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Joy is Sales & Marketing! Find out

Introduction

Welcome to the Embark Sales and Marketing Playbook. The playbook is a resource for anyone who works with referral partners, gives presentations, interacts with families or for someone who wants to learn more about sales and marketing. It includes theory, research, exercises and resources all designed in modules for self-paced learning. Another great way to utilize the playbook is to get in a small group and problem solve or role play the challenges and experiential activities. Short quizzes at the end of each module will provide you with the opportunity to demonstrate competency in each section.

Before we jump in let’s get a few things straight about sales. I understand you may not be all that comfortable talking about sales. Afterall, you probably got into this business because you care about people and want help others and the idea of talking about “sales” is uncomfortable. If that’s the case, please consider that, at its heart, sales are about figuring people out, just like therapy. Great salespeople don’t push products or services, they listen. They solve problems. And, they do it all by providing solutions to families and referents who have real needs.

Isn’t listening for ways to solve others’ problems congruent with many of the reasons you got into this business? At Embark, if you believe in the value of what your promoting, you’ll realize that you are in the business of saving lives. You are helping people get connected to much needed services, people and experiences that will transcend their lives and bring them joy. With this mindset, sales can be fulfilling and meaningful in the same way that therapy or running a program is.

It’s no secret that we live in a competitive environment. There’s a great deal of noise in the market from sales and marketing professionals that are pushing their services to the same group of referents that you are. So, how can you and your program stand out? You can stand out by delivering an exceptional customer experience from the moment you interact with that first call or appointment. Every referent, every family, every time!

Today’s market is changing, consumers and referents proactively seek and find what they want, at a time, location and touchpoint of their choice. No longer do they work at a pace or process that is convenient for us. Technology has changed all that and empowered them, so let’s give them what they need before they know what they need. It’s no longer just about relationship, personality and program knowledge. We must think in terms of becoming true client advocates delivering concierge services that are more convenient than ever before.

Successful organizations need competent sales professionals who think and act out-of-the- box with a variety of integrated talents, skills and abilities. If you stop and think about it, it’s one of the most challenging roles in the organization and clearly the most important. After all, without an admission (sale), nothing else happens.

“You can get everything in life you want if you will just help enough other people get what they want”. Zig Zigler

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Table of ContentsWhy is Joy all about Sales and Marketing? …………….. https://youtu.be/Wlo34OJ58yo

Sales and Marketing Self-Assessment………………………………………………………….…. 6

1. Program Based Marketing Teams …………………………………………………….…. 8 What’s an Ed Consultant? Ethics in Marketing

2. Developing a Marketing Plan ……………………………………………………………… 103. Branding and Positioning a Program……………………………………… …………… 11

Branding Worksheet4. Storytelling……………………………………………………………………………………….... 135. Sales and Marketing Materials ……………………………………………………….…. 146. Online and Social Media Marketing………………………………………………….… 15

Social Media Policy Which Platforms for me? Search Engine Optimization (SEO) Developing Content Best Practices Social Media Mistakes A Word on Websites

7. Using Data and Analytics to Drive Business…………………………………….…… 22 CRM Salesforce

8. Developing Sales and Marketing Competencies …………………………….……. 24 Sales Fundamentals F2F Meetings Embark Sales Framework Relationship Building Developing Rapport

9. The Sales Process………………………………………………………………………………….31 Overcoming Objectives Closing Techniques

10. Customer Experience vs Customer Service…………………………………………. 35 The Customer Journey Journey Mapping

11. Prospecting…………………………………………………………………………………………. 38 Cold Calls Receiving Calls Emails Direct Mail Presentations Networking 101 Sales & Marketing Trips Attending Conferences

12. Program Tours and Hospitality……………………………………………………………. 47

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Steps for a Referent Tour Tour Worksheet

13. Step-by-Step on LinkedIn ……………………………………………………………………. 5014. Program and Self-Assessment……………………………………………………………… 5315. Recommended Reading and Podcast …………………………………………………. 56

• Sales and Marketing Associations• Sales and Marketing Subscriptions

16. The Rockefeller Habits Checklist …………………………………………………………. 5717. New Hire Competency Development Instructions………………………………. 58

Sales Competency Self-Assessment

FOUNDATIONAL SALES BEHAVIORS: Establish what it takes to be great.

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VERY EFFECTIVE NOT EFFECTIVE NONEXISTENT

Behaviors that drive sales

Behavioral self-assessment

PROSPECTING: Regular and fearless lead generation, account management and outreach.

VERY EFFECTIVE NOT EFFECTIVE NON EXISTENT

Conversion/close rate

Understanding your target referents

Knowing the competition

Networking, outreach and developing leads

Identifying the pain points of a referent

Creating a compelling message and story

Getting past the gatekeeper of a busy referent

Cold calling in person

Cold calling over the phone

Cold calling via email

Leveraging social media

Documenting and managing activities in SalesforceManaging your time

DISCOVERY AND NEEDS ANALYSIS: Build my relationships with referents and thoroughly understand their needs.

VERY EFFECTIVE NOT EFFECTIVE NON EXISTENT

Tailoring your needs assessment

Utilizing the Embark sales model

Asking thoughtful open-ended questions

Asking relationship-building questions

Understanding a prospect’s current situation and goalsListening actively and probing

Demonstrating empathy

Summarizing and following up on what you’ve heard

OVERCOME OBJECTIONS AND CLOSE: Repeat after me: an objection is usually just a request for more information.

VERY EFFECTIVE NOT EFFECTIVE NONEXISTENT

Positioning against a competitor

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Handling price objections

Overcoming “not now” or “wait and see”

Asking for business

Navigating tough questions

Getting internal buy-in

Making it easy to work with you

FOLLOW UP AND SERVICE: Compete on a client centered approach to win long-term relationships.

VERY EFFECTIVE NOT EFFECTIVE NON EXISTENT

Thanking the referent in a personalized way

Setting and managing expectations

Evaluating the partnership’s success

Consistently adding value to referent

Responding to an unsatisfied referent

ESPECIALLY FOR EXECUTIVE DIRECTORS: 2016 State of Sales Training report revealed the top barrier to sales is salespeople not being held accountable for applying skills they learn in training. Hey let’s change that.

VERY EFFECTIVE NOT EFFECTIVE NON EXISTENT

Strategic time management for sales

Collecting data to measure performance

Conducting observations and ride-a-longs

Effective one-on-ones

Leading team meetings

Reinforcing great behaviors

Helping the team improve their sales skills

Setting SMART goals

Score Total very effective checks:

Total Not effective checks:

Total nonexistent checks:

X2 X1 X0

Total Score = = =

1. Program Based Marketing Teams Every Embark program develops and maintains a program-based marketing team consisting of cross department representation. The charge of the marketing team is to develop a regular meeting cadence based on organizational policy, develop a marketing plan and to manage and execute regular sales and

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marketing activities. These activities include networking events, conferences, f2f, phone, mail, email, social media campaigns and professional development events to multiple referral sources including; educational consultants, clinicians, alumni, schools, hospitals, attorneys, other treatment providers and marketers to engage prospects, create leads, qualify families, convert inquiries to admissions. They are also responsible for advancing the program and company brands and meet defined enrollment/revenue goals.

The program-based marketing team typically consists of the following;Division CEOExecutive DirectorAdmissions DirectorSales or PublicRelations DirectorClinical DirectorAcademic Director

Other nonprogram-based members of the team include;Marketing and Design Team LiaisonChief Marketing Officer

Once the team is in place, add roles. For example, Social Media LeadConference LeadSales and Marketing Materials Lead

These important positions lead the discussion on important topics/needs like; social media posts, content creation, five-star reviews, upcoming conferences and strategy, hosted events, sponsorships, brochures, website, flyers, invitations, etc.

Sample Marketing Meeting Agenda Review of progress toward budget goals Travel ROI and upcoming Website engagement, maintenance and activity Social media posts/engagement plan/follow-up Sales Materials needs Sales and Marketing “Rock” Review Sales Case Study

It is vital that the teams plan for the highest level of referent engagement across the customer journey in every department by maintaining high levels of engagement and collaboration.

What is an Educational Consultant? Therapeutic Educational Consultants are experienced guides, advocates and placement specialists for families. They do not provide therapy directly but help design a course of action to get families the right help for their specific circumstances. They may also provide educational and psychological testing. Therapeutic Educational Consultants, are most likely members of the following associations:

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Independent Educational Consultants Association Therapeutic Consulting Association

Therapeutic Educational Consultants regularly visit programs to keep up to date on any changes that may occur. Some therapeutic educational consultants have worked in therapeutic programs in the past and many have advanced mental health degrees, certifications and training. Embark highly recommends Educational Consultants as a best practice to families. For a short video on Educational Consulting go to; https://youtu.be/PBa366cqeyM

Educational Consultants are not only a best practice for families, but they are imperative for your program’s success because they are the single largest group of referring professionals to Embark programs by far. As a result, using this guide to develop, nurture and grow your relationships with them is vital. Ethics in MarketingIf you are like me, you’ve invested a lot to energy, time and resources into your program. It’s an extension of you and you take a lot of pride in it. As a result, you have earned the right to be seen within the market you serve. And prospective clients and families deserve to know how to find the high standard of care you offer. Whether or not you are an executive director, patients will likely search for your program first to feel confident you are the right choice for their behavioral health needs. You owe it to yourself and your patients to provide accurate information and marketing that guides them to the best choice.

If you are worried about ethically marketing your program, remember you’re helping your community find the healthcare they need when they need it. That said, here are a few common guidelines we see and follow as our own marketing ethics.

Follow any and all marketing and advertising guidelines set forth by your program licensing/certification boards.

