“Warning this is a little bit of a rant here inside.”
ven·dor
/ˈvendər,ˈvenˌdôr/
nouna person or company offering something for sale, especially a trader in the street.“an Italian ice-cream vendor.”
We have heard from our hospital systems for years: “No Vendors on the floor without a badge.” You must be part of our “Vendor tracking system.”
I appreciate their concern for tracking who is in their hospitals; I also would submit those in Home Health, Hospice, and In-Home Care business are more than “vendors.” We are CARE PARTNERS!
I know that you believe as we do – we are educators first and patient advocates before we are “vendors.”
We believe that Sales = Profound Service, and we have a MORAL OBLIGATION to share our message of Home Care with the world. If you do not share your message and educate our referral sources and families, seniors will not get the care they deserve!
This is also why we share our proven methodologies and programs with you because we want you to succeed and not have to go through trial and error. You get the fast track – the most direct way to getting clients and patients by following our formulas.
You lead the way. You have the discussions and position yourself as the senior care expert who educates on Home Care, Home Health, or Hospice.
Even in our own industry, I have been in groups where Home Care Owners, Hospice Executives, and Home Health Administrators ask questions such as “What software do you use?” or “What marketing services are out there?”
Much to my dismay, the administrator shuts down conversations with “Vendors: No Pitching, No Selling, this space is only for support.”
I am a business owner and want a salesperson to tell me what they or their company can do for me – how else would I know what is out there??? Isn’t sharing your message support?? YES!
The mindset that sales and support are mutually exclusive is pervasive, and it only hurts seniors in the end who are not going to get the care they deserve by not learning about your services.
The good news is YOU are part of the solution. YOUR MISSION is bigger than their NO!
When you hear the word ‘VENDOR” or “NO SELLING” if you are part of this group, you square up your superhero cape and tell them, “I am a Home Care Educator.” I am here to help.
Don’t ever let your light dim because someone referred to you as a VENDOR or say “you can come to my event or group but only if you “Don’t Pitch your services.” You shine bright and attract people to you with your knowledge and expertise. They need to know who you are and what you do to understand how to refer to you!
This is your time! Change this mindset. Shine bright and BE the one that shows the world how to be an AWESOME EDUCATOR AKA PATIENT ADVOCATE AKA SALESPERSON AND YES EVEN A VENDOR!
Serve More Seniors!
Melanie