When it comes to the Gulf Coast Regional Blood Center, you really have to admire the steps they have taken as an organization within the blood bank industry. 
Gulf Coast Regional Blood Center has been operating since January 1st, 1975. They currently serve 170 hospitals and associated medical care facilities within a 26-county area amongst the Texas Gulf Coast, Brazos Valley and East Texas regions respectively. It is extremely convenient that Gulf Coast Regional Blood Center currently has 17 Neighborhood Donor Centers, as well as a plethora of mobile site blood drives going on almost daily to meet the scheduling needs of their donors. Gulf Coast Regional Blood Center actually set their blood unit collection goal to 335,000 units of blood for 2011, which means they must receive over 900 units daily!
If you take a look at their recent track record when it comes to getting blood donors through their donor center’s doors, they have actually exceeded their own collection goals in 2007 by 18,000 more donations than in 2006, and in 2009 as well with over 11,000 additional units! To help them along in their endeavor is the successful Commit For Life program that really acts as a relationship-building cornerstone between the Gulf Coast Regional Blood Center and its generous donors. Commit For Life goes beyond being a donor loyalty program and really encompasses the feeling of a partnership with the overall goal to save lives and continuously spread the word about Commit For Life and how donating blood can really make a positive impact, not just today, but in the future as well.
Donors relaxing at Gulf Coast Regional Blood Center's Sugarland Neighborhood Donor Center.
Incept and the Gulf Coast Regional Blood Center began a collaborative partnership in 2005. At the root of the overall goal of helping the blood center achieve their unit collection goals lies a conversational marketing strategy that our Conversational Marketing Experts (CMEs) use daily in their efforts of recruiting, retaining and even converting blood donors for different apheresis donations. By 2009, Incept’s strategy had resulted in an astounding 22.74% increase in the number of monthly blood donor appointments for the blood center within a four-year period.
What makes this business partnership feel like Incept and The Gulf Coast Regional Blood Center have developed a very positive relationship is easy. The blood center has taken many internal steps to make sure they (as an organization) are doing everything they can to bring in meaningful donations in a consistent manner and have made their annual goals crystal clear. Combining this with Incept’s industry-leading expertise of conversational marketing, and how to apply those strategies towards the blood center’s needs as our client, we are able to not only have meaningful conversations that produce positive results, but literally act as stand-in ambassadors and the human link between Gulf Coast Regional Blood Center and their donors.
At the end of the day, our relationship comes down to the realization of specific needs and goals. Rather than just taking a stab in the dark at addressing those things, taking a Lead by Listening stance on realistically obtaining those goals and letting our conversations make the results that speak for themselves is our mission.
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Today’s post is from Conversational Marketing Expert Jeff Wein.
Hi name is Jeff Wein, I am just a Conversational Marketing Expert here at Incept. In the last year that I have been with the company, I have luckily (and proudly) been able to hold the title of Top Lifesaver for four months. I was able to share one blog post back in January, and I just wanted to share a few more tips of the trade.
We all know when it comes down to phone calls, they can get monotonous. We have to strive to break up the monotony. There are several ways that one can do this. I try to make things less 
repetitious by ensuring each and every phone call is a personalized experience for the donor with whom I’m talking. I do this by actively listening, accompanied with good use of the tools. Really listen to what your donors are telling you; by doing so, it equips you with the ability to custom tailor your responses to the specific situation, which will also reassure your contact that you are listening to them and care about what they have to say.
When I’m touching on a good use of tools, I mean use the donor profiles to their maximum potential. You can really learn a lot about your contact and their habits – like how often, what time they like, and where they like to go. Even with some of the campaigns that offer the point system programs, you can see if they’ve ever gotten anything from the online web store, which can be a conversational piece in itself. For example: “Oh, I see you picked up the gift card to __________. That’s great! Your current point balance is __________. You’re already on your way to your next reward and/or eligible for another!” This is typically going to make the donor ecstatic. If they haven’t heard about it, they probably are going to have a couple of questions for you, so arm yourself with familiarity with the program (i.e., check your F10 screens for promos, program info).
Familiarity will pay off. Oftentimes you may have donors thanking you as you’re getting off the phone. Admit it, that’s a great feeling. If you run into a question you’re not familiar with or not sure of, don’t be afraid to refer them to a main number. They’ll be able to answer any questions they may have.