Remain HIPAA compliant and cover all your legal bases when using actual family information. Avoid superlatives like “the best,” “most effective,” or anything we cannot prove. Do not use any wording that promises results we cannot consistently deliver. Don’t disparage other providers or claim that other programs are inferior. Prove your value through your own expertise and skill.

2. Creating a Marketing PlanA good marketing plan is a detailed marketing map that will help you meet and exceed your program sales and budget goals. Taking the time to develop a well-informed, thoughtful marketing plan will take

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the guesswork out of your marketing, keep your activities targeted and help you measure success. A marketing plan consists of 2 parts:

summary of your marketing goals and objectives, your marketplace and the tactics required to achieve your marketing strategy

the action plan you'll use to implement each marketing tactic.

Embark has a template to help you with this plan which should include concrete, play-by-play tactics for every marketing channel/bucket. There should be concreate details (dates, people, etc.) for every strategy and be written with SMART objectives that are- specific, measurable, attainable, relevant, time bound. The plan will be presented by the Executive Director at the beginning of the year, reviewed by the CMO monthly and presented again mid-year to review progress toward goals.

Here is the Embark Behavioral Health template; https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1t136b29n_fVGRchyyTnPu_NxynSHbyGTkivzWfd4HY/edit#gid=972833782

give VALUE firstHELP other people

strive to be the best at what you LOVE to doestablish LONG TERM RELATIONSHIPS with everyone

have FUN and do it EVERY DAY!

Jeffrey Gitomer

3. Defining and Positioning Your Brand Positioning refers to the place that a brand occupies in the minds of customers and how it is distinguished from the products of the competitors. According to Millward Brown 2015 “BrandZ Top 100 Global Brands” Report, which studied brands from 2006 to 2015, differentiation is the single most

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important contributor to a brand’s success. Remember that difference is most often found not in what you do, but in how you do it, and for whom. Nordstrom and Macy’s are both department stores, but they differ considerably in how they conduct their affairs — and they attract different kinds of shoppers as a result. That’s your starting point. If in doubt, ask: How can we improve the lives of those we serve? All content, creative, media are informed by the brand position.

Use the below areas of exploration for a strategic deep-dive into your branding exercise. Be sure to move beyond generalities and into the specifics of strategic initiatives. It’s one thing to say, “We’ll be the brand that stands for X!” It’s another thing to define exactly how you’ll bring “X” to life, and how that will permeate everything you do.

1) Your deep knowledge of your humans- Strong brands serve a group of people. What insights do you possess, and how can you build on these insights to serve your humans?2) Your purpose and passions- What’s the change you want to bring to the world? It doesn’t have to be pie-in-the-sky. For example, Boka Restaurant Group has a commitment to hospitality. No matter which of Boka’s restaurants you find yourself in, you can count on excellent service. In a world where good service can be hard to come by, it’s a legitimate point of difference. What’s the dent you want to make in the universe?3) Your values- Nobody cares about the values you claim to have or are listed on the website. People only care about the values you put into motion. What do you stand for as people, and how is it evidenced in your work?4) Your story- It can be helpful to return to the roots and history of your company, bearing in mind that the truth beats marketing mythology. What’s genuinely compelling about your story both personally and programmatically?5) Your experience- Your experience is more than your program or service. What’s unique about the experience bundle you provide on tours or in your outreach?6) Your level of quality- Despite what you may have heard, top-quality programs and services still carry the day whether it’s an old-fashioned hamburger or a trip to the grocery store. How can you take the ordinary and make it extraordinary?7) Your strengths- Say what you will about McDonald’s these last several years, but its legendary growth was a function of operational strength. Strengths come in many forms. What do you do better than anyone else?8) Your industry rules- Fifty years ago, Southwest Airlines broke nearly every established “rule” with its business model. The outcomes? Industry-leading profits and a clear competitive positioning. What are the “rules” you can break?

"Great companies that build an enduring brand have an emotional relationship with customers that has no barrier. And, that emotional relationship is on the most important characteristic, which is trust."

Howard Shultz, Founder and CEO Starbucks

Branding/Positioning Worksheet Define your brand and then create experiences that reinforce it I know vs I think approach. Map it and the touch points to influence.

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Introduce yourself and your program/organization (60 seconds)(Communicate Passion, Authenticity and Enthusiasm which will lead to credibility)

Who are you?

What do you do?

What is unique about you and your program/company/organization?

What makes you different from your competitors?

Identify 3 Biggest Uniques of your Program/company/organization.

a. ____________________________________________________b. ____________________________________________________c. ____________________________________________________

How does your program change lives?

Who is your target customer/niche?

What is your Purpose- Hook/Summary?

4. Storytelling

Compelling stories gain the trust and understanding of others and make them open to new ideas. Stop selling your program and start selling stories. Why? For example, Neuroeconomics pioneer Pal Zak

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found that stories are highly engaging and contain key elements- including a climax and conclusion which can elicit powerful empathetic responses by triggering the release of oxytocin. Other experiments conclude that character-driven stories with emotional content result in a better understanding of the key points a speaker wishes to make and enables better recall of these points weeks later. This blows away standard PowerPoints. Begin every presentation with a compelling, human scale story about the program/initiative or project. How does it change the world, or improve lives? Smart programs focus on telling good stories.

How to use stories Align stories to referent’s or prospects interests, objections or complaints. Determine what to leave out- that’s the hardest part. Remember that you are there to motivate and inspire, not to teach or tell. Always be tweaking and refining your story. Typically, it takes anywhere from 10-40 times.

Here’s a storytelling structure The problem- it’s the lead-in to the story. Their problem, their feelings, their perceptions. The

before picture. Remember, they are not interested in your problems. It must be about them. Analysis and implementation- show how you analyzed a problem/situation and what you

suggested to fix it. State the ‘AHA’ moment for the person in the story so the audience/prospect sees in their own way. Do not teach.

Outcome- The after part of the story. Re-establish where they came from to where they are now.

Moral of the Story- Why the prospect needs that similar experience.

What great stories are made of? A great story is true- consistent and authentic, not facts. Great stories make a promise- be bold and audacious otherwise its not worth listing too. Great stories are trusted- earn the right and credibility to tell the story. Great stories are subtle, less detail the more powerful, let them draw conclusion. Great stories happen fast- first impressions are very powerful. Great stories don’t always need sales materials or a f2f meeting- just be real. Great stories don’t appeal to logic, but they often appeal to our senses-people decide quickly if

they like you. Great stories don’t contradict themselves. Got to be true through and through.

Tip: Don’t tell people it’s a story. Start with a great hook. Instead of saying let’s get the meeting started and I’ll tell you a great story, try something happed last week that completely changed my thinking on how to run my program. Thought I would tell you about that. Now, practice, practice, practice.

“Storytelling is the most powerful way to put ideas into the world today." --Robert McKee

5. Audit and Enhance your Sales MaterialsMarketing collateral has changed over the years. Two decades ago, all you needed to boost your marketing efforts were a couple of brochures and a few flyers. Nowadays, the options can seem

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endless. In general, your materials should concentrate on answering the following questions (among others):

What makes your program unique? What are the benefits of using your program? Why should people use your program? Why is your program or service better than your competitor’s? Why was it created?

Examples of Sales Materials; Brochures, blog posts, case studies and testimonials, flyers, give-a-ways, expert quotes, program awards and certifications, founders biographies, company background, ebooks and downloadable white papers, email signature, explainer videos, landing pages, list of partners/vendors/associations, mission statement, core values, press clips (mentions), press releases, program comparisons, pricing, reviews, booth, tabletop display, business cards, calendar of events, company fact sheet, direct mail pieces, branded envelopes, testimonials and guest blogs. What did we forget?

“Being able to coherently communicate your programs’ value to its clients is extremely important. Sometimes words just won't cut it and even the most experienced sales reps can fumble. ... Your business depends on your ability to communicate value and marketing materials are a very important tool used to do so….”

6. Online and Social Media Marketing

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Embark Behavioral Health Social Media PolicyIn today’s discerning healthcare market, developing and maintaining a strong social media presence is vital for customer facing employees and the organization. As a result, it is expected that all new and current employees with referral partner facing responsibilities develop and maintain social media platforms. Embark highly encourages these individuals to carefully craft their online personal persona while promoting their program and Embark through sustained weekly social media activity. Embark supports this policy and its employees by providing online social media learning modules, trainings and a resource page accessible through Embark Academy located on the Embark Behavioral Health website. Embark also provides email, phone and in-person coaching. The main objectives of maintaining consistent social media practice is as follows;

Developing an employee’s personal brand. Increasing public and industry specific program and company awareness. Supporting the creation of community around Embark programs/brands. Supporting sales and lead generation. Demonstrating expertise and leadership in the behavioral healthcare market. Supporting Embarks BEHAG (Big Empathetic Hairy Audacious Goal).

According to Google, in 2018 97% of consumers use the web to search for businesses. Having a strong online presence is a crucial component of your marketing strategy. Additionally, a great way to develop

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as a professional and support your programs growth is to be active on social media. It will help you enhance your reputation, craft your personal brand and allow you to engage in the wider professional community. In today’s marketing it’s is all about how people perceive you via your communication practices and social media.

Many of your clinical peers have become successful almost solely because of their ability to put themselves out there and to be known. Many of them have done a great job building relationships with referents and have grown in their reputation primarily due to those relationships and that trust it fosters (and of course backed up by good treatment and good clinical work). Because we are a relationship-based industry many referrals to programs are simply due to the trust referents place in the people at the program and their knowledge of them beyond their professional credentials. Referents need and want to know much more about you and your interests.

