Will this be your first time attending SMASH?
Consider yourself lucky.
You’re about to meet one of the most welcoming, passionate, and generous groups of people I’ve encountered professionally. Something special about this community is how it shows up for one another, shares ideas, and genuinely cares about the people this industry serves.
About three years ago, I was asked to focus on building relationships in senior living.
I remember thinking, “I don’t know anything about senior living.”
What I didn’t know was how much the next three years would change me.
Professional connections became incredible friendships. I learned from people who were willing to generously share their knowledge and experience. And ultimately, this industry changed the trajectory of my career in ways I never could have predicted.
But entering a community like this comes with a responsibility.
We should cherish what makes it special and do our part to protect it.
So, for vendors heading to SMASH for the first time, here are three pieces of advice that shaped how I approach this industry.
1. Don’t Be a Pitch Machine
Yes, you’re there to grow your business.
And yes, you probably offer a product or service that senior living operators genuinely need to know about, but that doesn’t mean every conversation needs to become a sales pitch.
Tell people what you do. Explain the value you create. Then get curious about them.
Ask questions. Listen. Learn about their challenges. Find out what they care about. Look for ways you can be helpful, even when there’s nothing immediately in it for you.
My friend John Lynn, founder of the SWAAY Health community, regularly encourages attendees at his events to give first.
That mindset has always stuck with me as I set foot in each conference that I attend.
When you lead by creating value instead of immediately asking for something, you have better conversations and build stronger relationships.
And remember: conferences are a whirlwind.
You don’t have to explain every feature, capability, case study, and differentiator in the first five minutes. Connect as humans first. There will be plenty of opportunities to have the deeper business conversation later.
Please, don’t pitch-slap people at SMASH.
Connect first. Create value. Earn the next conversation.
2. Learn, Learn, Learn
One of the biggest mistakes I see vendors make at conferences is spending the entire event on the exhibit floor.
If you want to serve this industry, you need to understand it.
Go to the sessions.
And don’t only attend the sessions directly related to whatever your company sells.
Learn about occupancy, staffing, operations, and the technologies that don’t impact your service or product. Learn about marketing, sales, resident experience, and the challenges operators are trying to solve. The better you understand the entire senior living ecosystem, the better you’ll understand where your company fits within it.
Take a ridiculous amount of notes. Bring those insights back to your team. Use what you learn to improve your messaging, product, content, sales conversations, and partnerships.
Most importantly, listen to the words operators use when they describe their challenges.
The goal shouldn’t just be to leave SMASH with more leads; you want to leave with a better understanding of the people and industry you want to serve.
3. Build Relationships With Other Vendors, Too
You’re going to SMASH because you want to build relationships with operators.
Of course you do.
But don’t make the mistake of overlooking everyone else.
Some of the most valuable relationships you can build will be with other vendors, technology companies, agencies, consultants, and service providers throughout the senior living ecosystem.
They understand the market and can help you connect the dots.
They may become referral partners, integration partners, collaborators, or simply people you can call when you need advice.
And many of them will gladly help you navigate the industry.
Just remember Rule #1: Don’t be a pitch machine with them either.
Build genuine relationships. Ask what they’re seeing in the market. Find out what they’re working on. Look for opportunities to help each other.
Building an ecosystem around your business is far more valuable than simply collecting business cards from potential customers.
One Final Thought
When it’s all said and done, my advice is pretty simple:
Be a good human.
Connect. Listen. Learn. And share what you know.
If you’re coming into senior living from another industry, bring the lessons and ideas you’ve learned elsewhere. But also have the humility to recognize that there is a lot you don’t know yet.
One conversation from my first few years in this industry has become something of a North Star for me.
A colleague once asked a group why everyone at a senior living conference was so nice to one another. There didn’t seem to be the same territorial behavior you sometimes see in other industries. Even competitors openly shared ideas and helped one another.
Brad Bushby gave an answer I have never forgotten:
“We don’t compete with one another. We compete against people living in isolation.”
Think about the significance of that.
If operators can approach their work with an abundance mindset like that, vendors can too.
Plenty of opportunity exists, and your win doesn’t require someone else to lose.
We can compete for business while still sharing ideas, making introductions, helping each other, and working collectively to make this industry better.
Because ultimately, none of us should lose sight of who all of this is supposed to serve:
Older adults and the families who love them.
So if this is your first SMASH, welcome.
Come ready to learn, to connect, and to give.
The business conversations will come.
