Page 38 - HME Business, November 2017

Model 1 Pro-Tips
• Start with the basics: Have a website that provides what your audience needs. Then study your data and analytics to better know your audience. Make adjust- ments based on your data. Look for opportunities to gain market share.
• Know your goals and articulate them clearly. You should have multiple call- to- actions (CTAs) on your website or through social media that invite your customers to enter your sales pipeline. Do you want them to like your Facebook page? Come into your store to try a demo? Fill out an online form for more information? Is your contact info easily available on your website? These CTAs should be easy to understand and find. The attention span of an online user
is shorter than the attention span of a
goldfish.
• Attract customers and build trust via
insightful and educational content. Customers often are visiting websites
to educate themselves before they walk into your store. Is your expertise well displayed and accessible? Think about the FAQs you often get from customers and apply to your website in a way that is easy to share.
• List your store and website information in online directories, such as My Google Business, Yelp, Facebook, Yellow Pages and Bing. Make sure your store locations are listed correctly on map sites, as well.
to take them nationwide; it’s to offer information and a product offering via an online catalog to local Wisconsin customers and encourage them to visit their store in person.
Although they don’t sell online, they use their website data as part of their market research, and coordinate TV, print and monthly email marketing efforts with the website’s product focus. In fact, according to Executive Director Don Bye, just
last month, they had 2,463 total engaged web sessions with an average visit duration of about two minutes. And while most visitors come from within the state, they have people searching from outside the area, as well.
According to Bye, the website data has put them on a path to find out more information about growing their online presence and introduce features found in model 2 businesses. Today, they have a full-time communications manager who is dedicated to the website and Facebook presence. Bye says his website costs are “minimal.”
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Model 2: Convenience
Sharing elements of model 1, model 2 provides even more convenience to your customers. This model allows customers to explore more information online, such as individual products with purchase capabilities. Unlike model 1, model 2 can have elements
of e-commerce, which is the ability to order, re-order and purchase online using credit cards — so customers don’t have to come in the store to get what they need. The online strategy
is likely limited in its use of online marketing campaigns to bring in new customers. Like model 1, the focus is on a local presence, but you are giving convenience to current customers and potential prospects by letting them purchase online.
“You’re not only reengaging, but the thing that’s really changed in model 2 is the selling and fulfilling is,” Throndson says. “You’re still going to utilize your existing audience, you’re still going to push your local presence.”
Many model 2 providers see the value in part- nering with distributors and member organiza- tions, such as McKesson and VGM Forbin, to take advantage of online platforms and product databases — making it easier to build an online catalog of products with online purchasing capabilities. These modules enable complimen- tary regular data feeds to keep on top of product changes and availability. In addition, HMEs can leverage distributors drop ship models to ship the products directly to the customers home.
Cost for a model 2 presence depends on your
effort, capability, motivation and needs of your audience. Expect more time addressing ques- tions, web maintenance and creating content to stay fresh and relevant. Depending on your loca- tion, product span, and the number of locations you have, your model 2 costs can easily range in the thousands of dollars per month.
Sitting square in Model 2 is Williams Bros. Health Care Pharmacy (williamsbrospharmacy. com), a pharmacy that also does HME retail. With 9 DME locations in Southern Indiana
and Illinois, the company sells products online, distributing some products itself from its own warehouse and other products from manufacturer product feeds. They have one website covering all locations.
According to Lisa Fouts, director of advertising and marketing, although they are offering customers a convenient way to buy online, the main goal of the website is to drive customers into the stores. Not everything in the store is online for purchase. In fact, William Bros.’ online purchasing strategy is to place “featured products” (about 200 to 300) for sale on the website to give customers a “taste” of what’s in-store.
Finally, to support the feeds and their overall marketing efforts, Fouts says they run special deals to push customers to the website and do some SEO and SEM to generate better search results.
Model 3: E-commerce
Model 3 could incorporate some of the goals and tools of model 2, but the main focus is running a full-fledged e-commerce platform (purchase, fulfillment, online marketing, social media, database management, etc.) that lets providers re-engage with past clients and seek new ones. E-commerce HME providers must realize that they compete online with retail heavyweights, such as Wal-Mart and Amazon, so a strategy of adding value that differentiates the provider from big-box retailers is integral to success. It can also be difficult to re-engage as this model is often seen as a transactional (one- time) experience.
“Model three is really standalone,” Throndson explains. “A lot of times a different DBA with nothing to do with MediCare. It’s not so much about the local business, because while that can assist, a lot of times they can’t go hand in hand, or it’s at the least very difficult, especially if the local business billing Medicare because your pricing is a huge factor.”
In model 3, not only is visibility crucial — ranking high on search engines and advertising on a wide scale —but so too are pricing and legitimacy. Throndson explains that people will research as many as 10 different online retailers before making a decision, especially on items
Model 2 Pro-Tips
• Consider all model 1 tips
• Consider using a catalog feed from
manufacturers, such as McKesson or VGM Forbin, which significantly reduces the hassle of managing product images, data and attributes.
• Consider providing customers the ability to review their purchase history, get reorder reminders and fulfill their reorder with a couple of clicks.
• Consider using a drop ship program to send products direct to your customer’s door, eliminating your own inventory or delivery pains.
• Consider selling your items in online shopping sites, such as Google Shopping, to create another convenience channel for your customers.
• Use online advertising and paid search on more of a local rather than nation- wide level.