stephanie

Blood For Sale?

by stephanie on September 3, 2010

“So how much are you guys paying at that blood drive of yours?”

Yes, I’m blood donor recruiter at Incept. Yes, some places pay for plasma, though none of the ones I (or anyone at Incept) schedule for do. So why does the question persist?

There are a lot of ways to go about recruiting blood donors. Some blood centers offer gas cards or gift cards to local stores, but t-shirts are the most common incentive (and my personal favorite). I’ve even heard of a blood drive that had a raffle to give away a car!

Unfortunately, some people – not all, mind you – only donate because of the incentives that are offered. It seems like fewer and fewer people donate simply because they want to help save lives.

There are companies that use this simple fact to their advantage. Potential “donors” can earn about $200 a month if they donate twice a week, every week. Sounds good, right? The donor makes some extra money and someone somewhere gets plasma.

Not exactly.

When I was on the web page for America’s Blood Centers it said that blood or plasma a donor was paid to give can’t be given to a person directly. I was curious so I dug a little deeper. It turns out that plasma collected by companies where the donor receives money for their contribution is used in research and drug development, not for transfusions. I was really surprised by this discovery and even more so by how hard it was to find that out.

Another reason many donors think that blood is sold goes back to medical bills. Anyone that’s ever received a blood transfusion has probably seen their medical bill and seen the charges related to their blood transfusion. I found a study from 2000 by the Journal of Clinical Oncology that said, on average, a two-unit transfusion cost about $982.

Thank goodness that doesn't happen!

Here’s the funny part: the blood itself is free! All of the expense comes from the testing that’s done to it, the phlebotomist wages and the shipping and storing of the blood itself. The blood coming from donors is free.

Blood is meant to be a gift.

This fact also answers the question of whether or not a donor gets a discount if they donate blood. Sorry guys. It doesn’t matter if we never give, give once or give a dozen times, blood isn’t what the hospitals charge for.

I was really surprised to learn as much as I did. Like a lot of the donors I talk to, I thought plasma that was sold went to hospitals and that there was a price for blood. Has anyone else been mislead by this misconception? I sure was. Let me know what you think.

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tjohnson

Incept Live: Who’s Your Conversational Marketing Expert?

by Timothy L. Johnson on September 2, 2010

The ability to speak directly to your customers has its advantages and disadvantages, as I’ve discovered throughout years in marketing, retail and the restaurant/fast food industry.

A pleasant experience at the grocery store with your family can change when the cashier is rude or ill-tempered. A chef who overcooks your $17 steak (that you’ve been waiting all day to eat) can ruin a dinner experience; however, things may ultimately end positively with the right server to address your needs, working tirelessly to improve the situation. So when it comes to marketing – be it inbound, outbound or, in Incept’s case, Conversational Marketing – a lot rides on the individuals that speak on your behalf.

Words have always been powerful, but when you’re speaking on the telephone words are often all we have to represent an entire organization. Your tone, pitch, tempo, attentiveness and conversational skills can make or break a donor or customer within every experience. So what do Incept’s Conversational Marketing Experts look like? I ran a mock outbound call between a Conversational Marketing Expert and a telephone recruiter to show you the difference and importance of being conversational with each of our donors.

http://www.vimeo.com/14631004

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meredith

It Only Takes One Hour to Donate Blood

by meredith on September 2, 2010

MAKE the time to donate blood!

At Incept, “I’m too busy to give blood” is probably the most common reason us Conversational Marketing Experts (CMEs) hear when we’re recruiting donors.

We’re all busy! We have to work, take one kid to a soccer game and another to band practice, fix meals, clean, go to church, pay bills, watch the latest episode of American Idol and, at some point, get a good night’s sleep. Nobody really has the time to donate blood. The trick is to make the time. We all have to decide the best ways to use our time and energy, and donating blood should be on that list of priorities.

You can donate whole blood every 8 weeks (56 days) and red cells every 16 weeks (112 days). It only takes an hour to go through the process of donating whole blood, including refreshments at the end. That’s 1 hour every 8 weeks; 1 hour out of 1,344! How do we prioritize? How do we set aside time to do what’s important? Could you order pizza one night and pick it up on your way home after you give blood? Could the grass in the yard stay long for just one more day? Could you miss one episode of American Idol to save three lives?

