NMastering senior living sales requires awareness of habits that might not be yielding positive results.
In a recent episode of The Grow Your Occupancy Podcast, we shared a short but powerful list of sales “don’ts” – common habits that quietly undermine trust, confidence, and momentum in the sales process – compiled by our Senior Sales Strategist Lori Vernier.
Let’s walk through the four biggest “don’ts,” why they don’t work, and—most importantly—what to do instead.
The 4 biggest don’ts in senior living lead engagement
Don’t #1: Don’t send generic emails about your activities calendar
One of the most common outreach habits in senior living sales is sending a broad, generic email with an attached activities calendar. It often says something like:
Attached is our list of activities. Please take a look and let me know if there’s anything you or your loved one might be interested in.
While well-intentioned, this approach puts all the work on the prospect.
Why this doesn’t work
- It’s impersonal and vague
- It forces the prospect to self-navigate options
- It doesn’t explain why any activity matters to them
- It feels transactional instead of relational
For adult children especially, this kind of message can feel overwhelming rather than helpful.
What to do instead
Personalize the invitation. Choose one specific activity that is meaningful to them (because you found this out by asking open-ended questions when you talked with them) and explain the benefit clearly.
For example:
- Invite them to lunch with a purpose: enjoying a chef-prepared meal while learning more about the community’s lifestyle from a fellow resident.
- Tie an activity to comfort and familiarity: attending a music event or exercise class as a “baby step” into the senior living experience.
- Frame the event differently depending on the audience—resident or adult child.
- Consider sending a short video invitation: a friendly face explaining why this event could be meaningful builds trust far faster than an attachment ever will.
Don’t #2: Don’t schedule a vague, delayed follow-up
Another common misstep happens inside the CRM. Notes that that say something like: “Tour completed November 1. Call December 1 to see if still interested” may indicate a lack of prospect connection and lack of discovery.
This isn’t follow-up, it’s indifference disguised as organization.
Why this doesn’t work
- A month-long gap ignores the emotional weight of the decision
- It fails to acknowledge where the prospect truly is in their journey
- It suggests low urgency and low engagement
- “Still interested?” is a closed-ended question that risks ending the relationship
Senior living decisions are layered, emotional, and rarely linear. A single delayed call does not support that reality.
What to do instead
Tighten your cadence and rethink your intention. After the tour, ask the prospect what they are thinking and what they need to take into consideration. Help them to identify the emotional or informational barrier they’re facing. Then, build a nurturing cadence of follow-ups, not a single task. This might include:
- A follow-up message tied to something they mentioned on the tour
- An invitation aligned to a concern they voiced
- Educational content that supports their decision-making
- A personalized video messaging directing them to an article or book that may help them in their journey
- A message about their pet, holiday plans, recent illness, or area of interest
Your goal isn’t to “check back in,” it’s to walk alongside them as they process their own personal next steps.
Don’t #3: Don’t apologize for reaching out
Phrases like “Sorry to bother you…” and “I hope I’m not interrupting…” are incredibly common in sales but are also incredibly damaging to the relationship.
Why it doesn’t work
- It signals a lack of confidence
- It creates subconscious doubt and distrust
- It undermines your role as a trusted advisor
If you sound hesitant to reach out, that hesitation comes through loud and clear.
People want to do business with confident professionals—especially when navigating life decisions as significant as senior living.
What to do instead
- Lead the relationship with confidence and purpose
- Use statements of fact
- Ask open-ended questions that invite dialogue
- Speak as someone who believes in the value of the conversation
If confidence doesn’t come naturally, practice. Role-play with a coach, a coworker, or your executive director. Confidence is a skill, not a personality trait—and it improves with repetition.
Don’t #4: Don’t say “I’m just following up.”
Few phrases shut down engagement faster than “I’m just following up again…” It sounds like checking off a task rather than a desire to have a conversation that continues the relationship.
Why this doesn’t work
- It makes prospects feel like a number
- It lacks warmth and intention
- It reinforces a transactional dynamic
What to do instead
Replace task-based language with relationship-based language. Try:
- “I was thinking about you today and curious how things are going with ___”
- “I’m calling because our last conversation about ___ came to mind.”
- “I recall you mentioned ___ and wanted to see how that’s progressing.”
These small language shifts signal care, attentiveness, and genuine interest—and they dramatically change how outreach is received.
Download our helpful handout to help you be more aware of these 4 don’ts.
A final perspective
The goals of these examples are awareness and improvement. Small changes in language, cadence, and confidence can lead to better engagement, building trust, more meaningful conversations, and a healthier prospect pipeline.
Remember: progress doesn’t require perfection—just intentional improvement.
Grow Your Occupancy offers senior living sales training, coaching, and online learning to help you develop the skills you need for sales success throughout the entire month, not just at month-end. Find out more about Grow Your Occupancy: book your free 30-minute consultation today.