Monday, September 30, 2019
The Executive Suite: 15% Off Recently Viewed Products
The Executive Suite: 15% Off Recently Viewed Products: 15% Off All Orders Pocket Engineer's Pad (Black) Journal Light Grey Linen Business Card Indestructible...
The One Question That Will Transform Your Life
If you’ve been alive long enough, you know that there’s no end to the amount of books, studies, online courses, podcasts, conferences, videos, tips and tricks to tell you how to achieve your goals. While this information is valuable, it can get overwhelming, leaving you right where you started—stuck even.
Throughout my career, helping businesses scale and grow, I’ve landed on the one question that I believe you have to know the answer to before you can move forward with anything else:
Money, fame, stability, achievement, love—all of those? Trust me when I tell you those things alone won’t bring you happiness; in fact, most of the people I know who make a larger income than 99% of the country are far from “happy.” I believe it was Socrates or Notorious B.I.G. who famously spoke the truth of “mo’ money, mo’ problems,” and he wasn’t lying.
Typically we’ve found that the f-word (fulfillment) is what people are really searching for. The hard part about chasing fulfillment is that it’s different for everyone.
So ask yourself:
If you want to put together a strategy for YOU, simply look into the distant future and put a pen to paper about what you really want in your life. Get a blank sheet of paper, and something to write with, and find a place where you can be alone for at least one hour (to start).
Consider yourself 20 to 30 years from now and imagine yourself truly pleased, content, happy, and (finally) fulfilled. Close your eyes. Let your mind run wild and don’t be limited by what you think will happen. Dwell on what you want, no matter how crazy it sounds, or what others will tell you is possible and impossible.
Take a look around and tell me what you see? Write it down!
Get really specific about these things and write them down in the present tense. Then, ask yourself:
Once you’ve committed to some objectives in writing, now it’s time to change.
Yes, I said change. The word that spurs feelings of fear and hesitation in the hearts of many. In order to achieve these future goals, you must break free of bad habits and start developing great ones. This step is where some people benefit from personal coaching. Whether it is your weight, your health, your creativity, or your personal interactions, a dose of discipline and the wisdom of a coach will help you break through barriers and discover new ways to navigate to those end goals.
So figure out what you want and find someone who can help you get there, faster. The clock is ticking.
Throughout my career, helping businesses scale and grow, I’ve landed on the one question that I believe you have to know the answer to before you can move forward with anything else:
What does ‘success’ mean to you?
Money, fame, stability, achievement, love—all of those? Trust me when I tell you those things alone won’t bring you happiness; in fact, most of the people I know who make a larger income than 99% of the country are far from “happy.” I believe it was Socrates or Notorious B.I.G. who famously spoke the truth of “mo’ money, mo’ problems,” and he wasn’t lying.
Typically we’ve found that the f-word (fulfillment) is what people are really searching for. The hard part about chasing fulfillment is that it’s different for everyone.
So ask yourself:
What does success look like to me?
If you want to put together a strategy for YOU, simply look into the distant future and put a pen to paper about what you really want in your life. Get a blank sheet of paper, and something to write with, and find a place where you can be alone for at least one hour (to start).
Consider yourself 20 to 30 years from now and imagine yourself truly pleased, content, happy, and (finally) fulfilled. Close your eyes. Let your mind run wild and don’t be limited by what you think will happen. Dwell on what you want, no matter how crazy it sounds, or what others will tell you is possible and impossible.
Take a look around and tell me what you see? Write it down!
- Who are you?
- What does your life look like?
- Where do you live?
- Who do you live for?
- What kind of work do you do, even if it’s a hobby/personal pursuit?
- What kind of wealth do you have, and how charitable are you?
Get really specific about these things and write them down in the present tense. Then, ask yourself:
What do I need to change?
Once you’ve committed to some objectives in writing, now it’s time to change.
Yes, I said change. The word that spurs feelings of fear and hesitation in the hearts of many. In order to achieve these future goals, you must break free of bad habits and start developing great ones. This step is where some people benefit from personal coaching. Whether it is your weight, your health, your creativity, or your personal interactions, a dose of discipline and the wisdom of a coach will help you break through barriers and discover new ways to navigate to those end goals.
So figure out what you want and find someone who can help you get there, faster. The clock is ticking.
