If this is your first time at SMASH, this session is just for you! Join our Welcome Reception—led by long-time members of the SMASH community—to gain rapid insights, build vital connections, and learn how to navigate our unique and powerful learning ecosystem with confidence.

Tired of seeing leads stall out? In this fast-paced session, Matt Paxton delivers 15 high-impact strategies that move beyond traditional tactics to address the emotional and psychological drivers behind senior living decisions. Learn how to activate urgency, build trust, and inspire faster commitments—tools your sales and marketing teams can put to work immediately. Matt Paxton, founder of Clutter Cleaner, author of Keep The Memories, Lose The Stuff, host of Filthy Fortunes on Discovery, and extreme cleaner on fifteen seasons of Hoarders, shares high-impact strategies that go far beyond generic follow-ups or feature-selling. If your team is still relying on the same playbook to drive occupancy, it’s time for a reset. It’s time to unlock move-ins faster. Drawing on insights from behavioral psychology, family dynamics, and the complex emotional calculus of leaving home, Matt will reframe how your teams approach trust-building, urgency, and the decision-making journey. <br><br>
You’ll explore how to move prospects from reflection to action by addressing legacy, identity, and deeply personal triggers that traditional sales tactics miss entirely. You and your team will walk away with: <br>
Fresh messaging frameworks that resonate on a human level<br>
Trust-building techniques that reduce inertia and uncertainty<br>
A strategic lens for instilling urgency—without resorting to pressure Whether you lead internal teams and/or outside call centers, this session equips you with practical language and emotional intelligence tools to help your organization convert more leads into committed residents—faster
<p>Sponsored By:<br><img src=https://naccme.s3.us-east-1.amazonaws.com/25-SMASH/PatriotAngels_logo.p… alt="Upload Image" width="200" /></p>

In these fast-paced, 7-minute ED Talks, discover how the world of data measurement and metrics and how they are driving smarter decision-making in senior living. Learn how to effectively track key performance indicators (KPIs), measure marketing ROI, and use data to optimize operational efficiencies. Explore the power of real-time analytics, customer journey tracking, and data visualization tools to gain actionable insights that guide strategy and improve outcomes. Whether it’s occupancy rates, lead conversion, or resident satisfaction, this session will arm you with the metrics and tools you need to enhance performance and demonstrate measurable success in your organization. <br><br>
Participants: A Place for Mom, ALINE, Caring, EVR Advertising, and FiveNineteen.

In these fast-paced, 7-minute ED Talks, discover how CRM and marketing automation tools are revolutionizing the way senior living organizations engage with potential residents and their families. Learn how automated workflows, personalized messaging, and intelligent CRM systems are streamlining lead management, enhancing follow-up efficiency, and improving audience targeting. Explore the power of data-driven insights, automated nurture campaigns, and seamless integrations to boost conversions and accelerate decision-making. This session will provide you with the latest tools and strategies to optimize your marketing efforts, so you can leave with practical, actionable insights to implement in your own organization. <br><br>
Participants: ALINE, Senior Sign, SeniorLiving SMART, SenioROI, Smart Bug Media, and WelcomeHome Software.

In these fast-paced, 7-minute ED Talks, discover how innovative strategies and tools are transforming sales performance in the senior living industry. Discover how data analytics, performance tracking, and automation are empowering sales teams to work smarter and achieve higher conversion rates. Learn how predictive analytics and AI-driven insights help identify the best leads, optimize outreach, and personalize the sales process. Gain practical tips on improving follow-ups, enhancing team collaboration, and leveraging real-time data to drive more effective sales strategies. Walk away with actionable insights you can implement immediately to boost your sales performance and elevate your team’s success. <br><br>
Participants: Heart Legacy, One on One Sales Academy, OneDay, and Waypoint Converts.

In these fast-paced, 7-minute ED Talks, discover how digital strategies that are shaping the future of senior living marketing. Learn how to leverage digital channels like social media, SEO, content marketing, and paid advertising to increase visibility and attract new leads. Discover how to build a seamless digital presence that resonates with today’s tech-savvy consumers while enhancing engagement and conversion rates. From optimizing your website for better user experience to creating compelling digital content, this session will provide you with the tools and techniques to craft a powerful digital strategy that drives results and keeps you ahead of the competition. <br><br>
Participants: CITIZEN, Fountain Digital, Inertia Digital Marketing, SeniorLiving SMART, and Smart Girl Digital.

AI is transforming senior care sales and marketing, making it faster, smarter, and more effective. In these fast-paced, 7-minute ED Talks, discover how AI-driven solutions are optimizing lead generation, automating follow-ups, enhancing audience targeting, and boosting conversions. Learn how predictive analytics, chatbots, and AI-powered content are reshaping engagement and decision-making. With each presentation following the same format, you’ll quickly grasp the latest innovations and walk away with actionable insights to bring back to your team. <br><br>
Participants: ActiveDemand, Creating Results, ExaCare, Markentum, OneDay, and Yardi.

We’re awash in data. As author and risk analyst Nassim Taleb warns us, we're amid a calamity in the information age: The toxcicity of data has increased much faster than its benefits. And this couldn't be truer than with marketing metrics. The ease of deploying elegant-looking dashboards and auto-generated reports devoid of context (only to be made worse by generative AI) has created a certain “data theater” in the marketing world: something that looks like meaning and results but accomplishes little. In this session, Aaron Templer takes the research from his seven-time award-winning book and uses it for a strategic look at how to strip away our biases and the noise and get at the marketing metrics that truly matter to those making marketing budget decisions. Audiences will take away: The kinds of questions leaders should ask and what kind of data reporting leaders should demand of their marketing departments and agencies. How and why the marketing industry itself gaslights business leaders with metrics that distract us from business results, and how to spot it when it’s happening to you. Some key metrics every organization should measure, and how to hone in on the metrics that truly matter.

Let’s face it—most senior living marketing still operates like a lead machine. But today’s buyers don’t want to be sold to; they want to feel something. With long decision cycles, multiple family influencers, and a sea of sameness on paper, content has to work harder—and smarter—to drive real engagement.In this session, we’ll reframe how to approach content and demand generation successfully. We'll move beyond outdated funnel thinking and into a modern, senior-living-specific strategy that creates momentum before the tour, earns trust at every touchpoint, and drives move-ins. Whether working with an agency or managing a lean internal team, you'll leave with a framework to transform your broken funnel into a conversion-ready content engine.

Focused sessions for people leaders will explore breaking down barriers to leading through ambiguity with people solutions that will empower your teams to drive exemplary revenue growth. Participants will explore topics such as using the power of organizational psychology to motivate teams and navigating the evolving landscape of vulnerability, uncertainty, complexity, and ambiguity. Participants will walk away with an accountability partner and actions to take back to their teams.

