LAMA: The Ultimate Conversational Tool

Having the right tool for the job can mean a lot of different things to different people.

How does Incept use LAMA?

A fireman cannot extinguish a blazing inferno without a fire truck; Batman cannot fight the Joker without his utility belt; the Cleveland Browns can’t begin to think about winning without a decent quarterback. However, when it comes to the Conversational Marketing™ Expert (CME) at Incept, the tools are there from the start. Before a Conversational Marketing Expert (CME) even makes their first call, they are armed with the knowledge they need about donating blood, how the call scripter and scheduler works, and experience with a wide variety of different situations they will encounter (thanks to role playing with a trainer).

As further testimony to the fact that Incept supports consistent education of and professional investment into each of its employees, I actually wanted to talk with you and guide you through the LAMA technique. When it comes to blood donor recruitment as a Conversational Marketing Expert (CME), we face every kind of excuse you could think of when it comes to reasons for not donating blood, so we must be delicate in our approach but armed with the knowledge to control the conversation. The LAMA technique was developed by Judy Mckee of Mckee Consulting LLC, and what a brilliant technique it is. LAMA is, quite honestly, one of the most effective conversational tools I have ever used in recruiting blood donors at Incept. The good thing about it is that it can work for virtually any situation and in any conversation you might be having!

Let’s take a look at the four different parts of LAMA and why each of them work together so well.

The LAMA Technique – Why it works and how you can use it

Naturally, I believe in donating blood. I’ve said this countless times and will continue to do so. It’s a genuinely good thing for a human being to do for another human being. That being said, since I believe in what I do for Incept, I take my job very seriously. If you work on the phone either as a telerecruiter, customer service agent, or another type of phone rep, there is usually a standard process as to how one should handle each call. Essentially, with each call, you know you want the donor to sign up, and you know you want to make the close with that customer; it can be compared to guiding a mouse to the cheese at the end of the maze. LAMA is the conversational tool to help you get to the end of that maze.

1. Listen. The first step of LAMA is to listen, and we can’t begin to understand a problem or even start to formulate a response to a customer or donor if we do not listen to what they are saying. Do they need a few weeks out to schedule? Do they have transportation to get there? Do they need a weekend or weekday? Based upon when you listen to what is said, you can then begin to truly customize your response to fit that person’s needs.
2. Acknowledge. It is always nice when someone lets you know they have heard what you have said, especially when dealing with a complaint or upset customer/donor. Whenever anyone brings a problem up with me while I’m on the phone, I always reiterate what they said and apologize for the inconvenience. Why is this step important, though? When you acknowledge a predicament or issue someone has, you are openly empathizing with them and, in turn, it makes them feel like you are on their side. This works to make them more likely to agree with you and hear you out.
3. Make a Statement. So you’ve listened to your customer, and you’ve acknowledged their problem. Here is your chance to make a statement. This step is a great opportunity to throw in any kinds of features and benefits you might have. When you make a statement you are not asking them sign up, schedule or commit to any kind of choice. View it as laying the ground work and education for your customer to make an informed choice on the topic at hand.
4. Ask a Question. So this is what it all comes down to. In terms of conversational marketing techniques, this is what really makes LAMA the Trojan horse of techniques! Almost all people being LAMA’ed do not know it! It’s because when you ask a question, you do it in such a fashion that gives your donor/customer options. A common way we do this as Conversational Marketing Experts (CMEs) is by asking our donors not to donate, but when. “Would you need a weekend or weekday to donate?” will usually draw more responses than simply asking a yes-or-no type of question.

The LAMA technique really is a valuable tool for anyone involved in the contact center industry, so if you have any questions about it, please post them below! For more information about LAMA check out www.thepositivecoachapproach.com!

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