15% Off All Business Cards
Sunday, September 29, 2019
The Executive Suite: 15% Off Medical Practice Supplies
The Executive Suite: 15% Off Medical Practice Supplies: 15% Off Medical Practice Supplies VIEW ALL Manual Prescription Pad (Large - Yellow) Manual Prescription Pad (Large - ...
The Executive Suite: 15% Off Recently Viewed Products
The Executive Suite: 15% Off Recently Viewed Products: 15% Off All Orders Pocket Engineer's Pad (Black) Journal Light Grey Linen Business Card Indestructible...
The Executive Suite: 15% Off School Hall Pass Pads
The Executive Suite: 15% Off School Hall Pass Pads: A great way to keep an eye on student movements outside the classroom and improve school safety. Our hall passes have room for the date, st...
The Executive Suite: 15% Off Clinic / Hospital Business Cards
The Executive Suite: 15% Off Clinic / Hospital Business Cards: 15% Off Clinic / Hospital Business Cards Pearl Finish Business Card Template $60.05 15% Off Linen Business Card Te...
Trust Your Gut: How All Business Owners Can Harness the Power of Instinct
If you’ve read any of my articles, you know that they are often inspired by my life. My current inspiration (if you can call it that) is dating. I just ended something because my instinct saw red flags. In the past, I’ve ignored these to my detriment, so I’m pretty proud to be seeing them before I get hurt.
But your gut doesn’t just tell you about potential “creepazoids.” It can tell you a lot about your business . . . if you’re willing to listen.
Just like in dating, you’ve got to find the right fit when it comes to someone you trust enough to help you steer this ship. A business partnership isn’t something you should go into lightly. Even if you love this person in your real life, you may not love making business decisions together.
If you’re considering partnering with a friend or family member, take some time to sit on the decision. Let that initial excitement about the possibility of working with someone you know and trust fade a bit and listen to your gut. It’s often quite literally a sensation in your stomach or chest. Do you feel a little queasy when you think about working together? Does your heart pound, and not in a good way?
Don’t discount that.
I know it seems like getting a new client is always a great thing, but before you get dazzled by the prospect of more revenue, really pay attention to what this prospect is telling you. You may instantly pick up on her neediness (she’s called three times in two days and emailed you countless other times). She may be trying to lowball your rate. These aren’t things that will go away, so ask yourself whether you can see working with her long-term. It’s easier to divert a potential client than fire her later.
As a micropreneur, you may be the only one around to make a decision about an investment. And salespeople are so good at their jobs. If one is trying to convince you that your business will wither up and die if you don’t invest in this expensive software, ask for some space to think about it.
Actually, I guarantee your business won’t die without it. But step away from all the slick marketing speak and ask whether it’s the right investment for right now. It might be the right one in a year. It just depends on what your current goals are and whether this investment would help you achieve them.
Salespeople know that it’s easier to ride the train than get off, so make sure you’re in control of the situation. If he’s being too pushy, make it clear that the answer is “no.” If he’s willing to give you time to make the decision and is not breathing down your neck, you can make a more informed conclusion about what you want to do.
Over the past 13 years of running my content marketing firm, I’ve looked at different avenues for revenue. One way was affiliate marketing. Back in 2010, it seemed like everyone was making billions through affiliate marketing. And so I tried it. It didn’t work for me.
The same for video. I’m a master at writing a blog post, but when it comes to creating video content, it’s like walking through sludge.
Had I stopped to consider the fact that I’m not a lemur and I don’t have to do what everyone else is doing, I might have saved myself the headache of trying to make these solutions work. I’m getting better at knowing my strengths as a business owner, so I don’t let trends sway me anymore.
In my dating life, I look back over the last few years and still marvel that I put up with some of the men I dated. But I look at each as a learning opportunity. Now I’m better able to listen to my gut cry, “Nooooo!” and take heed before the damage is done. I like to think it’s helped me as an entrepreneur as well.
But your gut doesn’t just tell you about potential “creepazoids.” It can tell you a lot about your business . . . if you’re willing to listen.
When you’re looking for a business partner . . .
Just like in dating, you’ve got to find the right fit when it comes to someone you trust enough to help you steer this ship. A business partnership isn’t something you should go into lightly. Even if you love this person in your real life, you may not love making business decisions together.
