PROPER PREP Makes the Difference to INCREASING YOUR OCCUPANCY & REVENUE! Your priority in tough economic times is to sharpen your and your staff's sales skills to make sure you miss NO opportunity. The on-site visit and, when necessary, the follow-up is what leads to the close. On average, however, the senior housing industry only converts 20% of Independent Living & 22% of Assisted Living on-site visits to residents. By using proven methods, you can boost that figure to a 50%+ conversion rate - and boost your revenues significantly in the process! To make that happen, first and foremost, you must know how to pre-plan and create a visit experience that will get people EXCITED to buy. That means not delivering a standard canned tour - you've got to customize to your customers as this will be a very personal decision. If you go into a tour not knowing your visitors' needs or how your community can meet them, don't expect a sale & don't be disappointed when you don't get it. So review the needs you should have identified during your initial conversations with the family - these will determine the priorities of the on-site tour you'll be conducting. Be proactive in dealing with issues such as Healthcare, Socialization, Privacy, Medication Assistance and Safety in the order that the family is concerned about them. Example. You're dealing with an adult child who is mainly concerned about her mother's safety, and, as a secondary priority, her social environment. Make sure that during the tour, your Director of Nursing spends a few minutes with the family to reassure them, and also that your Activities Director also joins you to point out the specific activities in the community that the mother has interest in. Don't just provide laundry lists of everything the community has to offer - emphasize the specifics they're looking for. Personalization is everything - no one wants to feel they're in a one-size-fits-all situation. And, please, be responsive to questions during the tour. An "I don't know" isn't good enough. If you don't know an exact answer, find it out when the family is on-site. That level of care and concern is bound to be impressive. At the end of the visit is when you employ a very powerful sales tool - The Scale. Before asking if they're interested in making a deposit, it's critical that you ask the following question: On a scale of 1-10, with 10 being the highest, what's your level of interest in our community? Their answer will determine where you are with the prospect - and also gives you the opportunity to find out what it would take to close the sale. Example. If the answer is, "Well, I would say a 7," you respond, "Okay, then, what would make it a 10?" It's a powerful, direct question - but, at the same time, it allows people to be honest in answering without feeling like they're going to hurt your feelings. And it's been proven to be incredibly effective in testing. It forces them to think about what they really feel about the community - and it lets you know exactly where you stand. If you get an open-ended answer such as, "I have to think about it," it's a matter of follow-up down the line. If you get more specific negatives or concerns, however, you have an opportunity to solve the problems presented, build value in discussing them and create urgency in regards to moving today as opposed to putting off the decision. If you're lucky enough to get a "10" on the scale from the family, that's pretty much a sign you've got the sale. Seal the deal by repeating their needs back to them, reiterating how the community meets those needs, and then ask for the deposit so you can hold the room for them. There's no reason for more discussion unless they want it. So SHHHH! This is where salespeople get nervous and literally talk themselves out of a sale. If you don't get the deposit - or if you've gotten the "I'll think about it" response - don't let it go at that! You must do the follow-up phone calls - and NOT stop after making 2 or 3. Ready for a really scary sales statistic? Here goes - 80% of all sales close after the fifth call - and 90% of all sales professionals give up after the fourth call!!!! The personal relationship remains the most important element of these sales calls - if you don't want to be treated like a sales person, don't sound like one. Show empathy and interest in the family and their situation - continue to discuss their needs and how to meet them - and you'll build a bridge to the sale you're looking for! Copyright (c) 2009 Traci Bild
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