The holidays are upon us – at least in the stores! Halloween decor and candy have already been replaced by Thanksgiving and Christmas. Here it comes!
… Which also means that soon it will be all-family, all the time… and the time of year when gatherings, which can become challenging and stressful, and highlight the health and medical challenges those family members are dealing with, too.
(I’ll never forget the Thanksgiving when my mother, whose memory slips we had tried to ignore, became a huge issue once we sat down to dinner. The turkey was still raw, and the stuffing was missing all its herbs and spices. My father quietly told Mom that the turkey needed to be returned to the oven, sending Mom right off the deep end. She began ranting, in tears, clearly embarrassed, upset and confused. No longer could we ignore those memory slips. Dad made an appointment for Mom. Within the month she had her Alzheimers diagnosis.)
It’s the Most Wonderful Time of the Year (for marketing!)
As independent advocates, this is the best time of year to remind families that YOU are ready to pitch in for whatever appropriate challenges may arise. Like my family – it may be the observation that an older family member needs support. Or maybe another family member mentions he won’t eat something because “recently it made me sick.” Or maybe new allergies have popped up for someone. Or Cousin Henrietta is struggling with her pregnancy! Or Uncle Fred is struggling with medical debt. Or, or, or…
These are the times friends and loved ones begin to worry – and wonder who can help out.
YOU – a friend, neighbor, fellow church or temple congregant. YOU can help them. Marketing gives you and opportunity to remind them.
Here is a simple way – just 4 steps! – you can get the word out to let them know you are available.
-1. Make a list.
Your list should include friends and acquaintances for whom you have phone numbers or email addresses. Don’t worry about whether you know they need you or not. Often families keep these sorts of challenges private. (We never know what’s going on behind closed doors, right?)
-2. Create an email or script (or both) that includes:
Appropriate greetings – as the holiday season arrives – Thanksgiving, New Years, plus whichever religious holidays their families celebrate. Ask how they are doing. Show empathy when you know its pertinent.
An announcement or reminder that you’ve launched a private, independent advocacy practice.
A comment that sometimes when families come together during the holidays, topics may arise that are difficult or uncomfortable to discuss in relation to health matters, or hurdles that are caused by health problems…
Offer a solution, that as a patient or health advocate, you might be able to help them out by smoothing out the bumps. Focus on the peace of mind that comes from having someone who can be objective and/or help them deal with tough decisions.
Provide very brief, one-sentence examples. Then list 2,3 or more services you might provide.
Mention your general financial terms with statements like “My charges are very reasonable when you consider the peace of mind my work can bring to your family.” Don’t mention any hourly rates or specific fees. What you hope they will do is phone you back or reply to your email to ask more questions.
List your availability in general terms, too, such as “Check with me for availability.”
End with a call to action (CTA). “Call me to discuss this further” or “Keep this information in the back of your mind should the need arise.”
Finally – important! – be sure to include your web address, supply your phone number, and your email address. Make them very easy to find.
-3. Put these points together into a friendly format…
(preferably paragraphs, not bullet points), then email or postal mail them to your list. Do NOT send as a mass email. Instead, send them separately and personally. Health and financial matters are so personal. You want your potential clients to think you are focusing specifically on them. In fact, if you can cite specific family members’ names, that’s a great approach.
Or, if you prefer, make phone calls and use your points as a semi-script – an even more personal approach which gives you the opportunity for a conversation.
Then, when you’ve completed this stage of your marketing…
-4. Consider posting an edited version of your invitation to your Facebook or Instagram or other social media, too.
Your closest friends will feel important enough to have received a personal invitation, but will understand that you are reaching out to others, too.
If you execute this plan 7 to 10 days prior to Thanksgiving, you won’t interrupt the flow of family preparations. Then, for the majority who won’t have responded at Thanksgiving, follow up just prior to Christmas or Chanukah as a reminder.
Then – set a reminder on your calendar to do the same with an edited version of the same prior to Easter – another great family gathering time.
It will be worth your efforts, I promise!
In the meantime, I’ll wish YOU the best of the holiday season!
PS: Want more end-of-year marketing ideas? Here’s an article from SCORE.
Content Authenticity Declaration
100% of this post was written by me, a human being. When there is AI (Artificial Intelligence) generated content, it will always be disclosed.