Another important factor is Tenacity. Without it, well, we’re not really doing our job like we should be, but almost everyone is indecisive. You almost always have to reason with a donor. I don’t think many people just like to say “yes” the first time, so it’s essential to second-attempt your contact because, I mean, just asking that second time may be enough to get them just to throw a time and date out that may be able to work in their schedule. I always try to throw something out there when my contact seems to be “on the fence,” so to speak. In this situation, I’ll just throw out a “It can really help out the center a great deal if we could get you down for a time and day you think will work. Then we’ll have a good handle on what kind of staffing needs we’ll have day for day. And, of course, we can always give you a call back the night before just to ensure that the time and day will work out for you.” I think you may just be surprised even how persuasive that little line can be. I mean, think about it. Your donors are people who already like to help people out or they wouldn’t be donors.
There are different tips and tricks, and all of us could probably go on about for days, but I just wanted a chance to share a few of them with the masses. If you have any questions on how you could/should approach something in a call, and think I could help, just ask or talk to your supervisor or coach! They’re always chock-full of great ideas.
Recruiting blood donors can be a very challenging job, but the rewards save hundreds of lives every day.
I often think of what I could be doing with my education, experience and skills as a manager, if I was not working at Incept. I imagine that I could be working for a company that produces some sort of consumable product or provides a specific service. The main driver behind these types of companies would most likely be based on making money. I imagine that I would feel successful through creating more revenue for that company. Essentially, making more widgets than yesterday would impact the company’s worth.
However, my work at Incept has been completely different. Success is defined by reaching blood unit goals with community blood centers across the nation. Without the work we do at Incept, community blood centers that we work with would fall short in their efforts to supply blood to their area hospitals. Yes, it is true that many blood donors go in to donate on their own, but we encourage many more to schedule appointments and commit to saving the lives of patients in their local area.
When I leave work every day, I know I made a difference.
Everyone at Incept needs to think about that when leaving work for the day and when you come in for your next shift. Having an ultimate purpose is one of the most rewarding qualities you can gain in life.
Photo Credit: TopNews
In general, one percent doesn’t seem like a lot.
After all, what’s one dollar out of a hundred? When you’re talking about lives, however, one percent becomes a huge number.
Every year, over 4.5 million people will need blood transfusions, and that’s just in the United States. When you consider that of the 38% of our population who is eligible to donate blood only about 10% actually do, you begin to realize just how hard our blood centers and hospitals have to work to prevent blood shortages, especially in the summer and winter months.
What if there was a way to prevent blood shortages?
It’s easier than you might think!
If just one more percent of Americans donated blood, we’d be able to prevent blood shortages altogether. I know, one percent sounds like a laughably small number, but considering that out of our total population (about 307,006,550 people), one percent accounts for about 3 million units of blood reaching our hospitals that wouldn’t have otherwise. Combine those 3 million units with the blood that’s already being donated, and you can see how easy it would be to stop blood shortages in their tracks.
Donating blood is easier than you think. It only takes about an hour’s time and has the potential to save up to three lives. So what’s stopping you from donating? Let’s get that extra one percent, and help save lives in our community!
Photo Credit: http://www.tech.purdue.edu/contribute_images/blood-drive.jpg
As a blood donor recruiter here at Incept, I get to spend a lot of time talking with donors from all over the country. One of the questions I get the 
most, especially from newer members, is a simple one: How often someone can donate?
- Whole blood can be donated once every 8 weeks.
- Double reds can be donated once every 16 weeks.
- Platelets can be donated once every 7 days.
Donating blood or blood components is a great way to support your community and help save lives. The best part is that, more often than not, your blood is used in your local hospitals! Blood donors have been given even more reason to help out in recent years.
Many community blood centers have put together some amazing donor rewards programs as a way to say thank you to their donors. Two examples of these donor reward programs are the Commit for Life program by the Gulf Coast Regional Blood Center and the Brighten Life Program by the Central Blood Bank and LifeSource.
The Gulf Coast Regional Blood Center covers the greater Houston area and has been committed to helping supply much-needed blood to local hospitals since 1975. With the Commit for Life program, donors receive bonus points for each blood donation they give, as well as for every appointment they schedule and keep. You’d be amazed how quickly those points add up!