If you’re considering partnering with a friend or family member, take some time to sit on the decision. Let that initial excitement about the possibility of working with someone you know and trust fade a bit and listen to your gut. It’s often quite literally a sensation in your stomach or chest. Do you feel a little queasy when you think about working together? Does your heart pound, and not in a good way?
Don’t discount that.
When you’re talking to a potential client . . .
I know it seems like getting a new client is always a great thing, but before you get dazzled by the prospect of more revenue, really pay attention to what this prospect is telling you. You may instantly pick up on her neediness (she’s called three times in two days and emailed you countless other times). She may be trying to lowball your rate. These aren’t things that will go away, so ask yourself whether you can see working with her long-term. It’s easier to divert a potential client than fire her later.
When a salesperson is pitching you . . .
As a micropreneur, you may be the only one around to make a decision about an investment. And salespeople are so good at their jobs. If one is trying to convince you that your business will wither up and die if you don’t invest in this expensive software, ask for some space to think about it.
Actually, I guarantee your business won’t die without it. But step away from all the slick marketing speak and ask whether it’s the right investment for right now. It might be the right one in a year. It just depends on what your current goals are and whether this investment would help you achieve them.
Salespeople know that it’s easier to ride the train than get off, so make sure you’re in control of the situation. If he’s being too pushy, make it clear that the answer is “no.” If he’s willing to give you time to make the decision and is not breathing down your neck, you can make a more informed conclusion about what you want to do.
When you want to pivot . . .
Over the past 13 years of running my content marketing firm, I’ve looked at different avenues for revenue. One way was affiliate marketing. Back in 2010, it seemed like everyone was making billions through affiliate marketing. And so I tried it. It didn’t work for me.
The same for video. I’m a master at writing a blog post, but when it comes to creating video content, it’s like walking through sludge.
Had I stopped to consider the fact that I’m not a lemur and I don’t have to do what everyone else is doing, I might have saved myself the headache of trying to make these solutions work. I’m getting better at knowing my strengths as a business owner, so I don’t let trends sway me anymore.
Trusting my gut
In my dating life, I look back over the last few years and still marvel that I put up with some of the men I dated. But I look at each as a learning opportunity. Now I’m better able to listen to my gut cry, “Nooooo!” and take heed before the damage is done. I like to think it’s helped me as an entrepreneur as well.
15% Off All Business Cards
VIEW ALL CARDS
$60.05
$60.05
$62.55
$60.05
$60.05
$60.05
$60.05
$52.55
$60.05
Patient record retention: Tips for compliance and protection
Sometimes, electronic health record (EHR) systems fail to live up to their full potential as tools to assist with patient care. The same can be said for their promise to ease patient record storage, retention and retrieval.
Although electronic records are easier than paper to store and search, they still present an array of technical, legal and regulatory issues. Consultants and attorneys say that working through these issues proactively can alleviate records-related headaches, especially during practice transitions, such as a change in ownership or EHR vendor.
When developing a records retention policy, one of the first hurdles practices may encounter is that retention laws vary from state to state. Many state medical societies have thorough online guidelines explaining state laws about medical record ownership and retention, such as this one from the Michigan State Medical Society.
Other states may offer less guidance or have no clear law at all. “Here in North Carolina, we don’t have a specific records retention law for physician practices,” says Heather Cook Skelton, an attorney with Gardner Skelton, a Charlotte, N.C.-based law practice dedicated to helping healthcare providers and their medical practices. But, she says, practices can look to other sources, such as the guidelines within HIPAA, payer contracts and federal programs governed by the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS). Medicare Advantage contracts usually require the longest retention period. Often, it is 10 years after the end of the contract.
“It would be nice to have one rule that is consistent across all the regulators, payer contracts and state and federal government,” she says. “I also recommend that clients contact their malpractice carrier for record retention advice, because they are going to be the ones in a position to defend you in case of a lawsuit.” Attorney recommendations may depend on the statute of limitations on medical malpractice.
Another thorny issue to contend with is how to deal with pediatric records in EHRs. Again, state laws vary. The American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) recommends that, at a minimum, pediatric records should be retained for 10 years or the age of majority plus the applicable state statute of limitations (time to file a lawsuit), whichever is longer. In some states, the statute of limitations does not start until the patient turns 18.
