Education an Investment in Tough Times

On March 25, 2009, I had an opportunity to sit in on the sales/marketing course taught by David Smith as part of the University of Maryland-Erickson School's continuing education program geared to senior housing. It was a great opportunity to spend the day absorbing and being surrounded by some great people. One exercise validated our company's efforts in mystery shopping and participants called 20+ senior communities and focused on the first impressions sales people made with first inquiries.

With these tough times; you would think their skills would be excellent--yet few communities practiced skills in creating good first impressions and relationship building. Few communities obtained the caller's name or their needs. More often it seemed that sales personnel switched on their script and resorted to what Smith calls "data dumping." There was a lack of concern and interest.

Communities can do better. It takes retraining efforts starting first with taped mystery shopping--services we provide. When thousands of dollars are spent on advertising and marketing people ask for more ads and new traffic; these first impressions need to be harnessed before additional dollars are expended.