Medical Billing Forum

Starting a Medical Billing Business => Starting Your Own Medical Billing Business => : sagemb March 19, 2011, 10:32:02 AM

: Outsourced Marketing
: sagemb March 19, 2011, 10:32:02 AM
Typing from small cellphone so many appologies for goofy typing.

Last week i decided to hire a company to make calls for me to just setup appt for. It's called .... Well i dont wanna name names. Anyway they have audio of all thier sales ppl onwebsite so u can choose who ever suits you. They all have slight accent, probably eastern europe but all sounded very prof. So i picked one of them for $520+ to work for 40hrs. I thought the price was high for me but for the # of hrs its pretty good.

She started on last wed, thurs, & fri without a single appt. I'm not trying to point faults but maybe it can help some of the readers avoid my mistakes. However, she'll still work mon & tue so ill update the results here . Please o please pray for me. I'm tired of barely surviving on 1 dr for 3%.

I know its low, but needs & nessssty can kick a healthy egos' butt anyday. Bye for now, will update later.
: Re: Outsourced Marketing
: TammyL March 19, 2011, 12:28:33 PM
I feel your pain barely surviving on the few clients I have so I to decided to hire someone to work part-time @ 20 hours a week from home I posted a ad on the craig list and got alot of response some was over qualified for the pay I was offering at 7.25 and hour plus $25.00 for each appt she set. shes starting Tues so I will definately keep you all informed how it worked for me. I am trying all my marketing stragies possible I have done direct Mail and have sent out about 200 mailers for the month of March no response I have answered ads for Billers about 10 I had one response but they were not interested I am networking with some of my software peopele I have a Lytec Rep and I know someone who works for Medisoft I also have a client who is helping me put together a mailer for some of her collegues she know that may be interested in billing. One thing I can say for sure Marketing is not easy. But failure is not a option for me and I am going to try all resources until I find the one that works best for me. I will update you all on Fri to let you know how  well my part-time telemarkter did.
: Re: Outsourced Marketing
: QueenAlicia March 19, 2011, 01:17:53 PM
Are you apart of your city's/county's chamber of commerce or apart of any other associations?  There are medical billing associations that you can join as well as other associations out there to help you market and network. 

I know it's hard, trust me but I know all of the hard work will pay off in the end.  I am doing all of my marketing and website design stuff myself. I am going to get the girl I had design my store website template design this template.
: Re: Outsourced Marketing
: Michele March 20, 2011, 06:26:20 PM
For that price did they give you any guarantee?  Like at least 3 appts, or 5 appts?  Just seems like how do you really know they are even calling???

Tammy, let us know how that works for you.  I like the idea of them being rewarded for getting the appt.  Incentive goes a long way.

Michele
: Re: Outsourced Marketing
: sagemb March 20, 2011, 08:36:09 PM
No Guarantees! And it was just plain stupidity on my part. My goal was to look for a professional looking site and sells appointment setting. I also love the fact that the caller sounded very professional and for the price, it only made sense that they are charging professional prices. But it's just stupidity on my part. Last last night their automated email came to my inbox asking to put more money in the account so that the appointment setting campaign doesn't pause.

I emailed back to the account rep that I can't unless I get some appointments for the money that I've already invested.
They have 7.5hrs of time left. I doubt she can give me even 1 appointment.
: Re: Outsourced Marketing
: sagemb March 20, 2011, 08:40:09 PM
For that price did they give you any guarantee?  Like at least 3 appts, or 5 appts?

Check out their FAQ: http://www.idea2result.com/faq#q4
: Re: Outsourced Marketing
: PMRNC March 21, 2011, 09:30:53 AM
Well, see now, this is where my opinion might be in conflict with others..but had they made a guarantee..my red flag would be up! Reading their FAQ tells me they are going to do their best but in the end ..it is your product and your service. this is one of the reasons I suggest making your own calls. Who knows your business, services and reputation better than you? no one.  A few years back there were quite a few scam marketing companies which billing companies were hiring, they were guaranteeing clients, the ones they did get they were promising things the billing company couldn't deliver..such as free laptops, computers, they would give you the appt details and you were left holding the bag when the providers asked where their promised "gifts" were. They would close shop or be shut down by FTC to just open under another name.
: Re: Outsourced Marketing
: sagemb March 21, 2011, 10:21:57 AM
Are you apart of your city's/county's chamber of commerce or apart of any other associations?

