Q&A with our National Sales Director

Rob Macpherson, One Fell Swoop’s National Sales Director, is best known for leading a high- performing sales team. Rob’s leadership is all about empowering his colleagues to perform at their best, and he’s always ready to help close a deal creatively, lend a hand at events, and be a steady presence during challenging moments.

We sat down with Rob to learn more.

Rob, can you share a bit about your team at One Fell Swoop?

We’ve got the best salespeople in the sector with a team of 10, working on some of the most iconic seniors’ living developments on the East Coast. We sell across the full spectrum from affordable regional retirement and land lease living to luxury high-end residential and assisted living developments targeted at downsizers. Some of the things we do:

• Sell projects off-the-plan, new sales and resales
• Staff onsite at our display suites
• Host events that leave lasting impressions
• Develop strong networks with the local community through clubs and groups
• Maintain compliance with relevant legislation
• Administration of contracts to ensure sales are secured in a timely manner
• Help incoming residents transition from home to the community
• Provide detailed weekly and monthly reporting and high-quality database management
• Sell the range of services our clients offer, including Support at Home care services and residential aged care.

How have you seen the sales function evolve in the time you’ve been at OFS?

Over my 10+ years at OFS, the market has certainly changed. Residents now know a lot more about what they want and have high expectations. We’ve learnt to be more adaptable and strive to provide the highest level of service in the market. Our team is expected to be polished, attentive, energetic, have patience, show empathy, be self-motivated, good with technology, and understand the care landscape. To help drive these outcomes, recruitment and networking are a large part of my role to ensure I know the best in the business, so when opportunities come up, I usually have the candidate in mind. One of our Sales Managers, Mary George, was nominated for VIC/TAS Salesperson of the Year in the 2025 Retirement Living Council awards. I’m very proud!

What is the biggest challenge in the sales market today?

Rather than a challenge, it’s more of a behavioural shift — sales are increasingly relationship-driven rather than purely transactional. Today, multiple touchpoints are often required before a client is ready to begin purchase consideration. This demands greater patience from salespeople, as well as the ability to deliver personalised, thoughtful engagement throughout the buyer’s journey. At OFS, our regular sales team catch-ups allow us to tap into our collective expertise — a “brains trust” built on billions of dollars in transactions. By sharing insights and strategies, we support each other in navigating this evolving landscape and driving results.

What’s been your most notable or favourite project recently?

They’re all my favourites! But if you had to press me on it, I do have a particular fondness for the Rylands communities (in Hawthorn and Kew, Victoria). We’ve sold many apartments there over the last 10 years and have gotten to know the residents and management team very well. It’s been an amazing ongoing collaboration. I’m also very proud to have worked on two recent Retirement Living Council Villages of the Year, The Grace in 2022 and Pavilions Blackburn Lake in 2023.

Tell us a fun fact or pattern you’ve noticed in the seniors’ living industry that others might not be aware of?

I really loved the health and wellbeing stats the Retirement Living Council released recently in the Better Housing for Better Health report. For example, residents in retirement communities are 41% happier and both physically and mentally healthier. I spoke a bit more about these recently on Radio Eastern 98.1FM’s ‘Connect’ program.

Rob and his team currently have 1,300 units worth $1.2 billion at market, including off-the-plan, completed projects and resales. Get in touch to find out how One Fell Swoop can help deliver sales success for your project.