5 Mistakes That Sales Reps Make That Cost Them Referrals

Sales reps are the lifeblood of any business and the ones that most often drive revenue and census growth.

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However, if they make a few mistakes, it can cost them and their agency dearly.

Unfortunately, these mistakes happen quite often and most reps are unaware of the impact that they can make. If you are an owner, you need to help your sales team avoid these mistakes.

If you are a sales professional who might be making these mistakes, don’t worry! You can quickly and easily pivot on a path that will drive more referrals and keep your referral sources happy and active in the lives of their senior patients.

Mistake 1: Being a Professional Visitor

How do you know if you are a professional visitor (or have a professional visitor on your team)?

First, Are you stopping by to see a referral source and treating them like a friend without discussing home care (or Home Health or Hospice)?

Well, I have some bad news. This is a no-value sales call. Imagine instead that you had expanded their knowledge about which patients to refer!

You will get so much more in return for your time and effort by positioning yourself as an expert.

Mistake 2: Talk too Much

I really hate this one. I have had to deal with calls from doctor’s offices and skilled nursing facility administrators about my sales reps hanging around gossiping about Game of Thrones or talking about sports scores (and other examples, the list goes on and on…)

No one wants their staff to not be doing their jobs because they are too busy “BS”ing with our sales folks. It makes accounts mad and makes your agency look unprofessional.

Remember less than 2 mins, and they should be talking to you, not you to them!

Mistake 3: They Brochure Vomit

So this one sounds gross, but it happens all the time (especially to new reps). This is another one where I wish I could duck-tape some rep’s mouths shut!

Everyone remembers when they were somewhere and someone was vomiting. It’s gross and you can’t wait to get away from the vomiting person. It’s the same feeling for me when a salesperson is brochure vomiting.

If you already did a qualifying sales call (Learn how by purchasing the High-Performance Sales Academy Program) you know that this particular account can already refer to your company. You brought them brochures during your second visit.

Now, you do not need to spend time on a sales call to tell them the services you offer. Instead, ask them trigger questions to identify patients they can refer right now. This will elevate your conversation and provide you with an opportunity to serve their specific patients.

Mistake 4: They Don’t Handle Objections

One of the most common errors made by sales reps is not handling objections. Let’s face it: One of the main functions of office staff is to deflect anyone who might waste their team or physician’s time.

Objections from referral sources can be difficult to deal with and many sales reps struggle to respond adequately or at all. This lack of skill in handling objections leads to lost referrals and underserved seniors.

When dealing with objections, it is important for sales reps to remain calm and professional so that they can address their referral source’s concerns without making them feel uncomfortable or ignored. Good listening skills are also beneficial since this allows reps to better understand what their customers need before attempting to resolve any issues that come up during discussions or negotiations.

Speaking of good listening skills…

Mistake 5: They Present Information that isn’t important to the referral source.

For any sales representative, success is dependent upon their ability to make the right connections with their referral sources. Unfortunately, one of the most common mistakes they make is presenting information that doesn’t matter to their specific referral sources. This lack of focus will often lead them down a path of failure, as the information may be too general or irrelevant to the needs of their referral sources.

When it comes to discussing services for seniors, it’s important for reps to understand how they can help solve a problem for their physicians or referral partners.

They should also ensure that the information they bring is tailored specifically for each individual referring partner in order to create meaningful communication and engagement opportunities. If salespeople fail to do this, then they risk losing both trust and credibility which will ultimately result in lost revenue.

Avoid the mistakes that leave seniors unserved and unlock your full potential with the High Performance Sales Academy. Gain instant access to this proven methodology.

Have questions? We have answers! Simply email [email protected] to set up a time to discuss or simply go here and chose a time that works for you: https://calendly.com/mike-home-care-sales

Have an amazing day!

Cheryl Peltekis, RN “The Solutionist”

Co-Owner of Home Care Sales