If your teams aren’t operating in the Sales Zone, you’re leaving revenue on the table. In today’s hyper-competitive senior living landscape, success isn’t just about having great salespeople—it’s about creating the conditions where great sales can happen, every day, across every region.
This session is designed specifically for senior sales and marketing leaders overseeing large teams and multi-site operations. We’ll break down what it truly means to be in the Sales Zone—a place of sustained focus, strategic action, and high-impact daily execution. You’ll learn how the blueprint for building a culture where discipline is second nature, distractions are eliminated, and your team knows exactly where to spend their time to move the pipeline forward.<br>
From coaching strategic priorities to instilling routines that reduce burnout and drive momentum, this session will give you the leadership tools to align your regions, empower your managers, and keep your entire sales force firing on all cylinders. <br><br>

Top 3 Takeaways for Senior Sales Leaders:<br>
Define and Scale the Sales Zone: Learn how to clearly articulate what the Sales Zone looks like in your organization—and how to build systems and expectations that keep your teams operating there every day.<br>
Drive Focus Through Structure: Discover how to instill daily discipline and eliminate low-value activity so your teams can stay engaged, energized, and results-driven.<br>
Build a Culture of Accountability and Productivity: Gain frameworks to coach strategic focus, align regional managers, and create a culture that thrives on clarity, consistency, and performance.

Forget what you thought you knew about today’s senior living buyer. The Greatest Generation and Baby Boomers of the past are no longer your primary consumer. Today’s older adult prospects—and their influential adult children (especially Gen X and millennial daughters)—are seeking a very different story, one not yet reflected in most senior living sales and marketing approaches. <br><br>

In this exclusive session, Ginna Baik, Director of Age Tech at AOL, will reveal powerful insights drawn from AOL’s 37 million monthly active users—the largest and longest-standing online community of older adults in the U.S.. <br>
AOL’s audience, the self-described "OGs of the Internet," were early internet adopters whose decades of online behaviors provide a rich trove of first-party data on what drives trust, decision-making, and purchasing behavior among older adults and their adult children. <br><br>

By analyzing how AOL’s users navigate **other high-consideration purchases—such as travel, health, financial services, and home-related decisions—**this session will offer a rare opportunity for senior living leaders to recalibrate how they market and sell to today’s sophisticated, digitally engaged senior and their families. <br><br>

Come prepared for a mindset shift—and leave with a clear picture of today’s senior care customer journey. <br><br>

You’ll Learn How to: <br>

Tap into AOL’s exclusive behavioral insights to understand how older adults and their adult children research, compare, and make decisions about complex, high-consideration purchases - insights that can help you reshape your sales journey. <br>
Debunk outdated stereotypes: Learn why today’s senior decision-makers and influencers are tech-savvy and expect a seamless, digital-first experience when engaging with your community, mirroring the way they shop for financial services, health care, and travel on AOL’s platform. <br>
Align your marketing and messaging with real consumer expectations, uncovering what AOL’s data reveals about seniors’ evolving priorities around wellness, longevity, independence, and authenticity

Agentic workflows are redefining how Senior Living Operators approach long-standing challenges. Across industries, AI agents are automating low-value, manual tasks—from call center operations and marketing automation to staff training and compliance. Now, a growing number of senior living communities are beginning to adopt these tools. <br><br>
In this interactive discussion, we’ll join two operators to explore how AI agents are reshaping workflows, where they’re delivering value, and where operators should tread carefully as they navigate the risks, limitations, and potential pitfalls.<br><br>
Join us to learn about:<br>
• Real-World Use Cases For AI Agents: Hear how leading operators are using AI agents today to automate tasks like inbound call handling, lead follow-up, and staff training—and walk away with specific examples you can apply in your own communities.<br>
• A Practical Framework for Identifying the Right Workflows for AI: Learn how to evaluate your existing workflows to pinpoint the areas where AI agents can drive the most impact—without disrupting the human touch that families and staff value.<br>
• Lessons Learned, What to Avoid When Implementing AI Agents: Gain insider perspective on the risks and limitations of AI agent adoption, including common missteps, operational blind spots, and how to set realistic expectations with your teams and leadership.<br>
<p>Sponsored By:<br><img src=https://naccme.s3.us-east-1.amazonaws.com/25-SMASH/further_brand_lockup… alt="Upload Image" width="200" /></p>

Please see the list below for available dining options open during lunch hours: <br><br>

Pool Bar and Waterside Café<br>
Clubhouse Deli <br>
Earl Grey Café <br>
Starbucks <br>
Marketplace Buffet <br>
Pearl Oyster Bar <br>
Dim Sum <br>
Pizza Bar <br>

These incredible Roundtables are a unique way to meet and learn from like-minded peers on a variety of critical topics. It is a lightly facilitated setting to brainstorm, share challenges, new ideas, and successes, gaining insights and ideas from your peers and colleagues. <br><br> <p>Sponsored By:<br><img src=https://naccme.s3.us-east-1.amazonaws.com/25-SMASH/further_brand_lockup… alt="Upload Image" width="200" /></p>

When economic uncertainty looms and lead quality becomes unpredictable, a full-funnel reboot may be exactly what your marketing and sales teams need. For high-consideration consumer services—where families weigh emotional, financial, and logistical decisions—marketing is no longer about volume. It's about clarity, connection, and conversion.<br><br>

In this hands-on, fast-paced 2-hour workshop, marketing strategist and author Pam Didner will guide you through a 90-day reboot plan designed specifically for consumer-facing brands with long, complex decision cycles. You’ll learn how to realign your messaging, sharpen your lead qualification process, and better connect marketing to sales outcomes.<br><br>

In this session, you’ll learn how to: <br>

Reassess your messaging to speak directly to buyer emotions and concerns in uncertain times <br>

Audit and improve your lead qualification criteria—so your sales team isn’t chasing dead ends <br>

Align marketing and sales with shared KPIs and quick-win collaboration tactics <br>

Whether you’re trying to adapt to a cooling market, prepare for a possible recession, or simply make smarter use of your existing pipeline, this reboot gives you the practical structure—and renewed confidence—you need to move forward.

In senior living, the path from digital engagement to a booked tour is rarely
linear—and never fast. With an average decision-making cycle of 6 to 12 months,
this is a high-consideration, high-engagement sale that demands precision,
empathy, and personalization at every digital touchpoint. This two-hour, hands-on workshop is built specifically for senior-level sales and
marketing leaders looking to elevate their digital strategies. Whether you manage
internal teams or work with external agencies, you'll learn how to influence and
direct conversion strategies that align with today’s best practices—from using
data to guide messaging decisions to improving customer journeys that actually
lead to move-ins. Led by Martin Greif—conversion expert and author of True Connections:
Relationship Marketing in the Digital World—this workshop will show you how
small changes in personalization, content structure, and call-to-action flow can
lead to major gains in booked tours. You’ll also explore how AI is increasingly
supporting dynamic content delivery, behavior-based segmentation, and real-time
testing, helping marketers fine-tune messages in ways that were impossible just
a few years ago. <br><br>
Live Website Feedback & Peer Insights: Participate in real-time reviews of
participant websites to identify friction points, personalization gaps, and
missed engagement opportunities. You’ll walk away with actionable ideas
to take back to your team or agency. <br><br>
 Customer Journey Optimization: Learn to spot where visitors drop off and
how to adjust navigation, content, and forms to keep them
engaged—without needing to code or redesign the whole site. <br>
 Conversion Rate Optimization (CRO) Made Practical: Understand the key
principles of CRO—testing, iterating, and refining—to improve results at
every stage of the buyer journey. <br>
 AI-Powered Personalization Tactics: See how today’s tools can help deliver
the right message to the right family member at the right time—whether it's
an adult daughter researching options or a prospective resident returning
to your site for the third time. <br>
 Agency-Ready Action Plan: Gain the language and strategic clarity to
better direct your partners or vendors toward conversion-focused
improvements that align with your brand and business goals. <br><br>

This session is immersive, practical, and laser-focused on what’s working right
now for high-value, long-cycle digital sales. If your website is your first
impression—make sure it’s also your most persuasive.

