At Sherpa we don’t measure things like the number of phone calls made in a day or the number of “hot” leads to go after at the beginning of the month. It just doesn’t work. (Read more about what we measure, and what we don’t, in this month’s Senior Housing Forum article.)
Success is instead measured by advances made with prospects and time spent in the Selling Zone. So what counts as time spent in the Selling Zone? Here are five activities that count toward a more productive sales team.
1. Ask discovery questions over the phone
We’re talking about non-medical, non-financial related questions. This is the sales counselor’s opportunity to learn about what motivates their prospect on a daily basis, what fears they may have and why they are considering a move in the first place. These conversations build trust and allow the prospect to think about the decision on their own–no “selling” needed on your part.
2. Tour a prospect’s home
While phone conversations count as voice-to-voice interactions, ones that count toward time in the Selling Zone, a home visit falls under the equally important category of face-to-face. But in addition to having a more personal meeting, you can also learn a lot about your prospect from how they live and what they value in a home. If you want their new residence to be at your community, you’ve got to know where they’re coming from and what they expect of their living surroundings.
3. Let prospects meet your community’s staff
We’re talking activity coordinators, physical trainers, your head chef, or anyone else that may give your prospect a better idea of your community. You’ve got professionals right around the corner from the sales office who can give your prospect information directly. One of the main benefits of senior housing is human interaction, so show your prospects what connections they can look forward to.
4. Hold weekly or daily planning sessions
Brainstorming and proactive planning, for ways to spend more time in the Selling Zone, is a Selling Zone activity in itself! So why not get your team together on a Monday or Tuesday and lay out the weekly goals? The better prepared your team is, the more efficient it will be in spending less time with non-Selling Zone time.
5. Make Creative Follow-up
We aren’t talking about the time it takes to put a gift basket together. Instead, this is the time that goes into being thoughtful and customizing your follow-up for your prospect. Going through sales notes to find your prospects’ preferences and life story will lead to more impactful messaging from your team and will help you inspire your prospects to make a change in their lives for the better.