An online presence is important for outbound marketing because it reinforces your brand and what you offer to your target market. Once you’ve communicated with your audience, you’ll need to have an exceptional web presence that helps portray why your program is so great.

It’s also vital for inbound marketing, because quality online content will

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Facebook- largest active users- 68% of people in the U.S. are on Facebook. Most like a website regarding the amount of content you have “about us” Tip: make sure all content is up to date and interesting for people gathering more info on your company.

YouTube- the second largest platform and videos are popular. Tons of organic searches performed google it or YouTube it. Tip: utilize creating video content that answers search questions. (what is mindfulness)

Twitter- watercooler of the internet. Real-time information network that connects you to the latest stories, ideas, opinions, and news. Short content. They have lengthened 280 characters long. 140-second videos. Images. Links. Tip: Comment on trending tweets/ retweet (latch onto influencers).

LinkedIn- manage your professional identity, build and engage with your professional network. Tip: a welcoming platform to increase business relationships, consider direct chat when appropriate.

Instagram- a fast beautiful way to share your life through a series of photos. Tip: share high quality, visually interesting, attention-grabbing photos related to your business.

What is SEO (Search Engine Optimization) In case you’re not completely sure what SEO means, how it works, or why it’s important, here’s a quick rundown:

What: The purpose of SEO is to make it easy for search engines to find your website and list it in their ‘organic’ (as opposed to ‘paid’) results.

Why: People tend to trust search engines, so websites that appear high in results pages are more likely to receive traffic.

How: Using search-engine friendly methods to improve your website. Who: Everyone – anyone who has information that people want to find on the internet should

be using SEO techniques? When: All the time – SEO is an ongoing process. It’s important to monitor the information on

your website and make sure it’s current and correct. Search engines also love new content, which is why starting a blog can do wonders for your SEO.

Where: Major search engines include Google, Yahoo and Bing. They connect people all over the world to the content they desire, from products to services to information.

The Embark Agency team can help you learn more about SEO to ensure your content is optimized.

How to find content and topics that people want to read about? Site Search- analyze visitor queries from your search tool on your webpage. Chat Logs- Look in reporting tools for questions and what page they were on when they

dialogue. Key Phrase research- what phrases and keywords are they searching for? Competitive Analysis- Phrases our competitors ranking for (similar web). Do they have FAQ? Sales Conversations- Ask the team what questions prospects are asking about. Same with

admissions. Online Tools and Forums- Quora, BuzzSumo, Linkedin Search for your Brand- Before hitting enter see if google makes suggestions. Consider automating your social media with Edgar.

Twelve Social Media Best Practices:

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1. Decide on your platforms; See the infographics to help. Decide on our main objective and audience you want to nurture; Are you looking to create brand awareness, drive sales, generate leads or create community?

2. Optimize your profiles and pages; Optimize your headers and profile pics/images, use high-resolution profile pictures and cover photos, complete all information (connect employment to company page) and keep in current, and engaging. Pin your best content to the top of the page.

3. Get your tone right; Identify three characteristics you want your brand voice to embody. Keep these in mind when creating your content, coming up with your social media post copy and responding to followers.

4. Consider using a social content calendar; If you're on multiple platforms consider using an app that can help. Try Buffer-web .

5. Identify your influencers; Getting "in with" a solid list of your industry's leaders means brand awareness, content engagement, legitimacy and trust.

6. Find and create content; Content sharing on social media is about two primary things…Curated content from other sources. For example, (Feedly, Post Planner, Triberr) and content created by you for your followers that they want to read.

7. Boost you following; Be social with others; like, comment, and share their posts. When sharing its best practice to comment about why you are sharing their content. Search and connect with new people, associations and business’ in the mental health field. Build relationships through messages and tag people when appropriate. Analyze who your colleagues are following or friends with and follow and connect with them.

8. Post content- Most people do most of their work in the three hours before lunch and the last hour before they leave. And most people do most of their work on Monday - Wednesday. As a result, many people find that the best time to post is 8-9:30am and then 1-4pm on Wednesday - Sunday. Use the 80:20 rule- 80% educational, entertaining fun content and 20% promotional. Provide useful content that is funny, insightful, entertaining, emotional, or a call to action (invite people to read an article or watch a video posted by your company). Have a variety in content; pictures, quotes, book/app/podcast reviews, share an article, event, update, video, question, survey, assessment, etc. Post content consistently. Ask yourself if you would enjoy seeing that post in your feed (if the answer is no, then don’t post). Use hashtags.

9. Promote- This ties all the previous best practices together. Be an advocate for mental health treatment through social media. Promote yourself, your expertise, and share ways you use that expertise at work. Select referral partners to target and build relationships with through social media.

10. Track your success- There's no point in implementing a social media marketing plan if you can't track your results. “Seven Social Media Metrics that Really Matter and How to Track Them”

11. Make Technology Your Friend- Enlist the help of tools to make your day-to-day social media job easier and more efficient and eliminate or automate inefficient tasks where possible. Try social media tool Edgar, for example.

12. Respond promptly- Check your social platform inbox/messenger daily and reply to messages as soon as possible. React to comments on your page by either liking them or commenting back.

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Analyze Online PerformanceIn conducting a performance audit of your social media metrics, there are hundreds you could be analyzing? But the real question is, do you know where to find them and are they all necessary for your program? Here is a link to look at the metrics you can gather from the top social networks to determine which ones matter most for you and your program; https://sproutsocial.com/insights/social-media-metrics-that-matter/. While your reading ask yourself these questions;

What metrics should you watch? What post performed best in the last month? What audience seemed to engage with it?

How can you share more posts like this in the future?

How to follow trends to see what is working for others and get ideas for your content. Follow industry influencers- i.e. Brene Brown, Personality Disorder Awareness Network (PDAN),

NAMI, psych central, SAMSA, ATN, ATTACh, etc. Search hashtags- #anxiety #borderlinepersonalitydisorder #developmentaltrauma Google alerts- people, topics, and organizations LinkedIn Groups- i.e. (Social media marketing, social work network, etc.) Podcasts- The growth show News aggregator- Buffer feature or feedly.com Books- i.e. (The Art of Social Media, Tribes, Jab, Jab, Jab, Right Hook)

Eight Social Media Marketing Mistakes 1. Not having a concise social strategy- which platforms, what campaigns, how to calculate success.2. Using the same approach on all channels- better to have a unique persona and engagement

strategy for each platform.3. Not mobilizing your employees or other sympathizers. 4. Only pushing your own agenda- help others and they will engage with you. 5. Getting complacent-everything is changing rapidly. 6. Expecting quick results- Enjoy the journey, look for patterns in your audience. 7. Neglecting analytics- Understand and use the data to optimize and measure ROI. 8. Ignoring search engine optimization- Organic traffic from search engines will save money and

build reputation. Organic from social media combined with search engines sets you up for success.

9. No learning from online blogs like; Moz, Backlinko or Kissmetics

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A Word on Websites or Landing PagesOne of the most important things for a brand is good web design. Web design can be the one thing that pushes you above or pulls you below your competition. This is particularly important when it comes to websites, which are essentially the new storefronts and first contact points for an increasing number of businesses and brands. Make a bad impression, you lose a potential conversion. Make a good one, you gain a customer. Make a great impression, and you can potentially gain and keep a customer for life. Although your website will be managed by the Embark Agency take a fresh look at your site and consider the following principles;

Does the headline clearly define your program and service? Are you communicating value with the headline and subheads? Is there a call to action immediately obvious? Are there any unnecessary links? Does the copy focus on the things that matter to your customers? Are the testimonials compelling and relevant? Are all the forms fields necessary? Will the page make customers feel like it’s for them? Does it load quickly? Is it easy to navigate? Is the content up to date? Is their relevant research or blogs? Are their compelling HD pictures? Links to other program pages? Are there testimonials from parents and professionals? Is it easy to navigate? Is the site clean, updated and fresh? Is there chat help and/or a phone number on front page? Is there compelling new video? Is there a way to schedule an appointment? Are there HD pics with well written bios of you and your team?

Introducing Embark Behavioral Health and our BEHAG; https://youtu.be/MLGQGRM95Fs

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7. Analyze your Accounts and Historic Trends (CRM)

Successful programs have customers at its core. Long gone are the days of one-size-fits-all advertising and competition based solely on price. If you want to get –and keep– referents, you need to be interacting with them and building relationships on a one-to-one level.

But even that isn’t enough. As a successful modern program, we suggest using data-driven insights to understand your referents’ needs, enabling you to proactively evolve your program alongside those needs. Many of the successful new ‘disruptive’ businesses –including Uber and Airbnb– are using data and its analysis as the cornerstone of their entire business model. Against this background you don’t want to risk being left behind, possibly disrupted into oblivion by a more data-savvy competitor or even one of many new data-focused programs.

With that in mind, a deep understanding of your historic sales trends is like looking at your car’s dashboard. It’s where you can quickly and easily see vital signs that reveals the health of the program. It keeps you aware of necessary metrics and performance standards. Most top salespeople or operators rely on their trends via a sales dashboard for day-to-day operations.; Having a deep understanding of your accounts and historic trends is an effective way to keep your sales—and your goals—organized. No matter your personal needs, there are specific metrics that are always pertinent. Just like the dashboard in a car, without these data points you won’t know the health of your sales, how quickly you’ll achieve your goals, or if you need to speed up (or slow down) your sales process.

