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Posts tagged as:
In today’s post, Jake Fegan shares some of his insights on coaching Conversational Marketing™ Experts (CMEs) and using the LAMA technique.
Now we want to hear from you.
What is your coaching style? How does it help your CMEs grow and build stronger relationships with your customers and your customers’ customers?
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I know. I know. You already know how important it is to donate blood.
But how many of you do it on a regular basis? I understand all the excuses. Trust me! I have heard them not only on the phone when I call to schedule appointments to donate, BUT I have said them myself – not something that I am proud of.
On December 21, 2011, all that changed. I donated blood for the first time in my life. I not only ran out of excuses, but I had a very good reason to donate as well. I donated in honor of my dad.
In November, my Dad had knee replacement surgery and had complications after surgery. He needed to have a transfusion; he received two units of red cells. I watched in amazement as he received the gift of life. I thought about the people who didn’t give the excuses and complain that they were too busy. Those special individuals who took the time and donated blood so someone who they do not even know could have life.
As I watched, I realized that there are many people out there who are in need of this gift. I knew that I would also make that same selfless gift so that other lives might be saved, as well. How many of you can say that you save lives on a regular basis? I know that because of this, I will continue to donate blood.
How about you?
Image Credit: http://bloodsavelives.org/
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The need for blood is always high throughout the year.
That is why if you are a blood bank, it is always equally important to have a donor base that is loyally built, engaged and informed of your needs. But did you know that if only one more percent of current and eligible blood donors in America started donating then the issue of blood scarcity would almost vanish? That would help out a lot, considering in the United States and Canada about 43,000 units of blood are needed every day!
At Incept the role of the Conversational Marketing Expert (CME) goes far past that just an ordinary, run-of-the-mill phone representative. Collectively as an organization, not only do we care about our clients’ goals, but we voraciously believe in the healing power that even just one blood donation can bring to someone’s life and beyond. We literally do believe we are the human link between our clients and their donors, and that is why the quality of each conversation we have is so important to us.
Quite simply, when it comes to setting meaningful appointments and recruiting blood donors, it really all does lie in the conversations you have with them. Donors should always be recognized for the fact that they have previously donated! A blood donation isn’t just a pint of blood, it is that person’s time they gave up to come in and the consideration they had to even donate in the first place. That being said, here are three tips in guiding any blood center who is recruiting donors that can result in setting even more meaningful appointments that show up and ultimately help save lives.
At Incept, we have conducted specific tests and have the data that shows that when a blood donor is scheduled within ten days of when we have spoken to them they are much more likely to donate than if they were scheduled past that time frame. Scheduling within ten days keeps the appointment fresh in the donor’s mind and encourages them to pick a feasible and realistic time that is convenient for them to fit into their own agendas in the short-term future.
Isn’t it awesome when you get recognition for past good deeds? Everyone can always appreciate a friendly “thank you” and metaphorical pat on the back. Many Conversational Marketing Experts (CMEs) will incorporate a donor’s total number of donations into their calls to really emphasize the fact that each donation is appreciated and that they are an integral part of their local blood bank’s success. Simply showing appreciation like this makes the donor instantly feel good about what they are doing and gives them the drive and self-awareness of their role as a blood donor, making them more likely to donate.
Our results come directly from the quality of conversations we make an effort to have each and every day. Anyone can read a script, and anyone that is being read a script over the phone can usually tell. People like feeling like they are talking to another human being and not a salesperson or telemarketer. Before diving into asking a donor for a blood donation, genuinely ask them how their day is. Do you hear a dog barking in the background? Ask them what kind of dog they have. It all comes down to being professionally personable and finding quality common ground with the donor. It really does go a long way and makes the conversation and appointment setting process enjoyable for both the donor and the Conversational Marketing Expert (CME) or respective blood donor recruiter.
All of these tips can be used by any blood bank or center needing advice on recruiting. Please feel free to share and distribute this information.
What other helpful blood donor recruitment tips can you think of when it comes to setting appointments for donors to donate?
