More often than not, when you need help with something, you need help with something specific.
In the case of blood banks and blood centers across America, that specific need is always changing and varying on a day-to-day basis. One day a blood center might be in critical need of A+ platelets, and the next day it might need as many B- red cell donors as possible.
This gentleman is doing a "Double Red Cell" donation.
When it comes to blood donor recruitment in the shoes of an Incept Conversational Marketing Expert (iCME), we don’t just recruit for whole blood donors, but also all the different kinds of apheretic donations. These donations include, plasma, platelets, and red cell donations or even “split” donations where half of the amount collected is platelets or plasma, and the other half is red cells.
But how do you go about converting a regular whole blood donor who has never attempted to try one of the above types of donations? Here are some of the methods that an Incept Conversational Marketing Expert (iCME) uses to convert whole blood donors to red cell or platelet donors as well.
- We help the donors understand the importance of red cells and platelets needed.
Sometimes people just need to understand why we are asking them as blood donors to do a different type of donation if the need arises. In the case of red cells, red blood cells carry oxygen through the body via the blood stream. In the event of trauma situations such as car accidents or surgeries, the oxygen from those red cells is what keeps your brain alive and functioning while you are treated. In the case of platelets, also known as white blood cells, their job is to fight off infections or sickness within your blood stream, and they play a vital role in a healthy immune system. When cancer patients go through chemotherapy, the radiation does not spare their platelets. Chemotherapy, while effective, can leave a patient very open to foreign illnesses and susceptible to getting sick.
These are just a few reasons why we ask donors to consider their donation choice:
- We thoroughly educate the donor about the process.
I remember when I ordered my newest bass guitar. I researched and learned about it all I could before ordering. The same kind of concept goes into when we convert whole blood donors to apheresis donors. We want to educate them about the process if they have never done it before. Really when it comes down to it, there are only a few differences when it comes to the donation process. You usually get a slightly smaller needle, so it’s generally more comfortable. With double reds you are only eligible to donate once every sixteen weeks, as opposed to once every eight weeks, so you also save time donating. You get saline placed back in your body during the “return” process when you get your other blood components back, so you are more hydrated and you are not leaving a full pint low. These are just a few of the benefits associated with a double red cell donation.
- We don’t just ask a donor to consider a red cell donation, we invite them to.
When recruiting blood donors, us Conversational Marketing Experts (CMEs) at Incept realize that most of these people have been asked consistently and constantly, over and over again to donate. We take a different approach by not asking them, but inviting them back to consider donating red cells or platelets. I know what you are thinking, “You’re still asking them. You are just phrasing it differently!” Yes and no. While we are still asking a blood donor to donate, by inviting rather than asking we are literally making them feel that they are more than just a blood donor. They are a valued individual whose time spent donating is appreciated just as much as the actual transfusable product. Inviting them back to donate, rather than just flat-out asking, also enables us to encompass the many great benefits of a blood center’s donor loyalty program or other special promotions as well!
Next time you donate blood, if you can, think about trying out a red cell donation or even a platelet donation. If you are still feeling a little unsure, no worries! We’ll help out in any way you can.
What questions do you have about red cell, platelet or plasma specific donations?