
Spring has sprung (or maybe in your neck of the woods it’s about to begin!) – and that means Mother’s Day is just around the corner.
Whether or not you are a mother yourself, you know what Mother’s Day is like – maybe for your mother or grandmother, or your partner or even a neighbor. It’s a time of honoring mom, of course. But it’s also, often, a family time when siblings and other relatives come together. And when they come together, that’s when loved ones begin to notice health-related problems.
Maybe the celebrants (moms, grandmoms, aunts… ) have recently been diagnosed with something scary or dire. Maybe they are showing signs of problems – physical or mental or emotional. Maybe they are caregivers who need support in making sure their loved ones are getting the help they need. Maybe it’s not even Mom having medical challenges. Dad, sibling, aunt or uncle…
Maybe it seems like they are covering up challenges. That could include medical bills that are way beyond what they can pay – meaning they are worried, but may not want to let on that they are.
If any of those are the case, then someone – a loved one – will be worried about them, whether or not they even understand exactly what the problem is at the time.
That’s where you come in.
YOU are uniquely qualified to relieve their FUDGE. (Fear, Uncertainly, Doubt, Guilt, or Exhaustion.) (Learn more about FUDGE in The Health Advocate’s Basic Marketing Handbook.)
As an advocate, the week to 10 days prior to Mother’s Day can be a great time for some marketing outreach. It’s an excellent time for you to set the stage with those loved ones, or even Mom herself, to remind them that YOU are available when they realize they can use some help.
Here are 3 steps for Mother’s Day Marketing Magic:
Step 1:
Understand that “challenged” can apply in many ways, especially to a mother. She may be the mother of a child who is having medical difficulties. She may be the caregiver for a spouse. She may have medical challenges herself. Or she may be the adult child of an elderly parent, dealing with aging issues, some of which are medical.
Or – even – all of the above.
Step 2:
With that understanding of the many ways Mom (or any family member) can be challenged, make a list of mothers you work with, or wish to work with, along with a brief description of healthcare-related challenges they may be having, and some of the ways you can help them, too.
You may have only a few Moms on your list – or many. Don’t limit yourself for now! Think of moms you know of all ages, in all locations, those who work or who are retired, moms at church or your synagogue, PTA moms – any of them. List them, and as much as you can, list their loved ones who you could be able to connect with. If you know of existing challenges, record those, too.
Step 3:
Now, during the next couple of weeks, reach out to them individually, preferably by phone. For the moms: wish them a Happy Mother’s Day. Ask how they are doing (empathy), and then ask if there are any ways you can help them. For the loved ones and caregivers: provide some examples of the ways you could improve their lives, ease their burdens. Dig deep. Uncover their FUDGE points to see how you can bring them peace-of-mind.
For all those you contact: offer to follow up with a text or email so they have your contact information at the ready. (Be sure to ask for their contact information during the call, then be sure to save it for the future.)
Don’t be pushy. Try not to make them uncomfortable. Your outreach should come across as friendly and caring; never “salesy” or nosey!
(Optional) Step 4:
Wait a week or two after Mother’s Day to see if you get any resulting inquiries from your pre-celebration outreach. Then, for those you don’t hear from, do some post-holiday outreach, a friendly gesture to ask how their celebration went and to see if there’s anything you can do for them.
Expectations
This sort of outreach may, or may not, yield new clients immediately. Not everyone is sick or needy at the moment you contact them, of course.
But if you are patient (no pun intended!), and if you repeat this sort of outreach every few months (3-4 times a year) – you’ll find that their will be a high percentage of success. You become a regular and comfortable person to talk to. In effect, like your own word-of-mouth. 🙂