Referral Development Handbook

Personal care for every client, every day.

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Table of Contents

Foreword…………………………………………………………………………………………..3

Referral Development Methods…………………………………………………………………...4

Tools………………………………………………………………………………………………5

Pitches……………………………………………………………………………………..5

Scripts……………………………………………………………………………………..6

Email………………………………………………………………………………………6

Phone………………………………………………………………………………………8

In Person…………………………………………………………………………………10

Thank You Notes………………………………………………………………………...11

Contact Notes…………………………………………………………………………….12

Marketing Infographic…………………………………………………………………...15

Putting It All Together…………………………………………………………………………...16

Afterword………………………………………………………………………………………...18

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Foreword

Thank you for taking the time to dedicate yourself to expanding Eisenhower Center’s

services to those in need. Traumatic brain and spinal cord injuries require very specialized care,

and such a unique and niche market requires that same kind of marketing. As Eisenhower

Center emerges as a top contender in quality traumatic brain and spinal cord injury care in

Michigan and throughout the country, we are committed to a strong and viable future for the

communities we serve and for the organization. As Program Coordinators and Unit Managers,

you are in an advantageous position to acquire new contacts and referrals for our company.

Since you will be in contact with potential clients on a daily basis, it is important for externals to

meet the very people with whom they would be working frequently.

You have been tasked with marketing our programs and services to external team

members and new contacts on a consistent basis. While some may be naturally gifted with this

ability, some may need additional support and guidance on how to go about gaining referrals for

prospective clients. In the pages that follow you will find methods and tools that you can utilize

to acquire new business for Eisenhower. As members of an employee-owned company

dedicated to our mission, we must invest in practices that will give us the best outcomes possible

for our organization. Although change is challenging in the beginning, the administration is

confident that implementing these devices will only serve to benefit all stakeholders involved in

the provision of first-rate TBI and spinal cord injury care.

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Referral Development Methods

Method 1: Make professional and consistent contact with current client team externals, returning

emails, phone calls and answering requests promptly. This is your first and easiest way to show

case managers, guardians, clinicians and others how Eisenhower prioritizes the care we provide

for our clients. These externals will be more inclined to refer new clients when they know we

are on top of any issues or concerns that come up. This is something you probably already do,

and does not take any extra time or effort.

Method 2: When speaking with current externals, be sure to mention any new updates or

features of our services. Talk about any open beds that you have in your unit, and inquire about

any cases they may have that may need placement.

Method 3: Take the list of contacts that you are assigned, and locate the Clinical Director,

Director of Programs, Case Management Director, Director of Physical Medicine and

Rehabilitation or other program director or administrator and call them to set up a time to meet

for coffee, lunch, and/or a tour of Eisenhower’s main campus and/or farm. Be sure to get their

mailing address so that you can send a quick handwritten note thanking them for their time. In

the mailing you can include literature describing Eisenhower’s services. You can also follow up

with an email thanking them for the conversation. Alternatively, you can email first and follow

up with a phone call.

Method 4: Take one day every month to travel with your marketing partner to one of your

assigned contacts. Utilize the time to sit down with them and make a connection over lunch.

You can also use this opportunity to make a new connection that was not originally on your list.

Simply stop in, ask to speak to a manager or admissions director, and drop off some marketing

literature.

Method 5: Create and/or update your LinkedIn profile and connect with your current contacts.

Utilize it to make connections with new externals. You can also use LinkedIn to reach out to

your current contacts or rekindle a lost connection.

Method 6: When networking and meeting new people at golf outings, careers fairs, events like

Survive and Thrive, the Legacy Dinner, Learn over Lunches, etc., when exchanging business

cards, be sure the write detail on the back outlining the date, location and event where you met to

facilitate future contact. It will be much easier to reach out to someone when you can remind

them how and where you met and why.

Method 7: Pave the way to forging a new relationship by sending prospects a small, unique

promotional item ahead of time so that they have an idea of who you are before you contact

them. Include a short note describing Eisenhower Center and our services.

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Tools

Pitches

Below is a quick, 45-second “elevator pitch” that can be utilized as a way to introduce

Eisenhower Center to someone who is unfamiliar with our company or our industry and briefly

explain what we do. There are two versions of the pitch: one for people familiar with medical

and TBI terminology, and one for those less comfortable with industry jargon.

