We have been getting so much positive feedback from these dramatization videos that we may have to keep them going forward. In this week’s episode of “A Drink with the Hurricane,” we show you something that often happens to Home Care Marketing Reps when they try a drop by visit with a social worker. Now, we did exaggerate how mean the Social Worker was, but the way the Home Care Marketer responded wasn’t at all that uncommon. It is VERY difficult for individuals to have a reason to show up and see someone for referrals after they have had an initial meeting. It’s hard enough to get a meeting with the social workers, but once we do, that may be the second or third time we will see her. The problem is, it takes a good 8-12 visits before she’s going to start referring us. So after we have gone through all this work to get that meeting, once it’s over, now what are we supposed to do in order to earn that Home Care Referral?
This is where having reasons for drop-by visits are essential to your Home Care Marketing initiative. In the second part of the dramatization, notice how “The Hurricane” walked in confidently with his readmission rates? This was a follow up visit to a meeting I had previously with her. During that meeting first meeting, I covered everything, but I did not BRING everything with me for that meeting. Now a week later, I am able to come back and follow up on the meeting, showing the details I didn’t have before. This gives a purpose to my Home Care Marketing effort for this day. Of course I want a referral, but I came by to continue the conversation I had the week before. And this was my foot in the door. Now, as this drop-by visit progresses, I would eventually ask her if she had anyone going home that she felt would need my services.
The point is that when we come back, we need to have something of value. How often have you worked hard to get a meeting with a social worker and then never get a referral? How often does she say when you stop back in to see her “I have your information…if I have someone that needs your services, I will send them your way?” My guess is, more often than it should. We should not be asking for referrals, she knows what we do, she knows who to refer. She’s not comfortable with us yet. We need to develop that relationship of trust with her BEFORE she will trust her patients with us. When we show up with information, we get viewed as a resource. When we get viewed as a resource, we earn her trust, and after the trust, we earn her Home Care Referrals!
It really is as simple as that. So now that we understand we need reasons for drop by visits, I want to invite you to attend my next Team Hurricane Webinar for March. I will be covering all things Skilled Nursing Facilities. These are some of the best referral sources for Home Care Companies, and if you are looking for referrals, then I strongly recommend you develop some SNFs. I built my entire business many years ago off the strength of SNFs and you can too. Get the knowledge, get the insider information, and get the tools needed to do so. This way you can go out there and BLOW AWAY THE COMPETITION!!!