Author Topic: How did you get your first client?  (Read 5910 times)

bpark73

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How did you get your first client?
« on: January 15, 2016, 11:42:48 PM »
Hi all!,

I'm considering starting my own medical billing/coding business. If you do have your own business I would like to know how you got your very first client?

Please no advice on how to get a client. I just want to know how YOU actually got your first client.

Thank you for your help. This forum looks awesome!
Brian

kristin

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Re: How did you get your first client?
« Reply #1 on: January 16, 2016, 01:47:56 AM »
I have worked/work for three billing companies. Two got their first client through actually knowing the client beforehand, and convincing them to sign on, the third got their first client through marketing/advertising.

The two who knew the client beforehand are still in business, because the first client referred other clients to them. The third, who got their first client through marketing/advertising, is out of business.


PMRNC

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Re: How did you get your first client?
« Reply #2 on: January 16, 2016, 12:52:39 PM »
I used to work as a claims specialist at an insurance company. My family pediatrician's office manager died very suddenly so I went in nights to get him squared away, ended up completely automating his office and billing for him until he retired. From there he passed on my name to others and I left my job at insurance company and started my own billing company.
Linda Walker
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williamportor

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Re: How did you get your first client?
« Reply #3 on: January 17, 2016, 07:15:30 PM »
Telephone Prospecting (Cold Calling) I had no car at the time, so could not do door to door.

Michele

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Re: How did you get your first client?
« Reply #4 on: January 19, 2016, 01:47:08 PM »
Our very first clients were Massage Therapists who billed for WC & NF cases.  My cousin was a LMT and she had a lot of friends.  I don't recommend that but that is how we got our first clients.  The rest of our "first clients" were obtained by the usual, knock on door, send out mailers, calling until someone agreed to let us do their billing.
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Re: How did you get your first client?
« Reply #4 on: January 19, 2016, 01:47:08 PM »

bpark73

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Re: How did you get your first client?
« Reply #5 on: January 19, 2016, 03:39:44 PM »
Very interesting responses. A very wide gamut of different client acquisition. Thank you all!

StephD

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Re: How did you get your first client?
« Reply #6 on: January 19, 2016, 05:31:00 PM »
I had a friend who was doing billing for some speech, occupational and physical therapists to supplement her income while she went to nursing school.  We worked together at a billing service prior to that.  She was about to graduate and did not have time to continue, so I took over her accounts.  They were small, but I needed the income as a single Mom. 
I am still billing for one of those therapists.  The other therapists I have gotten through word of mouth and one through advertising.  However, she was a bit "ethically challenged" and I was not sorry when she decided to move her billing back to in house. 

bpark73

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Re: How did you get your first client?
« Reply #7 on: January 20, 2016, 05:47:16 PM »
Hello everyone....what percentage of billing business' would you say also do coding? Is providing coding services a necessary feature? Is it an important feature in acquiring a client?


atwmedbilling

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Re: How did you get your first client?
« Reply #8 on: January 21, 2016, 04:57:51 PM »
I have just started marketing . and I started with mailing postcards and I will start mailing surveys is there any other things you can suggest that worked for you  to get you first claims .How long did it take for you to land you first client ?

Michele

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Re: How did you get your first client?
« Reply #9 on: January 21, 2016, 10:53:51 PM »
Hello everyone....what percentage of billing business' would you say also do coding? Is providing coding services a necessary feature? Is it an important feature in acquiring a client?



We do not provide certified coding and we never have.  We have never lost a client because we don't.  Most of the BSs we know do not offer coding.
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Re: How did you get your first client?
« Reply #9 on: January 21, 2016, 10:53:51 PM »

Michele

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Re: How did you get your first client?
« Reply #10 on: January 21, 2016, 10:56:46 PM »
I have just started marketing . and I started with mailing postcards and I will start mailing surveys is there any other things you can suggest that worked for you  to get you first claims .How long did it take for you to land you first client ?

Getting your first client is the hardest part of this business.  There is no magic trick.  How long it takes depends on how much you put into it.  You will find many marketing tips in past posts.  That is the great thing about this forum, many experienced billers have shared lots of experience that they have obtained with their billing service.  Look through some of the past posts about marketing.  This thread alone contains how many of us landed our first clients.

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TammyL

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Re: How did you get your first client?
« Reply #11 on: March 10, 2016, 05:24:26 AM »
I got my first client Pain Management working the old A/R while working part-time at a pediatrics office doing billing. When I say old I mean old it was 1998-1999 and keep in mind I started my business in 2002. At first I thought am I crazy I will never be able to recoup any of this money it's too old. But when I collected what I could which was 50% I got the contract.

Ango_mark03

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Re: How did you get your first client?
« Reply #12 on: April 19, 2016, 11:25:48 AM »
Nice answer by Michelle, Linda and others. It's good to read your experience on getting your first business and nice question, I must mention.

The biggest challenge is reaching your audience and to convince them that you can find and fix their revenue leaks. There is no fixed time period as to when you get your first business. According to my experience the first step is finding your audience: Where they move? What do they like to read? What are their challenges? The impact of their challenges. It's all about providing solutions before you can even think about pitching. Cold calls and e-mails with sales pitching are quite challenging because every one is trying this and medical practices are fed-up of receiving any.

Content Marketing is the best way to reach your audience with some good SEO of-course. Today medical practices look for experts who can provide EMR billing services and not just medical billing services. Let me give you an example how it works OR what are the exact query your prospect types in his search engine:

EMR(Usually name of an EMR)+billing+experts

Billing into EMR(Usually name of an EMR)

Cardiology billing services.

When it come to paid marketing, Google and Bing are the best ones but you need Analytics to get good results from your Ads.

They will only fill-up your contact form if your content is true and of-course a unique one.

So, the bottom line is, you have to be true at what you promised in your content to get and retain your business.

Medical Billing Forum

Re: How did you get your first client?
« Reply #12 on: April 19, 2016, 11:25:48 AM »