Joanna Marie, Negosentro | So, you’ve just launched a Medical Billing and Coding startup and now it’s time to canvas for new clients. Whether you go the traditional route of contacting local medical offices or use an online approach, the point is, you can’t just sit back and wait for clients to come to you. It isn’t going to happen unless you let them know who you are, what you do and where they can find you. Perhaps you just recently graduated from an elite program such as Hunter Business School Medford on Long Island. It would be next to impossible to cold call every doctor, clinic and hospital in the Greater NYC area, so what can you do? Here are three ways to attract clients to your Medical Billing and Coding Startup.
1. Word of Mouth
Talk to people! Word of mouth advertising often starts with you. Perhaps you’d like to start with your own physician on your next visit. Tell them what you do and that you have just started a new business. It’s okay to brag a little because you want to be impressive. However, don’t be too boastful because that comes across as phony. Your doctor may have in-house billers and coders, but you never know when they will be talking to a peer who mentions the need for a good Medical Billing and Coding Startup.
2. Direct Mail
In a city the size of New York which extends out in every direction, you probably couldn’t afford the cost of postage. However, you could define a target market such as pediatrics, oncology, OB-GYN and so forth. This would narrow down the playing field. It is always good to send something informative and interesting enough to attract attention. Also, if there is an office manager, get a name! Send the pamphlet, newsletter, postcard or flyer you have printed directed to the person who does the hiring – the office manager.
3. Referrals
Taking word of mouth one step further, offer some kind of incentive to doctors who refer others to you. Perhaps you could give some kind of discount for each of their peers they refer and ultimately contract your services. As a further incentive, you could offer a free month for every 12 referrals who give you a contract. Yes, that equates to a lot of money if they have a busy practice, but just think how much those 12 new clients would bring in the course of a year! Sometimes this is so effective you may even need to hire other billers and coders to work under you. Wouldn’t that be sweet?
Don’t forget that there are a million and one ways to market your new Medical Billing and Coding service online, so that is a viable option as well. However, the abovementioned ways require little-to-no layout of money which you haven’t started making yet. This is, after all, a new business you are trying to promote. There will be time enough for that once you’ve reached a certain plateau. In the meantime, these should get you off to a great start.
