LAS VEGAS – I love the HME Industry, and I love you, the people who serve our friends and family at home and make their lives easier and better with products and services. I have had the privilege of working with thousands of you directly with my workshops, speeches, and online training programs.
You know I have been hard on this industry. I expect more out of all of you. I don’t like whining and complaining about how tough things are. I like the winners who attend Medtrade Spring and rise above the industry issues and challenges to become better businesses, clinicians, and people.
One of the key areas in which you need to be successful in this new era of healthcare has to be dominating the Internet. Web sites, social media, blogs, video content and PPC, all done properly, will put you ahead of the competition with referral sources and patients.
That is why I love VGM Forbin, and I recommend taking advantage of all the resources they provide during Medtrade Spring next week. Attend a session, go to The Power Lunch, or just stop by their booth #324. Here are four reasons why VGM is the recognized digital media authority in our space, why you need to see and hear their strategies, and why Forbin is a must see at Medtrade Spring.
1) Forbin has industry-specific knowledge. There are thousands of companies that do what Forbin does, but none of them know the HME Industry like Forbin. As part of the industry’s leading member services group VGM, Forbin can build websites and social media strategies that referral sources and patients see, hear, and feel more clearly because they are born, raised, and work every day with providers like you. No one has the unique technical programming and creative skills, as well as superior industry knowledge.
2) Forbin builds the most websites in the HME space. Why? Because they get results and have a unique ability to use proven strategies that will drive results, while at the same time making your site and social media look and sound different—to bring out your company personality, culture, and specifics on what makes your company the best to serve your local patients and families.
3) Forbin spends thousands of dollars doing market and behavior research on referral sources, patients, and caregivers to see exactly how they use the Internet to make HME decisions. This is a huge difference in that they design strategies based not on what they think is best, but what the customer needs and wants. This type of powerful information is what you need to design your strategy and be successful.
4) Forbin has the most qualified staff in the industry with the highest credentials and certifications. The believe, as do I, in constant and never ending improvement, and continuing education that makes them stay on top of their game and produce better results for you.
You can experience VGM/Forbin events and speakers at Medtrade Spring in many ways, such as The Power Lunch, sponsored by VGM. The Power Lunch takes place:
Tuesday, March 1 • 11:45 am – 1:15 pm
Tradewinds D
Real food for thought! Fuel up on lunch and information crucial to making your business survive and thrive. Fill your plate with a quick lunch and head to your pre-selected table where the moderator will kick-off your roundtable group discussion. Learn more about each topic here. There are still a few seats available. Registration fee varies with time of registration, advance registration required. Click here to register for Medtrade Spring and/or add Power Lunch to your existing registration.
VGM/Forbin speakers are featured in the following 15 educational sessions:
Mon, Feb 29, 2016 – 10:30 AM to 11:30 AM
BEWARE OF HACKERS: Highway to the Danger Zone of Cyber Crime and Web Marketing
Speaker: Bill Wilson, VP Sales and Marketing, VGM Insurance
Speaker: Robert Duryea, President, VGM Forbin
Type: Intermediate
Track: Business Operations
Location: Islander A
Mon, Feb 29, 2016 – 10:30 AM to 11:30 AM
HME in 2016 and Beyond: Facts, Trends, Forecasts & Commentary
Speaker: Mark Higley, Vice President – Regulatory Affairs, VGM Group, Inc.
Speaker: John Gallagher, Vice President VGM Government Relations, The VGM Group, Inc.
Type: Advanced
Track: Trending Markets
Location: Islander C
Mon, Feb 29, 2016 – 1:30 PM to 2:30 PM
Caretailing Marketing
Speaker: Jim Greatorex, Business Development, VGM Retail Services
Type: Introductory
Track: Retail
Location: Islander A
Mon, Feb 29, 2016 – 1:30 PM to 2:30 PM
New Year, Fresh Start
Speaker: Kelly Grahovac, Sr. Consultant, The van Halem Group
Type: Introductory
Track: Audit
Location: Islander D
Mon, Feb 29, 2016 – 2:45 PM to 4:15 PM
Audit and Appeals Strategy
Speaker: Wayne van Halem, President, The van Halem Group
Speaker: Denise Leard, Attorney, Brown & Fortunato, P.C.
