Best Practices

The common patterns that make both Jake and Tyler successful.

Shared Success Patterns

Despite different styles, both agents excel at these core moves:

1. Empathy First

Both agents build rapport BEFORE gathering information.

"I got you." / "Gotcha, man."

2. Quick Qualification

Identify caller type immediately to route the conversation.

"Are you calling for yourself or someone else?"

3. Barrier Removal

Address logistics proactively—don't wait for objections.

"How long have you been at your job?"
"Let me verify your benefits right now."

4. Honest Redirection

When they can't help, they refer warmly—becoming an advocate rather than a dead end.

"We don't take that insurance, but that's actually good news..."

The Formula

Phase	Action	Key Talk Track
Opening	Identify + Qualify	"Are you calling for yourself?"
Rapport	Validate without judgment	"I got you."
Discovery	Open-ended questions	"What's going on with you?"
Logistics	Remove barriers proactively	"Your job is federally protected."
Close	Create urgency + timeline	"Today or tomorrow?"

Adapt to Your Style

The key isn't copying Jake's exact phrases or Tyler's exact approach. It's understanding the principles:

If you're more casual like Jake:

Use peer language naturally
Find personal connection points
Let your personality show

If you're more professional like Tyler:

Lead with expertise
Be direct about limitations
Use education to build trust

Universal Don'ts

Don't make promises you can't keep
Don't be defensive when you can't help
Don't skip rapport to get to "business"
Don't minimize their fears or concerns
Don't use fake scarcity or manipulation

Universal Do's

DO validate their courage in calling
DO verify insurance in real-time
DO explain FMLA job protection
DO be honest about costs and timelines
DO get permission to follow up

Personal Recovery Disclosure

Sharing your own recovery story is one of the most powerful tools in your arsenal - but timing and context matter. Here's how top agents use personal disclosure effectively.

When to Share Your Story

Good Times to Disclose:

When caller feels ashamed of multiple treatment attempts
When caller says "nothing has worked"
When caller is minimizing their problem
When building trust with a skeptical caller
When discussing the progressive nature of addiction

Avoid Disclosing:

At the very start of the call (build rapport first)
When the caller is in crisis and needs immediate action
When it might seem like one-upping their story
During purely logistical/insurance discussions

Verbatim Personal Disclosure Scripts (Jake Smith)

Caller: "I've been to probably eight rehabs in two years. Nothing's worked yet."

Jake: "I got you. I understand that totally. Yeah. I mean, we do have a very good, like, you know, relapse and recovery program. Right? Like, I went to 30 treatment centers myself, over, like, a ten year period. So I understand going to treatment a lot of times and, you know, feeling like nothing's working, wanting to try something different, all that stuff. Right?"

Impact: Normalized the experience by sharing even more extreme personal example (30 centers vs 8). Removed shame and positioned continued attempts as positive rather than failure.

Context: Building rapport after DUI disclosure

"I'm in recovery myself. So, you know, I've been through that. I've been through treatment, you know, jail, stuff like that too. Right? So, yeah. And sometimes it just takes a little bit more, you know, for us to be serious about it."

Why it works: Creates peer-to-peer dynamic, normalizes caller's path, reduces shame. Acknowledges that recovery isn't always linear.

Context: Caller struggling to quit on their own

"It's nearly impossible, and it's something that I've been through myself too. Right?"

Impact: Caller continued to open up about her struggles and family history. Personal disclosure created deep trust.

Long-Term Success Story (Jake Smith)

Caller: "I haven't found a home yet, you know, for recovery."

Jake: "Yeah. No. I get that. I get that totally. So the last time I went to treatment, I had never really done, like, long, long term treatment. I stayed for six months, and then I started working in treatment, like, six years ago. Right? And then I'm still doing it today."

Impact: Demonstrated that finding the right place leads to lasting recovery. His current career in treatment demonstrates long-term success and commitment to the field.

The Progressive Addiction Validation (Tyler Glass)

"Yeah. Well, it's definitely a progressive thing, man. Sounds like you're aware of that. No. I live that, as well."

Impact: Created deep connection through personal disclosure. Validated caller's experience using medical language ("progressive") combined with personal experience.

Context: Caller says drinking isn't fun anymore

"Well, man, yeah, that's how it goes for guys like us. You know, whatever the drink did for us early on, it just takes from us over time."

Impact: Created deep rapport and peer connection. Caller continued to open up about his struggle.

The Binge Drinking Pattern Match (Tyler Glass)

Caller: "Well, it's not that I drink too often. I just take it too far every time that I do."

Tyler: "Well, that's yeah. That's right. So, like, maybe it's episodic. Maybe you're like a binge drinker like I was. But the thing about me was when I put a drink in my body, I really didn't wanna stop doing it until, like, I passed out or, you know, some other kind of thing forced me to stop. I felt really bad. You know? I was ashamed. I was embarrassed."

Why it works: Used personal disclosure to normalize pattern. Validated caller's experience. Created connection through shared experience. Articulated the shame many callers feel but can't express.

Distance Reframing with Personal Story (Tyler Glass)

"I would say that with her making the statements of, like, I can do this on my own, I think that if she admits to a local facility... you will almost definitely get calls in the first week or two saying, I don't need to be here... myself, personally, when I went through this eight years ago, I tried to do it locally on the first run. I did not make it."

Why it works: Used personal recovery story to reframe distance as clinical advantage, not disadvantage. Positioned it as protective factor.

Guidelines for Effective Disclosure

Keep it brief: Your story supports their decision, it doesn't replace their journey
Focus on the relevant part: Match your disclosure to their specific concern
Don't compete: If they've been to 8 rehabs, don't immediately say "I've been to 30" - let them finish first
Emphasize current success: You're proof that recovery works
Stay humble: "I've been there" not "I know exactly what you're going through"