Version 1 (for someone familiar with industry terms)

“We are a rehabilitation center for people with traumatic brain and spinal cord injuries. We are

a residential facility with units dedicated to providing services for specific TBI concerns from

neuro-medical and neurobehavioral cases, to supported apartment living and semi-independent

living. Our core services include nursing and health education, supported employment, and

recreational therapy and activities. Our clinical services include Physical Therapy,

Occupational Therapy, Speech Language Pathology and Counseling, which are also offered on

an outpatient basis. Our treatment plans are tailored to the individual so that we can provide

them personal individualized care.”

Version 2 (for someone unfamiliar with health care and industry terminology)

“We are a rehabilitation center for people with traumatic brain and spinal cord injuries. We are

a residential facility with units dedicated to providing services for specific brain injury concerns.

Because the brain controls the entire body, once the brain is injured, any aspect of the body’s

functions can become impaired. A person might not be able to swallow properly any more, may

become incontinent, may develop impulse control problems or be unable to interpret facial

expressions or have trouble processing information. Eisenhower’s units are specific to these

kinds of concerns. In order to aid in the rehabilitation process, we also include nursing and

health education, supported employment, and recreational therapy and activities. Our clinical

services include Physical Therapy, Occupational Therapy, Speech & Language Therapy and

Counseling, which are also offered to non-residents. Everything is tailored to the individual so

that we can provide them personal individualized care.”

These pitches are just samples and can be adjusted to sound more natural for you, tailored to

the situation or interchanged depending on your comfort level. Each version ensures that the

basic information describing Eisenhower Center is included.

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Scripts

When connecting with externals and new contacts, utilize the following scripts to

facilitate connections and ensure that the necessary information is included in your

conversations.

Email

First Contact

Subject: TBI/Spinal Cord Injury Patients/Clients

Body:

Mr./Ms. _________________________________,

My name is [insert name] and I would like to reach out to inform you of the services we

offer at Eisenhower Center. We are a rehabilitation center for people with traumatic

brain and spinal cord injuries. We are a residential facility with units dedicated to

providing services for specific TBI concerns from neuro-medical and neurobehavioral

cases, to supported apartment living and semi-independent living. Our core services

include nursing and health education, supported employment, and recreational therapy

and activities. Our clinical services include Physical Therapy, Occupational Therapy,

Speech Language Pathology and Counseling, which are also offered on an outpatient

basis. Our treatment plans are tailored to the individual so that we can provide them

personal individualized care.

Right now, as a/n [insert position], you are in a perfect position to assist those affected by

traumatic brain injuries in getting the rehabilitation that they need. I would love to

personally partner with you to discuss how we can help more clients find success. Is there

a time we could talk on the phone or meet for lunch? I have attached our infographic for

further information. Thank you for your time.

Sincerely,

XXX

Program Coordinator/Neurobehavioral Unit Manager*

(XXX) XXX-XXXX

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Follow-Up

Subject: Eisenhower Center Follow Up

Body:

Mr./Ms. _________________________________,

I just wanted to take a moment to follow up with you regarding our conversation/meeting

on [date] at [location]. We talked a little bit about the challenges facing someone in your

position and how Eisenhower might help to serve your needs, and [insert additional

detail]. Please let me know how I can help.

Best,

XXX

Program Coordinator/Supported Suites Unit Manager*

(XXX) XXX-XXXX

Relationship-building

Subject: How are things?

Body:

Mr./Ms. _________________________________,

I just wanted to touch base with you to see how you are doing, talk about/update you on

our case(s) and see what you might need help with. Because you work with

____________________-type clients, we would be able to accommodate them in our

_____________________ unit where we have _______ open beds.

As you are searching for the best treatment options for your clients, please keep

us in mind as a resource for you.

Regards,

XXX

Program Coordinator/Neuro-medical Unit Manager*

(XXX) XXX-XXXX

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*When you are listing your position, be sure to indicate which kind of unit you are in. For

example, if you’re in North or Congregate, indicate that you are in the Neurobehavioral or

Substance Abuse Unit. Instead of saying East Hall or Moriah Hall, indicate that you are in

Supported Suites. If you are in the apartments, be sure to list that you are in Supported

Apartments.

Phone

Similarly, the email scripts may be utilized over the phone as well. The approach varies

slightly, but the basic message is the same.

First Contact

“Hello, [name]. This is _________________with Eisenhower Center. I know that you

are the [position] over at [location]. We specialize in the rehabilitation of people who have

suffered a traumatic brain or spinal cord injury, with a particular specialty in behavioral clients.

I’d like to take just a few minutes to discuss with you how some of our programs might meet your

needs.

We are a rehabilitation center for people with traumatic brain and spinal cord injuries.

