Work Those Leads

There are many factors that can fuel the growth of your home care business. New products, a new salesperson, extensive marketing and enhanced efficiency are just some of the things that can make a difference in your profits. Each of these requires careful planning and additional expense. But there may be an easier way to increase your profits: Gather and work your leads.

Leads are unique opportunities to share information about your company, introduce yourself to new people and build a network that will eventually result in new business.

Leads come in many forms, but they are most valuable when they come from existing customers. Any one of your customers may share names of colleagues and associates you can speak with about the services and programs you offer.

Physicians may refer you to others in their practice group or clinic or to colleagues they may associate with in the hospital or even on the golf course. They may even, if asked, call the lead for you to help open the door, provide a testimonial and help clear the path for your entrance into their office.

A social worker or discharge planner in the hospital may be willing to share your name with others on the staff or other social workers in similar settings in your community.

While leads are valuable, you may never receive them if you do not ask for them. They will not come up in regular conversation, so you must build a question into your sales call asking if there is someone your customer knows who would be interested in hearing about your great programs, interesting services or state-of-the-art products.

Do not ask your present customers about new places to sell your products but about people with whom you can speak about your “unique” home care company.

Whenever you attend a health fair or professional meeting, gather those business cards. But do not just toss them in a box for storing away. When the cards are left too long “unworked,” they hold little value. You will lose interest in working the lead, the person who gave you the card may no longer work where indicated on the card and may not remember where you met.

Salespeople often talk about the need to “work the leads,” but somehow always seem to find a more important priority that takes their time. Too often, I have gone to clients’ offices only to see a box full of business cards just sitting on the floor — business cards collected from the last respiratory conference, social work meeting or case management conference.

Leaving the cards in the box and not working these leads is like tossing potential new customers out the door. There may be someone looking for a new home care provider, upset with the company they are using, or another may have heard good things about your services and want to talk with you.

Make sure that you continue to ask your present customers for new leads. Those who are happy with your services and products will be happy to share new names and contacts that could be of value.

Consider the following suggestions to make your new leads easier to handle:

• Keep a list of all the leads you receive. Take the names off the business cards and write them on a sheet of paper to take with you.
• Make a note of the date you received the lead.
• Note who gave you the card or name, and what was said about the lead.
• Each week, work one or more of the new leads you have received.
• Send a thank-you note to the person who gave you the lead, regardless of what happens.

One of the fastest ways to build your business is through your existing customers. Customers who already admire your work, love your service and have come to trust your promises can become your most valued referral source for new customers.

Certain leads are like money in your pocket, just waiting to make it to your bank. To receive leads and not to work them is a costly mistake. Those they refer to you may just be ready to work with a new home care provider — and it may not be you!

Louis Feuer is president of Dynamic Seminars & Consulting Inc. and the founder and director of the DSC Teleconference Series, a teleconference training program. He can be reached at www.DynamicSeminars.com or by phone at 954/435-8182.