Referral outreach vs. hiring a liaison
Both get your agency in front of referral partners. A liaison builds trust in person. Outreach starts conversations across your whole service area from your own profile. They work best together.
| Category | Referral outreach | Hiring a liaison |
|---|---|---|
| Cost | $399 a month plus a $1,999 one-time setup. | A salary, plus payroll taxes, benefits, mileage, and your time managing them. |
| Reach | About 20 to 40 new people a day across your whole service area, once outreach is up to speed. | As many offices as one person can drive to and get in the door of. |
| First contact | Familiar. They've likely seen your name, photo, and agency before your first message. | Often cold. A drop-in at the nurses' station or a front desk that takes a brochure. |
| Relationship depth | Starts the conversation. It can't replace a handshake, an in-service, or a good first case. | Builds trust in person over months. This is what a great liaison does best. |
| Ramp-up | Setup in the first week or two. First replies during month one. | Time to recruit, hire, train, and learn the territory. |
| If it isn't working | Month to month. No long-term contract. | A hard conversation, then rehiring. |
| Who owns the network | You. Every connection lives on your own profile. | Partly the liaison. When they leave, some relationships walk out with them. |
- Cost
Referral outreach$399 a month plus a $1,999 one-time setup.
Hiring a liaisonA salary, plus payroll taxes, benefits, mileage, and your time managing them.
- Reach
Referral outreachAbout 20 to 40 new people a day across your whole service area, once outreach is up to speed.
Hiring a liaisonAs many offices as one person can drive to and get in the door of.
- First contact
Referral outreachFamiliar. They've likely seen your name, photo, and agency before your first message.
Hiring a liaisonOften cold. A drop-in at the nurses' station or a front desk that takes a brochure.
- Relationship depth
Referral outreachStarts the conversation. It can't replace a handshake, an in-service, or a good first case.
Hiring a liaisonBuilds trust in person over months. This is what a great liaison does best.
- Ramp-up
Referral outreachSetup in the first week or two. First replies during month one.
Hiring a liaisonTime to recruit, hire, train, and learn the territory.
- If it isn't working
Referral outreachMonth to month. No long-term contract.
Hiring a liaisonA hard conversation, then rehiring.
- Who owns the network
Referral outreachYou. Every connection lives on your own profile.
Hiring a liaisonPartly the liaison. When they leave, some relationships walk out with them.
When a liaison is the right hire
When your census is steady enough to pay for one, and you have a few hospitals and buildings that already know you. A good liaison turns known names into trusted relationships, and nothing online does that as well as a person who shows up.
The two fit together. Outreach starts conversations across the whole service area, and the liaison (or you) visits people who already replied, which is a much easier visit than a cold drop-in.
See who you'd be talking to
The audit is 30 minutes. We map the referral partners in your service area and tell you whether this will work for your agency.