We are a residential facility with units dedicated to providing services for specific TBI concerns

from neuro-medical and neurobehavioral cases, to supported apartment living and semi-

independent living. Our core services include nursing and health education, supported

employment, and recreational therapy and activities. Our clinical services include Physical

Therapy, Occupational Therapy, Speech Language Pathology and Counseling, which are also

offered on an outpatient basis. Our treatment plans are tailored to the individual so that we can

provide them personal individualized care.

I’d like to set up a time to meet next week to talk to you a little more in depth about

Eisenhower and how we can help each other. Do you have time next _________________?

Which day is good for you?”

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Voicemail

“Hello, [name]. My name is _________________and I’m a [insert position] at

Eisenhower Center, a rehabilitation center for people with traumatic brain and spinal cord

injuries. I’d like to talk with you about how some of our programs might help meet your needs.

If you could return my call at XXX-XXX-XXXX, I’d be happy to speak with you regarding our

services. Once again my name is ___________________ with Eisenhower Center, and my

number is XXX-XXX-XXXX. Thank you, and have a great day.”

Follow-Up

“Hi [name] this is ______________ over at Eisenhower Center. How are you? I just

wanted to take a moment to follow up with you regarding our conversation/meeting on [date] at

[location]. We talked a little bit about the challenges you face at __________________ and how

Eisenhower might help to serve your needs [insert additional detail]. Do you have any questions

about us or any of our programs? Is there any way that we can assist you?

Thank you so much for your time. Have a great day.”

Relationship-building

“Hi [name] this is ______________ over at Eisenhower Center. How are you? I just

wanted to touch base with you to see how you are doing, talk about/update you on our case(s)

and see what you might need help with.

We do have _______ open beds in our ___________ unit and we’d be able to

accommodate someone immediately.

It was great catching up with you. Keep us in mind as a resource for you for future

reference. Thank you for your time, and have a great day.”

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In Person

First Contact

“Thank you for taking the time to meet with us today. We won’t take up too much of your

time today, but we just wanted to meet face-to-face to talk with you a little bit more in depth

about who we are, what we do, and how we might be able to form a working relationship with

each other.

(Utilize the Contact Notes Checklist to inform contact about Eisenhower’s services. Be sure to

give them a marketing packet.)

Do you have any questions about us or any of our services? Do you have a business card so that

we can follow up with you? Thank you so much for your time. We’ll be in touch.”

Again, these scripts are just samples, and they can be changed to suit the scenario. These

tools can simply provide a starting point for your marketing efforts.

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Thank You Notes

After meeting with someone, it is important to send a thank you note expressing

your gratitude for their time and attention. A simple handwritten message like the one

below will go a long way to facilitating future contact.

Mr./Ms. ________________________.

Thank you for meeting with me/us on _____________ for lunch. We appreciate

you taking time to speak with us about Eisenhower Center. Please keep us in mind as

a resource for you.

Many regards,

________________________________, [position]

XXX-XXX-XXXX

[email protected]

Contact Notes & Checklist

In order to streamline and simplify contact meetings and notes, the following forms have

been provided to you beginning on page 12. These forms will allow you a formula for

contact talking points while simultaneously serving as the contact notes themselves. Once

you have filled out the form, keep a copy for your records and a copy to turn into the Vice

President of Operations during the weekly Program Coordinator meeting.

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New Contact Notes Checklist

Name: _______________________________ Position: ______________ Unit: ____________________________

Date: _____________ Time: ___________ a.m./p.m. Location: _________________________________________

Contact Person___________________________ Position: ________________________Phone:________________

Email: ___________________________ Address: ___________________________________________________

Talking Points

Must discuss:

We are a licensed residential Adult Foster Care facility

We are CARF-accredited

Many of our clients are funded by auto no-fault

We offer a variety of environments to suit the individual from neurobehavioral and

neuro-medical to supported apartments and semi-independent living

Our core services include supported employment, substance abuse counseling, behavior

analysis, nursing & health education, recreational and music therapy

We offer vocational services (skill building, education, employmentfarm where clients

can live and/or work (Enrichment Center)

All care is individualized to cater to each client’s unique needs

How can we help you?

