The Marketing Addiction

What does it take to get in that door? What should I leave behind with the new customer? What will remind the referral source that we are here to help them? How can I make sure they are thinking of me?

Pens, pads, mugs — home care companies have spent thousands of dollars to make sure their logo resides on the front of the next best marketing item. Sales representatives are often found scouring boxes and closets just to find that key chain with the company name on it.

Many reps check on the giveaway supplies in the warehouse before they make their calls for the day. And when the pads and pens are out of stock, some sales reps begin worrying, "What will I take to the account?"

Hold on, are we dealing with an addiction that cannot be easily solved without a long stay in rehab? I think not.

Some of our marketing programs may need a new look and a careful analysis of their real value. The financial investment in a salesperson needs to be clarified. With salary, taxes, insurance, car allowance, cell phones and other benefits, the cost of reaching the referral source may be far more than most companies realize. Add to that expense the lunches, mugs and pens, fees to exhibit at health fairs and conferences.

So what is the alternative?

The best way to be remembered is to focus on your salesperson and his or her message. I have found the best salespeople are those spending the least amount of money marketing to referral sources. Taking one or two key people to lunch may be far more beneficial than buying a large spread of food for the 15 social workers in the office (many of whom might be psychiatric social workers and would never be our customers).

As a former referral source, social worker and case manager, I can tell you we never took the brochures from all the home care companies in our community, placed them on a table and reviewed them in order to make a decision about which company we would use for our patients. It just didn't work that way. We referred to companies because of the relationships we had formed with their staff.

Several companies have told recently me they have taken a break from buying all those "toys." The most successful salespeople in many of the companies I have worked with have said, "I don't need all that stuff." A clear and easy-to-read business card may be just what the doctor ordered.