By Steve Moran
This is one of the most brilliant simple ways for senior living communities to get more and better leads.
But first …
A few weeks ago I ran a LinkedIn poll asking about referral leads. Take a look:
Some reflections on this poll:
- The number of responses for a poll is relatively low. I have another one running right now that has more than 200 responses. This suggests a lot of people saw it and choose not to respond, and I suspect that is because they would have been in the low number category.
- I did take a look at those who did respond (remember, the person running the poll can see who voted and what they voted … something I wish could be turned off. Most of those who said “8 plus” were in regional or higher positions, and I suspect those results reflect multiple locations.
The Most Important Leads
Referrals are the most important and least expensive leads you can get.
- They cost nothing, except doing an exceptional job.
- They represent a culture of doing things right, changing the world.
- They directly paint a positive picture of the team working together to make the community a better place.
- They have more credibility than anything else.
You need to train your family members to give better referrals.
Training Your Referral Sources
I am a relentless follower and fan of Sharran Srivatssa on Instagram, and he has created this brilliant framework for getting more and better referrals. Something he calls “the WOM multiplier.”
The first step in all of this, before I get to his framework, is that you have to have the courage to ask for referrals. It is stupidly hard to do, and I know this because I am really bad at it. But the truth is that people are more willing to help than you would imagine.
Proof of that is that you can find senior living communities that are not very good that have really good Google reviews, just because they asked for positive reviews.
How It Works
While people are willing to give you a referral, they often don’t know how to do it in a way that is really effective — a way you can use.
They say nice things, but not things that will attract new residents, not things that will stick in the minds of prospects and other referral sources.
You need to train them; you need to teach them what to say 🧑🏫:
- 🔭 Focus on the specifics of why having a friend or family member living in your community has been a great experience. If your referral source is the resident themself, get very specific about the things that made a big difference in their life.
Ask:
What was the best part of your experience here?
How did it change your life?
What would have happened if you had not come here?
- 👷 Craft their success story. Take what they told you, and write out the story the way you want it told. (It has to be true of course, or at least mostly true).
- 🏅Give them the right one-liner. Figure out one big, bold statement that people will remember: “Dad fell in love.” “It changed Mom’s life.” “It gave me the freedom I never thought I would have.”
When your families and your residents know how to share their story, in a compelling and wonderful way, they will do it more often and more powerfully.