Senior living operators can no longer rely on occupancy alone. In today’s market, the leaders who thrive are those who uncover untapped revenue, optimize pricing, and drive margin without adding new units. In this energizing session, revenue strategist Traci Bild reveals how executives can unlock up to 20% more revenue using existing assets—future-proofing their communities against shifting market conditions.
Walk away with a fresh, actionable approach to driving financial performance—without waiting for more leads. <br><br>
Learning Outcomes: <br>
• Discover hidden revenue streams across IL, AL, and MC that can be activated immediately to boost NOI. <br>
• Apply revenue management strategies to maximize pricing, incentives, and service offerings. <br>
• Shift your team’s focus from occupancy rates to total revenue performance to align with ownership expectations. <br>

Funnel Focus: Full Funnel – from Awareness through “Not Yet Ready”
Persona Concept: The financially secure couple held back by fear and uncertainty
<br><br>

DESCRIPTION:
Some prospects are ready on paper—but stuck in place. In this flagship, full-funnel session, we follow the journey of a cautious, well-resourced couple whose recent health scare has opened the door to senior living… but emotional inertia, financial fears, and housing market volatility hold them back.
Through their journey, you’ll explore how AI tools—from predictive lead scoring to emotionally attuned content generation—can help marketing, sales, and admissions teams address both spoken and unspoken objections. See how AI can personalize messaging, create urgency without pressure, and keep hesitant prospects engaged even when they pause.
<br><br>

INTERACTIVE WORKSHOP COMPONENTS (3 x 10–12 min): <br>
* Emotion Mapping Exercise: Tables identify emotional and rational barriers prospects face and share AI-driven messaging strategies. <br>
* Journey Remix Challenge: Each table modifies a funnel sequence for a stalled lead using AI tools to reengage. <br>
* Persona-Driven Video Planning: Small teams draft AI-assisted storyboards for video messages tailored to common fears (e.g., leaving home, drawing down savings).
 <br><br>

KEY AI CAPABILITIES FEATURED: <br>
* Dynamic content generation based on persona attributes <br>
* Sentiment detection and tone matching <br>
* Behavioral scoring to gauge hesitation <br>
* Video synthesis for customized walk-throughs and objection handling
<br><br>

YOU’LL LEAVE WITH: <br>
* A practical framework for addressing buyer reluctance <br>
* Tools to build confidence through storytelling and financial clarity <br>
* Strategies to keep prospects warm without pressure <br>

AI isn’t the future — it’s happening right now. And if you’re a B2B sales or marketing pro targeting senior living, it’s your shortcut to getting more done with less budget, less stress, and way more impact. <br>
This fast-paced, hands-on workshop is built exclusively for SMASH solution providers. We’ll walk through real-world ways you can use free and low-cost AI tools and agents to save time, cut costs, and spark creativity — all while staying laser-focused on your goals in the senior care space. <br>
You’ll learn how to: <br>
• Find better-fit leads with smarter (and faster) AI-powered prospecting <br>
• Build killer proposals, emails, and campaign copy in minutes <br>
• Summarize market research and competitor insights instantly <br>
• Turn transcripts, PDFs, and even webinars into usable marketing gold <br>
• Automate the stuff you hate — meeting notes, follow-ups, and more <br>
• Deploy simple AI agents to manage repeatable sales and marketing workflows like follow-up emails, lead qualification, or content repurposing
We’ll show you exactly which tools to try, give you prompts you can steal, workshop challenges you’re having, and even demo a few hacks live. No fluff, no jargon — just practical ways to plug AI into your everyday workflow to make life easier. <br><br>
Learning Objectives <br>
1. Identify free and low-cost AI tools and agents that can be applied to common B2B sales and marketing tasks in the senior living sector. <br>
2. Demonstrate how to build AI-generated content and proposals, and set up agents to automate repetitive messaging or follow-up sequences. <br>
3. Apply AI to streamline prospecting, research, and content repurposing workflows, including the use of agents for ongoing support tasks. <br>
4. Create and test simple AI agent workflows that can support lead generation, customer engagement, and campaign execution without manual effort

In today’s crowded senior living market, what worked last year might already be outdated. With rising CAC, platform shifts, AI disruption, and changing buyer behavior, sales and marketing leaders must evolve fast.
This workshop delivers a real-time, proven playbook built from what’s working right now across top-performing senior care brands. Learn how to apply the 95:5 rule to capture undecided prospects, convert promo buyers into long-term residents, and fix the most common Meta ad mistakes. Discover low-cost attention plays across overlooked platforms, put AI to work with seven high-impact use cases, and unlock Q5 — the most underutilized growth window in senior living.

Whether you are a first-time attendee or a SMASH veteran, you’ll want to join us for this one-of-a-kind experience, where you can catch up with industry colleagues, make new friends, and create valuable connections. After a day of learning, it's time to unwind. Whether you're new or a seasoned alum, join our first-night reception. This is where the SMASH community connects, relaxes, and creates lasting memories.

Seating is limited and available on a first-come, first-served basis.

In the world of senior living, decisions are driven by emotion just as much as by logic. How can marketers and sales teams help prospective residents see themselves not just moving in--but truly belonging? This session explores the art and psychology of storytelling as a transformative marketing tool that bridges the gap between a community's features and a future resident's personal aspirations. We'll dive into techniques for crafting narratives that align with residence's values, memories, and sense of identity. From the welcome call to the final handshake after the community tour, each moment is a chance to reinforce emotional resonance. Special emphasis will be placed on what happens after the tour ends--a critical moment often overlooked. Taking a story-driven approach, marketing and sales teams can help seniors and their families move beyond "just looking" to "I belong here." Key takeaways: How Storytelling is the Foundation- The importance of a great story is to build a sense of community and connect with future residents and families. Apply other industry best practices to the Senior Housing marketing and sales playbook. Actionable ideas for emotionally intelligent follow-ups, from custom leave-behinds that spark nostalgia to digital storytelling assets designed to keep the heart engaged long after visit.

In senior living, the buyer journey isn’t just long—it’s layered, emotional, and influenced by multiple decision-makers. From prospective residents and adult children to healthcare professionals and referral partners, every message and asset must speak to the right person at the right time with clarity and consistency. Yet for many organizations, sales and marketing teams are stuck in reactive mode—producing one-off materials in response to urgent requests, leading to fragmented messaging, inconsistent quality, and misaligned priorities.
In this forward-looking session, marketing strategist Marc Sadler shares how leading organizations are breaking this cycle by implementing clear, scalable frameworks that bring alignment, predictability, and performance to their sales and marketing efforts. You’ll learn how to create a strategic foundation—your “North Star”—that guides everything from persona-based messaging to asset development, enabling both in-house teams and external partners to produce aligned, high-impact deliverables without starting from scratch each time. <br><br>

What You’ll Learn <br>
• Lead with Strategy, Not Chaos: How to define a unifying strategic direction that connects every marketing and sales initiative to your core business goals and target personas. <br>
• Create Once, Deploy Everywhere: How modular frameworks enable scalable asset development across the entire customer journey—reducing duplication, saving time, and improving consistency. <br>
• Align Teams, Multiply Impact: How to empower internal teams and agency partners alike with the tools, language, and structure to deliver on-brand, conversion-ready content—at speed and scale. <br>
If you're looking to move beyond reactive execution and build a sales and marketing engine that’s fast, flexible, and future-ready, this session offers a clear blueprint to get there.

