AIM 2025: Setting Everyone Up for Success

Setting Everyone Up for Success: How Supplier Partners Should Actually Approach the Sales Process

At AIM 2025, a powerhouse panel of industry leaders pulled back the curtain on how supplier partners can better approach the sales process. Hosted by Natalie Cariola, the session featured insights from Stephanie Bynum, Samantha Chalmers, Virginia Love, and Arlene Mayfield. The energy was light, the advice was candid, and the message was clear: sales should feel like partnership—not pressure.

The conversation opened by addressing the growing friction many operators feel leading up to and during industry conferences. From email overload to aggressive appointment booking, the panel shared that too many suppliers show up in “sell mode” rather than “serve mode.” As Mayfield put it, “Our industry doesn’t like to be sold to—we want a relationship first.”

Bynum and Chalmers both emphasized the critical need for credibility. When pitching a solution internally, they’re putting their own reputations on the line. “We need case studies, references, and implementation transparency,” Bynum said. Chalmers added that a supplier's knowledge of their own product—and its limitations—is key to building trust. “I don’t want a vision,” she said. “I want reality.”

Virginia Love shared a vital reminder: everything in the industry ultimately impacts the onsite teams. “We talk about resident experience, but it starts with associate experience,” she said. If tech makes a site associate’s life harder, it won’t succeed—regardless of ROI projections.

Cariola shifted the discussion toward sales pressure and goal-setting. With suppliers often driven by aggressive quotas and investor expectations, there’s a natural tension between urgency and relationship-building. Cariola advised startups and sales leaders to invest time in identifying their ideal customer profile (ICP), buyer personas, and user personas. Without that clarity, she warned, sales teams walk into meetings unprepared and misaligned.

Transparency was a recurring theme. Chalmers and Bynum shared that they’re happy to have early conversations—even if a purchase isn’t imminent—as long as expectations are clear. “Timing is everything,” Chalmers said. “Be honest if your product isn’t ready. We’ll respect you more.”

Discovery calls and canned demos were a sore spot. “Don’t waste 30 minutes asking me what my dream product is,” Chalmers said. “Just show me what you’ve built—live.” Bynum agreed: “No PowerPoints. I want the product, not a pitch.”

Another point of frustration? Email marketing. The panel called out messy email lists and irrelevant outreach. “If I’m already a client, don’t send me intro emails,” Chalmers said. Love shared a cringeworthy example of an AI email campaign gone wrong, where the bot kept escalating despite clear signals she wasn’t a buyer. The takeaway: automation without context erodes trust.

So what does work? Personalization. Thoughtful follow-ups. Referrals from other operators. And above all, relevant conversations. “I don’t mind talking to salespeople,” Love said. “If it solves a problem I’m actively thinking about, I’ll make time.”

The panel encouraged suppliers to think in terms of long-term success, not short-term wins. Implementations can take six months to three years, and pilot programs should be designed with clear KPIs, timelines, and flexibility. “Pilots help protect our onsite teams from burnout,” said Chalmers. “It’s not just about testing the tech—it’s about testing the impact.”

Playbooks also came up as a must. Chalmers explained that every rollout should have a customizable playbook aligned with compliance, training, and internal workflows. She welcomed when suppliers shared their own playbooks and best practices as a foundation for collaboration.

Love and Mayfield stressed the importance of patience and managing expectations. With attrition, role changes, and internal realignments, even the most promising deal can stall. “Nothing’s worse than celebrating too early,” Love joked. “Your champion leaves, and you’re back at square one.”

Quarterly Business Reviews (QBRs) were reframed not as sales check-ins, but as relationship resets. “If you want to marry me, you really have to date me,” said Love. Cariola added that discovery shouldn’t stop at the sale. “Before every QBR, ask what the client wants to cover. Don’t show up pitching when they have unresolved issues.”

The panel closed with rapid-fire advice. Ask if there’s a scorecard. Don’t get hung up on titles. Know your personas. Clean your lists. And above all, be honest. As Cariola summed it up: “When you’re honest about your pipeline and your product, you relieve the pressure—and that’s when the real conversations begin.”

In a world of inbox fatigue and AI overload, the difference between being a vendor and being a partner comes down to preparation, empathy, and follow-through. It’s not about selling faster—it’s about showing up smarter.