Image Credit: http://www.beltina.org
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Did you know January is declared National Blood Donor Month? Started in 1970 as a way to give recognition to the millions of donors that take time from their busy lives to make a life-saving blood donation. January was selected as the month to honor donors as it is when donations are needed the 
most. With busier schedules due to the Holidays and the colder weather causing for more donors to get sick or not want to leave their toasty warm homes, there is a decrease in donations and with the weather changes leading to more accidents, blood is needed more than ever.
You need to make sure you are doing your part and donate this month if you are eligible! Encourage others to come with you and donate as well. Your donation is always needed, but now more than ever! Make sure you are doing your part this month!
For more information on National Blood Donor Month or to schedule an appointment to donate blood, just check with your Local Blood Bank!
Thank you to all the blood donors out there, you are truly a lifesaver!
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those who do not. Once you study and understand how the loyalty programs work, you can tell the donors how many points they currently have and how many points they will have after they schedule with you and successful donate. This will create a tangible reward to entice the donor to come in. For the donors who aren’t interested in the gifts, remind them that they can donate their points to charity.
Congratulations! Now you have all of the tools you need to get the job done at Incept as a Conversational Marketing Expert (CME). Let’s see what you’ve got!
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Debbie with the Lifesaver Award!
As you all know, we recognize our Conversational Marketing Experts (CMEs) for their Lifesaver Level achievement every month. This is a great way to showcase the hard work that they do to save lives each and every day. Lifesaver Levels are achieved by accumulating points based on the type of donation that is scheduled. At this time, I would like to recognize Incept’s current Lifesaver Leader.
Saving lives is not the only thing Debbie does for Incept. Debbie is the Night Shift Room Representative, and she is the first one to help out when anyone is in need. She acts as the spokesperson for all Night Shift Blood Bank Conversational Marketing Experts (CMEs). If there are any questions or concerns in the Contact Center, Debbie quickly gets the correct information and makes sure it is relayed back. Debbie also volunteers by providing home-cooked food for the bake sales, and she often brings in food just in case anyone needs a good meal. All of this being said, it is no surprise that Debbie is our Lifesaver Leader.
Please join me in congratulating Debbie, our Lifesaver Leader!
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As 2011 comes to an end, I started thinking about all of the lives impacted by blood donors.
At Incept, we recruited nearly 220,000 blood donors this year making it possible for as many as 660,000 blood
recipients to spend time with their loved ones. And we are only responsible for a portion of the blood donors that go out each and every day giving of themselves so that others may receive the gift of life.
So it is now that I want to thank the thousands of employees that work for The American Red Cross and community blood centers across the nation. We often forget all of those that work in collections, marketing, laboratory services, development, finance, building and fleet, as well as all of the executives that each play a vital role in keeping our nation’s blood supply safe. While the recipients may never know your name, we know you are there and working each day to make a better tomorrow for those in need of blood and blood products.
From all of us at Incept, thank you for all that you do in making sure so many ill and injured have a Happy New Year. We wish you joy and peace in 2012!
Image Credit: http://www.vote29.com/newmyblog/archives/8024
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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.
Want to learn more about what Incept can do for your company or nonprofit organization? Find out more here!
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More often than not, when you need help with something, you need help with something specific.
In the case of blood banks and blood centers across America, that specific need is always changing and varying on a day-to-day basis. One day a blood center might be in critical need of A+ platelets, and the next day it might need as many B- red cell donors as possible.
This gentleman is doing a "Double Red Cell" donation.
When it comes to blood donor recruitment in the shoes of an Incept Conversational Marketing Expert (iCME), we don’t just recruit for whole blood donors, but also all the different kinds of apheretic donations. These donations include, plasma, platelets, and red cell donations or even “split” donations where half of the amount collected is platelets or plasma, and the other half is red cells.
But how do you go about converting a regular whole blood donor who has never attempted to try one of the above types of donations? Here are some of the methods that an Incept Conversational Marketing Expert (iCME) uses to convert whole blood donors to red cell or platelet donors as well.
