While eye-catching marketing and branding may well have their place in your assisted living marketing strategy, it’s all for nothing if you have a low ROI. While it might be tempting to spend thousands of dollars on complex marketing campaigns, ‘making the phone ring’ is worth neither your time nor your money if it doesn’t ultimately lead to an increase in sales.
Therefore, every successful marketing campaign is complemented by an excellent sales training program. At SMCG, we pride ourselves on our holistic approach to assisted living marketing and sales, and we believe in the unparalleled power of a robust sales training program. Here are 7 of our top sales training ideas to help you successfully convert leads into sales again and again!
- Have fun. Making your senior living sales training program enjoyable is the first important step to keeping your team engaged and motivated. Let’s be honest – we’ve all attended our fair share of sales training programs that seemed to last far longer than they should have. Keep each of your senior living sales training sessions fresh and updated, and show your team how the techniques they learn can be successfully transferred into ‘real world’ scenarios.
- Utilize your CRM platform. CRM platforms are immensely valuable in any great assisted living marketing plan. Not only can your CRM be used for reporting and developing useful consumer personas, but it can also be a powerful tool to help close sales. Coaching your assisted living marketing and sales teams on how to get the most from your CRM is always a worthwhile sales training idea. Ensure they are clear on how to use the system to successfully connect with prospects – following up on inquiries and sending personalized tour invitations.
- Learn and share more effective sales techniques. Not all sales strategies are created equally, and some are much more efficient than others. Unfortunately, there is no one-size-fits-all solution. Senior living sales training can help you identify the best sales techniques for your organization, while ensuring each member of your assisted living marketing and sales team is confident with implementing them. Sales training programs offer a chance to reflect on what is and isn’t working, improving your current strategies to close more sales going forward.
- Reward your team for using sales techniques. Even with all the great sales training ideas in the world, the process might go to waste if your team cannot see the fruits of their labor. So, if ROI is increasing due to excellent engagement with your senior living sales training program, let them know! If you see a team member regularly implementing techniques they learned during a sales training session, make sure their individual hard work is recognized, too.
- Get everyone involved. Each staff member has immense value in your senior living facility. From your assisted living marketing and sales team right through to professional caregivers, registered nurses, catering staff and housekeepers, everyone has an important role. Though the marketing and sales team may be at the forefront of implementing sales techniques, it’s useful to ensure as many of your staff members as possible have a basic understanding.
- Make sure your team knows the ‘why’. For the best results, it’s important that your team understand why certain sales strategies are useful for increasing ROI. During your sales training program, avoid barking orders with no evidence or explanation. For example, if you want your sales team to follow up on CRM leads, explain why you know this will encourage prospective residents to arrange a meeting or tour.
- Train continually. Senior living sales training is never ‘complete’. The world of senior care and assisted living is complex and fluid, and a dynamic approach to sales training is by far the most effective. Setting up quarterly or semi-annual training is great, but also try to create a coaching environment in which training opportunities exist day to day. For example, you might wish to discuss techniques, tips and tricks to help close sales during weekly calls or meetings.
Benefits of a Great Senior Living Sales Training Program
A solid senior living sales training strategy is an effective yet relatively inexpensive way to increase patient census as an assisted living community, medical practice or nursing care facility. Without good sales training, your senior living community may not be reaping the rewards it deserves, regardless of how strong your assisted living marketing strategies are, and regardless of the investment you put into them.
Not only can great senior living sales training increase patient census, but it can also be excellent for team building and morale, helping your employees work together seamlessly while feeling empowered and confident in their personal roles. Fostering a supportive environment for staff is vital, and a fresh, fun and educational approach to sales training is a fabulous way to achieve this.
Want to Know More About Senior Living Sales Training?
If you’re interested in levelling up your sales training program, enquire about SMCG’s® assisted living marketing consulting services. With our 365 Training Series™ we cover everything from discovery and tours, consumer personas and referral source to business development, conversions, and public relations. Drawing upon vast experience in developing excellent sales training programs for senior living and healthcare organizations, SMCG® will deliver a targeted, comprehensive plan to increase your organization’s lead conversions.