Handling incoming sales calls in senior living communities is crucial to engaging new leads and nurturing prospects through the funnel — and making a great first impression is key. So, how do you ensure each inquiry call is answered personally and promptly?
Read on for a solution and for some tips on converting more senior living calls!
The solution to effectively handling incoming senior living sales calls
Since many sales opportunities are lost before ever reaching a salesperson, a lead management solution that quickly answers every call is essential. A lead management solution such as a senior living call center can be very effective.
The right lead management solution will have a dedicated team of senior living experts to:
- Answer every call personally
- Follow your company’s discovery process
- Advance calls to tours
- Enter every lead into your CRM
A virtual sales team can also help cover a vacant sales seat when one of your sales positions is open or a sales team member is on leave or vacation. Lead management systems can also often do the following:
- Make calls to re-engage your older/colder leads
- Support prospect and marketing event management
- Do post-tour follow-up calls
- Manage web form and third-party leads
- Sort your leads into marketing-qualified leads (MQLs) and sales-qualified leads (SQLs)
- Centralize lead management in shared/clustered markets for greater efficiency
- Build a solid pipeline of pre-opening leads for community acquisitions and new construction
3 tips for converting more senior living sales calls
Follow these tips to convert more senior living sales calls to prospects and residents:
1. Be warm and compassionate.
You’ll want to get their name and phone number in case you’re disconnected. Ask thoughtful questions to better understand their situation. Also, show patience, warmth, and compassion for what they may be experiencing.
You never know whether a lead will be planning a future move in several years or is desperate to find a solution quickly unless you ask. Let them know you are there to help in whatever way you can, and that doesn’t necessarily mean scheduling a tour. Determine the next step that is right for the lead.
2. Ask discovery questions and be an active listener.
Invite your lead to tell their story by asking discovery questions. Here are five types of questions to get you started:
- Situational – What does their current housing and level of care assistance (if any) look like?
- Most significant concerns – What are they worried about the most?
- Motivations – What made them pick up the phone now?
- Life story – What is their background, and what do they enjoy doing most as an older adult?
- Financial – Do they have a budget for senior living?
3. Match their needs with specific solutions.
Many senior living sales teams are excited to share all of their community’s services and amenities on the first call. Unfortunately, saying too much can be overwhelming – and irrelevant – to the lead.
Instead, determine what matters most to them and explain what features may meet their needs and interests. This type of communication will help build rapport and trust.
Are you seeking a professional senior living lead management solution to handle your incoming sales calls?
If you’re searching for a senior living call center, we invite you to explore LeadGenie, a complete lead management solution that will help your sales team and boost your tours and move-ins. LeadGenie offers virtual sales support, quickly and consistently responding to your leads.
We do this through a customized approach free of long-term contracts and one-size-fits-all packages. You decide what works best for you! Set up a no-obligation consultation today!
