Professional Referral Development

1. Fara Gold presents Professional Referral Development

2. Training Objectives • Understand how to qualify and target potential and existing Referral Sources for community/cluster • Create a prioritized Referral Source list • Design a Pre-Call plan for new Referral Sources • Conduct an effective Needs Assessment • Demonstrate how to handle common objections and advance a Referral relationship • Integrate a Referral Development strategy into your 6-month Marketing Plan

3. Key Components • Targeting • Pre-Call Planning • Effectively Overcoming Barriers • Planning Effective Meetings/Needs Assessment • Advancing the Relationship • Tracking, Measuring and Analyzing Results

4. Referral Development Model • Create a Targeted • Referral Development List • Qualify current and potential • Referral Sources • Prioritize your list • Determine contact frequency • Assign organization/contact • ownership • Create a Pre-Call Plan • Identify potential needs • Plan questions in advance to uncover needs • Handle referral source objections • Conduct Needs Assessment • Gather key information • Uncover additional needs • Present benefits • Follow-up • Advance the Relationship • Continue to investigate needs • Act as a resource • Measure and evaluate results • Integrate into quarterly Marketing Plan • Broaden relationships Outcomes: increased lead and move-in volume at a lower cost per sale

5. Referral Source Management • Creating and maintaining a well-qualified referral source list is the key to focusing on those individuals and organizations which will yield the most results, thereby allowing you to use your time most efficiently and productively

6. Prioritizing Your Referral List • “A”: refer 12 or more leads a year • “B”: refer 5-11 leads a year • “C”: refer 0-4 leads a year – these could be new, undeveloped or past-referring contacts “A”s are priority contacts, “B”s and “C”s are good contacts

7. How Many Contacts Do You Need?

8. The Funnel for Referral Contacts Your C Accounts Your B Accounts Your A Accounts

9. Prioritizing Prospective Sources • Is this an organization or professional who has: • Clients who are 80 years or older? • Clients with medical, physical, and social needs that our community can meet? • Clients who are likely to stay in our community for more than one year? • Clients who can financially afford our community?

10. Referral Contact Frequency

11. Successful salespeople don’t ask random questions!

12. 4 Steps of Pre-call Planning • Do your homework – gather information in advance • Identify potential referral source needs • Develop a list of questions to clarify those needs and surface additional needs • Establish your primary and secondary call objectives

13. Information to Gather • Previous referral history (With your community or competition) • Client profile/demographics • Organizational purpose • Professional or personal affiliations to your community/cluster • Current issues they may be experiencing

14. The Purpose Statement A Purpose Statement describes what you want to talk about in your next meeting, conveys a benefit to the referral source, and will allow you to gain agreement on the objective of the meeting.

15. Working with a “Gatekeeper” • Turn the gatekeeper into your advocate • Treat them with respect • Ask for their help • Be prepared with your Pre-call Plan • Use your Purpose Statement • Offer a solution (best time to call…be flexible!) • Don’t forget your secondary objective • Use their name • Keep a smile on your face!

16. Gaining Agreement to a Meeting • Summarize the issues your referral source has shared with you • Confirm the time, place and meeting attendees • Ask for suggestions to the agenda • Don’t forget the thank the referral source!

17. Handling Objections • Offer resolution: • Valid issue – take action • False impression – offer clarifying information • Cynicism – provide testimonials • Paraphrase the Referral Source’s objection • Ask if you’ve captured the objection • Encourage the referral source to “tell me more” • Verify the true objection • Verify for agreement • Ask the referral source if the objection has been resolved • Advance the call

18. Needs Assessment • A Needs Assessment is a face-to-face meeting to: • Confirm referral potential • Identify critical needs by asking effective questions • Advance your relationship with the referral source

19. Effective Listening “Seek first to understand, then to be understood” Stephen Covey

20. Pre-Call Planning • Anticipate needs, problems or concerns • Develop questions • Use effective questioning skills • Plan an advance to gain commitment

21. Components of a Needs Assessment Tool • Updated contact information • Type of organization • Amount of potential referrals • Relationship with competitors • Awareness of Your Community • Validate needs/develop additional needs • Preferred communication method • Next steps

22. Ways to Move the Sale Forward • Medical Practices • Provide in-service/CEU training • Provide referrals to the practice • Ask MD or APRN to speak at events • Realtors: • Mutual referral program • Ask to speak at seminar • Host local association meetings

23. Key Knowledge to Plan an Advance • Business needs • Surface needs • Well-developed needs • Personal needs • Professional development or advancement • Recognition/appreciation • Interests • Sports/hobbies • Community associations • Time constraints

24. Needs and Solutions • Benefits • Are intangible • Directly pertain to the referral source’s needs • Show how our services can provide a solution to their needs • Advances should provide a solution to a customer need!

25. Applying our Skills • What one thing will I do differently in each area when I return to my community tomorrow: • Targeting referral sources • Pre-call planning • Handling Objections • Advancing the relationship • Tracking and Measuring

26. Relationships Are Key • Remember you are creating new relationships • Connecting Referral Sources to the Experts in Your Community • Selling Value and Solutions to Problems • Maintaining and nurturing the relationships for on-going referrals is a must