Most ALFs Don't Have a Marketing Problem—They Have an Operations Problem
When facilities tell me their marketing isn't working, I usually find the marketing is fine—it's the operations that are broken. Leads come in, but staff doesn't respond fast enough. Tours happen, but follow-up is inconsistent. Move-ins get delayed because intake paperwork gets lost. The solution isn't more ad spend. It's fixing the handoffs, standardizing processes, and tracking response times. Once operations are tight, marketing ROI improves dramatically.
Six Scripts That Turn Tours Into Move-Ins
The difference between a facility that converts 15% of tours and one that converts 30% isn't the building—it's the scripts. I've seen the same objection patterns across hundreds of tours: "We need to think about it," "It's too expensive," "We're looking at other places." Each of these requires a specific response that addresses the concern without being pushy. The best scripts aren't sales pitches—they're empathetic conversations that help families make the right decision.
Lead Response SLAs: The 5-Minute Rule
Every minute a lead waits for a response, conversion probability drops. Studies show that responding within 5 minutes increases conversion by 9x compared to responding after 30 minutes. Yet most facilities don't have a response SLA, and staff treats leads as "when I get to it" tasks. I implement a 5-minute response SLA with automated alerts, call routing, and tracking. It's not complicated—it's just discipline. Facilities that commit to this see immediate improvement in tour booking rates.
Align CRM, Staff & Admissions Without Chaos
Most facilities try to use CRMs built for sales teams, not care facilities. The result? Staff doesn't use it because it doesn't match their workflow. The key is configuring the CRM to match how your team actually works—not forcing your team to match the CRM. I map your current process first, then build the CRM around it. That means custom fields for move-in dates, automated alerts for follow-ups, and dashboards that show what matters: qualified tours, cycle times, and occupancy trends.
Measuring ROI in Senior-Care Marketing (Beyond Clicks)
Click-through rates and cost per click don't tell you if marketing is working. The metrics that matter are qualified tours per month, tour-to-move-in conversion rate, and cost per move-in. I set up tracking that connects marketing spend to actual occupancy. That means UTM parameters on every campaign, CRM integration that tracks source attribution, and monthly reports that show which channels drive move-ins—not just leads. Once you can see the full funnel, you can optimize spend where it actually converts.