Are Your Marketing and Sales Team Leveraging Your Accreditation?

Are your marketing and sales team effectively using your accreditation messaging to increase your tour to move-in conversions? Here are five content ideas to improve their conversations with prospective residents and families.

Why Accreditation Matters: 5 Reasons to Choose an Accredited Senior Living Community

When families and residents are looking for senior living care, they are navigating one of the most emotionally charged and high-stakes decisions of their lives. In this moment, accreditation is your community’s badge of trust, but only if it's explained clearly, consistently, and meaningfully.

Here is how your marketing team can break it down for prospective families and residents.

1. "You get care that's voluntarily held to a higher standard.”

Language for the tour:

“We’re proud to be accredited by The Joint Commission. This means that we chose to meet a higher bar for safety, quality, and our care and services. Accreditation is optional, and we went the extra mile to earn it.

What it means to prospective residents and families:

• More rigorous safety and quality checks.

• Independent evaluation by a respected, national organization.

• We chose to be held accountable.

  
  

2. "Your loved one is protected by a proactive, not reactive, culture."

Language for the tour:

“Many communities focus on passing state surveys. But accredited communities like ours are always ready because we have built survey readiness and continuous improvement into our everyday routine. Your loved one benefits from that attention every single day.”

What it means to prospective residents and families:

• Accreditation encourages ongoing excellence, not just scrambling for inspections.

• Risk is reduced because issues are addressed before they become problems.

• Peace of mind: We are not just compliant, we are forward-thinking.

3. "Residents and families like yours helped shape our standards."

Language for the tour:

“Part of accreditation means that we include feedback from residents and families just like you. Their voices help shape our care, services, quality, and safety, and satisfaction surveys.

What it means to prospective residents and families:

• Transparent communication and regular check-ins.

• A system that values feedback, rather than ignores it.

• More personalized, responsive care.

  
  

4. "If something ever goes wrong, there’s a system behind our promises."

Language for the tour:

“Every provider will tell you that they care. But accredited communities are required to have systems in place to catch, report, and fix problems fast. That includes things like fall prevention, infection control, and medication safety.

What it means to prospective residents and families:

• Safety is not left to chance.

• Problems are tracked, reported, and corrected systemically.

• There is accountability baked in.

  
  

5. "You’re choosing a provider that values transparency and continuous improvement."

Language for the tour:

“Accreditation is not a one-time event. We must continually collect data and improve all that we do as part of our ongoing accreditation readiness and for reaccreditation purposes.

What it means to prospective residents and families:

• We are future focused.

• We are always working to improve all that we do.

• Accreditation requires continuous improvement.

  
  

Training Tips for Marketing and Sales Staff Consistency in Accreditation Messaging:

To ensure every community marketing and salesperson communicates this message clearly and consistently, here is a simple training framework:

1. Create a 5-Point “Accreditation Advantage” Card

• Print a small, branded pocket guide with these 5 points.

• Include 1–2 key phrases and bullet points for each benefit.

• Give this to every marketing staff member and use it during all tours and phone calls.

  
  

2. Practice Through Roleplay

• Run regular roleplay scenarios.

• Have staff practice explaining accreditation to distinct types of prospective residents and families: skeptical, confused, emotional, and rushed.

• Use common objections (e.g., “But I’ve never heard of accreditation before”) to evaluate their responses.

  
  

3. Use Resident and Family-Friendly Language, Not Industry Jargon

• Avoid terms like “QAPI,” “CMS,” or “TJC” unless explained clearly.

• Swap them for words like “independent evaluation,” or “voluntary quality and safety check.”

  
  

4. Incorporate Real Resident and Family Testimonials

• Share quotes from residents or families that reference safety, peace of mind, or trust.

• Add these to tour packets, websites, and social media.

  
  

5. Regular Refreshers During Team Meetings

• Reinforce 1 of the 5 points each week during the daily or weekly marketing huddle.

• Ask staff: “How did you explain accreditation on your last tour?” to encourage peer learning.

  
  

Final Word for Marketers and Sales Staff

Accreditation is your trust differentiator. Most prospective residents and families do not ask about it and non-accredited providers certainly will not bring it up. Take your moment to shine. With the right training and language, your marketing and sales team can make accreditation not just an afterthought, but a deciding factor for prospective residents and families in choosing your community.