Search is being disrupted—fast. As Google’s AI Overviews increasingly dominate results pages and platforms like ChatGPT become consumer go-tos for local answers, the traditional rules of SEO and local visibility are being rewritten. For senior living marketers, this means rethinking how content is created, structured, and optimized to stay visible when families begin their search for care.

The digital marketing landscape is experiencing a seismic shift as search engines evolve from traditional click-through models to AI-powered summary experiences. With Google's AI Overviews now appearing in over 13% of all search queries and reaching 1.5 billion monthly users globally, marketers must fundamentally rethink their strategies for the no-click era. This paradigm represents the transformation from "click to search" to "search to informed decision," where users receive comprehensive answers directly within search results before ever visiting a website. As search clicks have declined by 30% in the past year due to AI-driven features, businesses face the critical challenge of maintaining visibility and driving conversions in an environment where traditional organic traffic metrics are becoming obsolete. This session will explore how to optimize content for Answer Engine Optimization (AEO), leverage structured data for AI Overview inclusion, and restructure advertising strategies to capture intent at the moment of discovery rather than after the click. <br><br>

Key Takeaways <br>
Master Answer Engine Optimization (AEO) for AI Visibility - Traditional SEO is evolving into Answer Engine Optimization, requiring content structured specifically for AI consumption. Focus on question-focused content architecture, implement comprehensive schema markup (FAQPage, HowTo, Product), and create concise, authoritative answers that can be easily extracted by AI systems. Success in no-click environments demands content that serves both human readers and AI algorithms simultaneously. <br>
Pivot Advertising Strategy from Click-Based to Impression-Based Value - With fewer users clicking through to websites, advertising must shift focus from driving traffic to creating immediate brand impact and capturing intent within search results. Develop strategies that maximize visibility in AI Overviews, optimize for featured snippets, and create advertising that works in conjunction with organic AI-generated summaries to influence purchase decisions before users ever visit your site. <br>
Implement Multi-Touch Attribution for the Zero-Click Customer Journey - The customer journey now often begins and ends within search results, requiring new measurement frameworks that track brand influence and conversion impact beyond traditional click-through metrics. Establish systems to measure how AI Overview appearances, featured snippet visibility, and knowledge panel presence contribute to offline conversions, brand searches, and direct traffic to create a complete picture of search marketing ROI in the no-click era.

Price Transparency has become increasingly important as consumers look online for information to help guide the early stages of their search. Has your company maximized this opportunity?
Learn what “Price Transparency” means to today’s consumers, and about how leading companies have optimized their approach. This session will highlight findings from a recent national consumer survey conducted by U.S. News & World Report, along with a panel discussion about ten practical steps that organizations can take to ensure they’re engaging and building trust at critical moments in the consumer journey. <br><br> <p>Sponsored By:<br><img src=https://naccme.s3.us-east-1.amazonaws.com/25-SMASH/USNews-logo-CMYK.png alt="Upload Image" width="200" /></p>

The rules of engagement in senior living have fundamentally changed—and the winners are already adapting. This interactive session, led by Sr. Growth + Innovation Manager Ellyn Thorson at Gannett / USA Today Network, is designed to equip senior living leaders with the latest insights into shifting consumer behaviors that can inform your creative messaging and media placement strategy to attract more prospective residents and caretakers within the shifting human behavior landscape. <br>
From AI-powered search environments to fragmented media ecosystems and evolving economic pressures, today’s consumers are researching, evaluating, and buying in new ways. In this session, you will gain access to exclusive new research from Gannett and top industry consumer data aggregation platforms, as well as behavioral learnings from USA Today Network, which reaches 51% of U.S. Adults online with an average of 142M+ unique visitors monthly, as well as 221M+ in monthly Native Social Video Views and 105M+ Followers/Likes across their social media platforms. Their reach also includes 57% of Baby Boomers online in the U.S. and attracts more monthly unique Baby Boomer users than Fox News, CNN, New York Times, Yahoo News, NY Post, Wall Street Journal, or the Washington Post. With this wealth of data in human behavior, Thorson reveals a seismic shift in how prospective residents and caretaker families are consuming media and making their decisions.
This educational session isn’t about technology — it’s about understanding how human behavior is driving the largest wealth transfer in history, so you can equip your teams with the best strategy to stay ahead of the trend. You'll leave with actionable intelligence about where your prospects really are, what they actually want, and how to reach them before your competition does. <br><br>
Key Takeaways: <br>
Understand how consumer behavior has evolved in the senior living space <br>
Discover actionable behavioral insights from top leading research sources, including industry leading data aggregation platforms, and USA Today Network 1st party data, and proprietary studies <br>
Gain clarity on how to reach prospects in a no-click, multi-platform world <br>
Learn which marketing strategies are driving results—and which are draining budgets <br>
Leave with a roadmap to thrive in a competitive, economically pressured landscape

In this session, NIC MAP COO Kyle Gardner will unpack the latest senior housing demand trends and show you how to turn data into actionable strategy. From identifying hot markets and demographic shifts to using real-time occupancy and rate insights, Kyle will highlight how data-driven decision-making can drive stronger lead generation, smarter positioning and better conversions. Learn how top-tier sales teams are aligning with market demand and setting themselves apart from competitors. <br><br>

Takeaways: <br>
1.) Learn how to use real-time occupancy and rate insights to inform your sales strategy <br>
2.) Hear key market trends both nation-wide and in local markets <br>
3.) Learn how consumer preferences are shifting and how to identify these shifts with psychographic data

Today’s senior living customer journey is rarely a solo one—it’s a team buying experience, with adult children and extended family deeply involved in the decision-making process. This shift demands a new sales strategy: team selling, led by empowered Executive Directors who must now embrace their role as Chief Sales Officers. <br>
In this highly interactive, learning-rich session, we’ll explore 8 behavior-based, research-proven, field-tested Sales Standards that, when consistently executed, are proven to drive occupancy and revenue growth. We’ll examine how “relationship equity”—built through trust with every family member involved—can tip the scale in your favor. <br>
You’ll gain insights from a seasoned Executive Director who leads as a Chief Sales Officer every day, building alignment across departments and coaching staff on how to play to their strengths in a unified sales strategy. We’ll also look at Creative Follow-Up (CFU) techniques that give families a personalized glimpse into life in your community—and keep momentum moving forward. <br><br>
Key Takeaways: <br>
Understand the behavioral standards that drive high-performing, trust-based sales outcomes. <br>
Learn how to operationalize team selling across your entire community—including often overlooked staff members. <br>
Reframe the Executive Director role as the sales team quarterback, responsible for alignment, accountability, and results. <br>
Walk away with real-world examples of Creative Follow-Up (CFU) strategies that deepen connection and convert leads.

Today the thing that may not make sense is the thing that may work best for marketers. You know your target doesn’t always behave logically, especially during times of stress and anxiety. In fact, scientific research proves people often act irrationally, making decisions that aren’t well-considered.

