALES — SOLUTIONS DO

Every community can hand out a glossy packet, but real differentiation comes from solving problems. Warm introductions, coordinated next steps, and genuine support move families forward faster than information alone.

FOLLOW THE LEADER MODEL

Kiera’s LEADER framework — Listen, Engage, Adapt, Deliver, Execute revenue — shifts sales from scripted outreach to personalized guidance. Adapting and delivering tangible help builds confidence and readiness to move.

PARTNERSHIPS BUILD TRUST AND SCALE IMPACT

A short list of vetted, educated partners acts as an extension of the sales team. These collaborators can provide hands-on help without overloading staff and strengthen the community’s credibility with families.

REPRESENTATION STRENGTHENS CONNECTION

Families feel safer and more confident when they see themselves reflected in the people and partners representing a community. Diversity and authentic relationships create comfort and belonging from the first interaction.

INVEST WHERE IT MATTERS MOST

Rethink incentives. Instead of rent discounts, fund practical help like downsizing assistance or floor plan consultations. These creative investments reduce stress, boost readiness, and show families they’re not alone.

Varsity’s Roundtable is 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.