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Other Added - Four Super-Deadly Marketing Sins - And How To Fix Them
The endless road that is medical billing and trying to make heads or tails of CMNs, is enough to drive even the most sane of us totally out of our minds. It seems that there is a CMN for every possible item. Some CMNs are fairly simple to understand and then there are those, like the DMEPOS CMN, or as is known in electronic billing circles as the GU0 record, that are about as convoluted and confusing as they come. This is now our tenth installment on the GU0 record with no end in site. It's no wonder medical billers are frustrated. We pick up our review of the GU0 record with field number 62.GU0 field 62, positions 266 - 269, is Reply NUM L04 N01. This field is the reply to the first question on any DMERC certification requiring a four position numeric response. The following forms are supported for this field. For forms 02 and 09, the valid responses are 0001 - 0024. For forms 03, 08 and 10, the
Deadly Marketing Sin #3
Wasting Time and Money On Marketing
Strategies That Don’t Work!
Do you know which of your marketing efforts result in new business? Do you ever calculate the time, money and effort it takes to get a new customer from each promotional strategy you use? Why? Because if it is working – you want to do use it more often! And if it isn’t - you need to stop wasting your money!
Case in point; most
Finding that your customer base is shrinking, or that your sales might not be as high as they should this time of year can be tough – so it is a great idea to help your sales with promotional products.One way to help your sales with promotional products is quite simple – debut new products with your logo on them! If you are a company branching out from one arena into another, it can seem tough to break through – for example, if you are trying to sell office products and the market is already saturated. If you want people to buy your new notepads and paper, give away some of the new product printed with your name. When customers like what they have used for free, they will look at the name on the product and re-order.Another way to help sales with promos is to send promotional items out to former customers. If you know that a customer used to order your products but has moved on, sending them a frie
It seems nowadays every marketing guru and their brother-in-law has a “deadly sins and how to fix them” book, ebook or at least an article! But apparently nobody is reading this stuff! How do I know? Because nine out of every ten businesses continue making the same marketing goof-ups.
The most amazing part is – they are convinced their marketing is great and their phone will be ringing off the hook any moment now!
Time for a reality check! Are you guilty of these four marketing sins? Find out how to fix it!
Deadly Marketing Sin #1
Not Standing Out From Your Competitors
You want to be one in a million not one of the million. In the marketing jargon it’s called a Unique Selling Proposition (USP). I call it a HUB – Hot Undeniable Benefit of doing business with you. Your HUB sets you apart from the crowd. It tells your customers why you are special. And it answers the question your customers are asking themselves, which is: "Why should I do business with you versus anyone else?"
So how do you go about discovering your HUB? Do you know what makes you different from others offering similar product or service? The more competitive your industry the more important it is to emphasize even the smallest differences. Do you cater to a specific group of people? Are you better than others in addressing a specific issue? Do you guarantee your work?
How about the one thing no one can duplicate - what makes you – you?
If you can’t find anything unique right now, look for unresolved problems in your industry and become an expert in providing a solution to them. Here is good example. You’ve heard of a small parcel delivery company called FEDEX, right? Do you know their USP? It’s: "When you absolutely, positively need it overnight. Guaranteed." Funny thing is they are no longer the only company doing it – but they offered it first.
Discover your HUB, articulate it in all your marketing messages and watch your results soar.
Deadly Marketing Sin #2
Assuming Your Customers Know As
Much About Your Business As You Do
Small business owners are a very special breed – we walk, talk, breathe, eat and sleep thinking about our business. Listen, just because you think about your business all the time doesn’t mean your customers do the same!
Fact is, I can count on one hand the businesses I became exposed to in the last twelve months that didn’t fail to educate their customers on how they solve their problems and meet their needs and wants.
Your customers don't really buy products and services. They buy SOLUTIONS to their problems. Use articles, presentations and case studies to educate them about WHAT you do, HOW it works and WHY it’s the only logical solution to their problems.
And don’t just do it once. Frankly, if you don’t have a way to consistently and automatically keep in touch with prospects, customers, centers of influence and strategic partners – you are missing the boat!
Deadly Marketing Sin #3
Wasting Time and Money On Marketing
Strategies That Don’t Work!
Do you know which of your marketing efforts result in new business? Do you ever calculate the time, money and effort it takes to get a new customer from each promotional strategy you use? Why? Because if it is working – you want to do use it more often! And if it isn’t - you need to stop wasting your money!
