How do you sell something that people don’t really want?
Here lies the uncomfortable truth: many people aren’t actively choosing retirement living, they’re reluctantly accepting it. Despite significant investment, the UK’s retirement living sector continues to underperform. Compare this with countries like the US, New Zealand, or Australia, where retirement living is not only better established but aspirational. Why the gap?
We hear it time and again: “Mum only moved because she had no other choice.” That’s the emotional baseline we’re working with.
It’s partly cultural. Here in the UK, retirement living is still viewed through the lens of loss and decline. Emotionally, it lands as a “last resort” rather than a lifestyle upgrade. We can’t sell change without addressing what this change feels like.
The Psychology of Change – Bridging the Intention-Action Gap
Even when people say they like the idea, they often don’t follow through. Behavioural science explains this as the intention-action gap. Prospective residents and their families talk about wanting security, connection, wellbeing – but when it comes to signing on the dotted line, fear takes the wheel.
Change is emotional. This isn’t a product sale, it’s a life pivot.
From a behavioural lens, it helps to understand stages of change (pre-contemplation to contemplation to preparation to action). Most of our prospective customers aren’t in “action.” They’re stuck between awareness and avoidance.
Loss aversion, choice overload, and status quo bias are major forces at play here. If we want to overcome these, we must reframe the move not as loss but gain.
Sales Rates & Replacement Rates
Some operators still cling to the idea that two sales a month is the benchmark. The truth? For many, it’s closer to 0.7 to 0.9.
It’s about keeping occupancy steady, with a solid resale strategy and clear visibility of incoming and outgoing residents in order to minimise voids.
That makes pre-sales critical. Yet there is no centralised data for key sales and marketing metrics. In hospitality, we can benchmark. In later living? We’re flying blind.
We need sector-wide transparency around:
Pre-sales volume
This is the number of homes reserved or sold before a community opens. In theory, a strong pre-sales phase sets the tone for early momentum. In reality? Many schemes are struggling to hit pre-launch targets of 25-30%, and that slow start can drag down performance for months (even years) to come.
Move-ins aren’t happening fast enough
Whether people are buying, renting, or choosing a part-rent/part-buy model, actual move-ins are lagging. It’s not enough to generate interest, you need feet through the door and keys handed over. And at the current pace, the flow simply isn’t enough to keep communities growing.
Pipeline conversion rates
You might have a healthy number of enquiries, but how many of those turn into actual residents? Low conversion rates suggest a disconnect between interest and action. It could be the messaging, the follow-up, the timing… or something deeper. But if the pipeline isn’t converting, it’s not really a pipeline, it’s a leaky bucket.
Lead attrition
This is where the real heartache happens. People enquire, show interest… and then vanish. They get stuck, overwhelmed, or simply lose confidence. Often, it’s not that they’ve gone elsewhere, it’s that they’ve gone nowhere. Understanding where and why people drop off is critical if you want to keep your prospects engaged and supported.
Average time to full occupancy
Here’s the long game. The time it takes to fill a retirement community has a direct impact on viability, cash flow, and morale. What used to be a 2–3 year fill target can stretch into 5–7 years or more for some. And without enough new move-ins to replace natural turnover, the goalposts just keep shifting.
Without this, we can’t track or improve performance with any consistency.
What Does ‘Great’ Look Like?
Let’s stop theorising and start learning from schemes that are succeeding. Examples include:
| Scheme | Average Sales Rate | Time to Stabilisation | Key Features |
| Birchgrove | 1.5–2/month | Within 12 months | Rental, strong pre-opening marketing |
| Jewish Care | Pre-opening interest high | Occupancy on opening | Integrated community model |
| ExtraCare & MHA | Variable but steady | Long-term stability | Charity-based, lifestyle focus |
| Richmond Villages | Consistent above-average | 80%+ before opening | Premium offering, high-touch sales process |
| St Monica Trust | High engagement rates | Ongoing community integration | Strong brand equity, innovation |
Where It’s Gone Wrong
We also need to take an honest look at what’s not working. When a scheme underperforms, it’s tempting to blame “the market,” but more often than not, the real issues lie closer to home: misjudged pricing, poor segmentation, a lack of meaningful data, or a sales process that feels more transactional than relational.