In order to manage your activities and accounts a Customer Relations Management System (CRM) will serve as a vital nerve center. Embark’s CRM Salesforce allows you (us) to manage business relationships and the data associated with them. Used correctly, it enables you to focus on your relationships with individual people, store customer and prospect contact information, accounts, leads and sales opportunities in one central location in the cloud so the information is accessible by many, in real time. It will also help you gather the historic trends you will need when developing a marketing plan for the year. To learn more about Salesforce go to; https://intellipaat.com/blog/what-is-salesforce/

The Embark Agency will get you set up in Salesforce and support your competency in using it. If you already have a sign on here is a link to the homepage; https://na57.salesforce.com/home/home.jsp.

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8. Developing Sales and Marketing CompetenciesGreat salespeople are literally the engine of every economy in the world. So, how does one become a great Embark program sales person? Let's look.

1. Don't think in terms of sales, but rather in terms of building a business. Great program people are working to build a business, not just trying to make a sale. When you think beyond a sale, you get a referent’s attention much more easily. They're going to be more interested in what you have to say, since you want something that's going to survive beyond one referral or kid.

2. Build your businesses one consultant at a time, and always leverage the last one into more consultants. Don't ever just make a sale and forget about that referent. The last sale you make should always open the door to new relationships and clients.

3. Listen more than you speak, getting an understanding of your referents needs and then finding a solution. Great salespeople always ask their clients about their circumstances and interests. In listening more than talking, you can better align your services to what they are looking for.

4. Deliver more than you promise, and always promise a lot! There's an old sales mantra that says, "under commit and over-deliver," but consider breaking that adage and "over commit and over-deliver."

5. Invest your time in things (people) that positively affect your income and avoid spending time on things (people) that have no return. High performers know how to spend time on activities that create inquiries and admissions. Don't waste your time on things that don't produce anything now or in the future.

6. Always seek new, better, and faster ways to increase your sales efforts. Be concerned about efficiency and effectiveness. Great salespeople consistently work on improving themselves and look for faster ways to close transactions.

7. Be willing to invest in networking, community, and relationships, knowing that the difference between a contact and a contract is the "R" that stands for "Relationship." Invest in your communities. Don't look at it as an expense, since you need to develop these relationships. So, go ahead and join the Chamber of Commerce and volunteer at a human service agency. In other words, be involved as much as you can.

8. Be fanatical about selling. The best salespeople are obsessed with their customers and growing their businesses.

9. Don't depend on the state of the marketplace for your outcome and instead rely on your actions. If you're great, you're going to do well in any economy, because you create your own economy. You run your own race and make something happen despite the environment.

10. Surround yourself with overachievers and have little time for those who don't create opportunities. These people are sometimes viewed as being uninterested in others, but the truth is that they're just not interested in low production. They don't want to waste time with people who can't get anything done.

11. Never accept good enough as good enough. You don't need anyone managing you. You push yourself.

12. Don't see failed sales attempts as failures, but as investments in the process. If you don't close a strategic account, don't think of it as a failed attempt. You should know that some attempts pay off while others don't, but they're all investments in the business.

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13. Never give up on unsold but qualified consultants, knowing that someday those clients will refer. Remember that you're growing your business, so if you experience a failed attempt, think of it as an opportunity for the future.

14. Squeeze hours out of minutes and weeks out of days. Great salespeople are like magicians with time. They don't manage time; they create it.

15. See problems as opportunities. When a problem comes along, see it as an opportunity. If you don't have any problems, it means you don't have any value.

16. Invest in your education, development, and personal motivation, knowing that these are the tools of a sales professional. You need to continue to invest in your game, much like a professional ballplayer is always practicing.

17. Invest in your career, the business, and your accounts. Again, this is all an investment. Think of it like watering the lawn. If you take care of your career, business, and customers, the success will eventually come.

18. Hold yourself to performance standards that are higher than management's expectations. No manager can know your actual potential. Only you know your true potential, so hold yourself to a higher standard than others do.

19. You don't need others to hold you accountable. Hold yourself accountable, possessing leadership, motivation, and purpose.

20. Constantly think, plan, and prepare in order to continue to build your client base and keep your pipelines full. You can't ever have an "off" button.

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Embark Sales Fundamentals (see Embark Sales Framework on page 31)

Relevant Research: Pre-Qualifying Prospects and Consultants Geography of practice Demographics; i.e. How many families on their caseload, # of hours working, etc. Interests and Specialties Patient Payer Mix and business model Knowledge of Industry and certifications Last time and # of referrals to Embark and/or other programs

Developing Rapport Develop a Relationship (see page 27) Create a relaxed and trusting business environment Demonstrate Integrity and knowledge Establish self as their personal program/company/industry service concierge

Complete a Needs Assessment and Qualify The answers are in the question Who, What, Where, Why, How and “Help me Understand”? Uncover the customers need behind the need Listen and check for understanding

Establish Self as a Resource Think of the long-term goals Work together for solutions Use consultative approach Selling is a transference of feeling: nonverbal body language is the most important factor in

communication, convey emotion

When you have earned it, Ask for Business! Summarize the meeting and understanding of needs (pain) Inquire about current clients Link client to program Help referent understand your business Set up next meeting

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A Model for Conducting F2F Meetings

Embark Sales Framework Know you customer before you see them. The first meeting is about the second meeting. FIRST understand the prospects needs/wants/goals. Become a true client advocate. Be aware of any friction in your referent’s inquiry/enrollment journey. Don’t be blind to the friction If the consultant has been doing business with you have them say out-loud what the program

has been delivering in value for them. Why do they love you? If not, find out why. Focus on after the enrollment- commitment

Beyond Relationship Selling Relationship selling is not sustainable competitive advantage anymore. Simply being human is

not a value add. Stay current on industry trends impacting referents- what are they struggling with, what are

they asking, what are the best programs doing to fix it. Experience your prospects pain- in this way you endear yourself to them. Be the expert on our company services- If you don’t care enough to master your own program

why should the prospect? Nothing replaces superior program and industry knowledge. No alligator sales, big mouths small ears. Before positioning a solution truly understand the

problem. Ask effective open-ended questions based on the below sales model focused on them and their

business. Talking about your program(s) will not uncover their needs and wants.

Ten Sample Relationship Building Questions

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1. How did you get your start in the business? Did you always want to be a (consultant)? People like to talk about themselves. Let them share their story with you while you actively listen.

2. What do you enjoy most about your profession? This question elicits a positive response and good feelings.

3. Help me understand what separates you and your services from the others in the profession? This question gives them permission to brag about their business.

4. What advice would you give someone just starting in the business? This question makes them feel superior and allows them to do some mentoring.

5. What one thing would you do with your practice (company) if you knew you could not fail? This question allows your friend to fantasize and they will be thankful that you cared enough to ask.

6. What significant changes have you seen take place in the field through the years? Asking people who are a little bit more mature in years can be perfect because it allows them to reminisce about the good ole days and plays to their seniority.

7. What do you see as the coming trends in behavioral health or educational consulting? This is a speculation question and positions them as an expert in their industry which makes them feel important.

8. What was the strangest or funniest incident you've experienced in practice? People love to share war stories, but rarely get a chance to tell anyone about their experiences.

9. What ways have you found to be the most effective for promoting your services? This question, again, elicits a positive reaction and gives you an opportunity to see how they think.

10. What one sentence would you like people to use in describing the way you practice? You are allowing them to give themselves a compliment. Who doesn't like compliments?

Use of WordsWords that Irritate- understand, get the point, see what I mean, I, me, my, mine. Words that Motivate- will you help me? I’m so sorry, it was my fault, thank you, help me understand.Words that Probe- what is your opinion, what do you think, can you illustrate, tell me more.

Layering of questions: Get your prospects "into therapy 101'- go beyond the obvious. "Go on, tell me more." "Tell me more about that." "Give me an example of ......." "In addition to that, what else?" "Let's explore that. Please go on."

Tips Focus on the person, not the problem. Keep the conversation in the here-and-now. Use empathic responses. Orient yourself to unconditional positive feelings. See the world through their eyes.

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Relationship Building 15% of your success will come from your skills and knowledge, while 85% will come from your ability to connect with other people and engender trust, credibility and respect. Let’s practice...

What does Relational Mean?Being relational does not mean that I need to preserve ____________________________ and foster

____________________________________ between people at any cost.

Being relational means that I leverage the ____________________ and ______________________ of

my relationship with others in order to _______________________ their success.

Write down two Relational things that differentiate you or your program from the competition.

1. _______________________________________________

2. ________________________________________________

Write down two ways that these relationship concepts differentiate Embark from competing programs.

3. ____________________________________________________________________________

4. ____________________________________________________________________________

Tip: It's not about you or your program. Consultants/Referents and/or families aren't interested in your pain. They're interested in their pain. They want to know how your program will ease their pain. Solve their problem. Provide worry-free sleep. Or maybe they want to know how your program will make their lives better, more fun, more joyful. The last thing they want to hear are your problems. The overtime you did last week. Your hassles along the way. Your sleepless night and supreme sacrifices. Don't whine or complain during your meetings. Keep it positive. Stay out of your problems. Stay in their solutions.

Try it! Discuss how would you use your relational skills to deal with the following situations?

1. An angry Ed Consultant who just found out a therapist is leaving?2. An anxious parent touring your program and sees a restraint?3. Working with a burned-out Clinical Director on admitting a potentially difficult client when the

facility is full?

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How can you develop rapport with a professional referent?

1. _______________________________________________________________________________

2. _______________________________________________________________________________

3. _______________________________________________________________________________

4. _______________________________________________________________________________

What are the top 5 reasons people admit to your program or refer to it?

1. ______________________________________________________________________________

2. ______________________________________________________________________________

3. ______________________________________________________________________________

4. ______________________________________________________________________________

5. ______________________________________________________________________________

“At its essence rapport is a state of being achieved when two individuals or a group develop a harmonious understanding with one another that enables greater and easier communication”

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9. The Sales ProcessA sales process is a set of repeatable steps that your team takes to convert prospects into customers. Building a sales process is necessary to your program’s success and is an important process to keep in mind as your track your prospects movement down the pipeline.