Case in point; most
In this installment of medical billing and DME software, we're going to cover the topic of security, which can actually apply to any type of medical billing software since security is such a big issue these days.The whole topic of security pretty much stems from the HIPAA privacy rules. These rules cover just about everything, including health plans, health care providers, health care clearinghouses and billing agencies. If you're associated with the medical profession in any manner shape or form, you are probably under the HIPAA privacy rule umbrella.The main information that is protected by the HIPAA privacy rule is the patient's past, present, or future medical condition, the provision of health care to the patient, the past, present or future health care to the patient and all the patient's private information including social security number, EIN, or any other private information of the pati
So how do you go about discovering your HUB? Do you know what makes you different from others offering similar product or service? The more competitive your industry the more important it is to emphasize even the smallest differences. Do you cater to a specific group of people? Are you better than others in addressing a specific issue? Do you guarantee your work?
How about the one thing no one can duplicate - what makes you – you?
If you can’t find anything unique right now, look for unresolved problems in your industry and become an expert in providing a solution to them. Here is good example. You’ve heard of a small parcel delivery company called FEDEX, right? Do you know their USP? It’s: "When you absolutely, positively need it overnight. Guaranteed." Funny thing is they are no longer the only company doing it – but they offered it first.
Discover your HUB, articulate it in all your marketing messages and watch your results soar.
Deadly Marketing Sin #2
Assuming Your Customers Know As
Much About Your Business As You Do
Small business owners are a very special breed – we walk, talk, breathe, eat and sleep thinking about our business. Listen, just because you think about your business all the time doesn’t mean your customers do the same!
Fact is, I can count on one hand the businesses I became exposed to in the last twelve months that didn’t fail to educate their customers on how they solve their problems and meet their needs and wants.
Your customers don't really buy products and services. They buy SOLUTIONS to their problems. Use articles, presentations and case studies to educate them about WHAT you do, HOW it works and WHY it’s the only logical solution to their problems.
And don’t just do it once. Frankly, if you don’t have a way to consistently and automatically keep in touch with prospects, customers, centers of influence and strategic partners – you are missing the boat!
Deadly Marketing Sin #3
Wasting Time and Money On Marketing
Strategies That Don’t Work!
Do you know which of your marketing efforts result in new business? Do you ever calculate the time, money and effort it takes to get a new customer from each promotional strategy you use? Why? Because if it is working – you want to do use it more often! And if it isn’t - you need to stop wasting your money!
Case in point; most
We are all creatures of habit, whether we like it or not. Even though our habits often keep us in our comfort zone instead of reaching our goals, habits per se are not necessarily bad. Without habits, we would have to make conscious decisions at every turn. Nothing would be automatic. We would have to think about everything from brushing our teeth and combing our hair to driving the car. Habits allow us to perform thousands of tasks and routines without causing a mental overload. The only pertinent question regarding habits would be: Am I willing to develop good habits or am I content to develop or continue with bad ones? We can make a habit our servant, or we can allow it to become our master.The following writing I came across several years ago. I found it to be a very powerful reminder for us all as it pertains to the habits we each hold on to so closely:Habit
I am your cot the one thing no one can duplicate - what makes you – you?
If you can’t find anything unique right now, look for unresolved problems in your industry and become an expert in providing a solution to them. Here is good example. You’ve heard of a small parcel delivery company called FEDEX, right? Do you know their USP? It’s: "When you absolutely, positively need it overnight. Guaranteed." Funny thing is they are no longer the only company doing it – but they offered it first.
Discover your HUB, articulate it in all your marketing messages and watch your results soar.
Deadly Marketing Sin #2
Assuming Your Customers Know As
Much About Your Business As You Do
Small business owners are a very special breed – we walk, talk, breathe, eat and sleep thinking about our business. Listen, just because you think about your business all the time doesn’t mean your customers do the same!
Fact is, I can count on one hand the businesses I became exposed to in the last twelve months that didn’t fail to educate their customers on how they solve their problems and meet their needs and wants.
Your customers don't really buy products and services. They buy SOLUTIONS to their problems. Use articles, presentations and case studies to educate them about WHAT you do, HOW it works and WHY it’s the only logical solution to their problems.
And don’t just do it once. Frankly, if you don’t have a way to consistently and automatically keep in touch with prospects, customers, centers of influence and strategic partners – you are missing the boat!
Deadly Marketing Sin #3
Wasting Time and Money On Marketing
Strategies That Don’t Work!
Do you know which of your marketing efforts result in new business? Do you ever calculate the time, money and effort it takes to get a new customer from each promotional strategy you use? Why? Because if it is working – you want to do use it more often! And if it isn’t - you need to stop wasting your money!
