How to Stop Getting Ghosted by Your Senior Living Prospects

If you work in senior living sales, chances are you’ve been ghosted by a prospect—or several. It’s frustrating, discouraging, and unfortunately, increasingly common. From digital inquiries that vanish into thin air to no-shows after what seemed like a promising tour, “ghosting” can feel like a mystery that’s impossible to solve. But there are proven strategies to reduce ghosting and increase meaningful connections throughout the customer journey.

Here’s how to stop getting ghosted and start converting more leads into move-ins.

Understand That Ghosting Is a Symptom, Not the Root Problem

If you get ghosted, it’s likely because of a lack of a connection.

First, let’s reframe ghosting. When a prospect doesn’t respond, it’s not always a rejection. More often, it means:

They’re overwhelmed.

The timing isn’t right.

They didn’t feel a personal connection.

They don’t know what to do next.

Recognizing this empowers sales professionals to lean into solutions instead of taking silence personally. Silence isn’t a no—it’s a “not now,” “I’m scared,” or “I’m confused.” Your job is to bridge that gap with empathy, strategy, and consistency.

Create a Strong New Lead-to-Connect Cadence

One of the most effective ways to reduce ghosting is to establish a structured follow-up cadence for new leads. This cadence should be:

Multi-channel: Use a mix of calls, texts, emails, and videos.

Consistent: Don’t give up after one or two attempts. It often takes 8–10 touchpoints to connect.

Front-loaded: More frequent follow-up in the first week helps establish contact early.

Documented: Use your CRM to track every outreach attempt and plan next steps.

We recommend a 90-day cadence, particularly for assisted living and memory care leads. The first few weeks should include daily or near-daily contact attempts using varied communication methods and times of day.

Lean into Polite Persistence

In a world where prospects are considering eight or more communities, you can’t afford to blend in. But you also don’t want to feel like a pest. The balancing point is polite persistence.

Be persistent and human:

Replace “I’m just checking in” with “I was thinking about you.”

Offer helpful next steps like, “Have you had a chance to speak with your sister about your father’s care?”

Be respectful, but don’t be shy. Follow-up is your responsibility, not the prospect’s.

Remember: if someone submitted an inquiry, they raised their hand. They just may not know how to move forward.

Personalize Your Outreach

To avoid being forgotten, stand out. One of the most powerful ways to do this is through video communication. If your organization doesn’t use a video platform, start by recording a quick personalized message on your phone. Use the prospect’s name, mention a detail they shared, or even write their name on a whiteboard in the video to grab their attention.

Use pre-tour videos to ease anxiety and reduce no-shows. A simple message like, “Here’s where you’ll park, I’ll meet you at the welcome desk,” can reduce tour no-shows by up to 60%.

Post-tour, continue the personalization. Follow up by referencing something specific they mentioned, perhaps a beloved pet or a favorite food. This shows you listened and builds emotional trust.

Guide the Prospect to the Next Step

Many prospects ghost simply because they’re unsure what comes next. Your job is to lead. We advise using a “do, decide, or think about” next step. For example:

“I believe the next best step is to bring your father in for lunch to see if it feels like a good fit.”

“Let’s schedule a call with your sister so we can all talk through options together.”

Sales professionals must take ownership of the process. If you don’t know the next step, your prospect won’t either.

Avoid Info Dumping

One common mistake is overwhelming prospects with too much information, especially during the first call. Instead, focus on discovery. Understand why they reached out. Ask questions. Let them talk. You’ll build trust and uncover the emotional drivers behind their inquiry.

Post-Tour Follow-Up: Build on What You Learned

The post-tour stage is often when ghosting strikes hardest. Don’t just call to ask how the tour went—use what you learned.

Make your follow-up not about the tour, but about what you learned during the tour. If their dad loves goldendoodles, send a video or article about the breed. If they bonded with a resident or staff member, have that person follow up directly.

This level of personalization differentiates you from competitors who focus only on features, pricing, and amenities.

Final Takeaways: What to Avoid and What to Do

Avoid:

Letting too much time pass between outreach attempts.

Relying on one form of communication.

“Checking in” without purpose.

Info dumping or overloading on the first call.

Ghosting them when they don’t reply right away.

Do:

Follow a 90-day lead-to-connect cadence.

Use personalized video for first touches and follow-ups.

Recommend clear next steps.

Make follow-up about them, not your building.

Be vulnerable, human, and kind. Show you care.

Build Confidence in Your Sales Skills

Making your prospect feel seen, heard, and valued is a sales skill that requires practice. Grow Your Occupancy’s sales coaching can help you get your sales skills from adequate to excellent. Reach out to us today at success@growyouroccupancy.com to learn more about sales coaching.

Tagged sales skills, senior living sales