Type: Advanced
Track: Audit
Location: Islander B
Mon, Feb 29, 2016 – 2:45 PM to 4:15 PM
Capture the Boomers
Moderator: Jim Greatorex, Business Development, VGM Retail Services
Panelist: Sue Chen, CEO, Nova Medical Products
Panelist: Troy Holland “the Game Changer”, VP Sales & Marketing, Stander
Panelist: Colleen Hinsberg, Inside Sales Mgr, Contour Products
Panelist: Brandon Noble, Director of Sales/ Orthotist, Vionic Group
Type: Introductory
Track: Retail
Location: Islander A
Mon, Feb 29, 2016 – 4:30 PM to 5:30 PM
The Innovative HME Retail Product Awards
Sponsored by: HomeCare Magazine
Moderator: Jim Greatorex, Business Development, VGM Retail Services
Panelist: Mike Sperduti, CEO, Mike Sperduti Companies
Panelist: Cindi Ciardo, CEO, Knueppel HealthCare Services
Panelist: Rob Baumhover, Director of Retail, VGM Retail
Track: Retail
Location: Islander A
Mon, Feb 29, 2016 – 4:30 PM to 5:30 PM
Help is Here! Audit Tracking and Data Compilation Tools
Speaker: Wayne van Halem, President, The van Halem Group
Speaker: Kim Brummett, Vice President of Regulatory Affairs, AAHomecare
Type: Intermediate
Track: Audit
Location: Islander B
Mon, Feb 29, 2016 – 4:30 PM to 5:30 PM
Improvise, Adapt & Overcome: A Marine’s Guide to HME Online Marketing on a Budget
Speaker: Robert Duryea, President, VGM Forbin
Type: Intermediate
Track: Sales & Marketing
Location: Islander C
Tue, Mar 1, 2016 – 1:00 PM to 2:30 PM
Online Strategy 101: How to Make the Google Work for You
Speaker: Christina Throndson, Web Marketing Manager, VGM Forbin
Track: Retail
Location: Islander G
Tue, Mar 1, 2016 – 1:30 PM to 2:30 PM
Product Inventory Management to Drive Sales
Speaker: Rob Baumhover, Director of Retail, VGM Retail
Speaker: Maria Markusen, Director of Operations and Development, The VGM Group
Type: Intermediate
Track: Retail
Location: Islander B
Tue, Mar 1, 2016 – 2:45 PM to 3:45 PM
Getting to Know Big Data
Ryan Ball, Director, VGM Market Data
Panelist: Tim Kringel, Strategic Accounts Executive, Health Market Science
Panelist: John Griscavage, CEO, PlaymakerCRM
Track: Executive Education
Location: Islander D
Tue, Mar 1, 2016 – 2:45 PM to 3:45 PM
High Frequency Chest Wall Oscillation Devices and Cough Assist Devices–What are the requirements?
Speaker: Ronda Buhrmester, Reimbursement Specialist, VGM Group
Track: Trending Markets
Location: Islander I
Tue, Mar 1, 2016 – 4:00 PM to 5:00 PM
Maximizing Sales Growth With DME Claims Data
Speaker: Ryan Ball, Director, VGM Market Data
Type: TBD
Track: Sales & Marketing
Location: Islander D
Tue, Mar 1, 2016 – 4:00 PM to 5:00 PM
Home Medical Equipment – Unlike Any Other Business Model
Speaker: Dan Fedor, Compliance Director, VGM
Type: Intermediate
Track: Business Operations
Location: Islander I
Stop by VGM’s Booth #324 at Medtrade Spring to visit in person.
You and your future success will be how you differentiate yourself from the competition. More and more your customers look to the Internet and are influenced by social media to choose one HME company over another. Make sure they choose you and make sure you see VGM/Forbin at Medtrade spring.
Use #MedtradeSpring16 for all show-related social media.
Mike Sperduti is president and CEO of the Mike Sperduti Companies (Emerge, Renewal Technologies, Phoinix Holdings, and Mike Sperduti Training), East Northport, NY.