Case in point; most Small business owners are a very special breed – we walk, talk, breathe, eat and sleep thinking about our business. Listen, just because you think about your business all the time doesn’t mean your customers do the same!
Fact is, I can count on one hand the businesses I became exposed to in the last twelve months that didn’t fail to educate their customers on how they solve their problems and meet their needs and wants.
Your customers don't really buy products and services. They buy SOLUTIONS to their problems. Use articles, presentations and case studies to educate them about WHAT you do, HOW it works and WHY it’s the only logical solution to their problems.
And don’t just do it once. Frankly, if you don’t have a way to consistently and automatically keep in touch with prospects, customers, centers of influence and strategic partners – you are missing the boat!
Deadly Marketing Sin #3 Do you know which of your marketing efforts result in new business? Do you ever calculate the time, money and effort it takes to get a new customer from each promotional strategy you use? Why? Because if it is working – you want to do use it more often! And if it isn’t - you need to stop wasting your money!
Case in point; most Deadly Marketing Sin #3 Do you know which of your marketing efforts result in new business? Do you ever calculate the time, money and effort it takes to get a new customer from each promotional strategy you use? Why? Because if it is working – you want to do use it more often! And if it isn’t - you need to stop wasting your money!
Case in point; most professionals believe that networking is the best way to get new business. And it can be - but not always and not for everyone. Find out for yourself. Add up the amount of time you spent networking last month. Put a dollar value on it based on your fees. Add the actual price you paid to attend those events. Then divide this total amount by the number of new customers your networking produced. Are you happy with your results? Or is it a shock to see what it actually costs to get new clients by networking?
It doesn’t matter if it’s networking, advertising, referral or joint venture strategies – if you don’t know your ROME (Return On Marketing Efforts) I guarantee you are wasting money doing things that don’t work! Every marketing strategy can be tracked and measured. So figure out what works best for you!
Deadly Marketing Sin #4 You’ve heard about the back-end-sales, haven’t you? Are you doing it? It’s astonishing how many small business owners do not develop strong relationships with their customers and have no plan for generating repeat business.
You see, one of your biggest costs of doing business is marketing and getting new customers into your funnel. And once you’ve done a great job for them, and then you nurture the relationship you’ve developed, it’s so easy to ask for more business. But you have to develop different levels of products and services to offer to them.
Listen to your clients and develop new offerings to respond to their needs. Create assessments to uncover hidden opportunities for additional projects. If you can’t or don’t want to offer those new solutions – partner up with someone who does. McDonald’s made a fortune on “supersizing” their fries – time for you to start thinking about supersizing your business with each client.
Bottom line is this: when I hear businesses talk about bad economy, clients not having money and overall complaining about how tough it is to make a sale I can always pinpoint their poor performance to at least one of those marketing sins. Frankly, there is no such a thing as a shortage of business – there is a shortage of knowledge how to get that business.
(c) 2004 Adam M. Urbanski
Starting a concierge service is a great way to become your own boss and take command of your financial future. A growing number of people believe that self-employment is part of the American Dream and offers the best job security a person can hope for in these uncertain times. Therefore, while not for everyone, a concierge service can be a fun and profitable way to make a living as the rest of us slave away in offices doing the weekly grind. Here is some useful information for anyone thinking about starting a concierge service and living the American Dream.Estimated start-up costs and pricing guidelines:
Actually, most of us already have almost everything we need to start a concierge service. On the list of essential equipment is: cell phone, computer (preferably a laptop), fax machine, printer, and perhaps a color copier. All told, you might be out $2000 if you had to buy everythi/B>
Wasting Time and Money On Marketing
Strategies That Don’t Work!
As I write my 64th article about the Yellow Pages, it reminds me of how the best things continue to stick around. For example, the YP were started as a pamphlet in Wyoming over 100 years ago. It became an easy way to keep track of a small number of local businesses. Today, they are a household name. They are still the book picked up when someone has a need. There are few service businesses that don’t have an ad in the good ole YP.With the advent of the Internet, most nay-sayers have doomed the YP to the way of the dinosaur. They claim that people prefer the speed of the digital age. They point to more surfers using online newspapers and magazines as their first choice. But there is a fatal flaw in their thinking. You cannot compare ads online.Say you are looking for a plumber on the net. After you do your local search and get a list, a few have ads, which you may click on “one at a time.” So how cae=Verdana,arial,helvetica size=-1>And don’t just do it once. Frankly, if you don’t have a way to consistently and automatically keep in touch with prospects, customers, centers of influence and strategic partners – you are missing the boat!
Wasting Time and Money On Marketing
Strategies That Don’t Work!
Missing Out On Repeat Business
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