Marketing With Doctor Offices

[COInsguy]

I've been working my way through a OBGYN office writing Individual Med policies for about half this staff... started with one from an internet lead and I think I've written 1/3 of the office now 1 referral at a time.

I decided to take a trip to their office and bring them lunch one day in a few weeks (Just set it up with the Office Manager) they are all great clients and very nice so I'm doing this out of appreciation and I'm sure I'll get a few more of the staff while I'm down there.

Considering the foot in the door I have with them I'd like to ask them to refer their patients over to me, or at least mention my name & website to them, especially new parents etc. I'm wondering if anyone knows if the Doctor side of this has any rules against this, has done anything similar in the past etc. If you've done something similar what was your experience? I've thought about this at my kids pediatrician too but haven't had to take them in recently so put it on the back burner. I think I could easily get 5-10 referrals/month out of the deal, keep bringing them lunch every month or so and make a great relationship of it........any thoughts?

 

[souldeux]

I'll tell you a good and bad story about the one doctor's office I have as a client and I'll let you decide.

I have a pediatrician's office just south of Atlanta as a client - for reasons that aren't important, they blew up their group and then called me after the fact to set up indy policies. Fine, whatever - not the way I would have done it, but they were unshakeable. I wrote the doctor and her four employees all at once, which was a pretty nice day for me. I also did a couple of small policies on the kids of two of the employees.

They were excellent clients, and if I'm having a very down day I'll call and check in on them because they're always really happy to hear from me for some reason and that perks me up.

Their referrals, however, suck. They've sent a steady stream of them over, and they're all uninsurable, broke, or BBIOMIP (Bought Beer Instead Of Making Insurance Payment). Generally, the only time they think to send someone over seems to be if they're having problems paying their bill - automatically, they seem to snap to "Nick can help!"

If your doctor's office has a more affluent clientele, then yes, I would say that it could be an excellent referral source. Chances are it'll be an excellent referral source no matter what, it's just a matter of the insurability of those referrals.

 

[COInsguy]

Nick,

Just finished a project and read your post... I chuckled a bit because I have a Realtor client who seems to know the sickest people alive in Colorado....he's sent me no joke 15+ referrals, while I help them here and there going on the risk pool that doesn't pay me much.

It's a very nice OBGYN office in a good part of Colorado Springs so I'm hoping I don't have a similar experience as you've had. That's good to hear that you got a steady flow of referrals. I'm even considering gearing it almost completely to their new parents....
Have a healthy baby=call Ryan .
Thanks for the input!

 

[souldeux]

Nick,

Just finished a project and read your post... I chuckled a bit because I have a Realtor client who seems to know the sickest people alive in Colorado....he's sent me no joke 15+ referrals, while I help them here and there going on the risk pool that doesn't pay me much.

It's a very nice OBGYN office in a good part of Colorado Springs so I'm hoping I don't have a similar experience as you've had. That's good to hear that you got a steady flow of referrals. I'm even considering gearing it almost completely to their new parents....
Have a healthy baby=call Ryan .
Thanks for the input!

No problem! One thing I've noticed working with them (and from working in a doctor's office myself) is that the people in Doc offices are much happier to see you bring food than people in other professions. I have no idea why, but it seems to be a quick way to their hearts.

Good luck with it! It sounds like you'll have better results than I've had. I like the angle you're taking, gearing it towards new parents - "The Best From The Beginning!"

 

[JustinUpright]

Lunch is almost the only way to get into a Doctors office. The Pharma Reps all bring food and kinda spoiled them LOL. I have been told by several Office Managers that that is the only way to get an appt with their office.

 

[somarco]

Just a thought, but I wonder if a doc referring a patient is a HIPAA violation. Some have even done away with the sign in sheet so you can't look and see if someone you know is seeing that doc. Went to a dermatologist a few months ago. They had a computer screen to log in.

Odd, the rest of the office was manual. All checks or cash, no credit card.

Go figure.

 

[COInsguy]

Just a thought, but I wonder if a doc referring a patient is a HIPAA violation. Some have even done away with the sign in sheet so you can't look and see if someone you know is seeing that doc. Went to a dermatologist a few months ago. They had a computer screen to log in.

Odd, the rest of the office was manual. All checks or cash, no credit card.

Go figure.

I did think about that, if it seems to be an issue for them to give me a patients info then I could always leave them a flyer or some other type of marketing materials so they can give to the patients. Don't think I'd get as many people following through this way but would still get some biz!

 

[somarco]

A nice brochure about your agency and or card with your website is an idea.

Here is a thought.

Promote dental plans in doctors offices. You don't have to deal with underwriting and might get more prospects that way. Possibly a better door opener, and chance to pick up a few bucks than trying the major med route.

 

[COInsguy]

Here is a thought.

Promote dental plans in doctors offices.

I'm pondering this topic pretty heavily this morning since it seems to be a quiet start. I was actually thinking about maybe making a brochure that incorporated a major focus on an Accident policy. I have an excellent plan for accidents and I write it on almost every family I work with currently so I know there is a lot of interest. $35 for $5,000 protection is a rather easy sale.

I just can't get that excited about dental......

 

[souldeux]

I did think about that, if it seems to be an issue for them to give me a patients info then I could always leave them a flyer or some other type of marketing materials so they can give to the patients. Don't think I'd get as many people following through this way but would still get some biz!

Excellent point, and one I forgot. The doctor's office who refers to me never gives me patient information - they pass my information to the patients and they contact me at their leisure.