Three Places to Get Occ-Med Account Leads
One of the more challenging aspects of starting, or growing, an occupational medicine practice within an Medical Practice is finding ways to get leads for new accounts. Kathleen from Sarasota, Florida, wrote in recently and asked us if we would share ideas on how to obtain these accounts. I believe the first step is knowing where to look for leads. Strategy 1: Read the Newspaper One of the easiest places to start looking for leads is also the most antiquated in our digital society: Your Local Newspaper. One of the best tips I was ever given as a sales professional was to read your local newspaper every single day. Not only does it keep you well versed in conversations about things going on in your community, but it also lets you know when new construction is coming to town, who may have been promoted to lead positions within your community, and what direction different industries are headed in your town. Believe it or not, the Help Wanted section can also be a great place to look for leads. Whenever a company is hiring for a new management position, HR position, or safety director position, a red flag should go up to target those companies (especially if you already have their account). Strategy 2: Ask for Referrals Word of mouth is the key to success in any medical practice, and that notion also holds true in growing your occupational medicine business. Ask your current Medical Practice patients who your contact is at the companies they work for and see if they’ll help you get your foot in the door. One of the tactics I use on a regular basis is scanning emails from patients who answer our “How Was Your Visit” email. Whenever I get a raving review, I see where the patient may work at. Then I research the company a bit and email the patient back asking if they would be willing to introduce me to the decision maker at their company who handles human resources and/or safety. Strategy 3: Join or Create a Leads Group Finally, networking with other sales professionals is a great way to get leads without having to do all the research yourself. In many communities there are professional leads groups you can join that allow you to network with others on a weekly basis to share business leads. Ask your local Chamber of Commerce if they have a group, find out if there is a BNI group in your area, or simply ask colleagues in the sales industry if they would be interested in meeting once a week to share leads with you. Finding leads is the first step in the occupational medicine sales process. Click here to listen to our 45 minute audio webinar on Mastering the Occupational Medicine Sales Process.
Article By: Tina Bell Tina Bell is the Director of Marketing for HealthCARE Express®, where her responsibilities include spearheading the company’s social media and internet strategies, leading the in-house physician recruitment team, and developing aggressive programs to promote patient satisfaction and effective service recovery. Tina speaks nationally at industry conferences including the Medical Practice Association of America and the National Association of Occupational Health Professionals. She is the director of business development for Medical Practice Success and an independent Medical Practice marketing consultant.
