Tip 2 out of 12: When is it best to drop by for a visit with a social worker?
This week’s tip covers a particularly interesting point to consider when it comes to developing a referring relationship with your social workers. At our last Hurricane Boot Camp, I showed a video where I conducted several interviews with Social Workers who work/worked at Hospitals, SNFs, Hospice, and more.
I asked them who they refer, why they do so, how they want to be approached, what their pet peeves are, and more. When I asked them about drop by visits, I explained that in a marketing position, we have to do this as part of our job. Their response was surprising even to me.
They both said they understand that, and will allow drop by visits. However, they told me that they prefer the marketing people who come by randomly vs. those who come the same time/day each week, week after week after week. This really surprised me, as I never thought about it, but I always did that.
I randomly visited my accounts each week so I almost never came to the same account at the same time or day as the week before. They felt people who come same day/time each week were stopping by en-route to somewhere else and truly did not care to develop a relationship with them. I KNOW! CRAZY RIGHT? That’s what they told me during the interview.
The individuals who came by randomly, always mixing up their visits, appeared to be doing anything they can to catch at a good time, so if they had a moment, they would meet with them for a quick visit because they “earned the time”. Interesting indeed!
The other shocking discovery they told me was Friday afternoon is the WORST time to stop in for a drop by visit (IF you’re new to them) because that’s their busiest time of the week, trying to get the discharges prepped for the weekend so they can get home at a decent hour.
When we show up for a drop by visit then, it’s extremely irritating and that will be a huge turn off to them. I reminded them that I often came by on a Friday afternoon, and they said that was OK because “We knew you and you could help us with our discharges.”
So what did we learn from that statement? Only come by on Friday’s if your relationship is established as that’s when you are highest likely to get a referral, but if you’re new, don’t come in because you’re doing more harm than good!!!
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