For donors who love collecting t-shirts (which happens to be my favorite thing), you can exchange 600 points for a variety of colors and styles. Looking for something a little unique? You can save up your points for a travel coffee mug or beach towel for the summer. You can even donate your points back to the Golf Coast Regional Blood Center to help support a new donor coach or local high school program.
Individuals living in Chicago have been able to count on LifeSource since 1987, while the Central Blood Bank has been serving the Pittsburgh area since 1951. Both of these phenomenal blood centers support the Brighten Life program.
Like with the Commit for Life program, Brighten Life rewards donors for their commitment to saving lives. Donors can donate their points back to the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society or save them to earn great gifts such as gift cards, stadium blankets or even an iPod Nano! Don’t worry, they have t-shirts too!
Just for signing up for the Brighten Life program, you earn 200. If you happen to have scheduled an appointment ahead of time, you’ll be awarded another 100 points. Are you more comfortable donating double reds or platelets? Either way, you’re in luck! Donors receive 250 points for each platelet or double red cell donation they give.
By donating blood, you help ensure that your hospitals have enough blood for the members of your community. By giving up an hour of your time, you can help save up to three lives and earn a great gift. Who could ask for more?
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When you think about the armed services, the men and women who protect our country likely come to mind. But did you know that they have their own blood program?
The Armed Services Blood Program (ASBP) was founded in 1952, and since then has collected nearly 5 million units of blood to date. It is the only blood center dedicated to providing blood exclusively to the men and women of our military.
Before the ASBP was founded, the military relied on blood donations given by members of the armed services. When they weren’t able to collect enough blood, the military had to purchase blood from other blood centers, which had their own blood shortages to worry about. In 1944, we began airlifting supplies to the front lines, and blood was one of the most sought after items to be brought in, with more than 825,000 units collected for the duration of the war.
When the Korean War kicked off in 1950, the plans for what would become the ASBP were in their infancy. Blood was being collected from civilians and shipped to the front lines where it was needed. The need for O- blood types was enormous, since anyone can receive O- blood safely. Even though their blood type was printed on a soldier’s dog tag, there was an 8% chance that it was incorrect, making the risk of transfusion reaction a very real problem. By using O- blood, doctors were able to do transfusions much faster since they didn’t have to wait for cross-matching results to come back.
The Korean War was also the first time plastic bags were used for storing blood – glass bottles had always been used. This change reduced the risk of septic and embolic complications, not to mention that more blood made it safely to the front lines because there were no bottles to break! Out of the 50,000 transfusions given in 1952, only four had any major complications.
The Armed Services Blood Program had been born.
Since then, the ASBP has been there to support our soldiers during both war and peace times. An amazing 1.8 million units of blood were collected for our soldiers during the Vietnam Conflict, and the ASBP sent more than 100,000 units during Operations Desert Storm and Desert Shield.
Today the ASBP has 22 blood donor centers, 81 transfusion centers and two whole blood processing laboratories ready to maintain a safe blood supply for the Army, Navy and Air Force anywhere in the world. Most often, they receive blood donations from soldiers on active duty, government employees, military retirees and civilians who have family members in the armed services.
But we can help too.
Regardless whether or not someone has family in the service, or if they themselves serve, anyone can donate blood to the ASBP. Head to the ASBP donor center nearest to you or check out one of their mobile drives in your area. I can’t think of a better way to say thank you to the men and women of our armed services than to give a little back.
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Donating blood is something that is very important to everyone here at Incept. Every day we
talk to blood donors from across the country, many of whom donate several times a year. However, there are a lot of other great ways to save a life out there too. One of my favorites is the National Marrow Donor Program.
Created in 1991 by Admiral E. R. Zumwalt Jr., the National Marrow Donor Program strives to further research on bone marrow transplants, provides financial aid for patients in need and helps patients find a matching marrow donor. Just as with blood transfusions, bone marrow can only come from marrow donors whose type matches the recipient. In most cases, family members are able to donate the needed marrow, but if the patient doesn’t have a family member who would be a good match, the National Marrow Donor Program is there to find a compatible donor.
Bone Marrow
What exactly is bone marrow, though, and why is it so important? Bone marrow is the spongy stem cell tissue that produces red blood cells, white blood cells and platelets. Bone marrow can be found in the sternum, pelvis, skull, ribs and femur bones of your body. The marrow also stores extra iron in the body.