Best way to contact them

Additional topics:

Encore House- group home for elderly clients

Paradise House- extension of our Ann Arbor location in the Upper Peninsula (licensed

and CARF-accredited)

Hoop House

After the Impact – a program for men and women recovering from injuries acquired while

participating in professional sports and military service

ALTBI- Assisted Living for Traumatic Bain Injury Veterans (Loft)

Open beds in unit

Additional Notes, Comments, Ideas, Concerns:

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External Contact Notes Checklist

Name: ___________________________________ Position: ________________ Unit: ___________________

Date: _____________ Time: ___________ a.m./p.m. Client: ________________________________________

Method of contact: Email Phone Face-to-Face Contact: Guardian Conservator Family

Case Manager Adjuster Physician Lawyer Parole Officer Other _______________________

Purpose: Update Weekly Client Meeting Team Meeting Other __________________

Topics to discuss:

Program changes since last contact

________________________________________________________________________

________________________________________________________________________

Progress in

o PT _______________________________________________________________

o OT ______________________________________________________________

o Speech ___________________________________________________________

o Counseling ________________________________________________________

o Rec ______________________________________________________________

o Music ____________________________________________________________

Behavioral Concerns or Improvements

________________________________________________________________________

________________________________________________________________________

Vocational/Educational Concerns or Improvements

________________________________________________________________________

________________________________________________________________________

Medical Appointments

________________________________________________________________________

________________________________________________________________________

Home visits or Sign-outs

________________________________________________________________________

________________________________________________________________________

Other/Anecdotal

________________________________________________________________________

________________________________________________________________________

________________________________________________________________________

________________________________________________________________________

________________________________________________________________________

________________________________________________________________________

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Follow-up & Relationship-Building Notes Checklist

Name: ___________________________________ Position: ________________ Unit: ___________________

Date: _____________ Time: ___________ a.m./p.m. Location: Email Phone Face-to-Face

Contact Person: __________________________________ Position: _____________________________________

Reiterate/summarize previous topics discussed

________________________________________________________________________

________________________________________________________________________

Indicate how Eisenhower can serve their unique needs

________________________________________________________________________

________________________________________________________________________

Include details specific to contact’s position

________________________________________________________________________

________________________________________________________________________

Ask how else we can help them

________________________________________________________________________

________________________________________________________________________

Best way to keep in contact

________________________________________________________________________

________________________________________________________________________

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Marketing Infographic

You may utilize this infographic as a way to enhance your email correspondence to give

potential new affiliates a snapshot of what Eisenhower has to offer. Simply attach the file to the

email before sending it out.

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Putting It All Together

Learning how to market and putting yourself out there can be frightening and daunting

tasks. By utilizing the above tools and strategies, you will have a starting point for referral

success.

Still unsure where to begin? Let’s start with a brand new contact scenario.

On your list of organizations to reach out to is the Ohio Department of Mental Health &

Addiction Services. Look for a program director or resource advocate. On the website you can

find the Director, Tracy J. Plouck, and the Medical Director, Mark Hurst, M.D. Either one of

these people would be suitable contacts. Since only their phone numbers are listed on the

website, you will have to make a phone call. If you are nervous about taking this step, you can

break the ice by sending out a small promotional item to them in advance. This way they will be

able to recall Eisenhower Center when you call them. Print out the “New Contact Notes

Checklist” and have it in front of you before you call. Call them up and utilize the “First

Contact” phone script to get started. Ask for an email address so that you can send them a

confirmation for the meeting you have set up and attach the infographic, or just send them an

email thanking them for their time and attach the infographic. If you have to leave a voicemail,

simply use the “Voicemail” script. Do not fill out a contact notes checklist. Just make a record

of the call that you have made to present to the VP of Operations at the PC meeting. Be sure to

call the day before your meeting to confirm your appointment, or call them the next week to

follow up if you left a voicemail. If you were not able to secure a meeting, be sure to make a

follow up phone call a month after your initial contact to check in and see if they need placement

for their patients/clients. After that a monthly follow-up relationship-building email will suffice.

The following flowchart on page 17 outlines this basic process.

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New Contact Flowchart

Locate

contact

Send out

promotional item

One week later…

Send email and

attach infographic

Make phone

call

Follow up

phone call

OR

Did you

talk?

One week later…

Yes No

Leave

Voicemail

First Contact

phone script

START HERE

One week later… One week later…

Follow up email w/

infographic or call

Monthly follow up

phone call or email

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Afterword

Using these tools can help make referral development easier. With time and practice, you

will become more comfortable with marketing, and your efforts will turn referrals into admits.

As long as you team up with your partner, utilize the tools, methods and strategies that have been

provided and make strong and consistent contact, you will be successful. If you are having

trouble marketing or have any other questions or concerns, be sure to contact the VP of

Operations for support.

***All of the files are available on the (P:) drive under “Referral Development.”***

Referral Development Handbook

Documents

Transcript of Referral Development Handbook