No part of any association, yet. However, I'm looking into joining one of the many local COC. The fee is quite high and I wonder if it'll be worth it. Am looking at the members roster and very few doctors listed. I bet even fewer show up in the meetings.

Well, see now, this is where my opinion might be in conflict with others..but had they made a guarantee..my red flag would be up!

As I admitted before, it's plain stupidity on my part. They seem very professional, very thorough about everything. Just that there aren't any results. I wouldn't have even it against them if there was no sale but we're talking appointment setting itself. But today is their last day and I'll see it to the end. And try to learn from this.
: Re: Outsourced Marketing
: Michele March 21, 2011, 11:16:46 AM
I actually agree with Linda.  I wasn't feeling well this weekend, and after going back over the posts I agree.  I think my issue is with paying someone to do a job that you have no control over.  They may seem professional, but you don't even know what they are actually saying on the calls, or if the calls are even being made.  I get what they are saying about "the rest depends on you....blah blah blah" but if they don't even get you an appointment then the ball never makes it to your court.  Hard to score if you aren't playing.  I'm sure you're thinking "hindsight" but when I look at there FAQ's I see that they quickly shift to focus from them to you but you can't do anything unless they succeed at what you are paying them to do.  Which is where I agree with Linda, better to do it yourself.  Or have someone in your office that you can at least monitor. 

Sorry, I'm sure you regret your decision now.  The good thing is that mistakes are for learning and trials make us stronger.  If Alice & I hadn't made mistakes we wouldn't be where we are.  It's how you handle them that shows who you are.

Michele
 
: Re: Outsourced Marketing
: sagemb March 23, 2011, 06:21:19 AM
I think that i learned my lesson. Either that or i have yet to learn some more. The campaign is now over & we've bagged a total of .......(drum roll)........0 appointments. My request after 2 of 5 days was to provide me with some of the recordings of how the typical conversation went. And it was simply done due to the fact that the recording thinga majig just did'nt work.

Now I'm wondering if i should learn my lesson, walk off the stage with grace and dignity, or should take the road that compells me to, ask for my money back?
: Re: Outsourced Marketing
: PMRNC March 23, 2011, 09:31:07 AM
However, I'm looking into joining one of the many local COC. The fee is quite high and I wonder if it'll be worth it. Am looking at the members roster and very few doctors listed. I bet even fewer show up in the meetings.

You don't need to join your chamber to sell. The idea is to "network".  Attorney's, Accountant's, collection agency's, etc. Don't just think you need to network with doctors themselves.
: Re: Outsourced Marketing
: Michele March 23, 2011, 11:38:21 AM
I'm not sure if you could get your money back.  They probably had a lawyer set them up to prevent that and you probably would spend more trying to get it back.  Sorry!  I truly feel for you.  Lessons are tough and costly!

: Re: Outsourced Marketing
: sagemb March 23, 2011, 04:29:55 PM
Sure was. And i might end up spending more time just to find out that they covered their bases legaly. Oh well, this tough blow but somewhat well deserved for me for jumping in and being stupid. I wasnt forced, i did it all on my own.
: Re: Outsourced Marketing
: PMRNC March 23, 2011, 06:33:43 PM
Don't be so quick to say you were stupid.. if you think it will be the last mistake..think again.. heck we'd be worried about ya if you didn't make mistakes. More to come. Also don't forget, it's not total wash because it's an expense for your business that you can write off :) 
: Re: Outsourced Marketing
: Michele March 24, 2011, 09:58:27 AM
We all have those "stupid mistakes" in our past, and most cost more than $500 bucks!  You shouldn't be judged on the mistake, but on how you react to it, what you do with the lesson.  Those stupid mistakes make us all smarter and stronger and better because of them.  Don't waste time beating yourself up, dust yourself off and get back in the saddle!