As a recent AAP publication describes, “adolescent privacy and/or confidentiality is a special case of the limited segmenting of functionality capabilities in EHRs that is compounded by variations in state laws regarding adolescent health records.” But practices may find it difficult to comply with state requirements and professional recommendations for adolescent privacy because of federal rules for disclosure. “For example, a portion of care may be protected by law as confidential for which the patient consents independently, but other aspects of care may not be protected, turning a simple routine visit into a potential series of confidentiality challenges,” the report notes.
The additional legal issues around medical partnership creation and dissolution can also impact patient records — and be a potential landmine. If one doctor is leaving a partnership after the partners had shared one EHR system, there is a high probability the records are comingled because the physicians have covered each other’s patients.
“There is no easy way to surgically remove only the records that apply to the one doctor,” says Jeffery Daigrepont, senior vice president of the Coker Group, an Atlanta-based consulting firm that works with physician practices and hospitals.
He says one practice manager he consults with is living through a “records nightmare” as two equal partners are dissolving their partnership. “Neither one wanted the other to have a full copy of the EHR database,” he explains. “They had comingled all their records. We told them they both owned the business, so they are both responsible for the recordkeeping. A judge got involved and said each was entitled to a full copy of the data even if it means each was getting a copy of the other physician’s records.”
James A. Ellzy, MD, a family physician in Washington, D.C., and a member of the board of directors of the American Academy of Family Physicians, recommends that when forming a practice agreement, decisions be made up front about whether patients belong to the practice or to the individual physician and how their records will be divided should the practice split up.
“If I am closing my practice, let’s say there is a requirement that those records be available in my state for five years,” Ellzy says. “I would contact my patients to inform them I am closing the practice and to see if there is somewhere they want me to forward their records. I would also explain that I am required to keep their records for five years. If I am in a practice of four physicians, I could have an agreement with the other three that they would become custodians of those records.”
Likewise, Cook Skelton says that if two practices are merging, how records are going to be handled should be contemplated as part of the merger talks. The discussion should include whose platform they are going to be using after the merger and how they are going to transition the records. If they are using two different EHR vendors, the data migration can be complex and costly, she adds.
Cloud-based EHRs are popular because they are easy to set up quickly and upgrades happen almost automatically. But they also mean that patient records are not on a server in your office. Rather, the vendor hosts them off-site. Cook Skelton often helps practices assess contracts with EHR vendors, particularly regarding language about accessing their records if they decide to switch vendors.
“You have to make sure that your EHR vendor is going to be cooperative if you decide to switch,” she says. “The current vendor is going to be unhappy you are leaving and may not want to make it easy for you to leave. We make sure there is language in the contract about making that transition a smooth one. There is case law that involves disputes where EHR vendors have held data hostage, which is totally inappropriate, and medical boards do not take kindly to that because the EHR vendor is compromising patient care.”
Most people will agree that practices have a right to their data, Daigrepont says. But what is it going to cost you to get access to it, how long is it going to take and what format are you going to get it in? He says he has seen it cost as much as $20,000 for practices to get their data from a cloud-based EHR vendor.
“If they give you your data in PDFs, that is not meaningful in a data migration,” he says. “Never assume when a vendor says it is your data that they will give you your data in the right format and at a reasonable cost. Also, if you wait until you are ready to terminate your contract with them, that is the point you have virtually zero leverage left. The vendor may see this as an opportunity to poke you in the eye on the way out.”
Daigrepont recommends getting a weekly or monthly backup of your data from the EHR vendor. There are several reasons to have a backup, including disaster recovery. The vendor may charge extra for it, but if the cost is reasonable, you might decide to do it on a quarterly basis, he adds.
Important decisions also need to be made when practices transition from paper records to EHRs for the first time. When Ellzy’s practice went digital, they opted not to scan all the paper records into the EHR. Instead, they made the first patient visit a longer visit to incorporate their history into the EHR and had paper records available for referral.
“After that, you found you were using the EHR for 95 percent of what you were doing and only had to go back to the paper record for lab values occasionally,” he says. If you decide to scan the documents into PDF format and they are not easily searchable, then trying to find anything is like finding a needle in a haystack, he adds.
