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Key Referral Sources – Getting on ‘The List’Elder Care Marketing - Today’s Market Strategy for the Small BusinessDoes your elder care business depend heavily on the referral from other health care professionals? We used to walk right in to the discharge planning office at the hospital. Now, not only is the door locked, there’s a sign stating ‘No Solicitation’. How am I suppose to get through to these case managers to even let them know we exist? Sound familiar? If you are in a community where the hospitals, nursing homes and rehabilitation facilities have not enacted such a policy, you still have obstacles to overcome in order to get listed on the referral list of preferred providers. In-ServiceContinuing education credits are required of the nursing and social worker staff. Most employers try to make access to classes, seminars and workshops easy for their employees. Normally, these employers will find someone to come in to the facility during a lunch hour that will do, what is commonly referred to as an, “In-Service” with continuing education credits attached.Many successful marketing or community liaisons will weave the ‘In-Service’ with a short presentation of what his or her company provides. This allows the opportunity to get your foot in the door with a group of potential key referral sources that are most likely to refer clients or patients in your direction. The person facilitating the in-service must have the designated degree in order to provide the continuing education program and you must go through all the steps required to have your presentation approved by the appropriate CEU board. Most facilities will expect that you offer the CEU program at no fee; especially of you are using this as a platform to promote your service. There are additional costs to those that employ this method. Not only are you paying a salary to the marketing person, most facilities will expect that that you also provide lunch for those attending. Lunch-N-LearnSome facilities will allow you to visit their staff meetings, usually held early morning or during lunchtime. They may allow you to provide a short presentational overview of the benefits of the service you offer and not require a CEU program.You will find that either a continental breakfast or lunch is the industry’s standard expectation to encourage a decent attendance. Most marketing people recognize, If we feed them, they will come, hence the commonly referred to description of “Lunch – N – Learn”. Employers/EAP GroupsThe majority of inquiry calls (to any business that offers a product, resource or service for a senior citizen) will originate from the adult child of the older adult. The profile of this adult child is typically a woman between the ages of 48 and 58. She is most likely employed either full or part time.The astute elder care business owner realizes that a valuable referral source is this person’s employer or EAP group. (Employee Assistance Program) Most businesses offer one specialized service such as: in home care, adult day, assisted living … and so on. It is nearly impossible to get an audience with an employer or EAP group if you only offer one specific choice. You will find greater success if you are part of a larger network that offers a variety of choices and a wide range of services. Getting on the 'List'The burning question remains. How do you get your name on the coveted list of services referred by these key referral sources?Your marketing person must diligently develop an ongoing relationship with the gatekeeper. The relationship requires time to grow and must be a two-way street. If you want referrals from Doctor X, then you ought to make referrals to Doctor X. In other words, if you want to receive ‘something’ of value (i.e., client referrals) you have to find out what you in turn can offer back. And here’s where things can really get tricky. It is (as well it should be) against most business policies to accept gifts or payment in exchange for a referral. Never the less, your marketing person is competing with other marketing people who show up regularly and take key personnel out to lunch, or send a thank you card with tickets to a sporting event, or stop by during the various holidays with cups, pens, candy, calendars, day planners, all embedded with the company logo and phone number. Some businesses will spend thousands of dollars ‘sponsoring’ an event hosted by this sought after referral source. Where do you suppose a community resource for folks recovering from a stroke (as an example) will refer their clients to if a rehabilitation facility in their area ‘sponsored’ a five thousand dollar golfing/fund raising event? CredibilityHowever, it’s not always about the tangibles. In fact, the tangibles mentioned (gifts, sponsorship and so forth) provide you short-lived exposure if you do not follow through with all of your promises to serve this referral’s clients well.A creative marketing person has learned to hone his or her listening skills and will pick up on a particular problem or obstacle that a potential key referral source is struggling with. If you can show how you and or your service can solve this problem, then you will undoubtedly establish a level of expertise in this person’s mind. This lends to a feeling of trust and credibility. Credibility is an issue. It is risky business making a referral. Most discharge planners, social workers, physicians and EAP groups are reluctant (some are prohibited) to refer or recommend one service over another. It is this reason; the ‘list’ is there to begin with. Most key referral sources provide a list with a number of choices for their clients. Get Your Foot in the Door Right NowYou may want to consider applying for the Senior Approved Certification. This certification automatically relays a message of trust and credibility to all key referral sources and to potential clients. Once certified, you are part of a network of other excellent elder care resources. This immediately solves the problem of representation to key employers and EAP groups. Most key referral sources are aware of the high standards each Senior Approved service must obtain in order to receive certification, which will in itself, opens those locked doors and get you on that ‘list’. The Survey/Certification Process This is Part Three of a continued series on effective marketing and networking in today’s competitive market within the elder care industry, written by Barbara Mascio.
Part One - Competing for Potential Clients
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