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Idea for sales letter

Posted By: newmt on 2008-05-30
In Reply to:

What do you all this of this? I just graduated, and I want to market to doctor's offices. I made a flyer to send. I thought I would also send a sales letter that is formatted like a SOAP. I don't know how much competition I will have, and I'm trying to stand out. Too silly? Any comments?


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Sales Letter
Well,you could make a cute flyer with your picture in it and possibly your email and phone number. But you best bet is to dress up nice and go straight to the office manager with flyer in hand and say, "Help me get my foot in the door please?"
You are obviously young and eager with little experience. Any job at this point is your ace in the hole. So be direct and serious and leave the flyer with them. Most people just use business cards. If the local area proves fruitless, there are companies online that hire and you could get your experience that way also.
Idea in letter to Editor in Advance magazine (sm)
Just last night I read a letter in the Advance for Health Information Professionals from a former MR who is now a cancer registrar and loves it. I had looked into that myself a few years ago, although I chose to stay with MT. At the time there were on-line courses through community colleges.

What about coding? I have a friend who works now for a local hospital at home doing ambulatory coding.

Just some thoughts.

BTW, the letter to Advance can probably be found on-line at advanceweb.com/him. It's the Nov 5 issue.
Another good idea is to write a letter to the editor...sm
of your local/state newspapers telling people what is happening with their medical records and the downside of them being sent to India. Most people have no clue.
If it's a business letter you use a colon. if it's a personal letter you use a comma. nm

:


i'm right there with you. i was in sales
for 15+ yrs and turned to MT so that i could get away from the mean world. 90% of people have the attitude that "start off evil and you'll get what you want faster and sometimes even more than you wanted just to get rid of them".  i hardly ever hear please or thank you from someone.  i'm teaching my 3 yo please/thank you/share/etc, etc, but then i cry to see how he's treated by his class mates.  i feel like i'm setting him up to be stomped on just for being polite and doing what is right.  I'm also in my mid 30's and went back to college last semester just so i could add some things to my resume since nowadays a b.s. alone isn't worth beans but i took my class over the internet through a local college.  i couldn't afford this semester, but next semester i'll take another class online. if i had to sit next to these people 1/2 my age with the attitudes that most seem to have i would snap. I wish being nice was as contagious as being mean.   i know there are nice people out there-but boy are they getting harder and harder to find!!!
Oh, of course, I'm certain you have the sales...

numbers right at your fingertips.  It appears you are the one how has been duped by believing the BOS is the ultimate authority.  The majority of MTs know better, and the majority of healthcare providers have never HEARD of it.  Many of us bought the book thinking it was actually useful, and newbies are told they MUST have it.  Now, mind you, they are told this by the very people who are in bed with the AAMT.


Buy into it if you will (obviously you already have).  That doesn't mean the rest of us need to do so.


ebay sales
Well, my accounts were always looked at..I had soaps, body facial products and line reducers (for face), lingerie, halloween products, kitchen products..movie videos, CDs, candles, shoes (Pay Less always has two for one or one for half price), books (you can get great used books for cheap and sell them for so much more..like a used Harry Potter..you can get a lot)..I just posted them and they were looked at..what matters is how you introduce your products..you post them and then tell about them..so you need to post good things about your products, you know, pump up your product..Yes, I truly think you can quit anything else and go ebay full time..I was thinking about that but going to the post office every day and packaging the products got to me..If I had had someone to help me, I think I could have done it..Like I posted previously, Im gonna do it again, when I move back to NY next year..There are so many surplus companies, manufacturers who will sell to you wholescale..Gosh, I had so much left off when I quit.LOL..I had purses, body jewelry, lingerie, kitchenware..you name it..I gave it all away to friends and used it for myself..Just surf for wholescale companies in the net..I loved selling on Ebay, plus you meet such nice people..I met people from England, Germany and all over the USA (through emails and phone calls)..It was a great experience..What I recommend is surf for wholesale companies and when you shop, buy two for one, go to Factory for U, Big Lots, Annas Linens, always when you shop be looking for something you can sell..Buy one get one for free always was great for me..
have a friend who does car sales

She said some banks won't finance KIAs because of that.  Way too easy to stay upside down in your financing.


 


You also may have to charge sales tax sm
depending on what state you live in. PA requires an MT to charge sales tax on work that is sent to someplace within the Commonwealth. I am exempt because my work is received from/sent to out of the Commonwealth. However, to answer the business license question, I don't have to have on for PA.
It is all about marketing and sales. Looks like they have your $$
x
Sales slip?
If you still have the sales slip, you have a good chance of returning it.
SALES PEOPLE LIE

Did you know that it is totally legal to lie?  I mean, it may be immoral and NOT right, but it is totally legal.  So, those who can profit by it, have everything to gain by lying to us and nothing to lose by being dishonest in this way.  This seems like such a simple rule of life, but it is one that did not become crystal clear to me until I became a medical Transcriptionist (and also when I bought a house, but that is another long story).  Sadly, it is my own fault for being so trusting and gullible.