Fortunately, creating a sales process from scratch isn’t as complicated as it seems. To help give yourself a clear and effective path to follow, Embark has created the below framework to follow. For a brief video explaining common steps in the sales process go to; https://youtu.be/YwO5EbaQuQI.

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What makes the Embark Framework Memorable? We do our research and know our clients in advance. We employ a client-centered method of lead generation. Our method for qualifying prospects is to seek to understand before trying to be understood. We are curious by nature and ask thoughtful open-ended questions that help us qualify our

prospects. We put ourselves in the mind/heart of the referent- empathy. We target challenges, issues, problems and needs. We guide prospects through the sales process. We create or share stories that bring solutions to life. We offer to connect them. Until we have earned the right we focus on the referent and not on our treatment program or

company. We deliver an exceptional customer experience all along the customer journey. We do what we say we are going to do…. Every consultant, every family, every time!

5 Elements of a Meaningful ApologyBecause mistakes are a fact of doing business, insights on what makes for an effective apology are priceless. Here are five categories of apology;

Expressing Regret- The consultant wants to know you truly understand how the mistake made them feel.

Accepting responsibility- Enough said. Making amends- Often, in this business, steps are necessary to make a consultant whole. Revising the plan- What will be different moving forward? Requesting forgiveness- Make it clear you don’t assume absolution is automatic.

Finally, in apologies, the don’ts are as important as the do’s: Don’t apologize by text, and don’t use a defensive apology that shifts the blame.

“If it’s not happening in you it won’t happen through you” Tim Knight

Closing and Asking for Business

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While closing an opportunity is necessary, it doesn't have to be a big deal. A salesperson who has done a good job in the early stages of the sales process may only need to give a simple nudge to the prospect to start the close. It might be as simple as saying, "Are there any students we can discuss on your caseload that you see benefitting from our program”? On the other hand, closing becomes more complicated when the prospect isn't ready to refer either after a meeting or a long-standing relationship. You can generally tell how ready the prospect is feeling by watching for buying signals (see below). If your prospect's body language is tense or resistant or they have never referred after multiple meetings, they're probably not ready to use your program. If that’s the case, a trial close is a way to test how ready the prospect is to refer, by asking a question such as "How do you feel about what we've discussed so far?". Most salespeople view closing as the opportunity to provide a prospect with something that will be of benefit to them. As a result, hard closes are a lot less popular these days. Unfortunately, some salespeople have moved so far on this spectrum that they believe ALL closing is inappropriate.

In a perfect world this might be the case, but some form of closing is necessary for almost every sales situation. Fear of change holds back prospects for making the final leap into changing programs, so salespeople need to offer them that little push to move them beyond that fear. If you don't abuse the close, it's a perfectly valid and necessary sales tool.

Closing Technique Questions: I am sensing that something is causing you to hesitate; Is it the price? Is there any other reason delaying your decision to send us a student? In addition to that, is there anything else? What would it take to satisfy that concern? What do I need to do or what needs to happen for you to consider sending us a patient? What other questions can we use? Write them here; __________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________.

Watch for Buying Signals: A placement decision may be near! Customer begins to talk faster Questions about price Delivery Location Transportation Length of the program Visits

Overcoming Objections

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Sales don't occur without some type of objections. An objection is typically a request for more information and to be interpreted for their underlying motive. Your job is to determine if this objection is a real condition why the person absolutely can't make a referral. To do that follow these simple steps;

1. Listen carefully to the objection- practice our core values and empathize2. Understand the objection completely- listen to what they are not saying, the need

behind the need. 3. Respond properly- do you need to fix it or just listen? 4. Confirm you’ve satisfied the objection- check to see if you’ve satisfied their concern.

When faced with objections, don't lose sight of your goal. Listen, Understand, Respond and Confirm, and you will strengthen your relationships with referents, overcome obstacles in the referral process, and move closer to a trusting relationship.

Turn the objection into a question: "As I understand it, what you are saying is..." "Let me see if I understand what you are saying ..." Compliment the person on the objection and treat the objection as important and with value.

Feel... Felt ... Found Method: I appreciate how you feel. John Smith felt that way. Let me share with you what John Smith found. Be prepared to provide evidence of the Feel, Felt, Found experience i.e. letter, article, website or personal experience Be agreeable-stay attuned

- "Does this make sense?" - "Does this help?" Task: Explore your top selling difficulties? These should be challenges that you have control (i.e. no time, my program doesn’t…… etc.). For example,

Referent tells me the program is too expensive and they can’t justify referring a patient. The referent really didn’t know that they wanted in a treatment facility. The office manager won’t give you an appointment, or the EC won’t return your calls. You spend more time on existing referent relationships than you do finding new ones. We get involved in the opportunities too late and the referent already uses another residential

or wilderness treatment program. You’re staying involved with a referent for a long time, but he/she never refers anyone. The referent just doesn’t have a need for residential treatment services.

10. Creating an Optimal Customer Experience (CX)

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Another one of your most powerful competitive differentiators today is your ability to provide an exceptional, personalized customer experience with your brand. Customer Experience is poised to overtake price and quality as the key brand differentiator by 2020.

As we have discussed, in today’s competitive behavioral healthcare environment where it is increasingly difficult to differentiate yourself from the competition, customers expect so much and share their experiences so quickly, it is essential that the customer experience be understood and approached holistically, with those responsible for each area of a program’s offerings giving intentional thought and focus to how their decisions and behaviors will impact the overall customer experience. Your knowledge of the customer must extend far beyond the boundaries of traditional service criteria. Truly understanding their needs, wants, and emotions is the key to creating personalized interactions that ensure an optimal customer experience across every aspect of your program and company. Check out these three short vids;

How is Customer Experience Marketing? https://youtu.be/5skcuoggQe8 What is Customer Experience? https://youtu.be/w9XmF4_HgKE Why Customer Experience Matters? https://youtu.be/RmWLo0Trl8I

Memorable experiences can occur throughout the referral source’s and parent’s experience and little things make a BIG difference:

First Call or visit to the website Admissions Treatment Episode Billing Communication Occurrences Discharge Planning Phase (continuing care) Alumni

Remember this: You cannot service too much You cannot educate enough You cannot offer too much follow-up You cannot make admissions easy enough You cannot make calling or visiting your program too easy

Customer Experience vs Customer Service

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What is it to “Obsess” over an “Optimal Customer Experience"? Complete your customer journey wheel and identify areas where your program can remove friction for your clients in their experience with you.

It’s one thing to know your customer, its another to reshape your program around it. The customer journey should be the organizing

principle of your program.

The Digital Customer Journey and FrictionThese days the digital side of CX is taking on a fresh urgency and perspective. Digital engagements are often the first and most frequent opportunities marketers must entice personal interaction with their brand. Without these clients may never visit the website, walk through the door or access your services. Customer experience (CX) has the power to make or break you and your brand: organizations that lead

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in CX realize 4-8% more revenue than their industry peers, while 91% percent of customers who have a single poor experience with an organization/program will never do business with that brand again.

Customer Journey MappingA customer journey map tells the story of the customer’s experience: from initial contact, through the process of engagement and into a long-term relationship. Customer journey mapping is an incredibly useful exercise for programs to understand and improve the customer experience for its users. But at the end of the day, a customer journey map is just that…a map. To truly impact the customer experience for the better, action must be taken. The holy grail of CX is in smart, relevant experiences tailored at the individual level. Let’s look at Starbucks as an example of a customer journey map.

11. ProspectingAccording to an old business adage, 20% of your customers make up 80% of your sales. But in today's competitive landscape, scoping out potential referents and convincing them to utilize your program requires more work than it used to. In order to be successful, program people everywhere are

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embracing new strategies, techniques, and tools that help them target the right people. As a result, the importance of prospecting can't be stressed enough.

So, what is sales prospecting?Sales prospecting involves identifying potential customers (also known as prospects), by developing a database of qualified leads and then systematically communicating with them to generate sales and one of the most anxiety producing ways to do that is to make cold calls.

Making Cold CallsTeam, it’s a numbers game. If you get into a routine of making 3-4 calls a day your bound to maintain the relationships that keep you in business and/or develop the type of prospect pipeline that will keep your program full. And look, I get it. You hate cold calling. Everybody does, but here are some tips.

Embrace rejection, don’t run from it. Focus on immediate learning, NOT immediate sales. Use technology to eliminate tedious tasks. Don’t waste anyone’s time, including your own. Follow your scripts like an actor, NOT like a robot. Find a calling schedule that works. Make the right ask and set proper next steps. Learn to leave effective voicemails. Live at the intersection of quality & quantity. With all this negativity, it’s hard to see how cold calling is worth even considering. And that’s

exactly why cold calling can be so effective for you.

Taking Phone Calls from a Referent/FamilyIf you do your prospecting right, it won’t be long until the phone starts ringing. Here are some guidelines to help you with those first few calls;

First: Listen and Learn. It's about them, not about you or us.

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Take the time to conduct a full needs assessment in order to obtain a deep understanding of the client's needs, wants, desires, pain and expectations while qualifying them for budget, timeframe and appropriateness.

Be yourself - Show respect, develop trust, alignment and credibility. Demonstrate authenticity, interest and compassion. Practice our core values.

Reflect that you care and understand the caller's situation and objective-empathy is very important

Your caller wants to talk about them-our key job is to listen. Think enthusiastic and you will be enthusiastic

Determine the caller's need and wants with effective use of questions-use layering techniqueo Whoo Whato Whereo Wheno Whyo How

Align and present facts and benefits of your program that align to needs and wants that you identified with your questions and discussion.