Practices also can expect significant changes to regulations concerning how they respond to patient requests for records in terms of timeliness, charges and format. Some practices have already had to change their methodologies for charging patients for copies of their records to comply with recent Health and Human Services Office for Civil Rights (OCR) HIPAA guidances. Although not required to purchase new software or equipment in order to accommodate every possible individual request, practices currently must have the capability to provide patients an electronic copy of their protected health information.
The Office of the National Coordinator for Health IT is proposing to require that EHR vendors be able to export granular data from patient records in a standardized format using application programming interfaces (APIs), which is an enormous change in the industry, says Robert Tennant, director of health information technology policy for the Medical Group Management Association (MGMA). CMS’s MyHealthEData initiative aims to allow patients to receive copies of their entire record in the EHR and share their health data with anyone they choose.
“That is potentially a game changer for practices,” Tennant says.
While the proposed ideas on how to handle electronic patient records are still in flux, Tennant and others say they see significant changes coming. Practices would be wise to ask their EHR vendors the hard questions about data protection sooner rather than later. Physician practices that initiate conversations with EHR vendors, IT and managed service providers now will be ready to make informed business decisions about records retention and patient health data access when the time comes.
Manual Prescription Pad (Large - Yellow)
Manual Prescription Pad (Large - Pink)
Manual Prescription Pads (Bright Orange)
Manual Prescription Pads (Light Pink)
Manual Prescription Pads (Light Yellow)
Manual Prescription Pad (Large - Blue)
Although electronic records are easier than paper to store and search, they still present an array of technical, legal and regulatory issues. Consultants and attorneys say that working through these issues proactively can alleviate records-related headaches, especially during practice transitions, such as a change in ownership or EHR vendor.
When developing a records retention policy, one of the first hurdles practices may encounter is that retention laws vary from state to state. Many state medical societies have thorough online guidelines explaining state laws about medical record ownership and retention, such as this one from the Michigan State Medical Society.
Other states may offer less guidance or have no clear law at all. “Here in North Carolina, we don’t have a specific records retention law for physician practices,” says Heather Cook Skelton, an attorney with Gardner Skelton, a Charlotte, N.C.-based law practice dedicated to helping healthcare providers and their medical practices. But, she says, practices can look to other sources, such as the guidelines within HIPAA, payer contracts and federal programs governed by the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS). Medicare Advantage contracts usually require the longest retention period. Often, it is 10 years after the end of the contract.
“It would be nice to have one rule that is consistent across all the regulators, payer contracts and state and federal government,” she says. “I also recommend that clients contact their malpractice carrier for record retention advice, because they are going to be the ones in a position to defend you in case of a lawsuit.” Attorney recommendations may depend on the statute of limitations on medical malpractice.
Another thorny issue to contend with is how to deal with pediatric records in EHRs. Again, state laws vary. The American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) recommends that, at a minimum, pediatric records should be retained for 10 years or the age of majority plus the applicable state statute of limitations (time to file a lawsuit), whichever is longer. In some states, the statute of limitations does not start until the patient turns 18.
As a recent AAP publication describes, “adolescent privacy and/or confidentiality is a special case of the limited segmenting of functionality capabilities in EHRs that is compounded by variations in state laws regarding adolescent health records.” But practices may find it difficult to comply with state requirements and professional recommendations for adolescent privacy because of federal rules for disclosure. “For example, a portion of care may be protected by law as confidential for which the patient consents independently, but other aspects of care may not be protected, turning a simple routine visit into a potential series of confidentiality challenges,” the report notes.
Partnership transitions
The additional legal issues around medical partnership creation and dissolution can also impact patient records — and be a potential landmine. If one doctor is leaving a partnership after the partners had shared one EHR system, there is a high probability the records are comingled because the physicians have covered each other’s patients.
“There is no easy way to surgically remove only the records that apply to the one doctor,” says Jeffery Daigrepont, senior vice president of the Coker Group, an Atlanta-based consulting firm that works with physician practices and hospitals.
He says one practice manager he consults with is living through a “records nightmare” as two equal partners are dissolving their partnership. “Neither one wanted the other to have a full copy of the EHR database,” he explains. “They had comingled all their records. We told them they both owned the business, so they are both responsible for the recordkeeping. A judge got involved and said each was entitled to a full copy of the data even if it means each was getting a copy of the other physician’s records.”