There’s no shame in saying, “This isn’t working.” The shame is in carrying on regardless, hoping for different results.
As the saying goes, “The definition of insanity is doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results.”
The Barrier of Re-Sale Value
Many potential residents are wary of buying in because of unclear or unattractive re-sale value propositions. That uncertainty breeds doubt and delays. It must be tackled head-on with transparent communication and resale support.
Behavioural Insights: Why People Say One Thing, But Do Another
Prospects often say they want a gym or a pool, but rarely use them. They say they want independence but fear isolation. Understanding the subconscious drivers at play is key.
We need to help people confront their own internal contradictions with empathy. The brain wants familiarity, even if it comes at the cost of wellbeing. The moment we understand that, we can begin designing a journey that holds their hand emotionally – not just practically.
The Sales Function: Undervalued, Underpowered, and Underperforming
The old belief still lingers among some stakeholders – “build it and they will come.” But they won’t. Not without the right team and a well-thought-out process.
Too many operators are:
- Expecting sales from untrained, unsupported teams
- Operating without structured sales journeys
- Relying on outdated or inconsistent CRM systems
- Only opening sales offices Mon-Fri
We propose minimum standards for the sector:
- Sales offices open at least one weekend day
- 24-hour follow-up standard after visit
- Emotional intelligence training for all sales staff
- Use of modern CRM and nurturing tools
Retirement living sales is not about closing deals. It’s about guiding people through fear and uncertainty.
Reframing the Brand: The Power of Positive Storytelling
Retirement living still too often gets framed as a safety net, focused on care, support, and decline. But what if the story we told was different? What if we positioned it as a lifestyle upgrade?
| Old Messaging | Future Messaging |
| “Secure your future” | “Create your next chapter” |
| “Worried about care?” | “Ready for more out of life?” |
| “Get support” | “Find purpose and connection” |
Let’s Stop Selling the Absence of Risk – And Start Selling the Presence of Possibility
Too often, retirement living is framed around what people avoid: isolation, falls, maintenance, worry. But that’s a hard sell. Because no one aspires to a life defined by what they’re escaping.
Instead, what if we focused on what they’re stepping into?
Purpose. Friendships. Freedom from house admin. Vibrant routines. A chance to enjoy life without compromise.
This isn’t sugar-coating reality, it’s about choosing the future we point people towards. It’s about showing retirement living as a stage of life where joy is possible, not just safety. Because when messaging leans too heavily on risk, it can feel clinical, passive, even a little bleak.
We’re starting to see that narrative shift. Initiatives like The Murder Mystery Club (due August 2025) and A Man on the Inside are gaining attention by showing retirement communities through a fresh lens, full of wit, vibrancy, and emotional connection. These aren’t industry campaigns; they’re popular cultural moments that challenge outdated stereotypes.
And then there’s Generation Joy – a bold, sector-led movement celebrating later life as something to look forward to. Through real stories, vibrant visuals, and positive representation, Generation Joy is helping reframe retirement living as an opportunity for growth, not just care.
The question is: are we asking people to step away from something, or step into something better?
It’s time to sell the presence of joy, not the absence of danger.
They create stories worth telling – of community, laughter, adventure. But these need to be the norm, not the outliers. Shifting public perception takes collective effort, consistent storytelling, and the courage to lead with aspiration instead of fear.
What Do Investors Need to See?
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This Can Be Fixed
We know this model can work. But only if we:
- Truly understand the customer’s psychology
- Professionalise the sales function
- Reposition retirement living as an exciting next chapter
- Equip families with the tools to support their loved ones
- Collect and use meaningful sales and marketing data
- Proactively build consistent customer experiences from first touch points through to move in and beyond
It’s not that people don’t want retirement living, it’s that too often, we haven’t shown them a version that feels exciting, relevant, or worth moving for.
It’s time to change that.
Need Help Turning Insight into Action?
At Commercial Acceleration, we work with forward-thinking retirement living operators to fix underperforming sales, boost lead generation, and create customer journeys that actually convert.
If you’re ready to bridge the gap between potential and performance, let’s talk
