In senior living, few topics spark more debate than the handoff from marketing to sales. Marketers work tirelessly to generate inquiries, only to hear sales teams say, “The leads aren’t qualified.” Sales teams, on the other hand, feel buried under a flood of contacts—many of which will never move in. Meanwhile, valuable leads slip through the cracks.
The truth? Bridging this gap isn’t always about working harder. It’s about aligning strategy, process, and technology so that every lead gets the right response at the right time. In a recent webinar, Sonia Vachon, VP of Client Engagement at Further and a veteran of senior living sales and marketing, outlined five fixes that can turn your handoff from a black hole into a growth engine.
Scroll down for a quick introduction for the 5 fixes, then watch the full webinar to see how to put them into action for your team.
Most communities still rely on static web forms that feel like paperwork—and discourage families from completing them. The fix is to replace these with clickable, guided conversations that capture intent while keeping the experience simple.
This approach doesn’t just improve conversion rates—it arms sales with context before they even pick up the phone:
📈 Case in point: Vitality Living added interactive discovery forms alongside Further’s Virtual Sales Assistant. In just 30 days, tours increased by 138%. - Read the case study
Not all leads deserve the same attention. Further’s analysis of nearly a million leads found that:
That means sales teams waste enormous time chasing “ghost” leads. With predictive lead scoring, operators can flag high-potential families, filter out job seekers or vendors, and prioritize outreach. It’s speed—but intelligent speed.
Every lead is not created equal, and treating them all the same creates wasted effort and generic messaging. Segmentation allows operators to tailor the experience:
By aligning outreach with where someone is in their journey, operators build trust while guiding families toward the right next step.
Speed to lead matters—41% of inquiries happen outside normal office hours. Families expect fast, helpful responses, even at night or on weekends.
This is where AI-powered automation changes the game. Further’s Sales AI can answer questions, schedule tours, and nurture leads with personalized, two-way SMS or email—all without losing the “human touch.”
📈 Case in point: Sagora Senior Living, with 90+ communities, used Further’s AI Messaging Assistant to boost lead-to-move-in conversions by 124%. Even more telling: 67% of their move-ins interacted with AI as part of their journey. - Read the case study
Finally, none of this works without alignment. Marketing and sales must agree on:
Too often, operators rely on anecdotal data (“They heard about us from a friend”) or messy spreadsheets. By consolidating digital, web, and phone leads into a single source of truth, operators can see exactly which campaigns drive results—and adjust spend with confidence.
📈 Case in point: Levante Living doubled its communities from 12 to 24 in under a year. But fragmented data left them guessing about ROI. After consolidating leads through Further, they gained visibility from inquiry to move-in, eliminated junk leads, and surpassed occupancy goals—even under investor pressure. - Read the case study
These five fixes—discovery, qualification, segmentation, automation, and alignment—are not abstract strategies. They’re practical, proven approaches that can be implemented today. Together, they turn the marketing-to-sales handoff from a leaky funnel into a seamless, resident-first experience.
At Further, we believe operators deserve more than “better leads.” They deserve better visibility, stronger alignment, and tools that help both marketing and sales succeed. Because when the handoff works, families feel supported, sales teams stay focused, and communities grow occupancy with confidence.