James A. Ellzy, MD, a family physician in Washington, D.C., and a member of the board of directors of the American Academy of Family Physicians, recommends that when forming a practice agreement, decisions be made up front about whether patients belong to the practice or to the individual physician and how their records will be divided should the practice split up.
“If I am closing my practice, let’s say there is a requirement that those records be available in my state for five years,” Ellzy says. “I would contact my patients to inform them I am closing the practice and to see if there is somewhere they want me to forward their records. I would also explain that I am required to keep their records for five years. If I am in a practice of four physicians, I could have an agreement with the other three that they would become custodians of those records.”
Likewise, Cook Skelton says that if two practices are merging, how records are going to be handled should be contemplated as part of the merger talks. The discussion should include whose platform they are going to be using after the merger and how they are going to transition the records. If they are using two different EHR vendors, the data migration can be complex and costly, she adds.
Working with EHR vendors
Cloud-based EHRs are popular because they are easy to set up quickly and upgrades happen almost automatically. But they also mean that patient records are not on a server in your office. Rather, the vendor hosts them off-site. Cook Skelton often helps practices assess contracts with EHR vendors, particularly regarding language about accessing their records if they decide to switch vendors.
“You have to make sure that your EHR vendor is going to be cooperative if you decide to switch,” she says. “The current vendor is going to be unhappy you are leaving and may not want to make it easy for you to leave. We make sure there is language in the contract about making that transition a smooth one. There is case law that involves disputes where EHR vendors have held data hostage, which is totally inappropriate, and medical boards do not take kindly to that because the EHR vendor is compromising patient care.”
Most people will agree that practices have a right to their data, Daigrepont says. But what is it going to cost you to get access to it, how long is it going to take and what format are you going to get it in? He says he has seen it cost as much as $20,000 for practices to get their data from a cloud-based EHR vendor.
“If they give you your data in PDFs, that is not meaningful in a data migration,” he says. “Never assume when a vendor says it is your data that they will give you your data in the right format and at a reasonable cost. Also, if you wait until you are ready to terminate your contract with them, that is the point you have virtually zero leverage left. The vendor may see this as an opportunity to poke you in the eye on the way out.”
Daigrepont recommends getting a weekly or monthly backup of your data from the EHR vendor. There are several reasons to have a backup, including disaster recovery. The vendor may charge extra for it, but if the cost is reasonable, you might decide to do it on a quarterly basis, he adds.
Important decisions also need to be made when practices transition from paper records to EHRs for the first time. When Ellzy’s practice went digital, they opted not to scan all the paper records into the EHR. Instead, they made the first patient visit a longer visit to incorporate their history into the EHR and had paper records available for referral.
“After that, you found you were using the EHR for 95 percent of what you were doing and only had to go back to the paper record for lab values occasionally,” he says. If you decide to scan the documents into PDF format and they are not easily searchable, then trying to find anything is like finding a needle in a haystack, he adds.
Practices also can expect significant changes to regulations concerning how they respond to patient requests for records in terms of timeliness, charges and format. Some practices have already had to change their methodologies for charging patients for copies of their records to comply with recent Health and Human Services Office for Civil Rights (OCR) HIPAA guidances. Although not required to purchase new software or equipment in order to accommodate every possible individual request, practices currently must have the capability to provide patients an electronic copy of their protected health information.
The Office of the National Coordinator for Health IT is proposing to require that EHR vendors be able to export granular data from patient records in a standardized format using application programming interfaces (APIs), which is an enormous change in the industry, says Robert Tennant, director of health information technology policy for the Medical Group Management Association (MGMA). CMS’s MyHealthEData initiative aims to allow patients to receive copies of their entire record in the EHR and share their health data with anyone they choose.
“That is potentially a game changer for practices,” Tennant says.
While the proposed ideas on how to handle electronic patient records are still in flux, Tennant and others say they see significant changes coming. Practices would be wise to ask their EHR vendors the hard questions about data protection sooner rather than later. Physician practices that initiate conversations with EHR vendors, IT and managed service providers now will be ready to make informed business decisions about records retention and patient health data access when the time comes.
