Recently we talked with Billie Johnson, Incept’s Vice President of Client Results, to discuss conversational marketing™ versus traditional telemarketing. Below Billie explains what the different is and how Incept uses it in our blood donor recruitment strategies.
Explain conversational marketing™: Conversational marketing™ is a fundamental philosophy that revolves around using your marketing touchpoints to have true, meaningful conversations with your donors to communicate your mission and build a partnership for the patients and hospitals you serve – not just for today, but for years to come.
Why is Incept different than your traditional telemarketing firm? Traditional telemarketing often focuses on the outcome of a phone call. The more “yeses” today, the more success. The Incept difference is that we believe our conversations secure relationships for the future. Our objective in every call is to make sure that the relationship between our blood center client and their donors is stronger and healthier than before our call. It’s a cohesive, long-term strategy, not a one-time campaign, that develops lifelong commitments and loyalty.
Why is it important to build a relationship with the donor when you are on the phone with them, even if the end results is ‘no’? Not everyone is going to say “yes” every time, but each person we call has made the commitment to donate in the past. We want all donors to continue that commitment. Keep in mind, even if now is not a good time, perhaps the next time we call they will be in a position to help. If we alienate even a single donor, that donor could mean all the difference to someone in need in the future.
What is the difference between talking with the donor and talking at the donor? The key here actually has nothing at all to do with talking. The difference is listening. Nearly anyone can begin reciting a script when a donor says “hello”, but listening for key indicators that help guide the talk track is imperative if you truly care about your relationship with your donors. It’s the key to putting the donor’s needs first.
Scripts are important, but why should a Conversational Marketing™ Expert (CME) add their own personality into the phone call? Incept believes that guidelines are very important to communicating the right message and preserving a blood center’s brand. However, equally as important is allowing our Conversational Marketing™ Experts (CMEs) to have true two-way conversations by using their personality to build a rapport. People build relationships, not scripts.
How can you implement conversational marketing™ into your blood donor recruitment strategy to not only increase results, but also build strong relationships with your donors?