If you’re a multitasker like me and it drives you nuts to just sit there while you’re donating, there are many one-handed things that you can do:

  • Plan what to make for dinner.
  • Send a text to that friend you keep meaning to have coffee with.
  • Read a magazine. Bring your own or you’ll get stuck with whatever the hospital has, which will most likely to be a Reader’s Digest from 5 years ago!
  • Read a newspaper.
  • Read a book. Not the Twilight series, though! Save that for when you’re not leaking blood!
  • If there’s a TV in the donor coach or hospital, you can watch something distracting, like whatever is on Comedy Central.
  • Sudoku!
  • Listen to that new album you downloaded onto your iPod.
  • Update your to-do list. You can scratch off “donate blood!”
  • Outline your next blog entry! That’s what I did yesterday while I was donating platelets at Aultman Hospital. Platelets take a little longer than whole blood, sometimes up to two hours. You can also donate platelets more often than whole blood or red cells!

I was watching "The Daily Show" and mentally outlining this blog entry while I was donating platelets!

Donating blood, like anything else that’s important, requires a commitment. You have to make it a priority or it will never get done. I know that for me, personally, unless someone else reminds me why something is important – whether it’s giving blood, cleaning my apartment or sending my mom a birthday card – I forget to do it. That’s what Conversational Marketing Experts do at Incept: we remind a blood donor that it’s time to donate again and facilitate the setup of an appointment. It’s easy to forget if you don’t get that phone call!

What could you give up once every 8 weeks in order to donate blood?

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brian

The Makings of a Conversational Marketing Expert

by brian on September 1, 2010

I hold a firm belief that in life there is something that makes us each unique. We all have some type of forte or personal strength that we can harness and ride the lightning with. Be it an amazing athletic ability, an incredible streak of brilliance, or simply the way we find overselves in social settings with other people, we all have a talent.

In the realm of conversational marketing, working the front lines are Incept’s CMEs. Conversational Marketing Experts are just that, an individual trained in the art of conversation who utilizes listening skills while personalizing a conversation to the needs of our valued clientele.

There are many specifics and small details, but here are the three most significant traits that make up a successful Conversational Marketing Expert:

  1. The Ability to Listen. Not too long ago I had the pleasure of interviewing Joshua Weatherspoon, who recently had one of the highest performance percentages in his department. “Most of the time the client is telling you what they need in order for you to provide them good customer service,” he said. When you are a CME you naturally have the ability to hold a conversation with someone. However, having a conversation is a two-way street. We cannot begin to have a worthwhile conversation with someone if we cannot listen to – and, better yet, take into account – what they have to say.
  2. A Positive Attitude. Having a positive attitude is one of the most useful tools one can have. The ability to let negative things slide, to look at life in a half-full sort of manner, and the to view each call as a new opportunity is something that makes being a CME enjoyable.
  3. The Ability to Have a Conversation. The gift of gab has undoubtedly been bestowed upon some of my fellow coworkers. I kid you not, I hear some of the best sounding voices at work every day. Obviously, a Conversational Marketing Expert can speak. I myself came to Incept because the job involved working with people. What can I say? I’m a people person. I’ve been that way my whole life. I enjoy getting to know just about anyone who has the time to talk. More often than not, while scheduling a blood donor, I find myself having an enjoyable conversation. That is the whole idea behind being a good CME. We want to strengthen the relationship with our customers and clientele every time we have the chance to talk to them.
  4. Mastering other forms of Communication. I’ve touched on this in the past, with one of my first blog posts on the topic of social media. We live in an age of ever-growing technology, where it would seem the sky is the limit. At Incept, right now before your very eyes (using blogging as a testament), we are exploring new ways of communication. The more methods we are aware of, regarding how to communicate with people in general, the better. Social media sites on which Incept is active include: Facebook, Vimeo, Twitter, LinkedIn, and more.

If you have some of these traits and think you’d like to be a part of the always expanding Incept family, feel free to submit an application!

What are some other traits a CME should have? As always, we are listening to what you have to say so please comment away!