15% Off Medical Practice Supplies
VIEW ALL
Manual Prescription Pad (Large - Yellow)Manual Prescription Pad (Large - Pink)Manual Prescription Pads (Bright Orange)Manual Prescription Pads (Light Pink)Manual Prescription Pads (Light Yellow)Manual Prescription Pad (Large - Blue)
__________________________________________________
Appointment Reminder Cards
$44.05
15% Off
$56.30
15% Off
$44.05
15% Off
$44.05
15% Off
$56.30
15% Off
VIEW ALL PRODUCTS
Saturday, September 28, 2019
Powerful Marketing Strategies to Reach B2B Customers
“Hello, Operator? I’d like to make a collect person-to-person call…”
With the advent of virtually universal cellphone ownership and so many means of digital communication, I think that’s a phrase that today is only heard in old movies. (A similar situation is depicted in the funny “Bob Wehadababyitsaboy” Geico commercial.) Yet I believe on closer inspection, it leads us to some important insights we can use as we’re planning our marketing strategies.
First—and this is the single most important lesson—all communication is person-to-person. Personalization has been a major topic in digital marketing for a long time, and its importance in B2C marketing and advertising is easy to grasp. The more you know about your prospects’ likes, dislikes, needs, and desires, the more likely you will be able to effectively target your marketing message.
However, it’s my experience that personalization is less understood or used in the B2B setting. If you’ll let me go back to the example I used to start this article, I want to touch on the old operator-assisted call when it wasn’t placed as a “person-to-person” call. In that case, the call would go through to whoever picked up the phone on the other end.
We can view that as a parallel to B2B marketing: your marketing is going to a company. However, just like the non-person-to-person phone call, your message will actually be received and scrutinized by a person, so some kind of “personalization” should be considered.
If you’re marketing to the consumer, personalized coupons and similar schemes work, but in the B2B world you’re often selling specialty items or fixed-price services, so those tactics aren’t available to you.
Therefore, you need to ask yourself, on a personal level, what do the gatekeepers and decision makers at B2B companies want?
They want information. We live in the Information Age and when you strip away everything else, good, actionable information is the “coin of the realm.” Virtually all of today’s leading companies are, in one or more ways, sellers of information.
The lesson here is that if you provide your prospects and current customers with the information (content) they need to succeed, you will end up with a larger and more responsive customer base.
I can’t tell you exactly what topics around which you should create content, but I can introduce you to some people who can answer that question specifically: your sales force. Regular engagement between your marketing team and sales reps to discuss content marketing ideas can be your classic twofer:
This increased interaction between sales and marketing might also allow you to do some list segmentation similar to what is done in B2C marketing. You might discover that while many companies use the same product or service, the challenges they face in the marketplace are different.
This could give your marketing team the ability to massage white papers and email newsletters in ways that more directly push the buttons of a wider group of prospects and clients.
Let’s get back to the concept of person-to-person communication for a moment. Even if you start targeting your content and messaging better, there needs to be a human being on your side of the communication.
Take time to humanize your contact people. If, for example, you’re using a white paper as a lead magnet, let the author or authors express their personalities. Include enough biographical details that the reader knows it wasn’t created by simply piecing together some information you found on the web and slapping your corporate logo on top.
It’s been said many times, but bears repeating: People do business with people, not companies. This is especially true in the B2B world. Clients and prospects need to see that you invest human capital in your content.
Finally, don’t forget the simple things. No one in sales or marketing should ever send out an email that screams “Form letter!”
If you don’t specifically know whom you’re emailing and some basic things about them and their companies, don’t compose or hit send until you’ve done your research. You need to include at least the name of the recipient, a possible solution to their problem, the reason why you’re reaching out, and some personalization, such as “I saw your blog on widgets…”
Trash cans–both real and digital–are primary destinations for communication that lacks personalization.
With the advent of virtually universal cellphone ownership and so many means of digital communication, I think that’s a phrase that today is only heard in old movies. (A similar situation is depicted in the funny “Bob Wehadababyitsaboy” Geico commercial.) Yet I believe on closer inspection, it leads us to some important insights we can use as we’re planning our marketing strategies.
First—and this is the single most important lesson—all communication is person-to-person. Personalization has been a major topic in digital marketing for a long time, and its importance in B2C marketing and advertising is easy to grasp. The more you know about your prospects’ likes, dislikes, needs, and desires, the more likely you will be able to effectively target your marketing message.