Yet you can get more people to consider you if you tap into certain unconventional tactics.

Discover exactly what they are in this eye-opening session. See numerous market-tested examples. And gain 5 surprising ways to influence behavior, so you can get more people to do what you want — when you want them to.

These messaging moves may not make sense, but they will motivate consumers for the marketers who embrace them.

In today’s hyper-fragmented media landscape, far too many brands play it safe—sticking to search and social while leaving massive attention and awareness on the table. This session challenges that mindset. Discover why an over-reliance on narrow digital channels limits growth—and how forward-thinking brands are embracing a more expansive, omnichannel approach that includes programmatic, linear TV, radio, print, and out-of-home. Learn how to build smarter, broader media plans that capture untapped audiences, improve efficiency, and drive meaningful brand results in a crowded marketplace. <br><br>
3 Actionable Takeaways: <br>
Rethink Your Media Mix – Learn how to identify when your brand is over-indexed on search and social, and what signals indicate it’s time to diversify. <br>
Plan for Awareness and Efficiency – Understand how to integrate traditional and digital channels to maximize both upper-funnel impact and performance ROI. <br>
Sell Bold Ideas with Confidence – Arm yourself with the data and messaging to convince internal stakeholders and clients that going “bigger than a phone” isn’t a risk—it’s a competitive advantage.

Funnel Focus: Awareness to Consideration
Persona Concept: The socially active but emotionally ambivalent solo ager

Description:
She hasn’t filled out a form. She’s not asking questions. But she’s researching. This session explores how AI can help providers connect with solo agers who are quietly gathering information and deeply resistant to feeling “sold.”
You’ll follow the digital breadcrumbs of one such persona—an active, intellectually curious widow who’s overwhelmed by home upkeep yet emotionally unready to commit. Learn how AI can be used to build trust, personalize web content, and craft nurturing email flows that reflect real readiness signals—not just clicks.

Key AI Capabilities Featured:
• Persona-sensitive content development
• Site personalization based on behavior
• Sentiment-aware email response crafting
• Readiness modeling via pattern tracking

You’ll Leave With:
• Insights on how to identify and serve silent researchers
• Strategies to nurture long-cycle leads with empathy
• A scalable plan for solo ager-specific marketing campaigns

Last year on this very stage, Aline announced that AI was coming to the CRM, and we meant it. Since then, we’ve learned firsthand that building AI that’s not just impressive but truly dependable is a very different kind of challenge. <br><br>

In this candid and practical session, CEO Brandon Logsdon and Chief Product & Technology Officer Nitin Somalwar share what it really takes to move AI from a concept to something operators can trust in daily use. They’ll explore where AI meaningfully adds value, and where it doesn’t, so leaders can make clearer, more confident decisions about adoption. <br><br>

You’ll hear what worked, what didn’t, and the lessons that can shortcut your own AI journey. From early product decisions to real-world testing and refinement, this session breaks down how Aline is approaching AI with intention, not speed, and what questions every operator should be asking their AI vendors. <br><br>

We’ll cover: <br>
• Why impressive demos don’t always equal dependable outcomes <br>
• Key questions to evaluate any AI solution, including data provenance, bias mitigation, and operational fit <br>
• How to spot the difference between real operational impact and AI marketing buzz <br>
• A behind-the-scenes look at Aline’s AI development process, from sprint planning to prompt tuning <br>
• Real-world use cases, including recommended next best actions, AI-generated emails and texts, call summaries, and top prospect lists <br><br>

Takeaway: Leave with clarity, not hype. This session is your chance to get grounded in what real, operational AI looks like today so you can make smarter decisions about what comes next. <br>

<p>Sponsored By:<br><img src=https://naccme.s3.us-east-1.amazonaws.com/25-SMASH/aline-primary-logo-b… alt="Upload Image" width="200" /></p>

The senior living industry did not escape the Great Recession – the economic downturn that began in December 2007 and lasted through 2009 – unscathed. A decline in occupancy rates because of financial uncertainty and hardships on seniors and their families, combined with a wide range of financing, development and operational challenges, led to a wave of bankruptcies, closures, mergers, and acquisitions. <br><br>

As we approach the end of a year of economic uncertainty and turmoil, what lessons can the senior living industry learn from the Great Recession? The panelists, all of whom work for the same company since or before 2008, not only survived, but thrived during the recession. What did they do? They generously share what worked for them then and how what was learned applies to the present time. What is different now from then? What’s changed most? What is steadfast, proven to work? <br><br>

We’ll present two case studies that illustrate how the combination of strong leadership, strategies and tactics brought senior living operators through the great recession; not only survived but thrived. <br>
3 Learning Outcomes: <br>
As a result of attending this session, participants will learn <br>
• what high-level areas of business to evaluate to assess its recession-worthiness. <br>
• the key leading indicators in senior living to watch that can help operators make informed, proactive decisions during uncertain economic times; and <br>
• sales and marketing strategies to maintain (and grow) occupancy when seniors and their families are unsure, even reluctant to make a move to senior living.

For most families, the decision to move into a senior living community is a deeply personal, emotional journey that takes time. In this session, we’ll walk through practical ways to stay connected with prospects, without overwhelming them or your team. You’ll leave with actionable content strategies that build trust, keep conversations going, and gently guide families toward peace of mind. <br><br>
Key takeaways: <br>
1. Create a long-term content plan that aligns with the slow, emotional senior living sales cycle. <br>
2. Shift from features to feelings with content that addresses emotional needs first, helping families feel understood and supported. <br>
3. See how simple workflows can help your team nurture seniors and families consistently, even with limited time and resources.

The paid media landscape is evolving faster than most teams can keep up. And while ad platforms tout “built-in AI,” the reality is: one asset at a time doesn’t scale — especially when you're managing multiple locations, care levels, and funnel stages. This session will show you how to build an AI-powered content engine that reduces manual work and empowers your team to focus on what actually drives performance: smart strategy, testing, and creative insights

Funnel Focus: Consideration to Evaluation <br>
Persona Concept: The adult daughter ready to act vs. the skeptical sibling <br><br>

Description: <br>
When adult children are navigating a parent’s care needs, emotional weight and family dynamics can stall even the most motivated buyers. This session digs into a case where one sibling is ready to move forward—and the other resists at every turn. <br>
You’ll see how AI-enhanced tools can help segment messaging for different family personas, track decision readiness separately, and equip your teams with the right content and tone for every player. From tailored care guides to conversation sentiment tracking, learn how AI can help you coach families through internal friction toward resolution. <br><br>

Key AI Capabilities Featured: <br>
• Persona segmentation for multiple stakeholders <br>
• Sales call analysis for emotional tone and objection type <br>
• Decision-tree messaging flows for caregivers vs. skeptics <br>
• Scenario-based ROI visualizations <br><br>

You’ll Leave With: <br>
• Frameworks for marketing and sales to support caregiving gatekeepers <br>
• A toolkit for conflict-sensitive family communication <br>
• Playbooks for navigating internal resistance without losing momentum

In senior living, decisions aren’t just logical—they’re deeply emotional and often driven by both the prospective resident and their adult children. In this session, Michael Bonfils, Global Managing Director of Digital International Group (DIG), will show how combining psychological profiling with AI-powered insights can transform your marketing approach. Learn how to map emotional drivers, understand decision-making personas, and create personalized campaigns that resonate, convert, and build long-term trust.

