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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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Have you ever heard a fellow Conversational Marketing™ Expert (CME) reference someone’s blood type or the amount of donations the donor has given in a phone call? If you have, I’m sure you wondered where they got that information.
The answer is very simple.
When making blood donor recruitment calls, depending on the program you are calling, you are able to personalize that particular call simply by looking at the donor’s profile. It not only will tell you how many times they have given with that specific blood bank, but it will tell you their blood type, as well as where they have given in the past, and how many points they have for that blood center’s donor loyalty program.
Now let me tell you how you can use that information in your calls. The first way to use it is to thank the donor for the number of donations they have completed in the past and equate that to the number of lives they have helped save. For example, if the donor has donated with the blood center 11 times, that equals 33 lives saved! The more excited you are about them saving lives, the more it will make them feel appreciated and remember why they donate blood in the first place.
Another way you can use the donor profile is to get one step ahead of the donor. If you look at their donation history and see they typically visit a specific location, change your question to “Would a weekday or weekend work better for you to come back to [insert location name here]?” (This works best if they donate at a fixed site). If they donate at a mobile site, get in the habit of checking your drive list to see if there is anything scheduled in the near future at that location.
Now with blood types, if you recall O- being the universal donor, it doesn’t hurt when you have an O- donor on the phone to let them know this. You can do so by saying something along the lines of “I see you’re O-. That means anyone needing a blood transfusion can receive your blood. Let’s go ahead and get you scheduled, so you can continue to help us save local lives.” Then follow with a trial close. Or if they are one of the other blood types, it doesn’t hurt to throw in the facts regarding what percentage of the population has their specific blood type, and how they can help save the lives of local patients. (For reference: O+ = 38%, O- = 7%, A+ = 34%, A- = 6%, B+ = 9%, B- = 2%, AB+ =3%, and AB- = 1%).
Now let’s consider donor loyalty programs and accumulated points systems. The best way to use these are to simply let donors know how many points they have, how many they will be getting on their next visit (point out things like the 100-point kept appointment bonus), and then let them know about where they can go to redeem their points. A lot of donors may not be aware that they are even members of these programs, let alone what they can do with their points. So remind them. Take that extra second and really make them your customer.
The best thing you can do in your calls is to take the time to really be appreciative of blood donors, as well as being efficient and remaining one step ahead of them to deliver the ultimate customer experience.
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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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It is going to happen. We all run into it…an upset donor!
There will be times when making blood donor recruitment calls where we contact a donor that had a previously poor experience donating, or we unintentionally interrupt a donor right in the middle of their favorite show. Whatever the situation, it is our job as Conversational Marketing™ Experts (CMEs) to handle the call properly and do what we can to change the situation for the donor.
Here are some tips on how to accomplish that:
Using these tips the next time you reach an upset donor will help the call flow a lot better and make the donor feel like their concerns were heard and not ignored.
What additional tips do you have for handling a call with an upset donor?
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Most companies focus their efforts on teaching specific job details and responsibilities when training a new employee. At Incept, we approach training with a focus on welcoming new team members into our company culture. By creating an open and comfortable atmosphere we empower each new Conversational Marketing Expert (CME) to be at their best from their first day on the job.
Once our new team members know they’re a part of the team we focus on learning step by step how to have productive conversations by using techniques like role-playing in the classroom. From there it’s a short, natural (although sometimes uneasy) step to having conversations with real donors and customers on the phone.
Because our employees come from a variety of sources (many of them are referred by current members of the Incept team) we think it’s critical to make them feel welcome to our culture. An employee who feels like they’re on the outside looking in is a lot more likely to go looking for work elsewhere than one who feels like they belong.
Interested in becoming a part of our team?
Interested in putting the Incept Team to work for you?
If so, visit our website and Let’s Talk…Results.
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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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There seems to be a whole slew of maxims and worldly ethical codes that accompany living in this world.
Most of us, without a doubt, have heard of The Golden Rule, in which we treat others the way that we would like to be treated. But when can a business fully harness that sense of ethics in a way that will produce productive results? There are many companies out there with great core values, and practicing these values usually isn’t an issue, until business seems to get in the way.