If something is wrong with the bone marrow, it might not be able to produce enough blood cells to keep us healthy. After all, red blood cells are responsible for carrying oxygen throughout the body, and our white blood cells are what helps us fight off diseases and infection.
Why are bone marrow transplants needed in the first place, you ask?
Bone marrow transplants may be needed to replace bone marrow that isn’t working correctly or has been damaged by chemotherapy or radiation. There are also several diseases that attack bone marrow that might make a transplant necessary. Diseases such as aplastic anemia, sickle cell anemia, and certain cancers (such as leukemia and lymphoma) all cause damage to the bone marrow.
Being a bone marrow donor is a great way to help someone in your community who really needs it. It’s easy to get registered as a bone marrow donor – most blood centers can help get you set up and answer any questions you might have.
How many blood donors out there are also marrow donors?
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Here at Incept, we like to make sure that our blood donors know how much we appreciate their commitment to helping their communities by
donating blood.
Sometimes, however, we overlook the people who make a difference every day. Phlebotomists are a vital part of any hospital or blood center. They’re the ones who not only draw the blood but care for donors after they’ve donated and make sure that the blood is safely stored until it can be sent to the hospital.
It’s not an easy job! Phlebotomists need to be able to stand the sight of blood and needles – two things that scare most people. They also need good people skills to help their patients feel comfortable and relaxed. A phlebotomist has to keep a level head in tricky situations. If a donor doesn’t feel well, their phlebotomist needs to take charge of the situation and be compassionate. It’s a tough job but one that really makes a difference.
I have the privilege to be able to speak with a lot of donors on a daily basis, as a blood donor recruiter. Oftentimes, I get asked about the things one needs to do to become a phlebotomist. While I myself am not a phlebotomist, I know several people who are and have looked into some of the requirements.
A lot of colleges offer two-year programs in phlebotomy that include both lecture classes and lab classes. You’ll study anatomy and physiology, blood drawing procedures, patient care and other things to help you get ready for your career. After passing your classes and earning your certification, you’ll be certified for three years. You’ll need to keep up with your studies, though, to renew your certification every three years. Once you get the hang of it, however, you should do just fine.
Becoming a phlebotomist is a great way to help patients and your community. You get to work one-on-one with blood donors and have the ability to make their blood donation experience a positive one! So if you don’t mind needles and want a career that will let you help a wide variety of people, take a look at phlebotomy. It’s a profession where gentle hands and a caring heart are always needed!
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Map of the two earthquakes to hit Japan in less than a month
Like many people watching the news and looking at photos of the second earthquake to hit Japan in less than a month, my first reaction was simple: How can I help?
After a quick glance at my bank account I knew that I didn’t have any money to send. Luckily, I had some hygiene kits in my closet that I had assembled for Church World Service. I promptly packaged them and mailed them off. However, it also occurred to me that the victims in Japan might need blood as well!
The Japanese people are rallying to help out the victims. In Tokyo, 2,284 people donated at the Red Cross back on March 13th. Nationally, there are twice as many people donating blood than normal. Here in the United States, the Red Cross reports that Japan hasn’t issued any requests for foreign blood donations. However, the Red Cross is ready and able to help at any time.
Before and after of the first earthquake from March 11th.
Although the Japanese have enough blood right now to cover their needs, donors can only give blood every so often. If they need foreign blood tomorrow, next week or next month, we have to help! That means donating blood right now!
It takes 24-48 hours for a blood donation to be tested, processed and prepared for transfusion. The blood you donate today might be ready just in time when Japan calls for it!
Red blood cells can be stored for 42 days and plasma can be stored for 12 months. The red cells or plasma you give could go to help the people in Japan within the next year!
So if you’re like me, and you’re not sure what to do to help, you can always donate blood! Even if your donation doesn’t get sent overseas, it could certainly be used to help one of your own friends or family. Every pint of blood helps! Contact your local Red Cross, and schedule a donation today!
What are you doing to help Japan?
Photo Credits:
Friendly Forecast Blog http://blog.friendlyforecast.com/japan-march-2011-earthquake-tsunami-pictures-video/
The Sacramento Bee http://www.sacbee.com/2011/03/16/3480412/japan-six-days-after-the-quake.html
ZDNet http://www.zdnet.co.uk/news/after-hours/2011/03/14/google-satellite-images-show-japan-earthquake-damage-40092116/