Marketing in senior living has evolved. Families are more informed. Expectations are higher. And digital channels are more competitive than ever. Simply generating leads isn’t enough—you need a smarter, more connected strategy that drives real results and aligns every step of the funnel. <br>

In this practical and inspiring session, Inertia Digital Marketing and American Senior Communities unveil the P.A.R.T.N.E.R. Method, a seven-step framework that helped reduce cost per lead by 41 percent and deliver up to 28X return on ad spend. You’ll get a firsthand look at the strategy, tools, and campaigns that made it happen—and walk away with the clarity and confidence to do the same. <br>

This session blends real-world case studies with repeatable tactics, giving you the blueprint to build a demand engine that works now and in the future. <br>

What you’ll walk away with: <br>

1. A proven, repeatable roadmap to build or optimize your digital marketing funnel <br>
2. Insight into how to track and connect campaign performance, engagement, and CRM activity to occupancy outcomes <br>
3. Tools including dashboards, campaign examples, and a tactical checklist you can put into use immediately <br>

Designed for senior-level marketing and sales leaders, this session will help you rethink what’s possible—and take action with purpose. <br>

<p>Sponsored By:<br><img src=https://naccme.s3.us-east-1.amazonaws.com/25-SMASH/Inertia+Wave+Text+Fi… alt="Upload Image" width="200" /></p>

Enjoy an engaging midday experience designed to foster meaningful conversation and strategic connections. Join fellow attendees for curated roundtable discussions over lunch. Each table offers a unique opportunity to dive into timely topics, explore innovations, and exchange perspectives in a relaxed, collaborative setting. <br><br>
1. Reputation Control (Advanced Entry) <br>
2. Turning Surveys & AI Chats into Sales Power (Waypoint Converts) <br>
3. Personalizing Follow-Up with Video: A Practical Guide for Senior Living Operators and Agencies (HeartLegacy) <br>
4. Own Your Own Zipcode: Local Marketing Strategies for Senior Living Communities (Conversion Logix) <br>
5. Upper Funnel vs. Lower Funnel: What's Really Driving Performance (Conversion Logix) <br>
6. SNF & HomeHealth - Optimizing intake decision workflows (ExaCare AI) <br>
7. SNF and Home Health - Optimizing Reimbursement in an Increasingly Complex Payer Landscape (ExaCare AI) <br>
8. From Feedback to First Choice: Mastering Your Reputation in Senior Living (Reputation) <br>
9. The Future of Websites: SEO, LLM's & AI (SageAge) <br>
10. Updating Your Website for AI Search (Senior Living SMART) <br>
11. 2026 Prep: Grow Revenue Without Extra Budget (Marchex) <br>
12. How Do You Target? Strategies for Reaching the Right Audience (Causeway Solutions) <br>
13. Emerging Tech and its Impact on Inefficiencies and Cost Savings (Smartlinx) <br>
14. From Care to Culture: Shifting the Narrative of Senior Living to Drive Growth (Eldermark) <br>
15. Technology as a Differentiator: Driving Engagement, Trust, and Market Confidence in Senior Living (Sage) <br>
16. Tech That Sticks: Implementation + Evolution in Senior Living (Senior Sign) <br>
17. Driving Census & Revenue: Care Workforce IS your Competitive Advantage in Senior Living Sales & Marketing (Procare HR) <br>
18. From Challenges to Connection: How AI Drives Engagement in Senior Living (ActiveDEMAND) <br>
19. Knowing Your Brand Story (CITIZEN) <br>
20. How Are You Standing Out and Showing Up in the Crowded Market Space of Senior Living? (CareScout) <br>
21. From Interest to Move-In: Using New Communication Methods to Strengthen the Sales Experience (OneDay) <br>
22. Preparing for the 2030 and Beyond Prospect (Creating Results)

Every portfolio faces challenges—but turnaround doesn’t have to be slow or costly. In this dynamic session, NIC’s capital expert Omar Zahraoui and senior living strategist Traci Bild combine forces to deliver a dual-perspective blueprint: diagnosing the real issues behind underperformance and executing a 90-day rapid recovery plan tied directly to ROI and asset valuation. Attendees will gain a powerful framework to stabilize, recover, and reposition assets for sustained success—and to rebuild investor confidence in the process. <br><br>
Learning Outcomes: <br>
• Diagnose root causes of underperformance across operations, sales, leadership, and market positioning. <br>
• Execute a 90-day plan to stabilize performance, regain momentum, and rebuild NOI. <br>
• Connect operational shifts directly to investor metrics such as valuation, NOI, and cap rates. <br>
• Create alignment across operations, sales, and capital stakeholders for fast-track asset recovery.

In today’s competitive senior living market, getting leads to move from curious to committed is the crucial conversion key. To help you unlock this important door, this dynamic session will give you practical strategies to help you, and your partner agency, optimize every stage of your marketing funnel. Discover how to tweak important page elements for major conversion lifts, tailor emotionally compelling messaging for both seniors and their adult children, and build trust through smart micro-conversions that turn interest into move-ins. Whether you're refining your strategy or rebuilding your website, you’ll walk away with actionable tactics to drive high-quality, high-intent leads straight to the doorstep. <br><br>

3 Actionable Takeaways: <br>
1. Optimize with Intent – Discover the 3 most impactful on-page elements that drive higher lead quality, and how small, strategic tweaks can significantly boost conversion rates. <br>
2. Design for the Decision Maker – Learn how to tailor messaging that resonates with both seniors and their adult children, aligning your content with their emotional and practical needs. <br>
3. Build Trust Through the Funnel – Master the art of nurturing leads after the initial inquiry through micro-conversions that build credibility and increase booked tours.

The senior living industry has evolved from primarily a hospitality based business to becoming more care focused. With higher acuity level residents moving into senior living, it requires knowledge and a balancing act to help someone move in while being able to provide the care level they need. The general public are asking about resident medical care more frequently in recent years. Operators are having to take notice and understand this component and be able to communicate this during the sales process. Many have heard of VBC or Value Based Care, but few truly understand what it means and how that affects a resident from moving into the community. While its important to know all benefits and amenities of a community, the clinical care is often not discussed during the sales pitch. Sometimes this is left to the clinical team who are not as well versed in communicating with residents and families compared to the sales and marketing team. Other times, there could be a difference of opinion between clinical and sales teams, on whether a resident is medically suitable to move in. We will dissect how the different roles of team leaders who all help drive a resident to move in. This session will help sales and marketing leaders better understand Value based care, how to promote this information, and balance that higher acuity level we are seeing with new residents.

Google’s search results are undergoing a seismic shift. With AI Overviews and AI Mode now front and center, traditional rankings and ad placements are being replaced by AI-generated answers and embedded ads. For senior living marketers, this isn’t a tweak—it’s a full-scale reinvention of how prospects discover and engage with your brand. <br><br>
In this session, Sam will unpack what these changes mean for lead generation, occupancy growth, and digital strategy. He’ll explain how AI is driving conversions directly inside the SERP, where the most valuable (and underpriced) ad placements will appear, and why “agentic search” could be a game-changer for high-consideration decisions like senior living. You’ll also learn how to evaluate your own keyword landscape to find risk and opportunity, and what it takes to stay visible when AI—not users—is deciding what gets shown.
This is not about hype. It’s about adapting fast, making smarter decisions, and leading with relevance in an AI-dominated search environment.

