Earlier this week, I read an article named:
“Things I’ve noticed while visiting the ICU” by Trevor Klee
Just like the article…
I had the experience of visiting the ICU for two hours a day—every day—for over a month earlier last year. (it wasn’t a pleasant experience)
During that long month…
I, too, noticed how ICUs are great at managing acute issues… and struggle with more long-term conditions.
* Blood drop: Immediate action
* Skin problem: Procrastinate for two weeks with zero action
At first, it made sense to me.
Because it’s the ICU, for God’s sake, not the long-term care facility.
You’re not “supposed” to be in the ICU for extended periods.
But as my family member was released into a stepdown unit…
I realized –
This is not an ICU problem. It’s a hospital problem.
Every hospital lacks manpower. Not enough nurses. Caregivers come and go. Doctors juggling hundreds of patients. And a never-ending line of panicking family members seeking advice.
On top of all these problems…
The three-shift routine makes handover a nightmare.
I often see the nurse taking off… handing over the lifeline of a patient… with a few unreadable scribbles on her hand, plus a 3M sticky note.
I’m not kidding.
I sometimes look in awe (and shock) as the nurse scratches her head, trying to make sense of what she wrote HERSELF.
That’s why the hospital relies on a system that double, triple, and…
QUADRUPLE check even the most basic info.
You can see the nurse scanning the patients’ name tags for every act.
*beep* to get the prescription
*beep* to deliver the medicine
*beep* to feed the medicine
Yes, it’s a hassle. You can even say it’s a waste of scarce resources. But it prevents dumb mistakes.
And this leads to a valuable idea for you:
While you’re not operating a hospital…
…and your prospects aren’t over-worked nurses
…you face the same problem.
Prospects are busy holding on to their sanity. They might raise an eyebrow when you shout, “50 percent off today only” for the first time. They are NOT keeping you in mind 24/7.
(and when you yell discount too many times… they ignore that, too)
~ They don’t remember what you said two hours ago
~ They don’t remember the feature you highlighted last week
~ They don’t remember your brand… even if they want what you sell
That’s why marketers will tell you:
“Tell them what you’re going to tell them, tell them, and tell them what you’ve told them.”
Email marketing… or any marketing… is the simple action of selling your benefits over and over (and over) again—testing different hooks, mechanisms, and timing.
Think of it as…
Beeping the patients’ bracelets multiple times—for different nurses.
This same approach can save hospitals from costly mistakes and save you from leaving too much on the table.
Talk soon,
– WYH
PS – The beauty of email storytelling is…
You can reach out to your prospects every day, week, and month… without worrying about “bothering” them too much. Because you show up entertaining, exciting, and worthy of their attention.
You make their day.
And they return the favor with loyalty and retention.