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darrin

When the Blood Supply Dries Up

by darrin on August 29, 2010

On most days our local blood banks supply hospitals with blood given by regular donors. The only time that most of us might ever give an urgent blood donation is when a family member is ill and needs our help. Sometimes we hear – or read – about a shortage at our local blood bank and it compels us to go in, roll up our sleeves and donate. This system usually works fine, but there are cases every year of patients not receiving blood in time. A good example of this is what happened in the Central Asian Republic of Kyrgyzstan a few years ago.

Blood is needed every day, but what happens when the blood needed is not there?

Kyrgyzstan was once part of the Soviet Union, and people were used to donating and showing solidarity with one another. With the breakup of the USSR, many countries have yet to fully develop new systems for everyday life. Donating blood is one of those things that has not recovered to pre-Soviet levels. This has been especially troublesome for expectant mothers who may need blood transfusions after giving birth.

As of five years ago, in Krgyzstan, 82 out of every 100 women who died after childbirth could have been saved by a blood transfusion. The situation was so drastic that some patients were given blood without checking the blood types. A person can go into shock if given the wrong blood type, so these situations could be made even worse. The country now depends almost entirely on help from family members and experiences chronic shortages of blood types not usually found in Asia. Another horrible fact is that only 10% of the population is even able to give blood.

We are much more fortunate here in the U.S. where there is still a sense of civic pride behind giving blood (even though the percentage of donors has dropped from 10% of the population to now only 5%). Our newborns can expect to see their mothers helped, with blood donations from selfless volunteers.

If the donor numbers continue to drop, what are your ideas to attract more people to donate their blood and save lives?

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jbusto

HOW TO Improve Blood Donor Recruitment

by Julia Busto on August 28, 2010

At Incept, we specialize in blood donor recruitment and have many different ways to make it effective.  For my next few posts, I am going to be sharing pieces of that strategy with everyone.  In this first post, I highlight why measurements are key to a healthy donor recruitment strategy.

More blood on your shelves is always needed.

  • Internal recognition/compensation…

If you are not tracking where a donor comes from, how do you know who to recognize and/or compensate for the unit(s)?  By tracking your recruitment efforts, you can properly incent and reward those who are truly responsible for bringing donors in the door.  This will also allow you to maximize the impact of your best resources and potentially reallocate those that might be under-performing.

  • How did we do that?

Ever wonder why you had a really good or even a not-so-good month?  By tracking your donor recruitment efforts, you will be able to more effectively determine that answer every time.  This way you can focus more on what is working and less on what is not.

  • We’re collecting enough overall, but not enough of the right products…

Tracking your recruitment efforts allows you to see the key portions of your strategy that can be enhanced to increase units where and when they are needed most.  Instead of focusing on getting donors in the door, you can now focus on getting them in the right seat.

  • WOW!  This seems like a lot of work.  How do I get started?

The first step is to look at who is responsible for donor recruitment and how they recruit donors.  Are they making phone calls?  Are they sending emails or postcards?  Are they possibly going door to door or standing outside each drive to bring in new donors?

I want to keep this post brief, just providing you all with something to begin thinking about before my next update.  You are going to begin seeing these types of posts from me about every two weeks, so check back often or just subscribe to our blog feed (where you’ll be automatically notified each time a new blog post is published).  In my next post, I will go into more detail on how to effectively track your recruitment efforts.

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sfalletta

Conversational Marketing: Its Origin and Our Definition

by Sam Falletta on August 27, 2010

Here is our President, Sam Falletta, talking about how Conversational Marketing has evolved over time and how Incept has adopted the term to help revive our mission, vision, and brand:

http://www.vimeo.com/14406341

That said, what specifically makes something conversational marketing versus another form? Here’s my take:

Conversational Marketing…

  • Involves two willing participants – The organization/brand has been invited into the discussion or is, at the very least, welcome if it comes knocking on the door.
  • Involves personalized, custom communication – This can be written, verbal, online, etc. The key is to ensure such communciation is directly related to the consumer and their needs.
  • Involves listening – Listen, both locally and globally, to the discussions that are happening about your organization and ask to be involved in those discussions.
  • Strengthens the relationship between the organization and the donor/consumer – Regardless of whether or not a transaction takes place, conversational marketing engages the consumer in a way that strengthens their relationship with the brand. After you’re invited to dinner, are you more or less likely to be invited back?

