Competing on higher ground.

As I write this column, the most concerted marketing and sales effort of the year is in full swing. The Christmas season is upon us, and the television and radio airwaves and newspapers are full of sales pitches for everything from dolls to sweaters to luxury automobiles.

Though the sheer volume of advertising can be overpowering, at least the advertisements vary in content and purpose. Some tout low prices, others high quality; many appeal to people's sentiments, such as our desire to indulge our children or please a loved one.

Contrast these differing emphases with the marketing and selling of employee assistance programs. Though there may be mention of advantages such as superior quality, responsiveness, or services, EAPs the world over seem to compete primarily on one consideration: price. Over time, this basis for competition has led to a predictable result--a slow but steady pressure to do more for less. Furthermore, our customer base has not been challenged to modify its impression that EAPs are low-cost counseling services for workers who are mentally disturbed and/or dependent on alcohol or drugs.

Marketing efforts that use a variety of approaches to highlight the bottom-line value of EAPs would reduce the pressure on prices and take the industry to a higher ground for competition. For example, our marketing could explain how to differentiate EAP services based on quality and performance, demonstrate to our customers the value and results EAPs can provide, or educate our customers about how EAPs can complement other organizational initiatives such as disability management and work-life balance. Such a focus would also help drive low-quality EAPs out of the market, which would benefit not only the better EAP providers but also employers, employees and their families.

One roadblock we face is that many of our contacts at work organizations are human resources specialists who see EAPs as part of a benefits package rather than as workforce performance enhancement tools. To become a partner in improving workforce performance and be able to charge for our expertise, we need to talk to the decision makers. But how do we get to them?

Another roadblock is that some EA professionals market their services by speaking about return on investment and measuring the effects of EAP services, but our industry currently lacks uniformity in how we measure and report our services. This confuses our message to customers and fails to convince EAP purchasers of the quality and impact of our programs.

Notwithstanding these and other challenges, some EAP providers are enjoying success in marketing and selling EAPs on the basis of strengths other than low price. This issue of the Journal suggests two approaches: tying EA services to the work organization's overall business strategy and incorporating health and productivity management services into an EAR A third article discusses how EAP providers can break into a market that has long eluded us--small businesses. And thanks to some EAPA members outside the United States, this issue also contains perspectives on marketing and selling EAPs in England and Germany.

In addition to the theme articles, this issue of the Journal looks at the growing incidence of mid-life eating disorders and their impact on the workplace and discusses the pros and cons of adding mediation services to an EAP's repertoire. It also contains excerpts of some of the nearly 50 presentations at the 2005 EAPA Annual Conference. Many colleagues have told me they think the 2005 conference was the most informative they have ever attended.

Speaking of colleagues, I'd like to close by welcoming Mark Cohen to the EAPA Communications Advisory Subcommittee. Mark is the founder and president of BEC Consulting, which he formed in 2002. Prior to that, he served as a partner at Harris, Rothenberg International for 17 years. I am pleased to have Mark on the subcommittee and look forward to working with him.

Maria Hartley, LEAP