Sometimes people just need to understand why we are asking them as blood donors to do a different type of donation if the need arises. In the case of red cells, red blood cells carry oxygen through the body via the blood stream. In the event of trauma situations such as car accidents or surgeries, the oxygen from those red cells is what keeps your brain alive and functioning while you are treated. In the case of platelets, also known as white blood cells, their job is to fight off infections or sickness within your blood stream, and they play a vital role in a healthy immune system. When cancer patients go through chemotherapy, the radiation does not spare their platelets. Chemotherapy, while effective, can leave a patient very open to foreign illnesses and susceptible to getting sick.
These are just a few reasons why we ask donors to consider their donation choice:
I remember when I ordered my newest bass guitar. I researched and learned about it all I could before ordering. The same kind of concept goes into when we convert whole blood donors to apheresis donors. We want to educate them about the process if they have never done it before. Really when it comes down to it, there are only a few differences when it comes to the donation process. You usually get a slightly smaller needle, so it’s generally more comfortable. With double reds you are only eligible to donate once every sixteen weeks, as opposed to once every eight weeks, so you also save time donating. You get saline placed back in your body during the “return” process when you get your other blood components back, so you are more hydrated and you are not leaving a full pint low. These are just a few of the benefits associated with a double red cell donation.
When recruiting blood donors, us Conversational Marketing Experts (CMEs) at Incept realize that most of these people have been asked consistently and constantly, over and over again to donate. We take a different approach by not asking them, but inviting them back to consider donating red cells or platelets. I know what you are thinking, “You’re still asking them. You are just phrasing it differently!” Yes and no. While we are still asking a blood donor to donate, by inviting rather than asking we are literally making them feel that they are more than just a blood donor. They are a valued individual whose time spent donating is appreciated just as much as the actual transfusable product. Inviting them back to donate, rather than just flat-out asking, also enables us to encompass the many great benefits of a blood center’s donor loyalty program or other special promotions as well!
Next time you donate blood, if you can, think about trying out a red cell donation or even a platelet donation. If you are still feeling a little unsure, no worries! We’ll help out in any way you can.
What questions do you have about red cell, platelet or plasma specific donations?
Image Credit: http://2.bp.blogspot.com
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Ah yes, the holiday season is in full swing. This is easily one of my favorite times of the year.
No matter how old I get, I still love ripping into presents on Christmas morning. I always watch as much of A Christmas Story as I possibly can, and let’s just say don’t get between me and my honey baked ham if you want to keep all your limbs!
But no matter what time of year it is, the need for blood is always there. Each day in America, just to refresh your memories, about 38,000 blood donations are needed for patients, and currently about seventy-five percent of Americans will need a blood transfusion at one point in their lives. With those kind of statistics it is always important to remember to donate if you can during the holidays. Let’s take a brief second to review the reasons why blood donations are typically needed with more urgency during this awesome and festive time of year.
The American Red Cross receives about twenty percent of all of its blood donations from high school and college students! Needless to say, when high schools and colleges across the nation go on holiday or winter break it really doesn’t help the efforts of local blood banks and centers trying to keep their own respective blood supplies at safe levels.
Around the holidays from Thanksgiving through New Year’s in the United States, traffic increases on roads by anywhere from twenty-three to fifty-four percent! That is mind-boggling! Of course, when you put more people on the roadways together there are bound to be more accidents, and that is usually what happens. Blood is crucially needed for these types of situations, especially red cell donations for trauma situations and emergency surgeries.
We all know the holiday season is a very hectic time for many people – myself included. Many good folks, and even many regular blood donors, are trying the best they can to gear up for the in-laws, get the kids those special gifts and make sure the decorations are hung with care in anticipation of festivities. While all of this maybe true, once again, the need for blood never takes a holiday. That is why right now at Incept, as a Conversational Marketing Expert (CME) recruiting blood donors, we want to be as gentle (yet as assumptive) as we can to kindly get blood donors into their local donor centers to donate.
These are just a few of the main reasons why around this time of year your help is definitely needed. Just think of what one blood donation could do for someone else! Who knows, you could be helping someone’s family member be able to celebrate another year with them just from one whole blood donation. Plus, this is definitely a deed that is worthy of being put on a certain fat man’s nice list. So what is stopping you from donating if you’re eligible?
What are some other reasons that blood donations are slow during the holidays?
Photo Credit: http://laughingsquid.com/
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