Conversational marketing is about creating better results by listening, responding and improving relationships. Let’s be sure to talk collectively about the definition so we can clear up some misconceptions in the industry. Sound good?

What’s your definition of conversational marketing?

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tjohnson

Internet Conversational Marketing Experts

by Timothy L. Johnson on August 26, 2010

Sure, it could be because I have had a passion for filming since my best friend (of going on 20 years now) and I were filming stop animation with action figures. Then again, it could be the year at the Ohio Center for Broadcasting, during the 6/17 day class in 2008 that gave me a better understanding of the mechanics and prep work for proper film production. Regardless, both the world and I dig social media.

I entered as a lone Social Media Content Engineer, but now I work alongside 5 additional content engineers. These folks, Incept’s Internet Conversational Marketing Experts (iCMEs), focus on producing content while I transition into an Online Conversational Marketing Management position.

The last thing you want to do is assume that everyone has the same background and experience which has led to our mutual understanding of, appreciation for and engagement within our freshman department. Accordingly, we held a Blog Contest to see who was already interested and engaged enough (to do what Nate Riggs strongly suggested for time management) and parceled the entries into “Ready” and “Still Cooking” groups. This was the first indicator of who had potential they were willing to display. Since then, our iCME’s - Brian, Darrin, Meredith, Melissa and Stephanie - have grown to become their own immediate family within Incept’s growing family. As they continue to work and develop content in this department, it makes sense that content be engineered to outline their progression.

http://www.vimeo.com/14379306

Every one of Incept’s iCMEs carries a very optimistic vision for the future of our social media department, while continuing to produce amazing content for our ongoing blog post series. Each week Brian, Melissa, Meredith, Darrin and Stephanie are given the opportunity to choose from the list of blog ideas they help create, as well as engage in conversations using any social network at their disposal, to help extend the reach of our blood donor recruiters and conversational marketing experts. I am as excited as I am dedicated to helping them learn, grow and engage  in their new roles. As Conversational Marketing is a term that is still widely evading definition within businesses, we’ve already moved along with our definition enough to specify the areas in which we best utilize our conversations.

What would you be able to do with your own Internet Conversational Marketing Experts?

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tjohnson

Looking Past Yourself

by Timothy L. Johnson on August 25, 2010

Katie Little aka @MNGurl1183

Utilizing HootSuite to connect with our blood donors, blood recipients and other blood donor recruiters, I’ve been introduced to many amazing individuals (thanks to the keyword column feature). It was within that column that I ran into Katie Little, also known as @MNGurl1183 (on Twitter). She said that she just finished volunteering for the day at Memorial Blood Center, so I approached her with a question and we soon were able to initiate an interview about what it’s like to volunteer at a blood center.

Tim: Ok, well the first question really is this: What made you start volunteering?

Katie: I finished a temporary job in April 2009 and I was having a hard time finding work, so I decided I wanted to volunteer. I went on their website and sent out an inquiry message.

Tim: So were you originally hoping to volunteer at Memorial Blood Center (MBC) or was it one of many choices? Did they call you first?

Katie: Yes.  I originally remembered they were at the Minnesota State Fair every year and located in St. Paul. I can’t really remember how it worked out exactly, but I started working on clerical jobs at their St. Paul location before working as a canteen host at blood drives. I eventually ended up as a rep at the state fair.

Tim: Great! So was it difficult to begin volunteering or were you able to start right away (as far as paperwork, etc.)?

Katie: I didn’t find it difficult. Really easy. I guess the only issue I had was how I would get there, but it’s on a great bus line.

Tim: Do you remember what your first day of volunteering was like?

Katie: It was just in their office. I would do like a copy job – just small stuff. It was really fun because I met other employees there who got to know me.

Tim: Have you been able to come into contact with any donors or see things change at the center when the donation need becomes critical?

Katie: I guess you could say I have. After they finish donating blood at a drive, they come to the canteen and I provide them with food and beverages.