Convert objections into questions. Review the agreement and engineer a plan to proceed-close.

Emails for Prospecting With so many new and promising digital marketing tactics at your disposal, how high should your program prioritize email campaigns? Is it still worth investing your valuable time and resources in email marketing? Well, consider that email marketing provides an average ROI of $44 for every $1 spent and

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that email is the most prevalent form of business communication in the US. In fact, research shows that 91% of US consumers check their email every single day, and 56% of those same consumers handle most of their emails on a mobile device. With its proven track record, increased popularity, and adaptability, email marketing is one of the most cost-effective ways to connect with new prospects and reinforce relationships with current referents.

One of the most important things to remember is that the people you want to reach are being bombarded all day long. Your message must resonate immediately, and it has got to be important to the person who’s getting it.

Here are some tips to cut through the noise. Preheaders determine where the message is read or deleted- When you’re writing your next subject line, run it through this checklist, based on the Four “U” Approach to headline writing:

Useful: Is the promised message valuable to the reader? Ultra-specific: Does the reader know what’s being promised? Unique: Is the promised message compelling and remarkable? Urgent: Does the reader feel the need to read now?

When you’re trying to get someone to take valuable time and invest it in your message, a subject line that properly incorporates all four of these elements can’t miss. And yet, execution in the email context can be tricky, so let’s drill down into subject-line specifics for greater clarity.

The Specifics:Beyond headline fundamentals, these are the things to specifically focus on with email subject lines:

Identify yourself: Over time, the most compelling thing about an email message should be that it’s from you. Even before then, your recipient needs to know at a glance that you’re a trusted source. Either make it crystal clear by smart use of your “From” field or start every subject line with the same identifier.

Useful and specific first: Of the four “U” fundamentals, focus on useful and ultra-specific, even if you must ignore unique and urgent. There are plenty of others who work at unique and urgent with every subject line — we call them spammers. Don’t cross the line into subject lines that are perceived as garbage. But do throw in a bit of a tease.

Urgent when it’s useful: When every message from you is urgent, none is. Use urgency when it’s useful, such as when there’s a real problem with a student or a deadline reason to act now. If you’re running your email marketing based on value and a great discount off admission fee, consultants don’t want to miss out and need to know how much time they have.

Rely on spam checking software: We all know that certain words trigger spam filters, but there’s a lot of confusion out there about which words are the problem. All reputable email services provide spam checking software as part of the service or as an add-on. Craft your messages with compelling language, let the software do its job, and adjust when you must.

Shorter is better: Subject line real estate is valuable, so the more compact your subject line, the better. Don’t forget useful and ultra-specific but try to compress the fundamentals into the most powerful promise possible.

The Secret Sauce of email prospectingGetting someone to trust you with their email address is not easy. A decade ago, people would sign up for anything remotely interesting. No longer. But if you do gain that initial trust, and more

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importantly, nurture and grow it, you can write fairly lame subject lines and people will still read your messages. Trust and substance matter most.

Don’t get me wrong, writing great subject lines combined with the more intimate relationship email represents is much more effective. And you must get your initial messages read to establish the relationship in the first place. Regardless, your open rates will improve based on the quality of your subject line.

There is something special in this worn-out digital age about being invited into someone’s email inbox. You just have to over-deliver on the value to ensure you’re a treasured guest who gets invited.

1. Responsiveness to emails improve campaign performance2. Plain test email can’t be skipped3. Communicate from the customer's viewpoint.

Based upon the thousands of cold emails I've seen over the years, there's an overwhelming tendency to use such emails to explain/justify/hype the sender's identity or programs brand. Here’s an example:

Hi, I'm Alex Joy, admissions director for Embark Behavioral Health, which is the premier provider of residential treatment. As the industry leader in behavioral health, we always provide spectacular customer service...

Look, as we’ve discussed earlier prospects/consultants don't care who you are until they're convinced you have what they want. It's only after prospects have considered using your program that they bother to consider: "is this the right person/program to provide this treatment I need?"

Prospects will only open, read and respond to an email that is primarily or entirely about what they want rather than who you are. And they'll only become referral partners if they believe that referring will somehow benefit them or their family. That's why effective emails are about benefits not features.

WRONG: "Our program has double the therapy hours." (feature)RIGHT: "Our program reduces anxiety by 50%."

Avoid sales-like language.Most prospects neither like nor trust salespeople. In fact, trust is at a 10-year low. Some of that aversion stems from stereotypes, but most of it comes from negative experiences either dealing with pushy salespeople or not doing what we said we would do. That animosity has exploded over the past few years with the proliferation of robot telephone solicitation. The effect of this technology has been to make wide bands of the country actively HATE salespeople, rather than just find them annoying.

WRONG: "What if I told you I could..."WRONG: "full guarantee"WRONG: "standard discount"General rule: if it sounds like something a salesperson might say, don't put it in the email. Also, remove all unfounded claims or opinions. If you can't back something up with a fact, don't say it:

WRONG: Our alumni department is world-class.RIGHT: We won a NATSAP award for "best alumni service" three years running.

One benefit, one differentiator and one call-to-action (in that order).

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This is the "rule of one." While businesspeople use email to send long internal document, prospects are only willing to give cold emails a few seconds of mental attention. You can't afford to waste those seconds repeating yourself. The one benefit should explain, from the referent’s viewpoint and as specifically as possible, what your offering would mean to the family or prospect.

WRONG: "Our program has the following benefits:" (too many)WRONG: "Our program is less expensive." (too vague)RIGHT: "Our program reduces anxiety by 50%"The one differentiator should explain, again from the prospect's viewpoint and specifically as possible, why you're the right person from whom to refer a client who has anxiety to; WRONG: "We've been in business since 2005." (irrelevant)WRONG: "We're the industry leader in canine therapy." (too vague)RIGHT: "We treat more adopted youth than any program in NATSAP."

Direct mail in an age of TechnologyI know it may have been a while since you’ve licked an envelope or bought stamps. (You do remember stamps, right?) But utilizing a postal service, United States Postal Service (USPS), FedEx, or UPS, is what defines direct mail marketing. Direct mail works because you stand out. When you want your message to be seen, you have far less competition in an actual mailbox than an email inbox. Also, reciprocity.Examples, announcements, gift cards, holiday gifts, samples, catalogues/brochures, postcards, letter. They can work effectively in a campaign by themselves, or alongside a digital-marketing campaign. You can use direct mail to target the right customers at the right time. ... Because direct mail is more likely to get read, it increases your brand awareness, even if the first letter is unsuccessful.

A Multi-Channel ProcessThe best way to grow your program pipeline is a disciplined multi-channel approach including (social, f2f, direct mail, cold calling, conferences, events, networking, volunteering, causes, blogging, personal branding and program branding)

Reactions/Ideas from this section:

1. ______________________________________________________________________________

2. ______________________________________________________________________________

3. ______________________________________________________________________________

Creating Memorable Presentations with and without PowerPointFor many, public speaking can be remarkably nerve-racking. The first time I gave a presentation, my body went numb and I couldn’t talk. One of the biggest lessons I’ve learned over the last few years is

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that to be a great public speaker, it’s key to develop a personal speaking style. Since I know I’m not the most eloquent speaker in the world, I make up for it by packing my presentations with enthusiasm, unique stories, useful content and some dumb jokes. Here are 20 simple tips to improve your presentation skills.

1. Practice2. Transform your nervous energy to enthusiasm.3. Go to other presentations to get in the mood and meet people. 4. Arrive early to get settled in and make sure everything is working. 5. Meet and greet6. Visualize your success7. Remember that most audiences are sympathetic8. Take deep breaths9. Smile10. Exercise to boost your endorphins11. Work on pauses12. Don’t cover too much material13. Ensure active customer participation14. Be entertaining helps the audience 15. Admit you don’t have all the answ4rs16. Use a Power Stance practice confident body language to help with jitters. 17. Drink Water18. Join toastmasters- a group dedicated to improving19. Don’t fight the fear- accept it. Its normal20. Simple, concrete, hand drawn visuals on a whiteboard outperform two types of PowerPoint in

areas of recall, engagement, presentation quality, creditability and persuasion.

Networking 101To build your pipeline and reach referents you wouldn't normally get access to, it's essential to expand your network via networking. Networking is all about building relationships that are honest, sincere, and

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of value to both parties. As you network at conferences or events, try to develop relationships that benefit the other party as much as they do you and think long term. The best part about building relationships is that whatever you put in comes back to you. More and better relationships mean a greater likelihood of generating leads that you can convert into great opportunities for your program. By making a commitment to improve your networking skills you'll see that "givers gain" is more than just a slogan, it works. Here are some practical tips to help you improve your networking skills.

Don't overlook the hidden potential of your network. Create new connections from pre-existing ones.

Conceptualize goal and get into the spirit of networking Join organizations that have common interests and you can contribute to enhance your circle of

influence. Communicating your interest in a mission is a means of gaining credibility that is best

accomplished through substance, not style. Listening and asking open-ended questions helps you build rapport and trust. Be proactive and start conversations with others. This does not mean you have to be the center

of attention and the life of the party. Simply be yourself and the rest will fall into place. When you find good conversations with people who could be the right fit, don't be too quick to

leave. A few rich conversations and good new connections can make for a very successful event. When it comes to networking, knowing what not to do is as important as knowing what to do. When attending a conference obtain registration list to request f2f appointments with select

prospects. Prepare business card and other supporting literature or tools. Practice branding statement, uniques and elevator pitch. Collaborate with teammates on activities and special events. Develop social media strategy. Lead or get out- build credibility and high visibility. Do good and be seen doing good- volunteer, strategic alliances. Become best friends with the professional staff. Recruit people into the organization- you meet everyone then.

