Roleplaying with Sales Representatives when faced with the objection, “I have an agency I am referring to”

Today most of our agencies are battling against a great number of competitors!

I have worked with some amazing sales managers who do a great job on teaching and coaching sales associates on how to differentiate their organization from their competition.

Sales managers know how important it is for a sales representative to be able to clearly state why they should get the business and not one of their competitors.

However, there is still a problem that often gets missed. The sales representatives are able to confidently state why you should refer to them, and yet so many get stuck the second the account says to them:

“I have an agency that I give my referrals to”

Today, I wanted to gift you with a role-play session that you as a sales manager or owner can practice with your sales representatives when they face this common objection.    

Set the scene first:

This sales representative has been prospecting a large rehab hospital for about 3 weeks now and has not been able to get any referrals.  Sale call being done over the phone because of COVID-19. 

Sales Representative: Hi (Social Workers Name), how are you?

Social Worker:  Busy, we had at least 10 new patients come in this weekend from the hospital.

Sales Representative: Wow, that is quite a bit of admissions for one weekend.

Social Worker:  Yes

Sales Representative: I won’t take up your time. I wanted to share with you that according to an article I read by the US Pharmacist Organization, 25% of patients that get hospitalized are there because of medication misuse. What do you think about that?

Social Worker:  I believe it! I am sure that half the patients that go home from here make mistakes. Half of them are ordered over 15 medications and they have no clue why they are supposed to even take them.

Sales Representative: I agree with you! I also know that you want to keep those patients out of the hospital just as much as we do!

Social Worker:  Yes, I do!

Sales Representative:  Who is being discharged this week that you believe is a high risk to have a medication error at home?

Social Worker:  Oh, I have 3 that come to mind immediately. I have them on my desk right here.  Mr. A, B, and Mrs. C.  All of them have at least 10 medications to take when they get home, and all 3 of them are widows and live alone.

Sales Representative: Great, let me take them from you right now and set them all up for home health services for you.

Social Worker: I have an agency that I use that I am giving them too.   

This is where many sales representatives back down…

Don’t! Push right through!

Sales Representative: Well how can I become the agency that you refer to? I believe so deeply in my organization, we are nurse owned and operated, and we currently have a 5 star rating, and we are committed to making sure that no one who needs the care goes without it!

Social Worker:  That is great, but I refer to XYZ.

Get ready for it…

Sales Representative:  What will happen if you don’t refer to XYZ and you give me those referrals right now?

Social Worker:  Excellent question. You know what? I am going to try you right now! Here you go.

Sales Representative: Perfect!

Listen up sales managers! You need to have your sales representatives ask the hard questions! Have them give a soft push towards getting the referrals and not run away crying that every account already has an organization they refer to!

You have got to push for what you want without being rude or too pushy. But PUSH! You do this by asking the hard questions so you can get the answers you long for!

Need more tips like these? We got them! Go check out www.homecaresales.com and learn more or email Mike@homecaresales to see a demo.

You can also claim some of Mike’s time directly on his calendar here:

https://calendly.com/mike-home-care-sales

Cheryl Peltekis, RN “The Solutionist”