A large contributor to making effective calls is rebutting when the contact first says no to your offer. The reason for the rebuttal is to educate, persuade, or reassure the donor. Rebutting should not be viewed as arguing or badgering donors, nor should it ever escalate to the point where it could be considered as such. Let’s talk about the three reasons that it’s important to always leverage rebuttals.
- First, it’s important to use rebuttal for the purpose of educating donors. Oftentimes a donor will decline to donate due to misunderstanding donation requirements. We often encounter donors in our calls that think common diseases (like diabetes and high blood pressure) result in permanent deferrals. The donor’s objection offers you the opportunity to inform them of the eligibility guidelines for their situation. More often than not, donors are glad to hear that they can still donate even with their condition!
- Second, rebuttals are important for the purpose of persuading donors that are on the fence due to busy schedules or the uncertainty of where and when to donate. It is the recruiter’s job to help donors understand that their time – while at a premium – would be best spent helping save lives. This can be done by explaining the importance of donating, offering donors different promotions when blood donations are most needed, or helping a donor work through their schedule to find a convenient day or time to donate blood.
- The final reason rebuttals are so necessary is to reassure the donor. Before a first-time donation or after a bad experience, it is especially necessary to reassure donors that the donation process can be simple, easy, and not frightening in the least. First-time donors can be especially nervous, as they have never been through the experience before. For these donors, it is crucial to explain the process of donating so that they feel more comfortable going in to donate in the first place. For donors who have had bad experiences with a past donations, it is important to do everything possible to make the bad experience right. If it was a customer service issue, a simple apology or a gift for their time may be all it takes to win the donor back. If the issue was medical, more explanation and a little extra TLC may be what the donor needs before they return to donate blood.
Whatever the reason a donor objects to donating blood, it is important to make sure that you and your recruiters have done all that you can to educate and inform the donor of possible misconceptions, persuade the donor that their time is necessary to save lives, and reassure any donors that are uncertain and fearful of the ways they can make their experience the best it can possibly be.