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What sales management activities should Executive Directors focus on to add value?

1) Conducting a weekly, 60-minute meeting with your sales people that is devoted to sales and marketing issues is at the top of the list. It needs to be regularly scheduled, not be postponed capriciously, and not exceed an hour. But even more important, you need to focus on the following:

a) Maintain a tone of open-minded discussion. It is important to avoid attacking, judgemental, or defending attitudes. Receiving information in a non-judgmental way is huge.  Otherwise, people willl tend to only tell you things that do not result in disapproval.  Additionally, during the process of closing a prospective customer oppportunity, there is often information that seems bad at the time and may end up being a hidden blessing in disguise.  By staying neutral to the information, you are better able to come up with ideas that will serve a productive end while there is still a chance to do something about it.

b) Delve more deeply into understanding the nuances of 2-3 genuine short-term move-in prospects. Especially when it is a second-returning tour, strategize openly about which staff and residents can appropriately be introduced that will be compelling for the prospects. Discuss and approve any creative move-in incentives that are specific to the prospect. Tailoring a package that removes barriers to moving in such as a $1,000 credit with a senior-specialist moving company, and an upgraded cable sports subscription to watch a favorite team from back home, ($300) may seem like a more compelling offer to the prospect than waiving a community fee, which actually costs more $3,000).