Six years ago, I was incredibly naive and fell for the STUFF that was feed to me by the people selling the CS course.  They offered me was seemed at the time to be hope.  In reality, they took advantage of my state of neediness.


I graduated from CS almost 4 years ago.  I work my butt off, sometimes as many as 3 jobs at a time, and my gross income last year was a pathetic $21,000!!!  I have one adult child who takes care of himself.


So, I wish this woman, the one with the 5 children with one being a special needs child and her husband in Iraq, much luck, and I hope she has a great support system.


 


 


PA Sales Tax - HEADS UP PA MTs

Everyone has to know about this. I posted this on the tax board, too.


How desperate are the governors getting? PA sent out tax forms to everyone that bought cigarettes from a Native American reservation and they want their tax money. One woman in PA was hit up for over $4,800 and last week, they slapped a Sheriff's Sale sign on her property.


Now, my DH received a letter today. They want anyone in business who bought anything from out-of-state companies (office supplies, equipment, tools, etc.) that don't reciprocate taxes to PA, to pay up. This doesn't just apply to last year. This goes all the way back to 1981!!! Since when, since records do not have to be kept after a certain amount of years, how can they do this?  DH doesn't have to worry about it that much. He usually always buys in PA.


I certainly do not have any receipts back to 1981 when I was an IC!


It's bad enough the governor is "threatening" to raise property taxes if he can't pass the higher income tax, but now this. I think our state government should stop the spending like he's always done. We're broke, yet he keeps handing out money.


Out-of-state sales tax question
I would have posted on the other thread, but it is gone already. My apologies.

Do any MTSOs charge sales tax to out-of-state clients? Long before transcription, I worked for a company that did not charge sales tax on product sold out of state but did charge sales tax for any services peformed on-site, even for out-of-state customers. They insisted if the service was performed in the state, they needed to charge sales tax. I have been subcontracting out of state and every time I called to get a sales tax license they would very nicely tell me to stuff it until I got an in-state customer. Now I have just gotten my first out-of-state account (direct client) and want to make absolutely sure I should not charge sales tax for my service.

Thank you.
VR demo - not a sales pitch

You need to have the Windows Media Player loaded onto your system to view the video. It takes about 30 seconds to load and is about one minute in length.


I think after you watch it you'll understand why so many medical professionals (i.e. doctors) are switching over to speech recognition.


If you're an IC, you should be charging PA sales tax as well. sm
I know there are A LOT of PA MT's who are not doing this, making it more difficult for those on the up-and-up. However, if you are providing MT services to anyone other than a non-profit (with valid PA Sales Tax exemption), then you should be charging the 6% State Sales Tax and filing a Sales Tax Return.

The Use Tax issue that started this post has been in place for a long time, it's just that the Commonwealth has decided to become more aggressive in their pursuit of this lost revenue stream.
If you have a Paypal account, pay to sales@mtstars.com. Thank you!
/
PA requires you to charge sales tax on your work...
if you send your completed work to a MT company or doctor within PA.  However, I send my work out of state, so I don't have to charge sales tax and I don't need a license.  I had asked someone at one of the companies I IC for and she said that she had heard of that before from one of the other girls.  When I lived in WA state, I had a business license from the state and had to file every year.  The sales tax thing was a real shock to hear at first!  
hit some yard sales early in the morning

This belongs on classifed board, for sales
x
Did you see the story about bake sales/childhood obesity?

From the AP out of Minneapolis. "Study links bake sales, weight problems."


Puhleez. What next?


When are the "Diet Police" going to stop and realize that the majority of the obesity "problem" among children begins at home? Who gives these kids the money to go eat at McDonalds and loads their cupboards with junk food anyway?


Sure my kids like sweets and they like McDonalds, but monitor and moderation goes a long way.


Something tells me that a pencil sale just isn't going to bring in that much cash flow.


I've never heard of sales tax being charged for a service, only
for a tangible product.  
It is true...and the sales reps will tell you anything to obtain your business, but then they...sm
get you once you start using the ULD.  I know, I have been told the same thing that you say you have been told but then I received the dreaded "cut off" notice.  I wish you the best, but it is just a matter of time until they get to your area.  It's not allowed! 
Garage sales, consignment stores, coupons
If your income for the prior year is below 24,000 in Calif., you are eligible for 20% discount on gas/elec. Also, if your income is less than 12,000/yr, you are eligible for food bank visits once a month which total about $120.00. It has been six years since I went down this road, so the figure may have changed.

