Referrals: Reaching Out to Get Back! Letting Others Build Your Business Referrals: Reaching Out to Get Back! Letting Others Build Your Business by Nancy A. Dykeman, CLTC, CSA Long-term Care Planning Consultants, LLC for the Corporation for Long-term Care Certification by Nancy A. Dykeman, CLTC, CSA Long-term Care Planning Consultants, LLC for the Corporation for Long-term Care Certification

AGENDA WHO to look for with a book of business WHAT to say… WHEN to approach… WHERE to find them… WHY are you stuck? HOW to grow! WHO to look for with a book of business WHAT to say… WHEN to approach… WHERE to find them… WHY are you stuck? HOW to grow!

a comment by best- selling author John Jantsch, “The Referral Engine” a comment by best- selling author John Jantsch, “The Referral Engine” “When a referral strategy pervades your entire business thinking, you begin to approach customer relationships by asking "What am I here to give?" or "How can I serve" as opposed to "What can I sell?" You begin to look for and develop strategic partner relationships with a view toward adding value...instead of as a means to get in front of new prospects.”

WHO to look for Professionals with Customers: Accountants/CPAs Attorneys/Estate Planners Bankers Financial Advisors Home Health Agencies Insurance Agents Professionals with Customers: Accountants/CPAs Attorneys/Estate Planners Bankers Financial Advisors Home Health Agencies Insurance Agents

Right here in River City! WHO to look for Local Professionals with Customers: Accountants/CPAs (12) Attorneys/Estate Planners (8) Bankers (8) Financial Advisors (11) Home Health Agencies (4) Insurance Agents (19) Local Professionals with Customers: Accountants/CPAs (12) Attorneys/Estate Planners (8) Bankers (8) Financial Advisors (11) Home Health Agencies (4) Insurance Agents (19)

MEET AND GREET Who else has customers to protect or employees to educate? Churches/Temples Government Entities Non-Profits Physicians/Surgeons Real Estate Agents Who else has customers to protect or employees to educate? Churches/Temples Government Entities Non-Profits Physicians/Surgeons Real Estate Agents Make it your mission to connect with people you are introduced to.

EDUCATION Who are YOU? Specialist with knowledge and experience to share – An Educator. Person active in your community – Always Visible. Professional offering solutions – The Answer. Who are YOU? Specialist with knowledge and experience to share – An Educator. Person active in your community – Always Visible. Professional offering solutions – The Answer. Find people who will listen.

A FEW DEFINITIONS Referral marketing is a method of promoting products or services to new customers through word of mouth. It is a structured and systematic process to maximize word of mouth potential. Informing, encouraging, promoting and rewarding customers and contacts to think and talk as much as possible about YOU. Referral marketing is a method of promoting products or services to new customers through word of mouth. It is a structured and systematic process to maximize word of mouth potential. Informing, encouraging, promoting and rewarding customers and contacts to think and talk as much as possible about YOU. From Wikipedia.

Referral marketing reduces your sales expenses and sales cycle. Referrals increase your sales revenue. “Your closing ratio for non- qualified leads is 10% (maybe) versus a 60 percent close ratio with referred leads.” Referral marketing reduces your sales expenses and sales cycle. Referrals increase your sales revenue. “Your closing ratio for non- qualified leads is 10% (maybe) versus a 60 percent close ratio with referred leads.” Focus on your partners and their valued customers. Tom Hopkins, “Sales Prospecting for Dummies” Focus on your partners and their valued customers. Tom Hopkins, “Sales Prospecting for Dummies”

WHAT TO SAY Tell them you don’t have another business card in your pocket and you will send them one. Take their card and write a note to meet again with them to talk about your business. Let them tell you about their customer base. Ask, “Do you have a plan or solution for long-term care yourself?” Offer to provide FREE education in workshops on the subject and what care does to families. Then request they start a campaign to protect their future income by providing solutions to their valued clients. Tell them you don’t have another business card in your pocket and you will send them one. Take their card and write a note to meet again with them to talk about your business. Let them tell you about their customer base. Ask, “Do you have a plan or solution for long-term care yourself?” Offer to provide FREE education in workshops on the subject and what care does to families. Then request they start a campaign to protect their future income by providing solutions to their valued clients.

WHAT TO SAY Tell them you specialize in planning for long-term care. Offer to do FREE policy reviews for their customers. Offer to prepare an approach letter introducing you to their customers. Schedule a workshop within one month of your discussion. Tell them you specialize in planning for long-term care. Offer to do FREE policy reviews for their customers. Offer to prepare an approach letter introducing you to their customers. Schedule a workshop within one month of your discussion.

WHEN TO APPROACH Whenever Wherever Ask for an introduction. As soon as you meet them, don’t wait! Make more than one contact with them. Whenever Wherever Ask for an introduction. As soon as you meet them, don’t wait! Make more than one contact with them.

