In this episode of The Move In, host Larry Williams engages with Julie Podewitz, founder of Grow Your Occupancy, to discuss the complexities of sales in the senior living industry.
They explore the importance of understanding sales opportunities, bridging gaps between sales, marketing, and operations, and the evolution of sales strategies post-COVID.
Julie emphasizes the need for effective communication, tracking key performance indicators, and establishing a simple sales process to enhance occupancy rates.
The conversation highlights the significance of coaching and continuous improvement in achieving sales success.
Takeaways
- Know your opportunity to sale and track it diligently.
- Sales is the outcome, but the process is crucial.
- Take defenses down and foster empathy in teams.
- Establish a simple, repeatable sales process for success.
- Identify gaps in the sales process and address them.
- Effective communication is key to aligning sales and operations.
- Coaching should be intentional and focused on growth.
- Track what truly matters to measure success effectively.
- Understand your cost per move-in to budget wisely.
- Continuous learning and improvement are essential in sales.
00:00 - Understanding Sales Opportunities in Senior Living
02:08 - Bridging the Gap: Sales, Marketing, and Operations
11:39 - The Evolution of Senior Living Sales Post-COVID
19:49 - Identifying Gaps in Sales Processes
32:28 - Effective Communication & Leadership in Sales
41:17 - The Importance of Tracking and Measuring Success
52:01 - Final Thoughts and Key Takeaways
Playback options
A PODCAST OF UNLOCK HEALTH
The Move In Senior Living Marketing
Solving the Occupancy Puzzle
(with Julie Podewitz)
July 22, 2025 • Episode #29
A PODCAST OF UNLOCK HEALTH
The Move In Senior Living Marketing
Solving the Occupancy
with Julie Podewitz
July 22, 2025 • Episode #29
Clip 1 (51 sec.)
Tracking “opportunities” is the foundation of senior living sales. If you don’t know how many tours you need to hit your move-in goals, you’re flying blind. Know your ratios, write them down, and monitor them weekly.
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Unlock Health • The Move In: Senior Living Marketing Podcast
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Clip 2 (44 sec.)
There’s no emotion in data. When sales are off, focus on facts, not blame. Effective teams use shared benchmarks and honest conversations to solve problems. Ask better questions, not personal ones, to get farther.
Clip 3 (51 sec.)
Sales drives move-ins, not occupancy. Holding sales accountable for the full number is a setup. True occupancy is a team effort—from dining to engagement to ops. Everyone plays a role in getting to 100 percent.
“Sales says yes. Operations says no. That’s the dynamic. And instead of appreciating the tension for what it is, we get upset. We ignore it. We avoid it. Or worse, we let it erode the culture.”
More clips from this episode are available here.
Julie Podewitz
Founder, Grow Your Occupancy Senior Living Sales Advisor