Today I’m going to be a little less verbose than usual and just dive right into how Incept uses our company value of Everyone’s a Customer in our everyday lives and roles at Incept.
Really when looking to utilize the value of Everyone’s a Customer, you must put yourself in the shoes of not only your clients but your employees. Additionally, you must push to think beyond the typical business-to-client relationship. I play the electric bass guitar in a band and always love grooving it up. My guitarist has said before, when we are writing new songs, that we all have our own sonic vision of how the song sounds and where different parts of it go in our own heads. Really apply that same type of thinking when you have identified your client’s needs and goals, and develop your own sonic vision of how you will assess their needs and plan to achieve their goals. This type of thinking not only brings together multiple people’s brightest ideas, depending on whatever it is you are trying to address, but it also places a certain sense of empathetic thought on what it is going to take to really please your client and treat them as your customer.
When looking at the value of Everyone’s a Customer to an Incept Conversational Marketing Expert (iCME), not only does it refer back to the type of thinking above, but it also is a tool that we use to determine what we need to do to be successful. Conversational Marketing Experts (CMEs) – really everyone in the company of Incept, for that matter – view Everyone’s a Customer in the terms that, if someone needs your help or advice, they are your customer. If you don’t show up to work, keep that type of thing in mind because your fellow employees are your customers, as well as your bosses. When you are asked to go into a program to call that might be a little more difficult at the moment, keep in mind your shift supervisors are your customers just as much as the folks who we literally talk on the phones with. This type of thinking is highly efficient in that it gives employees self-empowerment to realize they are an important part of the team, it helps address schedule adherence issues and, on top of it, always makes sure Incept is aiming to continue to provide world-class level service to our clients. What isn’t to like or embrace?
It’s easy to see how simple company values really do go beyond being just words, becoming mentally sharpened tools that organizations can use to their advantage when providing excellent service or any type to any client. What are some other ways you can use Everyone’s A Customer in either the workplace or everyday life?
Image Credit: http://www.dbmarketingblog.com/
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Our very own Mike Jackson.
If there is one Conversational Marketing Expert (CME) at Incept that puts his performance where his mouth is – and quite literally, as he is part of a rap group – Michael Jackson (MJ) is the guy that comes to mind. When you meet Mike you can already tell by his mannerisms that he is as animated as a Looney Tunes’ charater and full of positivity. A great asset amongst our employees, Mike is the type of employee that really brings our company culture full circle. He is someone you can talk to about anything, and you instantly feel this type of friendliness in each conversation.
I remember recently I was having a pretty rough start to my morning. My heat wasn’t turned on yet in my apartment, so I woke up to find myself in an extremely cold daze. To make matters worse, I had overslept my alarm, and my brain had kicked itself into that “fight or flight” mode in an effort to make it to work on time. To top it off, my Z28 was thirsty for some 93 octane, but I just couldn’t afford to waste time stopping for gas. After slamming gears down I-77, crossing my fingers and coasting on fumes, I pulled into Incept’s parking lot and flew up the flight of stairs to the time clock to punch in. I found a slight glimmer of victory as I had managed to make it on time and could feel a relieved smirk grow across my face.
I found a seat right near the big screen so that I could watch the Cleveland Browns get destroyed that Sunday, and, sure enough, across the rows I caught a glimpse of my man, Mike Jackson. The thing is, he didn’t seem like himself. He seemed quieter than usual, but without a doubt was still on top of his call performance. I had to ask, “Mike, whats going on, man?” He then proceeded to tell me about how the night before he learned that one of his close cousins who he had grown up with had tragically died in an automobile accident. And I thought my day was going bad!
That put things into perspective for me really quickly. At Incept we have a bereavement policy that states you are allowed to take up to thirty days off work to grieve the death of a loved one, yet Mike was still sitting in the office making calls. I even tried to tell him he could go home, but he gently smiled and told me, “that would be the easy way out.”