After a divorce, major surgery and no job, I found myself penniless. I had yard sales daily. Went to swap meets and sold my things there. Also, took my finer clothes to a consignment shop. Used coupons to determine what I would be eating. Thank God, I had no children.

I think when you have kids, you really need a nest egg of some sort that is absolutely untouchable.

This sounds like a temporary situation if you price your home to sell.
Try ebay, yard sales, Recycled Software or BuyCheapSoftware.com
to find inexpensive software. Also, see if you can find a newer version of MS Works because I think it comes with Word now, or you can buy a standalone version of Word without springing for MS Office.

For that matter, wait until you find a job before worrying about it. Not everybody uses MS Word, and some companies provide their own software for you to use. What about going back to Medware or another company that provides software and/or equipment?
I hate crowds. Big sales bring out the worst in people.
I tried it twice several years ago. Never again. People were just rudely shoving everyone else around trying to get from store to store to gather up all the freebies or super deals.

We tried to go to the movies instead, but all the Harry Potter matinees were sold out. Again.
What letter
Did only certain offices get a letter. I work in the southeast and have not received a letter.
No letter here either (sm)
I am a SE, were these mailed to employees and SEs?

Also, have a question. Signed up for Qnet - activated I-mail account, on the Q-net I don't get any memos or even show an icon or heading to click on. Can someone enlighten me. I know I can call 1800dictate, just thought I would do better asking here.

TIA
Letter
Is the letter you are talking about the one talking about preserving documents and telling us not to throw anything away,  or is this a different letter?   
Here's the letter...
medquist has always prided itself in doing business ethically. As part of our
continuing efforts to ensure that we maintain very high standards, we have
enrolled you and many of your associates in an Internet-based Ethics training
course in the area of Code of Conduct.

All MedQuist employees will be paid for the time spent taking the training. All
Transcription Operations Hourly/Production Employees (Medical Transcriptionists,
Quality Assurance, Quality Control, Customer Service Representatives, Clerical)
should schedule time in advance to take their Ethics Training with their
Supervisor. All hourly/production employees will be paid for the time spent
taking the Ethics Training, which is expected to take 45 minutes. MT employees
will be paid the equivalent of their "benefit rate" for the time spent
completing the training, up to a maximum of one hour.

To begin the training, click the link at the bottom of this e-mail. Please write
down and keep your User ID/Access Code, also found at the bottom of this e-mail,
since you will need it to enter the training. If you need any technical
assistance please send an e-mail to: mailto:support@integrityatwork.net.

The course will take you about 45 minutes. It is important that you finish this
course within the next several weeks. Please contact the human resources or
legal department if you have any questions about this or any other compliance
issues.

Thank you and enjoy the training.


About letter -- don't have it -- was that
the ENTIRE contents of the letter?  What else did it say, please?
rec'd letter
yes i rec'd the same letter as the posts below. they are paying 2 different rates; the rate you are currently rec'g for typing will remain the same, the ASR or edited reports will be paid at 20% less than your current typed rate
MQ LETTER
The letter also states that in a few weeks we will get information about a new MT/ME Rewards Plan that will go into effect in early 2006. Why don't they just tell us what it is now. Is this supposed to be a dangling carrot strategy. It had better be a big carrot. Oh well, it's probably not anything that will improve our checks, just theirs.
Letter from MQ
Yes, would you PLEASE post the letter you received from MQ? I have to drive 8 miles one way into town to get my mail and with the gas prices, I only plan on doing that once a week. I would like to know what that letter said as well.
letter
I got mine today, and I am really upset. My production has gone down or stayed the same since doing ASR reports. I have to practically retype the entire report. I often delete everything and type from scratch. I'm gonna quit. If I decline ASR reports, they will give me a really crappy acount, I just know it. My base rate was 0.875 (after 9 years with no raise excempt when I made CMT) and now it will be 0.700. That is so pathetic. I'm finished with these greedy Bastards!
MQ Letter
I got my letter last fri, my last name is at the front of the alphabet.  My base rate is being reduced by 0.175 cpl for ASR reports.  So now on top of my already reduced pay when starting DQS, it will be reduced further.  I figure I will lose about $200-250 per month.  I am going to reply to the corporate heads who sent the letter, and give them my 2 cents. I challenge all MQ MTs to reply to the letter and give your input on their unfair pratices.  I will soon be an ex-MQ'r.  I won't allow them to reduce my pay once again.  I don't make 25% more in production on ASR reports.  I have to re-type almost the entire report except for the occasional dictator, where I only proofread and make minimal changes.  I had a contract once upon a time that stated what my pay would be.  I never gave anybody permission to change that.  Isn't this illegal?  I am going to get legal advice and see what my options are.  I am not going to take this lying down.  I'm tired of being kicked around.  Thanks CM for enlightening me about the F9 feature, what an eye-opener.  Now I have proof that they are cheating us out of our pay.
ANOTHER MQ letter,

this one about new pay plan............ "Pay rates based upon experience, skill, and work difficulty" is the first 'highlight'....... I have been asking for a raise since MAY and I am level 3 typist, highest level MQ has....  Supposed to be contacted personaly by someone in the future.  Hmmmmm, wonder what they will offer. 


