Build your business through a long-term strategy of organic relationship building. Who are your prospects and what professional organizations do they participate in? That’s where you need to be volunteering, networking, and giving back to your professional community. The relationship building will happen organically!
If you want to jumpstart it, consider sponsoring an event or advertise your business in places where your prospects are, particularly if it can be in an educational format. This could include professional associations and publications.
Let’s explore a few different potential prospects and where you could be spending your time to organically get to know them.
Hospital and ASC Administrators
Check out American College of Healthcare Executives (ACHE), Health Financial Management Association (HFMA), and Ambulatory Surgery Center Association (ASCA) for education, networking, and professional development. Most have local chapters you can participate in. Consider sponsoring an event or collaborating to do an educational session to kickstart it. Or, check into the cost/logistics for submitting an article for their publications (print or digital). Be sure to give to the community more than you sell though. People are smart and will know if you are just there to sell your product.
Employers
Join your local Chamber of Commerce and look for local business groups. There are usually several in each market. For example, DFW Business Group on Health. Can you team up with an HR association or Chamber of Commerce to talk to their employer members about a topic they care about? Or, can you submit an article for their publications (print or digital)?
Physician Offices
Think about building those organic relationships with practice managers, not just physicians. You can participate in Medical Group Management Association (MGMA) locally and at the national level. There are also county medical societies and specialty medical societies, including for the business side of the practice. Do any of the local hospitals have Office Manager associations where you can do an educational talk? How about a local physician association you can offer education at or contribute to their online or print publications? You may need to put some sponsorship dollars behind it, but it’s a great way to get in front of that audience without infringing on clinic time.
Can it be done virtually?
Yes, it is more challenging to build relationships through video calls and virtual networking, but it is totally possible. Professional organizations are pivoting to meet their member needs…and that often means offering programming online.
So, add some organic relationship building to your growth strategy. It’s a long-term strategy, but really does pay off.