: Re: Outsourced Marketing
: Anand March 24, 2011, 12:43:03 PM
We all have those "stupid mistakes" in our past, and most cost more than $500 bucks!  You shouldn't be judged on the mistake, but on how you react to it, what you do with the lesson.  Those stupid mistakes make us all smarter and stronger and better because of them.  Don't waste time beating yourself up, dust yourself off and get back in the saddle!


Very True - & inspiring - Thanks Michele
: Re: Outsourced Marketing
: TammyL March 29, 2011, 09:37:03 PM
Okay here's an update one thing I can say for sure I had no idea that marketing would be this hard. I have sent out over 375 postcards no response and the person I hired part-time made about 230 calls last week and not 1 appt I am so glad I only agreed to a 30 day trail period just to see how this would work. I'm trying to keep the faith but this is really starting to depress me I don't know if it's the economy or doctors are just not interested. I did recieve my lumpy mail last week the bank bag which I thought was kinda cute but I'm not sure it will get any response I may try it next month just to see what happens. Someone mentioned email marketing but how do you go about getting email addresses and what do you send to the email a letter a flyer I'm cluesless at this point.
: Re: Outsourced Marketing
: Alice Scott March 31, 2011, 11:38:15 AM
The person who mentioned email marketing only bills one small specialty.  She went to the website for that specialty and the email addresses of the providers who offered that service were available on the website.  This is not common.  It is not that easy to obtain email addresses of physicians.
: Re: Outsourced Marketing
: PMRNC April 11, 2011, 08:24:45 PM
The person who mentioned email marketing only bills one small specialty.  She went to the website for that specialty and the email addresses of the providers who offered that service were available on the website.  This is not common.  It is not that easy to obtain email addresses of physicians.

Tammy, don't get discouraged because in reality 375 is NOT that much. Do your mailings in bundles of 50-100 and do not just do post cards. In fact IMO postcards should be used for refreshing a practice's memory of your company, offering a special, or incentive.. They should not be used as an initial marketing tool because they can't make the first impression you need to make. Also always send only enough each mailing that you can follow up with. It's generally advantageous to follow up with 75 of the 100 you send. I know that is a lot but if you get ONE client from that it's worth it!
: Re: Outsourced Marketing
: QueenAlicia April 11, 2011, 10:05:18 PM
In the lenvelope what should be included?

I have included a intro letter and I have created a brochure and I'm not sure if print on both sides 2 seperate pages.  I am mailing on letters tomorrow.
: Re: Outsourced Marketing
: aksharhealth April 13, 2011, 01:01:51 PM
The person who mentioned email marketing only bills one small specialty.  She went to the website for that specialty and the email addresses of the providers who offered that service were available on the website.  This is not common.  It is not that easy to obtain email addresses of physicians.

Tammy, don't get discouraged because in reality 375 is NOT that much. Do your mailings in bundles of 50-100 and do not just do post cards. In fact IMO postcards should be used for refreshing a practice's memory of your company, offering a special, or incentive.. They should not be used as an initial marketing tool because they can't make the first impression you need to make. Also always send only enough each mailing that you can follow up with. It's generally advantageous to follow up with 75 of the 100 you send. I know that is a lot but if you get ONE client from that it's worth it!

Linda,

Can you give tips on follow up like with whom should we f/u up, how should we follow up (phone or letter). I maild 50 3D mails last week and follwoed with 10 practices on Monday. But I was not able to talk to doctor and    front desk reps were telling that they are office manager and not interested in billing or she do billing her self. How to reach doctor for follow up? In fact one doc contacted me from his cell phone so I have his direct number and still talking to him. 
: Re: Outsourced Marketing
: PMRNC April 14, 2011, 10:32:53 PM
I don't really go beyond the office manager out of respect for her position, until later and if that happens usually she/he is responsible for taking me that far.
When I do a f/u I do everything humanly possible to do something different each and every time. I am NOT a salesperson and if I try to be one..it backfires on me <g>
I will mainly get the biller or OM talking or I might even talk about something specific like any coding changes, etc. If I get them to talk, usually it turns into them complaining and then I empathize with them and they love that.  I don't have a script, I completely wing it, I'm myself and I try to get them to do most of the talking. I also take really good notes!