7 SURE-FIRE WAYS 1.Set A Target. Example: set a clear goal of 10% increase in referral business in the next 10 weeks. 2.Timing. Give them time to experience your service. 1.Set A Target. Example: set a clear goal of 10% increase in referral business in the next 10 weeks. 2.Timing. Give them time to experience your service. from Darrell Zahorsky, former About.com guide

4. Give and You’ll Receive. Give willingly and they will return the favor. 5.Type of Customer. Inform them about the type of customer you can help. 6.Rewards Program. Provide special rewards on a regular basis. 7.Thank you. It’s better to thank too much than too little. 4. Give and You’ll Receive. Give willingly and they will return the favor. 5.Type of Customer. Inform them about the type of customer you can help. 6.Rewards Program. Provide special rewards on a regular basis. 7.Thank you. It’s better to thank too much than too little.

WHERE TO FIND THEM

#1 – Focus on your ideal clients. Whom do you serve? #2 – Discover where they gather. Build relationships with professionals who gather there, too. #3 – Cultivate these locations as referral sources. Drop by with information. #1 – Focus on your ideal clients. Whom do you serve? #2 – Discover where they gather. Build relationships with professionals who gather there, too. #3 – Cultivate these locations as referral sources. Drop by with information. thoughts by Linda Puig a newsletter marketing expert

WHERE TO FIND THEM #4 – Leave stacks of information. Provide your cards, newsletters and brochures for their lobby. #5 – Follow-up. Call or visit regularly to re-fill to build the relationship. #4 – Leave stacks of information. Provide your cards, newsletters and brochures for their lobby. #5 – Follow-up. Call or visit regularly to re-fill to build the relationship.

WHY ARE YOU STUCK? Challenge: Make a list of all the areas in which you feel stuck and ask yourself what’s keeping you there. Is it being tied to the comfort of leads? Begin to ask yourself why not rather than what if? Take that leap of faith in yourself and reach out to new people. Notice what shifts for you. Challenge: Make a list of all the areas in which you feel stuck and ask yourself what’s keeping you there. Is it being tied to the comfort of leads? Begin to ask yourself why not rather than what if? Take that leap of faith in yourself and reach out to new people. Notice what shifts for you. Where can you go from here? "Leap and the net shall appear." -- John Burroughs Where can you go from here? "Leap and the net shall appear." -- John Burroughs

STUCK? Although we may not know what the end result will be, we can trust that taking a step -- in any direction -- is necessary to get us unstuck. We can be sure that doing nothing will keep us in the same position tomorrow as today and yesterday.

HOW TO GROW Where do you see yourself : In 1 year?-still doing what I’ve been doing, depending on others for my success or having branched out to meet new people with books of business or customers who need my services Five years? -knowing at least 500 new people who either gave me referrals or became my own book of business 10 years? -sharing my success with others who are “stuck” and building even more new relationships Where do you see yourself : In 1 year?-still doing what I’ve been doing, depending on others for my success or having branched out to meet new people with books of business or customers who need my services Five years? -knowing at least 500 new people who either gave me referrals or became my own book of business 10 years? -sharing my success with others who are “stuck” and building even more new relationships Putting one foot ahead of the other means neither can be stuck to the floor.

HOW TO GROW Individual Markets singles and couples gay and lesbian former caregivers Group Markets local smallbusinesses employees benefits brokers Individual Markets singles and couples gay and lesbian former caregivers Group Markets local smallbusinesses employees benefits brokers Always look for opportunities.

HOW TO GROW Benefits Brokers: 1.Protect their clients 2.Need education 3.Can bring added value 4.Know the demographics 5.Make introductions 6.Help you close a sale Benefits Brokers: 1.Protect their clients 2.Need education 3.Can bring added value 4.Know the demographics 5.Make introductions 6.Help you close a sale Remember to GIVE BACK, too! Remember to GIVE BACK, too!

GROUP PLANS For Employers: Long term care insurance programs can assist in providing: Retention of valued employees Attractive incentive when hiring new employees Reduction in productivity losses Alternative to increasing salaries Competitive edge Ease of implementation For Employers: Long term care insurance programs can assist in providing: Retention of valued employees Attractive incentive when hiring new employees Reduction in productivity losses Alternative to increasing salaries Competitive edge Ease of implementation It’s a two way street!

HOW TO GROW For Employees: Long term care insurance programs can assist in providing: Individual plans of care Training for caregivers Care providers Wellness programs Claim filing assistance Less expensive group rates For Employees: Long term care insurance programs can assist in providing: Individual plans of care Training for caregivers Care providers Wellness programs Claim filing assistance Less expensive group rates

TAKE A STEP FORWARD Finding the best qualified leads for your business does not come from a cold contact situation but from building a strong referral business.

Thank you! Nancy Thank you! Nancy