SECURING THE RIGHT TRAINING OPPORTUNITIES FOR SALES STAFF
focus on where they can see quick results, while we move together toward long-term, systemic change,” said Urbaczewski. “A huge part of what we do is help them iden- tify, build on, and actively sell their existing strengths. So many communities provide a unique value or deliver something truly different from their competitors. They just need to tell the story effectively in their marketing and their sales process, and re- ally learn the prospective resident’s story.” Urbaczewski pointed to The Brielle at
Seaview as an example. The 188-residence assisted living and memory care community on Staten Island opened in November 2015. In February 2016, the community had only 13 residents. In March 2016, Solutions Ad- visors came on board to assess the market- ing situation and develop solutions both for repositioning and retraining and coaching the sales team. As a result, average monthly inquiries increased to 81, move-ins stabi- lized at an average of six per month, and the community now operates at budget. In addition to training and development
solutions from Primo Solutions and Solu- tions Advisors, and additional support from customer relationship management compa- nies like Sherpa, a product solution used by Vitality Senior Living, organizations can also pursue the Argentum Senior Living Sales Counselor Certificate. “There are so many avenues to explore
and it can be a challenge to discern which ones align best with the values, vision, and mission,” said Senior Lifestyle’s White.
“Building customer database skills is critical for digital marketing efforts to work. But customers won’t buy into a process that's simply driven by technology. All those tools just get salespeople to the starting line, where their ability to uncover the story and legacy of a customer drives their success,” said Urbaczewski.
While homegrown training and develop-
ment and outside expertise can get expen- sive, LaSalle’s Porter pointed out that ample opportunities for off-the-shelf instruction are available as well. “There are plenty of podcasts, online offerings, and seminars to keep up to date.”
New sales team The emergence of new technologies to streamline the sales process and enhance communication has not affected the actual size of the sales team, said Morgan. Mather LifeWays hasn’t adjusted the number of people on its team; they’re just spending their time differently. “They used to make 300 calls a month. Today, that might be 200 calls and 300 emails. There’s less face to face, but the same number of conversa- tions,” she said. But while the quantity hasn’t changed, the quality of sales and marketing staff and
“We want our learners to be fully supported while they take the concepts from training and turn them into habit. That’s where the success is,” White said.
The Argentum Sales Counselor Certifi- cate program provides an opportunity for sales counselors to continue to build on their knowledge and competencies. “Hav- ing had the opportunity to participate as a subject matter expert for the Sales Coun- selor Certificate, I can honestly say it was an incredible experience that encompassed multi-layered points of view and a robust vetting process of questions and answers,” said White.
20 SENIOR LIVING EXECUTIVE MARCH/APRIL 2018
candidates has—sometimes for the better. “I am noticing there are variances by market,” said Senior Lifestyle’s White. “I am seeing more candidates coming from other sectors in the smaller markets, which can be benefi- cial when it is time for a fresh eyes approach that excludes preconceived notions. In the metro markets, I am seeing more candi- dates looking for growth. A few years back, it seemed like there was a higher level of lateral moves due to dissatisfaction. Now I
am seeing more sales counselors wanting to take the director’s seat. It’s exciting.” In terms of candidates’ preparation to join
a senior living sales team, the prospects are mixed. “I have not seen a noticeable change [in candidate quality],” said White. “We are still ending interviews with the same pro and opportunity list we were talking about five years ago. I cannot say that points to a negative outcome of training. We all have a style we seek and it would be acceptable that someone is well trained and simply demon- strating the style they learned.” LaSalle’s Porter finds that candidates are
“less prepared and require more training.” Miller said that’s true of seasoned sales profes- sionals, as well. “Although we are starting to bring in more talent from outside the industry, the majority of our management/leadership have spent their entire career in the senior liv- ing industry,” he said. “The leaders were once successful sales counselors in their community. Because of their success at the community level, they are then promoted to a regional level or even higher. The problem is that just because you had good numbers when at the commu- nity, that does not necessarily qualify you to be in a leadership position. Being a leader at the regional, divisional, and corporate level re- quires a completely different skill set than what is needed at the community level.” Urbaczewski agreed. “More is demanded
than ever of salespeople to be successful. I see so much new opportunity and new challenges for salespeople interacting with customers in an ever more digital environment, particularly with adult children. Building customer database skills is critical for digital marketing efforts to work. But customers won’t buy into a process that’s simply driven by technology. All those tools just get salespeople to the starting line, where their ability to uncover the story and legacy of a customer drives their success.”
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