will I get a letter?? probably not
Well, I have 36 years experience and can transcribe anything..gee, wonder if they will contact me..They cut back my pay when I went to DQS by one half penny..Mmmm..hope I get that letter..Sure havent gotten the letter for DQS line count discrepancy and a check for that..
One more letter
A lot of good that CMT classification did for you. You would think the company, which claims to be short on able-bodied transcriptionists, and with all the new technology they are developing to make our job easier, that they would want to increase our pay to do ASR reports. Totally makes no sense. I sense a massive exodus.
Letter
That's the way I understood it also.
I got the same letter from SBC (which is AT&T LD)

using onesuite.com.  I called when I got their letter and canceled my LD immediately.  LD is only 2.5 cents a minute at onesuite.com.  You have to pay in advance and then you dial an access number and then the number you want to reach.  I liked unlimited better because I could dial direct, but for now I guess I'll use onesuite.


I got the same letter. sm

last year from SBC so I switched to MCI.  I was completely honest with MCI and told them what I needed it for becuase I did not want them coming back at me telling me I was not using it according to their guidelines.  MCI is expensive though.  By the time you pay for taxes and everything else my bill is around $80.  I wish I could find a job that is totally internet based.  I started to check into Vonage but I could not understand how that worked when they kept telling me I had to pick a phone number or a different area code than the one I have and you can't speak to someone who speaks good English to get an accurate explanation.  I also would like to know what everyone else does or how they get away with it.  I wish the hospital that I work for through the company that I work for would have a 1-800 number for the transcription.  I would even be willing to pay my employer a $10 long distance fee or something just so I do not have to pay out $80 every month. 


need letter help
Okay, it's been a long time since business english 101, can anyone tell me where "return receipt requested" goes on the body of the letter, and isn't it in all caps? I am thinking it goes just below the address to whom the letter is being addressed, but just not positive about it. Thank you!!!
SPi letter
Yes, I got the letter this weekend. Disturbing sign of the times.
First letter only!
Thats how I have always done SOAP notes.
MQ lawsuit letter
Yes, I received the letter yesterday.  Sounded like this investigation is going to take quite some time if they have to subpoena transcriptionist's records.  I just threw it in the round file  :)
why it will be good for MTs. you can see from letter below from CEO

the impact the lawsuit has had simply to start change within the MQ organization. 


Here's pertinent part of letter that shows changes coming.




From Frank Lavelle, President


To all statutory medical transcriptionists


July 14, 2005



VIA Electronic and U.S. Mail



Dear Statutory Medical Transcriptionists:



We would like to thank you for your continued service and support. We know that the key to our success is the people who work so hard for our customers everyday.



At MedQuist, we are determined to become the medical transcription provider of choice for statutory employees. Over the past several months, with your help and input, we have been working on developing a pay plan and comprehensive benefit program that will enable us to set the standard in the industry. We recently announced significant changes to our benefits program for full time employee transcriptionists and within the next few months, MedQuist will be announcing a new pay plan that will address the feedback we received from medical transcriptionists in response to our survey on pay issues.



As you may also know, MedQuist is currently responding to a lawsuit brought by three medical transcriptionists that was filed in response to certain publicity surrounding MedQuist's billing practices involving the AAMT billing unit of measure. MedQuist takes all allegations concerning its pay practices very seriously and will seek to address any concerns raised by the lawsuit. While we believe that the claims raised by the three transcriptionists appear to lack merit, we are diligently working on addressing this matter in order to best serve all of our valued medical transcriptionists.



To enable us to fully and appropriately respond to this, as well as other lawsuits currently pending against the company and governmental investigations, our lawyers from Winston & Strawn are required to collect documents. To ensure that you are completely informed about the materials they are seeking, we have attached a memorandum below regarding MedQuist's document retention and collections policy. Please review this document as soon as possible.



Once again, we would like to express our deep appreciation for your continued patience, cooperation and service to the company.
















Very truly yours,


Frank Lavelle


President



Enclosure



____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________


 


introductory letter

Kkay, what exactly do you include in your introductory letter?  Have the business cards already. 


Thanks a mil!


 


Maybe just a letter that tells her how much you
appreciate her and everything she's done for you, how much you love her, et cetera.  I would much rather have something like that from my children than a gift. Gifts are nice, too, but sometimes something from the heart just means so much more.
Haven't gotten the letter yet
 MQ is run by a bunch of jerks.
letter in mail
I got a letter in the mail from MQ headquarters today