However, it’s my experience that personalization is less understood or used in the B2B setting. If you’ll let me go back to the example I used to start this article, I want to touch on the old operator-assisted call when it wasn’t placed as a “person-to-person” call. In that case, the call would go through to whoever picked up the phone on the other end.
We can view that as a parallel to B2B marketing: your marketing is going to a company. However, just like the non-person-to-person phone call, your message will actually be received and scrutinized by a person, so some kind of “personalization” should be considered.
If you’re marketing to the consumer, personalized coupons and similar schemes work, but in the B2B world you’re often selling specialty items or fixed-price services, so those tactics aren’t available to you.
What do B2B companies want?
Therefore, you need to ask yourself, on a personal level, what do the gatekeepers and decision makers at B2B companies want?
They want information. We live in the Information Age and when you strip away everything else, good, actionable information is the “coin of the realm.” Virtually all of today’s leading companies are, in one or more ways, sellers of information.
The lesson here is that if you provide your prospects and current customers with the information (content) they need to succeed, you will end up with a larger and more responsive customer base.
But what content?
I can’t tell you exactly what topics around which you should create content, but I can introduce you to some people who can answer that question specifically: your sales force. Regular engagement between your marketing team and sales reps to discuss content marketing ideas can be your classic twofer:
- You break down barriers that often separate the two functions, and
- You get some great ideas for personalized content.
This increased interaction between sales and marketing might also allow you to do some list segmentation similar to what is done in B2C marketing. You might discover that while many companies use the same product or service, the challenges they face in the marketplace are different.
This could give your marketing team the ability to massage white papers and email newsletters in ways that more directly push the buttons of a wider group of prospects and clients.
You’re a person, too!
Let’s get back to the concept of person-to-person communication for a moment. Even if you start targeting your content and messaging better, there needs to be a human being on your side of the communication.
Take time to humanize your contact people. If, for example, you’re using a white paper as a lead magnet, let the author or authors express their personalities. Include enough biographical details that the reader knows it wasn’t created by simply piecing together some information you found on the web and slapping your corporate logo on top.
It’s been said many times, but bears repeating: People do business with people, not companies. This is especially true in the B2B world. Clients and prospects need to see that you invest human capital in your content.
To whom it may concern
Finally, don’t forget the simple things. No one in sales or marketing should ever send out an email that screams “Form letter!”
If you don’t specifically know whom you’re emailing and some basic things about them and their companies, don’t compose or hit send until you’ve done your research. You need to include at least the name of the recipient, a possible solution to their problem, the reason why you’re reaching out, and some personalization, such as “I saw your blog on widgets…”
Trash cans–both real and digital–are primary destinations for communication that lacks personalization.
15% Off All Business Cards
VIEW ALL CARDS
$60.05
$60.05
$62.55
$60.05
$60.05
$60.05
$60.05
$52.55
$60.05
The Executive Suite: 15% Off Recently Viewed Products
The Executive Suite: 15% Off Recently Viewed Products: 15% Off All Orders Pocket Engineer's Pad (Black) Journal Light Grey Linen Business Card Indestructible...
15% Off Clinic / Hospital Business Cards
15% Off Clinic / Hospital Business Cards
$60.05
15% Off
$60.05
15% Off
$66.00
15% Off
$57.35
15% Off
$60.05
15% Off
Friday, September 27, 2019
The Executive Suite: 15% Off Recently Viewed Products
The Executive Suite: 15% Off Recently Viewed Products: 15% Off All Orders Pocket Engineer's Pad (Black) Journal Light Grey Linen Business Card Indestructible...
15% Off Recently Viewed Products
15% Off All Orders
Pocket Engineer's Pad (Black) Journal
Light Grey Linen Business Card
Indestructible Photo Business Cards
Doctor's Appointment Reminder Notes
Appointment Reminder Cards (100 pack-White)
Semi Gloss Business Card
Bright Green Post It Notes
Hall Pass Pad (Neon Pink)
Weekly To Do List Notepad
Thank You Note Cards
Privacy Patient Sign In Slips Notepad (Sky Blue)
Clinic Letterhead (White Linen)
Friendly Reminder for Payment Billing Stickers
Red Dry Erase Board
Phone Message Notepad (Light Pink)
Expiration Date Stickers
Textured Linen Business Card Template
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)