No matter which method you choose, follow-up is crucial to your networking effort. Follow up turns a casual contact made at a meeting, conference, or event into a potential long-term relationship.

Attending ConferencesAttending conferences might be one of the best things you can do for your career. You’ll learn about industry trends, gain some new skills, eat some great food and make all kinds of new connections. But all those speakers, sessions, contacts, and conversations can also be overwhelming. Besides bringing

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boatloads of business cards and collecting them from other people, what else should you be planning on when you have an event coming up? From prepping beforehand to having a great time while you’re there, here’s what you need to know to make the most of your next conference.

Define objectives for attending the conference Get briefed by the registration desk Choose the right sessions Introduce yourself at social events Be seen in the lobby Introduce yourself to the speakers both before and during the conference If your presenting or hosting an event be sure to have a sign-in sheet Put away the smartphone Work the booth, collect cards and smile Follow up after the conference to continue the momentum (see below)

Planning a Sales & Marketing Trip Define objectives (i.e. marketing, sales, recruiting, networking) Who are you targeting? Do our research. Are they qualified? What is your value proposition for attending? What is the timeframe for ROI? What is the budget? Plan and customize your approach. Set an agenda. Prepare questions and practice overcoming any possible objectives. Cluster your appointments Dress the part. How will you define and measure success? Post meeting/conference strategies What’s missing? _________________________________________________

Post Conference Complete a conference briefing and send to supervisor Review & answer your original goal

What was YOUR goal? Was it reached? Was the conference worth it? Should you or the company attend in the future? Enter new leads into Salesforce Create conference mailing list Sent leads to appropriate staff

Write generalized thank you/introductory letter that will be sent to each new contact. Work with marketing to create follow-up campaign for the contacts you interacted with.

Consider two mailings Initial mailing Second 4-6 weeks after initial mailing

Potential Examples (determined by conference size and impact): An introductory note and your business card. Postcard of your program or the program you spoke about. Send a nice personalized card with meaningful note. Program promotional item relevant to the season. Set up face-to-face appointment to conduct a needs assessment with each new lead

within 4-6 weeks of original date of conference

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12. Program Tours and HospitalityAs healthcare continues to change and grow, so do patient expectations for better, faster and more convenient services. As a result, we all need to be become increasingly aware of the pivotal role of program and service culture in the client experience and the impact on the bottom-line. Program leaders struggling to improve the patient experience at their sites should consider blending some of the

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characteristics from the hospitality industry. For example, look at what’s happening on the prevention and recovery world, where their programs are increasingly improving their health and wellness services for their patients. Hospitality is at the center of that symbiosis and aims to bring hospitality and recovery closer together. We could learn from this and embody an attitude that puts the referent or family, front and center and empowers employees to “do whatever it takes to make the customer happy. Another words, lets design systems and smiles since the success of our business depends on both.

So, which area–systems or smiles–needs the most improvement at your program? It’s an important question, and your visitors are depending on you to figure it out. Here are some tips to prepare;

HospitalityHospitality is about people welcoming other people into their homes or other places where they work or spend their time. ... Hospitality is all about the art of entertaining or receiving guests, but fundamentally, it is simply love-in-action. It has much more to do with the resources of a generous heart than with sufficiency of food or space. Here are some examples of program hospitality

• Meeting guest in the parking lot prior to visit. Have their name on a welcome sign in the lobby. • Waling a guest to their car after a tour• Wearing a smile and an open and warm attitude• A clean, aesthetics pleasing and organized, fragrant environment • Well stocked and clean bathrooms• Breaking bread together or some fresh refreshments• What else; ____________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________.

Steps for a Referent TourReconnaissance

• Gather information about the referent What do we know about the referral source; personality, style, background and circumstances?

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What business data/criteria do you know; program utilization, competitor preferences? Does this referral source have a student currently enrolled in the program? Has this referral source had past issues with the program? Who does the referral source work closely with: Determine who will be tour leader based on referral source data. Are the touring other competitors or programs in the area? How will you design your tour

based on this information? Based on pre-tour reconnaissance and pre-tour call, prepare specific need assessment questions

to ask during tour.Organize tour to feature program strengths relevant to referral source's needs/wants.

Write a tour script specific to the referral source. Follow-up to ensure each staff member understands their role in the tour.

Prepare and organize support documents that will be given/referenced during the tour. Use questions to reach minor agreement as you go through the tour. Ask questions that would require the client to visualize how and when they would use your

program. Can they see their client in the program? Anticipate objections; acknowledge objections and make a note of it for summary during the

debrief. Organize all the above into a written tour outline.

Prepare an agenda for the tour and send to guest days in advance. Determine who will be responsible for each tour objective.

Scheduling and Preparation of the Tour• Plan the focus of the tour• How will you notify the team?• How you will use select staff for this tour?

Path of Tour; Flow of Tour• When walking through the campus how does it show best? From what angle? • What will you do if the tour is late?• How will you communicate changes to the team or approach when that happens? • Identify the best time of day to showcase certain places/departments/people• If a crisis happens with a current student, what do you do?• If a crisis happens with an employee, what do you do?

Aesthetics• Cleanliness• Interior design• How do the aesthetics reflect the key points of our identity/brand?

Featuring the Key Differentiator of your Program• How the tour will help the visitor experience them? The team, hospitality etc.

Ending the Tour• How will you summarize the experience with the referent?• What will you give them – transitional object – to remember their experience?• Schedule follow-up contact before they go.

After the Tour• Who will be the primary follow-up contact? • How and when will you contact them? • Debrief the good and bad of the tour with the people who participated.

1-Day Post Tour:• Send packet of materials that is customized for them. It may include;

o Thank you card from key staff signed by ED included in packet

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o Photo Card that includes staff credentials of therapist and who they work best with and on the back the student profile and unique features of program.

o Select program-based marketing materials3-Days Post Tour:

• Key staff (therapist and/or clinical director) call the referral source.• Ask if there are any questions they thought of after the tour and/or suggestions for tour

improvement• Go over missed information• Ask if they are currently working with a student that might be a good fit.• Address lingering objectives

7-Days Post Tour:• Executive Director calls the referral source.• Get general feedback from tour.• Ask for their business.

Tour Worksheet

How can you learn about your referral source as a person?

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How do you learn about your referral source's business needs? How will you create a favorable impression about the program location? How will you introduce key program staff and allow for time to talk and develop the basis of a

relationship for the future? How will you create an opportunity for problems/obstacles to be discovered, discussed and

resolved? How will you learn about competition that the referent uses? How will you learn what your program must do to win this referral source's business? How does the Embark Sales framework fit into a tour to win their business!

The Hospitality of a Consultant Think about and write below the following:

Define what hospitality means. Give examples of times you’ve been treated in that way. Discuss ways you can help the referent truly experience your program. How will you apply your services to their needs?

A Tour Experience• Look back through each of the main points on this section on hospitality and tours. Choose at

least one area where you will craft a powerful experience during a tour. What is it?

Supplements

Opening an Account on LinkedIn

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A great way to develop as a professional and support your program and Embark is to be active on social media. It will help you enhance your reputation, craft your personal brand and allow you to engage in the wider professional community. There is a lot of opportunity for professional growth in your position, but it is all about how people perceive you via your communication practices and social media.

Many of your peers have become successful almost solely because of their ability to put themselves out there and to be known. Many of them have done a great job building relationships with referents and have grown in their reputation primarily due to those relationships and that trust it fosters. Because we are in a a relationship-based industry many referrals to programs are simply due to the trust referents place in the people of that program based their knowledge of them beyond their professional credentials. Referents need and want to know much more about you and your interests.

The best way to build your professional brand and reputation is online. And one of the critical areas these days is LinkedIn. With that in mind, it is important you create and maintain an active presence on social media, specifically Facebook and LinkedIn. It is the only way to truly be relevant this day and age. Referring professionals and other industry people want to know and see you, and one of the best / easiest ways is by having a proactive and intentional social media presence that builds your personal and professional brand. This does not take away from the critical importance of face to face meetings. This just does a great job accentuating that great impression and keeps you and your program front of mind.

LinkedIn should be the first social media stop, and if you don’t have a profile here are some pointers to create one: You might also consider watching this video on YouTube at https://youtu.be/tV_7yAPnkFw

You must have a great picture. Create or update the banner behind your picture. This is a great opportunity to ask Jason Long

to create a LinkedIn banner image that highlights the program you represent. o See the one that Calo Programs has with a puppy and Calo Programs logo; Jason can

create one similar for you. In the headline section, instead of your title, add a description, something like: ‘Experienced

Clinician or Mission Driven Leader’. You should add a detailed summary that highlights your extensive training, experience, and

background, also any other relevant information and experience. Also mention some of your personal interests and hobbies. Here is a good place to speak to your passion for behavioral health, trauma and/or an age range. You want this summary to do a convincing job telling the reader, wow he/she she is probably a great leader.

Then you should add the various jobs you have had in your career. Under each job you should add a description of some of your accomplishments while there, and try to highlight things that would, in someone’s eyes, perceive you as great at your job.

Add your education and to the extent you were involved in anything or had any honors or things worth celebrating put those in the description too.

If you have ever volunteered or served on a nonprofit put that on there. Ask for LinkedIn endorsements from people Only after you have updated your profile (all the above) should you add more connections. Now proactively go out and connect with all Educational Consultants and referents and other

employees at Embark Programs. Encourage your team to do the same: All of you should be active on this platform. This is the

easiest way for the world to get to know you and your program.