Phil Losacker, in charge of volunteer services at Memorial Blood Center, and Katie Little

Tim: So you got a chance to interact and engage with the donors! How was the general atmosphere in the area after donations?

Katie: The general atmosphere is always positive. Sometimes you get people who are chatty and other times people just rush back to work. We try to emphasize them to take some sort of sugar on the way back. I have donated in the past. I recently came back from living in England for 10 months, so I’m not sure if I could donate.

Tim: Completely understandable. That must have been quite an experience! How has working at the center changed your view toward the need for blood donations and donors? Have you started donating since you began volunteering?

Katie: It has changed my view in that I believe everyone should take the opportunity to donate blood or volunteer.  One of the fun opportunities at the Minnesota State Fair is that we (MBC) have blood typists. So for 12 days, they “type” people. It’s fun because people find out on the spot like, “Oh, I’m an O+!”

Tim: Haha, that would be awesome! So are there many volunteers at the Blood Center?

Katie: I don’t know the exact number. I had an orientation yesterday about the fair and Phil said it’s 70/30 – 30% are actually MBC employees and 70% are volunteers.

Tim: That’s amazing! I had no idea the volunteer base would be so high. During your time there what is one thing you’ve learned from the blood center that is most worth sharing with others who don’t (yet) volunteer or donate? What do you think it would be?

Katie: Be open-minded and, if you can’t donate, share your time to help. Everyone needs blood and if you can’t donate (for whatever reason), spread the word about it. That is important.

Tim: So what’s next for you after volunteering? Is this something you’ll continue once you find a job? Have you looked into working at MBC? Will you continue to be an active donor?

Katie: I will continue to volunteer. At the moment, I am signed up for 4 shifts at the state fair. I am currently working an internship, plus a small part-time job.  Phil and I have a great relationship (he’s quite funny) so I will do anything to help get the word out about MBC to others and promote their organization. Volunteering is great to include on your resume. During interviews people become interested. And while I don’t think it’s a selling point, I feel that it eases the tension in an interview.

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brian

How Sweet It Is! The Sweet Side of Giving Blood

by brian on August 24, 2010

I am a sugar fanatic. Ask any of my closest friends.

I recall my conquest of sweets starting at a young age. Call me a “grandma’s boy” and I’ll tell you proudly I was. My Grandma Steward was no different than any other loving grandparent. She spoiled me rotten. My love affair with sugar began in her kitchen. It was almost like walking through Willy Wonka’s magical land of candy. I feasted upon chocolate cakes, jammed jawbreakers into my mouth and smashed assortments of cookies all day long. The holy grail of the kitchen was the candy drawer. Filled to the brim with all kinds of chocolate bars, fruity taffies, gummies, bubble gum and more, it was a preschooler’s dream come true – while a dentist’s nightmare – and it was all mine.

Looking fondly back at that time (now as an adult), I still have a soft spot for anything involving sugar. Albeit not eaten as frequently as it used to be, I still enjoy the occasional binge on sweets.

One of the first things a person will find out about donating blood is that it’s very sweet indeed. When I first donated at my high school, I remember joyfully eating a small mountain of Oreos, and enjoying my classmates’ company while the school day lingered on, all while washing it down with what seemed to be a never-ending supply of Hi-C juice boxes.

When you donate blood your body replaces the fluid portion in about twenty-four hours. In order for this to happen, it burns about 650 extra calories. This is a big reason why donating blood and sweets, such as cookies and juices, go together so well. They taste great and replenish your blood sugar level.

In no specific order, these are some of my favorite things to munch on after a blood donation:

  • Oreos
  • Freshly baked chocolate chip cookies
  • Keebler fudge cookies
  • Chips-Ahoy with peanut butter cups
  • Hi-C fruit punch
  • Capri Sun pouches
  • Cupcakes
  • Cheese and peanut butter crackers
  • Red or blue Gatorade
  • Twinkies
  • Little Debbie snack cakes
  • Juicy Juice

The above is just a small portion of what I enjoy but, as always, we want to hear from you! What are your favorite snacks after donating blood? What’s the best snack you’ve ever had at a blood drive or donor center? Got anything else that could be added to the list? Let us know!

Now if you’ll excuse me all this talk of sugar is making me hungry!

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