Senior Living Sales Tips for Better Re-Tours

WelcomeHome’s benchmark report for Q3-2024 contained an interesting nugget: “Retours are up across the industry, as operators place more emphasis on existing leads due to a decline in new leads compared to last year.”

And yet, we’re willing to bet most sales teams don’t understand how to approach this all-important second visit.

Remember, the first tour is about making a strong first impression. A second tour (or “retour”) is about closing the deal. The retour is often the final opportunity to address concerns, engage new decision-makers, and create an emotional connection that leads to a move-in.

Below, we share senior living sales tips for rocking retours.

How to prepare for the second tour

1. Identify who’s coming and what matters to them.

The first tour is often conducted by a single “scout,” typically an adult daughter, who gathers information and narrows down options. By the second tour, additional influencers—like the prospective resident and other family members—are likely to attend.

Before the second tour, ask the scout the following questions:

Who will be joining you this time?
What are their top concerns or questions?
Do they need to see different things from what you saw during your first visit?

Example: Let’s say the scout on the first tour is the older adult’s primary caregiver. The scout might have focused on amenities, activities, and the overall feel of the community. If another sibling joins for the second tour, and this sibling has financial power of attorney, they might be more interested in hearing about pricing, long-term affordability, and financial planning.

If you know that this other sibling will attend the second visit, you can be ready to field financial questions, like detailed cost breakdowns and future pricing projections.

2. Review notes from the first tour.

If you took good notes, use them to personalize the experience. For example, if the scout asked about specialized diets during the first visit, you could introduce the dining team and discuss meal customization during the second visit.

PRO TIP: Review ALL notes associated with the person who attended the first tour, not just the notes you made. Review notes from website forms, lead aggregators, and chatbot transcripts. (If you don’t have all of these things feeding your senior living CRM, get on that ASAP!)

3. Give colleagues a heads-up.

Don’t assume the head of dining can stop whatever they’re doing to woo your prospect. Be courteous and ask if they’re available when the second tour is coming through. If they’re not, ask them who the next best person would be.

Give them the info they need to succeed. For example, if your prospect is a vegetarian, that would be helpful info for the head of dining services to know, right?

How to give a highly personalized second tour

1. Identify what will make the biggest impact.

Retours should feel different from the first visit, not just a repeat of the same tour. Based on what came up during the first tour AND the questions you asked the scout when confirming the second tour, figure out what areas you must hit.

For example, will the guests on the second tour have . . .

Financial questions? Set up a time with your financial counselor.
Healthcare concerns? Introduce them to the memory care or resident care director.
Lifestyle interests? Arrange resident meet-and-greets based on shared hobbies and backgrounds.

2. Sweat the small stuff.

Small details can make a big impression.

Some ideas:

Reserve a parking spot with the prospect’s name on it.
Display a welcome sign with the prospect’s name at the front desk.
Ensure staff members (including reception) are ready to warmly greet the visitors, take their coats, offer coffee or tea, and show them where the bathroom is.

These “red carpet tour” efforts signal that the family is important and valued. They also give prospective residents a taste of what to expect when they move in.

3. Introduce the right people at the right time.

Families care most about how their loved one will fit in and be cared for.

Arrange meaningful introductions with:

Current residents with similar backgrounds, hobbies, or personalities
Key staff members based on the family’s concerns (e.g., dining team for dietary needs, activity director for social engagement, the fitness instructor for those asking about a gym or yoga class)
Line staff members (CNAs, housekeepers) who will have the most day-to-day interactions with the resident

4. Encourage your guests to spend time in the model apartment.

The apartment should feel inviting and personalized to the prospect’s lifestyle. You want the prospect and their family to linger and get comfortable.

Key strategies:

Pin a current activities calendar in the apartment and highlight relevant activities that align with the prospect’s interests.
Ensure comfortable seating and refreshments (coffee, tea, snacks) to foster lingering.
Talk through how the prospect’s belongings could fit in the space to help them visualize living there.
Stage the model apartment in a way that will resonate with the prospect.

Example: If the prospect loves gardening, place a few potted plants in the model apartment and some gardening books on the coffee table. If the prospect loves to golf, place Golf magazine on the table and a set of golf clubs by the doorway. You want people to envision themselves in the space, and that’s much easier to do if there are familiar, meaningful items to capture their attention.

How to make a strong final impression as you close the tour

1. Walk the family to their car.

Our CEO, Debbie Howard, recalls a star sales rep she had when she was the VP of sales. He had an impressively high close ratio, and she asked him how he did it. “He said, ‘Deb, it’s the easiest thing in the world. I don’t just show them to the door and say, See you later. I walk them to the car.'”

The sales rep went on to explain that he chats with prospects the whole time he walks them to the car. Then, he hugs them and opens the door because he wants their last impression of the community to be him doing that.

Try it. Instead of a simple “goodbye,” walk the family to their car, chat casually, and make the final moments feel warm and positive.

2. Reinforce emotional and rational decision-making.

People make decisions for emotional reasons and then justify their decisions with logic. Good sales reps must address both emotional concerns (like sense of belonging and lifestyle fit) and practical concerns (like financial sustainability and care options).

If there’s hesitation, ask targeted questions to uncover lingering doubts:

What’s holding you back?

Can we clarify anything or show you something else to help with your decision?

3. Offer a next step, not just a goodbye.

It’s OK to be a little pushier at the end of the second tour. You can’t get much more “bottom of the funnel” than this moment.

Offer an incentive for signing by the end of the month.
Invite them back for a trial stay.
Make a plan for following up. “I’ll call you tomorrow to see how you’re feeling and if you want to move forward.”

A second tour is a pivotal moment in the senior living sales process.

Thoughtful preparation and personalization can make the difference between ending up with a prospect who goes elsewhere (or stalls) and one who confidently makes a deposit and moves in.