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Now that your profile and network is set up, you should log on every day or two and see if there are any posts or articles that are relevant to your interests or specialties. Then you should like and share those posts. When you like someone else’s post it will pop up on your connection’s feed as you are liking it. They will start to associate you with what you like and post. You want the posts you like and share to reinforce your brand: “clinical advocate working with young people and trauma”. Or?

Then you should work on your own LinkedIn posts. Track news and articles that speak about treatment, etc. and share it. When you share an article, or a quote image always make sure to write a sentence or two in the body of the post – don’t just post the article or the image. You should also put hashtags: #mentalhealth #caloyoungadults #gototheroot #creatingjoy are some examples of good ones.

Also, post about your program. So always post all blogs that are written on Embark programs. We have posted a bunch so go back and post those. And as we post more blogs and videos also share those – always include a sentence or two introducing what you are sharing in the body of the post. Take pictures of fun things going on at campus … simple like everyone cooking or BBQing together, kick ball, a field trip, just hanging around, of the canines, horses, etc. This is a great way to build the brand of your program and tie that to you. Now when you go and meet with people face to face and at conferences or have shared clients, you have built up a reputation and you are more known. And naturally there will be more trust and confidence.

Occasionally, you should yourself write and then post a short blog to LinkedIn Publisher. The posts you write will be displayed on your LinkedIn profile and will appear to all your connections and will be spread to second connections.

You want to do very similar things on Facebook. You can post the same exact articles and pictures on Facebook as you do on LinkedIn.

In our line of work simply doing quality program work does not get us there. It is about relationship, communication and perception more than anything. Therefore, our goal needs to be quality work AND being excellent at deliberately managing our relationships, communication and the perceptions of those that interact with us. Consultants refer to programs where they know the people running it and have a relationship with them and perceive them as ethical and competent. And, secondly, they refer when that program and those people are front of mind. We still must do face to face meetings as they are the most impactful, but social media is the most efficient way to help get there. It is critical that you be ‘known’.

If you do all of this, your quality work will show and shine. It will pay off. Of course, as you know, if you don’t do quality work and offer great customer experiences, none of the above matters. Because that lack of quality and service will catch up with you.

Your ability to embrace social media to drive your relevance and your brand is critical to your professional success and the success of Embark Programs.

Program and Self-Evaluation Now that you have completed the Sales and Marketing Playbook lets re-evaluate where you and your program is. Grade yourself and/or your program on the below items to access yourself and if

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appropriate your team. Use a scale of 1-5 (1 being low and 5 being high). Then, review the strengths and opportunities.

Brand Awareness& Program Differentiators

I have a clear understanding of our brand and student we treat

Our staff have a clear understanding of our brand and student

Program tours leave visitors with an understanding of why our program is unique and better than our competition

I know our competitors and am aware of key differences

Our marketing materials and website highlight our differentiators

Tour Hospitality

Based on needs of our visitors, tours are customized for their interests

We meet visitors in the parking lot and walk them to their cars

The prep for the team prior to visit is specific, clear and timely

Presentations by the team are (professional, knowledgeable, enthusiastic)

The program and grounds are clean during a tour

Employees are engaging, authentic and welcoming when visitors tour

There is customer and effective follow-up after tours

Referral Partner Communication

There is always exceptional communication from our team from first call through date of admission and after discharge

Clinicians- communication with referral partner

Outreach from Exec Director and other key staff

Touchpoints approaching transition/ graduation

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TrackingStrategic Thinking

Leads, QLs, date of admission, contact notes are up to date in Salesforce

Marketing budget is reviewed and maintained

I am proficient in using Salesforce reporting

Marketing plan is helping drive activities and strategy

Marketing team is working collaboratively

Dedicated hour a week for personal/professional development

Monthly training to develop and improve sales and marketing skills

Travel

Trip are set up trips at least 3-4 weeks in advance

Appointments are set up prior to booking travel and occur regularly

We are Intentional about planning trips based on RP targets

Stay within allotted budget for hotels, car and food

Thoughtful about personalizing f2f meetings and qualify all prospects

Follow up with a thank you and other value add after a visit

Marketing Collateral

Sales materials are current, professional and reflect our key differentiators

We optimize all publicized materials for SEO

Our website is up to date and reflects our key differentiators

We have all the materials we need for conferences/referring professionals

The marketing and design team provides value to our program

We use our materials strategically to maximize their effectiveness

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Outreach

We have client centered and meaningful interactions with referents/prospects that results in knowing if they are qualified lead

We engage in internal marketing to ensure that all Embark knows our program and differentiators

We have a marketing team in place that meets regularly

Have a clear expectation and accountability of outreach by my team & self to Referral partners.

We make cold calls routinely to keep our pipeline full

Other

I respond to email and phone calls quickly

The program answer calls directly from the Hive team

Recommended Readings• The Simple Truths of Service…… Ken Blanchard, Barbara Glanz• Fanatical Prospecting- Jeb Blount• Sales Manifesto- Jeffrey Gitomer• The little Red Book of Selling- Jeff Gitomer• The Art of Social Media- Guy Kawasaki

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• How to Win Friends and Influence People in the Digital Age- Dale Carnegie• Objections: The Ultimate Guide for Mastering the Art of Getting Past No- Jeb Blount• Selling 101- Zig Ziglar• Cold Calling Techniques- Stephan Schiffman

Podcasts Start with Why: Based on the success of Simon Sinek’s famous book, David Mead and Stephen

Shedletzky share stories and interviews with people who are living examples of putting the “Why” into action.

B2B Growth Show daily podcast dedicated to helping executi8ves achieve explosive growth. The Advanced Selling Podcast- comprehensive training solutions for elite salespeople. Sales Gravy- free sales training delivered in your inbox Sales Success Stories- Hear the secrets of world class salespeople The Ziglar Show -- Inspiring Your True Performance Get in the Door: Sales Prospecting Strategies & Tactics The Art of Charm- become more charismatic in any situation Sell or Die- Jeff Gitomer’s podcast Make It Happen Mondays -- B2B Sales with John Barrows HBR Idea Cast: A weekly podcast by the Harvard Business Review, featuring leading thinkers in

business and management. Gary Vaynerchuk Podcasts: Also known as “The GaryVee Audio Experience,” Vaynerchuk uses his

podcasts to share keynote speeches on marketing and business, segments from his video series, interviews, news and more.

Disrupt Yourself Podcast with Whitney Johnson: Multi-author and disruption expert Johnson conducts interviews with disruptive innovators and personal disruptors.

Renegade Thinkers Unite: Award-winner marketer, author, entrepreneur Drew Neisser focuses on marketing innovators—uncovering the why, what and how behind their ongoing success.

Marketing Today with Alan Hart: Behind the scenes with the world’s best marketers and business leaders. Learn what makes a great brand, marketing campaign or turnaround—and how you can unleash your potential.

Sales and Marketing Associations to Join American Marketing Association- https://www.ama.org/ Internet Marketing Association- https://imanetwork.org/ National Association of Sales Professionals- https://www.nasp.com/ The Sales Association- https://www.salesassociation.org/page/5

Free Sales and Marketing SubscriptionsSales and Marketing Management- https://brandongaille.tradepub.com/free/snmm/Target Marketing- https://brandongaille.tradepub.com/free/tk/prgm.cgi

New Hire Competency Development Instructions• Begin working through the Sales and Marketing Playbook.• Review program and Embark websites. Make note of examples of the 5 key brand elements of

your program and discuss with supervisor.• Meet with your supervisor or Executive Director to discuss the program’s history. Discuss how

things have changed over the years and how to be prepared when others ask about those changes.

• Review progress with the playbook with your supervisor.

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• Review Tour and Admissions Procedures with supervisor.• Fill out the admissions documents and enrollment agreement as if you were a parent/client.• Schedule phone calls with ED’s or programs and select other personnel (Education, HR, Clinical,

Residential, and Executive Director).• Attend a few treatment team meetings in your first 30 days.• Shadow at least one day shift. Discuss experience and questions with your supervisor.• Review all FAQ’s with your supervisor.• Review the websites of your top three competitors. Identify the 5 key brand elements that set

your program apart from the others. • Listen to 2 hours of live admissions calls or recorded admissions calls provided by the HIVE. • Set up and complete 3 mock tours. One with supervisor, one with a member of the

Administrative team, and one with a person you select within the company. Ask each person for three things you can improve upon and three things you did well.

• Meet with supervisor regarding Salesforce to understand and feel comfortable using CRM software.

• Meet with Social Media lead to understand importance of social media. Update accounts on Facebook. LinkedIn and invite ten people to link with you. Join one LinkedIn group.

• Tour at least two other NATSAP programs in your area within 90 days of starting.• Review with supervisor your key referral partners, as well as etiquette and tactics for working

with each.• Read at least one sales/marketing book listed in the playbook. Report back with three things

you learned and your plan to use those three things to improve.• Spend one day at the HIVE listening to calls and discussing the process they go through with

HIVE Supervisor. If out of state set up a call with HIVE supervisor to discuss over the phone.• Diagram the chain of events that happens to an after-hours caller. Call your program after hours

and act as if you want information on the program. Discuss your thoughts about the experience with your supervisor.

• Participate in five on campus tours (3 family and 2 professional). Discuss your thoughts about the experience with your supervisor.

• Participate in 2 admissions from start to finish.• Assist Supervisor in planning a marketing trip itinerary.• With your supervisor or other Director, attend one conference where your program is

marketing.• Call five referral sources and introduce yourself with guidance from your supervisor. Ask for

their advice about your new position. Discuss the experience with your supervisor.• Read through all your program marketing materials. Identify the 5 key brand elements within

those documents. Show your supervisor what you found.

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