Triple-Play Marketing

Is just one marketing plan enough? Probably not. I have spent a great deal of time comparing the home care sales business to other industries, but there is nothing like us. I'll bet many of you knew that already. Our customer base is complex, and the players on the team barely know each other.

Most of the people involved in the purchase of one piece of equipment have neither met nor know much about each other. Oh, and we have people who pay the bills that we only speak with on the telephone and usually have never met the customer in person. How's that for a strange arrangement!

We are in an industry where the people who order the equipment do not use it, and the people who use the equipment often are not the ones ordering it. How would you like someone to pick out your clothes for you and have them delivered to your house with a note attached saying, “I ordered this for you. Please use, and do not forget to pay the bill!”

In many respects, I think our industry works something like that.

Marketing is not about making a sales call or planning a meeting. Marketing is about making a plan, understanding your mission, focusing on what results you can expect and developing a strategy for reaching the customer.

What are the triple components you should include in your marketing plan? You need to focus on the professional referral source, the patient and the retail customer. Each one of these three groups brings to the marketing strategies planning meeting the requirement for a separate plan and message. Treat each segment of your customer audience with a unique plan, and keep in mind the following ideas:

The Professional Referral Source

• Plan to see more people face-to-face.

• Know what you are going to talk about before you get to the meeting.

• Review your marketing materials to make sure they address what professionals want to hear and read about.

• Make a list of what meetings and events you can attend that would place you in contact with these professionals.

The Patient

• Develop a list of community social service agencies and support groups that could benefit from your input.

• Review materials that could be delivered to patients' homes with the products they have already ordered, i.e., flyers, catalogs, patient instructions, etc.

The Retail Customer

• Locate new sources of advertising both in print and through sponsorships.