Mike told me he’d rather try to come in and work than grieve for his cousin (who went by the name Sully) initially, because it was a more constructive way to deal with the situation rather than sit around. He knew he could have called off, as he had a very legitimate excuse to do so, but just the way he explained things to me really struck me hard. I was dealing with just another run-of-the-mill bad day while Mike was going through a life-changing ordeal in losing Sully. On top of it all, his call quality was excellent (as usual), and he was seemingly well above goal.
It isn’t until you put yourself in someone’s shoes that you get a real idea of how dismal and minuscule your problems are when compared to something like that. Mike received Incept’s R.A.V.E. award (Recognizing and Acknowledging Values in Employees) for being tenacious in the way he dealt with such a negative event and used it to fuel his drive. That is something I wanted to recognize and still can’t get over.
It really makes me question if Mike, a really happy-go-lucky kind of guy, can have life throw him a curve ball like that and still hit a home run, then what makes your bad day so bad that you can’t give it your all at work?
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Did you know that the United Nations (U.N.) projects a population increase from 6.8 billion people currently living in the world to a whopping 9.2 billion count by the time 2050 rolls around?
What is even more wild is the fact that the United States of America is to gain 117 million countrymen (and countrywomen) to add to its list of 321 million current residents, if the U.N.’s population prediction ends up coming true. When it comes to those involved in securing and supplying blood transfusable products, that can mean many things.
The need for blood only grows.
With the world population rising daily, not to mention the increasing need for blood donations and blood transfusable products, I have watched blood centers and blood bank organizations bend over backwards to keep with current trends and tie it all in with donating.
Social media is a term that I think is thrown around more loosely today than it even was a year ago. Additionally, social media is a phrase used to describe the many different facets and avenues of communicating online in a way that is continuously growing and not just used to share one type of information, but pretty much anything humanly possible. We log in to Facebook to update our status. We tweet from Twitter hoping to make an unknown connection out there with someone who is like-minded in thought. We make YouTube videos in a genuine effort to not only replicate the mainstream media we see, but to literally become the media itself. Blood banks and organizations are hip to the times too. Gulf Coast Regional Blood Center is active not only on 
Facebook, but Twitter (@commitforlife) as well. They use both as platforms to not only appreciate their donor base, but to educate, inform and simply stay connected.
I’ve also noticed a big increase in the practicality of donor loyalty programs. Donor loyalty programs aren’t just a way for a donor to earn a t-shirt or shiny pen for donating a gallon anymore. They are a way for a donor to donate blood, earn redeemable points to spend on multiple things – ranging from t-shirts and gift cards to gas cards and cards to other shopping locations. While I do hear a lot of people tell me they don’t donate for points or for rewards, it serves as a nice gesture towards a donor base, and it is one that LifeSource and Central Blood Bank have taken on with great intentions. Both organizations are a part of and support the Brighten Life donor rewards program with regards to their own donor base.
Let me tell you from firsthand experience being a Conversational Marketing Expert (CME), while we know many blood donors do not donate for the reward, it certainly does spike their interest when they know they are eligible to receive a $25 gift card with just one more donation. It is also fun to let loyal donors know they have a huge amount of points they can spend, and hearing their reaction to the news is generally a treat. Most of all, donor loyalty programs keep people interested in not only donating blood, but their personal donation history with an organization. And that is a valued point often missed.
Despite these technological and rewarding trends, the need for human interaction will always be there. That is why Incept really does take its prestige and level of experience within the field of blood donor recruiting extremely seriously. A Conversational Marketing Expert (CME) is more than just your run-of-the-mill telerecruiter. We are not here to sell anyone anything. We are not even here to beg people for blood donations. We are here to make donating blood easy, to inform people who might not know of a blood drive just right down the street from them. Most of all, we are here to strengthen the relationship of the donors on behalf of the clients we serve through high-quality and productive conversations.
We are able to do this because we are people who believe in the good that donating blood can really do in this world. Our Conversational Marketing Experts (CMEs) are blood donors themselves! Telerecruiting is not going away, by any means, but will continue to evolve. Incept and its services will continue to trend throughout the blood bank industry thanks to world-class service and the simple fact that we view ourselves as the human connection between a blood donor and a donation being made. It really is that important.
When it comes to trends in society, what do you think makes a successful trend? Why do you think other trends turn into dying fads?
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