Leveraging Cold and Warm Calls: Building Relationships with Referral Sources for Hospice Admissions

In a world buzzing with emails and social media, the humble phone call often gets sidelined. However, for hospices aiming to build relationships with referral sources and increase admissions, both cold and warm calling can be potent tools.

Here’s how to use these calling strategies effectively:

1. Understand the Difference: Cold calling involves contacting potential referral sources who may not know your hospice. Warm calling, on the other hand, is reaching out to contacts you’ve previously interacted with or who have expressed interest in your services.
2. Plan Your Calls: Know the purpose of your call, be it introducing your hospice, following up on a previous conversation, or offering information about your services.
3. Be Respectful: Respect the recipient’s time. Ask if it’s a good time to talk or schedule a call for a more convenient time.
4. Be Prepared: Anticipate questions or concerns the recipient might have and be ready with well-informed responses.
5. Add Value: Every call should offer value to the recipient. This could be an update, relevant information about your hospice, or answers to their queries.
6. Follow-up: After a call, always follow-up with an email summarizing the conversation and next steps.
7. Build the Relationship: Use calls as opportunities to build relationships, rather than merely pushing for admissions. This can lead to long-term, fruitful partnerships.

The art of cold and warm calling, when executed properly, can significantly enhance your hospice’s relationships with referral sources, leading to increased admissions. In the next blog, we’ll explore more strategies to optimize your hospice’s marketing efforts. Stay tuned!