From the first click to move-in, this session shows senior living operators how to turn content into a personalized journey that performs. Using real-time generative AI, machine learning, and automation grounded in senior living first-party data, you will integrate AI into current workflows, route the right message to the right channel for each prospect, and prove content-specific ROI with clear metrics. We break down practical tactics for tailoring messaging by preference and stage, orchestrating distribution at scale, and learning from engagement signals to continually improve. Expect playbook-ready examples, measurable benchmarks, and a roadmap for upgrading one-size-fits-all programs to an individualized content promise that increases engagement, shortens time to tour, and drives move-ins. <p>Sponsored By:<br><img src=https://naccme.s3.us-east-1.amazonaws.com/25-SMASH/ActiveDEMAND+-new_lo… alt="Upload Image" width="200" /></p>

AI can automate, accelerate, and even imitate emotion, but it can't replace human connection. In this session, Brett Arndt, CEO of Experience Fresh, explores how agencies and operators leverage AI efficiently while keeping authenticity at the core. From real-world examples to AI audit demos, Brett will show how leading agencies are balancing automation with empathy, creativity, and transparency to drive measurable results. <br>

Attendees will leave with practical tools to: <br><br>

Understand their current martech stack for overlap and inefficiencies <br>

Understand how to align AI tools with strategic, human-led vision <br>

Strengthen agency partnerships built on trust, transparency, and shared purpose <br>

Join us for a candid look behind the algorithms and tools for an interactive approach to AI and the agency relationship. <br>

Sponsored by Experience Fresh

In this convention challenging keynote, you’ll discover why the rules of engagement with today’s customer have radically changed—and why most brands are still playing the old game. In an era of zero-click content, shrinking reach, and AI-driven search answers, the traditional “post more, reach more” approach no longer works. What does? Conversations. <br><br>

Brooke Sellas will reveal how to stop chasing algorithms and start harnessing the power of listening. Social listening - to your customers, your competitors, and your industry. Using her BIC Framework (Brand, Industry, Competitor), you’ll learn how conversations reveal intent signals that can give your sales and marketing teams an undeniable edge. <br><br>

The real transformation is this: when you shift focus from creating content to creating connection, you not only build trust and loyalty—you arm sales with the social proof to close deals faster and help support teams deliver experiences that keep customers coming back.
This is the future of social media—not as a grind, but as the most trusted channel for understanding, engaging, and winning your customers. <br><br>

​Session Takeaways: <br>
How to uncover intent signals in everyday conversations that give sales and marketing a competitive advantage. <br>
Why listening beats posting in a no-click, AI-shaped environment—and how to use it to drive visibility and trust. <br>
How to transform conversations into conversion tools that fuel sales, strengthen loyalty, and future-proof your brand. <br>
<p>Sponsored By:<br><img src=https://naccme.s3.us-east-1.amazonaws.com/25-SMASH/Unlock-Red_NEW.png alt="Upload Image" width="200" /></p>

Wrap up your Tuesday with Cocktail Connections — SMASH’s signature evening networking experience! Hosted across individual suites, this relaxed reception invites you to unwind, explore, and connect in a casual yet engaging setting. Look for directions to sponsor suites!
<br>
Palm Tower, 6th Floor
-A Place for Mom: Suite 6243
-ALINE: Suite 6231
-SilverAssist: Suite 6247
-WelcomeHome Software: Suite 6250

Seating is limited and available on a first-come, first-served basis.

What if the most powerful sales tool you have isn’t your pricing sheet, your incentives, or your floor plans — but your story? In this energizing, straight-to-the-heart keynote, Melissa Fritz, Creator and Executive Producer of Inside Senior Living, shares how she went from selling senior living apartments in a Midwestern market to creating, selling, and producing a national TV series airing on PBS in under three years. Dubbed a “Unicorn” by her peers in the television industry, Melissa will reveal how the same storytelling skills that helped her fill communities are the very skills that helped her bring a bold, unheard-of idea to national screens. Melissa will challenge you to embrace your own plot twist — because every professional, every prospect, and every resident carries a story that can inspire connection and drive decisions. Through candid stories, practical techniques, and a few behind-the-scenes TV moments, you’ll leave ready to rewrite how you connect with prospects, families, and referral partners. <br>
<p>Sponsored By:<br><img src=https://naccme.s3.us-east-1.amazonaws.com/25-SMASH/SeniorsGuide-com-log… alt="Upload Image" width="200" /></p>

Buckle up for a fast-paced session that blends leadership insights, sales strategy, and team development into one power-packed hour. "45 Ideas in 45 Minutes" is back by popular demand, bringing together senior living sales experts to share bold, creative, and actionable ideas that you can implement immediately. <br>
From motivating teams and training sales talent, to staying on top of constant change, this session isn't just about sales—it's about the people, tools, and mindset shifts that drive results. Whether you're leading a sales team, training new team members, or looking to refine your own sales acumen, you’ll leave energized and equipped with practical strategies that work in the real world.
No fluff. No filler. Just 45 powerful insights in 45 minutes. Open a new section in your notes app and get ready to type - because this is the session your future self will thank you for attending. <br><br>

Key Takeaways: <br>
Fuel Sales Performance with creative contests, coaching tools, and tactics to overcome common obstacles. <br>
Elevate Leadership Impact by learning how top leaders manage change, motivate teams, and KPIs that matter most. <br>
Boost Team Engagement through innovative recognition, meeting ideas, and culture-building strategies.

Forget the hype—this session is about practical AI you can actually use. From dashboards to strategy decks, today’s sales and marketing leaders are buried in data and stretched thin on time. This fast-paced, hands-on session will show you how to integrate AI into your daily routines to speed up reporting, sharpen analysis, and supercharge decision-making. <br><br>
Whether you're building your weekly performance brief, preparing for a strategy meeting, or analyzing campaign data, you’ll walk away with real-world prompt ideas, tool suggestions, and workflow hacks that make your job easier—and your insights better. Plus, you’ll participate in a live “Prompt Jam” with your peers to co-create solutions to common marketing and sales challenges.

Today’s 75+ prospects are not who they were even five years ago. They’re living longer, thinking differently about retirement, and approaching housing decisions with new expectations. So how do you connect with this evolving customer in a way that actually moves the needle? In this practical, insight-rich session, David Cravit, Publisher of SuperAging News, reveals surprising patterns from thousands of content interactions and reader trends focused on healthy and purposeful aging. You’ll learn what’s resonating—and what’s falling flat—with today’s younger senior, and how those behavioral insights can help shape more effective messaging, positioning, and sales conversations for independent living. Whether it’s rethinking your community story or reframing the “when’s the right time to move” dialogue, this session offers a data-driven look at what actually works with the 75+ buyer—and why it matters now more than ever. <br><br>
Key Takeaways: <br>
• Discover what content and topics are driving the highest engagement among SuperAging’s 75+ readership. <br>
• Understand how shifting attitudes around retirement, identity, family (think grandkids) and purpose are impacting their decision-making. <br>
• Learn actionable messaging strategies to better align with today’s younger senior and improve inquiry-to-tour conversions. <br>
• Explore how sales teams can use this intel to open better conversations and overcome common objections.

