How To Start And Succeed In Medical Transcription

Medical transcription can be a wonderful work-at-home career… if you’re able to create and maintain a strong client base. So how do you get started in the medical transcription business? Here are some proven strategies for starting and growing a client list:

Decide if you want to freelance or work for a service.

If you freelance, you get to set your own prices and keep all the income you produce. On the flip side, you’ll be responsible for prospecting for work, billing (and collecting) your fees and handling all other aspects of your enterprise. If you work for a service, you won’t have to worry about sales, but your hourly income will likely be significantly less. So determine your priorities and proceed accordingly.

Create a solid resume.

This resume should include references to your educational background and where you got your medical transcription training. Any other relevant information, such as membership in any professional organizations or societies, should also be noted. You can use this resume to solicit individual clients or apply to a transcription service.

Put together a one-page marketing piece.

At minimum, you need a one-page ad that can work either as an email attachment or a printed flyer. The ad should contain the name of your business, a list of the services you offer and your contact information, including your address, email and phone number. Enlist the help of a friend who is good with graphics (or hire a professional) to make your piece as impressive as possible.

Identify physicians in your target area.

This can be done through a simple Internet search using general keywords like “doctor,” “physician,” “surgeon” and “chiropractor” and specialized terms like “obstetrician,” “internist,” “gastroenterologist,” etc., along with your city name and/or ZIP code to limit the search. Copy and paste the listings onto a central document. This becomes your “prospect list.”

Email your marketing piece to your prospect list.

Although sending out “batch” emails to dozens of prospects at once is an attractive time saver, it can also get your email marked as “spam,” which is never a good thing. Either send your inquiries out one at a time (time-consuming) or invest in a commercial email service like iContact, Benchmark or Constant Contact.

Deliver a quality product.

All a client wants is perfection. In this field, that means accurate transcriptions with proper spelling, punctuation and formatting. You may never achieve 100-percent perfection, but minimizing errors will help keep your clients happy.

Ask for referrals.

After enough time has elapsed for your clients to get to know you, ask for referrals. Make it known that you’re looking for new business. A recommendation from one doctor to another is a very effective way to get new business. Once you have a good reputation and a steady client base, finding and maintaining accounts will become less and less difficult.

Were these tips helpful in jumpstarting your Medical Transcription career? Feel free to share your feedback with us!

Source: The Work at Home Woman

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