Funnel Focus: Evaluation to “Not Yet Ready” <br>
Persona Concept: The waitlisted solo ager drifting away from a decision <br><br>

Description: <br>
What happens after the tour… but before the decision? This session addresses a critical funnel gap: the post-tour, waitlisted phase where interest fades and distractions multiply. <br>
We revisit our solo ager case study—still not quite ready, but open—and show how AI can keep leads engaged without overwhelming them. Discover low-pressure, high-touch strategies for post-tour content, hobby-aligned updates, and seasonal check-ins. You’ll also learn how AI can help you distinguish the “curious” from the “close to converting.” <br><br>

Key AI Capabilities Featured: <br>
• Lead warming sequences based on expressed interest <br>
• Content personalization by lifestyle and hobbies <br>
• Predictive scoring to prioritize re-engagement <br>
• GPT-powered ambassador messages to sustain connection <br><br>

You’ll Leave With: <br>
• A playbook for nurturing the “almost ready” segment <br>
• Tools to keep your community top of mind—without being pushy <br>
• AI strategies for maximizing engagement during decision limbo

Senior living organizations face complex challenges: staffing shortages, resident satisfaction, and financial pressures top the list. But how do executive leaders see AI fitting into the solution mix?

This session shares complementary perspectives from a CEO and a CXO, drawn from conversations with experienced senior living executives. You’ll gain a clear view of how strategic priorities such as labor and reimbursement pressures, occupancy and growth, all shape decisions, alongside the CXO’s lens on where AI can amplify team impact, streamline workflows, and turn resident and staff feedback into actionable insights.

Finally, Brooke Saxon-Spencer, Chief Experience Officer at Claiborne Senior Living, will share her firsthand observations from piloting AI-powered tools across multiple communities. Hear what worked, early wins, and lessons learned for applying AI in day-to-day operations.

Attendees will leave with a practical understanding of how complementary C-suite perspectives guide AI adoption, helping their teams focus on high-impact areas. <br><br>

<p>Sponsored By:<br><img src=https://naccme.s3.us-east-1.amazonaws.com/25-SMASH/Reputation_Logo_Hori… alt="Upload Image" width="200" /></p>

After listening to and coaching on hundreds of real conversations between salespeople and seniors in the financial space, three consistent strategic gaps emerge—ones that quietly undermine trust, alignment, and conversion. In this session, we’ll break down those gaps and show how sales leaders can elevate their departments to increase sales while making seniors feel more served. <br><br>

Key Takeaways: <br>
- A 3-part model for creating a sales strategy that enables effective team coaching <br>
- How to instill confidence in team members struggling to sell <br>
- Why the right strategy is more efficient than scripting

This comprehensive AI fundamentals workshop equips senior care marketing and sales professionals with practical knowledge of essential AI tools that can transform their operations beyond traditional content creation. Designed for marketing and sales professionals in senior care, participants will explore the "Big 6" foundational AI platforms alongside cutting-edge applications including advanced image and video generation tools, sophisticated reporting platforms like DataSpeaks for data visualization and analytics, and innovative presentation tools such as Gamma for dynamic slide creation and Bluedot for meeting intelligence. The session emphasizes real-world applications in senior care marketing—from automating resident outreach campaigns and creating personalized family communications to generating compliance documentation and analyzing market trends. Attendees will gain hands-on experience with free and accessible AI tools specifically selected for their immediate applicability in senior care environments, moving beyond basic chatbots to discover how AI can streamline operations, enhance resident engagement, and drive measurable business outcomes in today's competitive senior care landscape. <br><br>

Key Takeaways: <br>
Master Essential AI Tools for Senior Care Operations: Learn to leverage the "Big 6" AI platforms plus specialized tools like Gamma, Bluedot, and DataSpeaks to automate marketing workflows, create compelling visual content for families, and generate actionable insights from resident and market data. <br>
Implement AI Beyond Content Creation: Discover practical applications including automated compliance reporting, personalized resident communication systems, competitive market analysis, and data-driven decision making tools that directly impact occupancy rates and family satisfaction. <br>
Prepare for the Agentic AI Revolution: Understand the next evolution of AI technology where intelligent agents will autonomously handle complex senior care marketing tasks, from lead qualification and family follow-ups to predictive analytics for resident needs and market opportunities.

What is luxury? Moderator, Lola Rain, will dive into the word 'luxury' and illustrate how it is being used in today's market. <br><br>

Panelists from Sequoia Living in the San Francisco Bay Area will share their case study using a fresh eyes approach to tackle a list of objections and find the right target audience with the right message to create urgency. They will discuss how they redefined the term luxury and give examples of how other communities, no matter their age or level of care, can use these principles to differentiate their communities. <br><br>

In this session, attendees will: <br>
- Identify how luxury can be utilized as a feeling, especially when your community lacks the same luster as newer buildings <br>
- Evaluate collateral to stand apart from the competition <br>
- Discover how to roll out ‘company is coming’ to get team members excited to WOW prospects <br>
- Engage residents to dive into niche markets and the LGBTQ+ community

Senior living communities are under pressure to innovate—not just for better care, but for stronger margins. This session explores how one organization created a differentiated, revenue-generating restorative care program that fills a critical gap between traditional personal care/assisted living and skilled nursing. Beyond an enhancement or amenity, this is a standalone product with its own staffing model, targeted messaging, and a clearly defined place in the continuum. You'll learn how the program drives consumer trust, captures downstream referrals, and increases resident loyalty while aligning with today's evolving senior population's physical care needs. <br><br>

Designed for forward-thinking operators, this panel-driven discussion will walk through key elements of launching and sustaining a restorative program—from billing strategies (including Part B), to staffing with specialized coordinators and trained aides, to the nuanced marketing and messaging that resonates with today's boomer buyer. You'll also gain insights into positioning the program online, communicating its value on tours, and ensuring it stands apart, physically and perceptually, from other levels of care. <br><br>

Key Takeaways: <br>
1. Understand how restorative programs can serve as both a revenue center and a referral pipeline within your community. <br>
2. Learn how to market this unique product offering to a discerning, care-savvy consumer base. <br>
3. Gain insight into staffing models, billing strategies, and operational considerations for sustainable implementation.

What if AI could make your sales team more human, not more robotic? In this session, you’ll hear how a senior living operator is using AI “digital teammates” to transform the sales process. See how they: <br><br>
· Revived “cold” CRM leads sitting idle for 90+ days and turned them into real opportunities. <br>
· Re-engaged prospects, with hard numbers on what happened next. <br>
· Freed counselors to stay in the selling zone, focusing on meaningful family connections & meaningful follow ups. <br>
· Embedded AI directly into their existing tools like CRM, Marketing Automation, Resident engagement portal and Email leading to near zero adoption challenges. <br>
· Finally, hear how their AI teammate “Joy” wasn’t perfect on day one, but has now become an indispensable part of the team. <br>
Join us for a practical case study that shows how AI can drive move-ins while empowering teams to focus on what matters most: connecting with families. <br><br>
<p>Sponsored By:<br><img src=https://naccme.s3.us-east-1.amazonaws.com/25-SMASH/Budy+Logo.png i alt="Upload Image" width="200" /></p>