At first,being promised a base salary with commissions equaling 85K for the first year, and being guaranteed I'd be calling ONLY QUALIFIED LEADS did seem a bit to good to be true...
I was "cautiously" optimistic about my new "medical sales" job with the International Association of Health Care Professionals on Long Island at 181 Freeman Ave in Islip..... turns out I should have been more cautious, less optimistic.
The first week of "training" consisted of going over, and over and over the sales script, (or "pitch") and I mean literally reading it out loud, over and over.... which at first appealed to the actress in me, and my sales trainer could not have been more thrilled as I immediately nailed delivery of the script. (They are quite picky about intonation, and of course sounding like you believe what you are pitching in order to convince your "mark" (oopsie meant qualified lead.) to buy. They even recorded my pitch readings and played them back so I could hear how I sounded. (Along with listening to other "seasoned pros" on staff deliver their pitch on recordings from their real phone pitches ).
The "pitch" is to various healthcare professionals, family doctors, nurses, respiratory therapists, chiropractors, surgeons,anesthesiologists, gynos etc.... you name it....I was to believe I was calling on them, because they indicated via linked in, or reaching out some other way, (like filling out a response card to join something that was offered as free...) that they wanted to become members of the organization .
If I was calling on a Nurse, I was to say I was getting back to them from the 'International Nurses Association" regarding their "application for inclusion into the association". If calling on a dentist, I was getting back to them from the "International Association of Dentists" or if calling a heart doc, I was from the International Association of Cardiologists" and so on and so on... I would then go on to say that I had a few questions to go over with them before we could accept their application for membership into the association, and then, (if they have not already hung up on me after they say "I don't remember applying for this, and me convincing them that they did) I go right into the "Interview":
"How many years have you been a practicing nurse? "
"What is your area of specialty?"
"Do work with a private practice, group or Hospital?
"What type of practice management software does your office use?"
What is your area of specialty?
Where did you receive your certification?
Where did you receive your education? When did you graduate?
Are you published....article, books, chapters?
Do you do any public speaking?
What is the best email address to reach you at for confirmation purposes?
Not for publishing purposes, what is an alternate phone # to reach you at if i have any questions before we publish your bio?
To what do you contribute your success to? What do you feel has really made you a successful nurse?
After they answered the success question, I would say "Well, nurse Jones, after speaking with you, it is clear that you are accomplished and I believe that you will continue to make a difference in your field. Based on that, I will certainly include you in the 2015 edition of the Leading Healthcare Providers of the World. (or Leading Physicians of the World if you are pitching a doctor.) Then you say with a smile "Congratulations"! To which they would sometimes be so happy and flattered to be recognized, especially the nurses, who work so hard, and feel so "unsung" at times. I would continue "Most nurses like to add this to their resume under the honors and awards section" I will be acting as your account director so as good things continue to happen for you, please keep me posted so I can update your bio."
I now tell them that the next step is that" I will be forwarding all of their info down to our editorial department for their bio to be edited and formatted for publishing. They will be receiving a log in and password via email so that they can log in immediately to the member website and begin networking with 100's of thousands of professionals from around the world. Here is where they can also make any additions, deletions or corrections to their bio,,, which is of course very important and should be done very carefully as this is the information that will represent them in the association."
I go on to describe to them that the next part of the program is that they will be receiving a beautiful 8X10 laser printed certificate of achievement and ask them how they would like their name and title to appear, I confirm their city and state, and then read back to them exactly how their certificate will read...Some thing to the effect of" This is to certify that Nurse Anne Jones of Smalltown, NE, is recognized as a top nurse in her area of expertise and will be featured in the publication The Leading Physicians of the World" blah blah blah... and then I ask them, does that read as it should... to which they say, that sounds great. ( They now think they have been chosen, and this is an honor, a free honor)
( I read this to a nurse who literally had been a nurse for ONE MONTH!! As well as the most lovely woman in the world, she had been a nurse for 44 years and shared some beautiful and inspiring stories with me about her career, she was so pure and wonderful,oy ... )
If pitching a doctor in a practice, you also tell them that their welcome kit will contain their find a topdoc ipad and review kiosk, and that they will now be listed on
findatopdoc.com. The review kiosk is so that patients can instantly review the doctor and these good reviews will be listed on Find a topdoc,com and prospective patients are supposed to be able to read reviews and book appointments online.... more on this later.
Now that you have built them up you lay the real sales pitch on them:
"We now extend to our Members a choice of the Diamond or Platinum Program,The Platinum program is just $789 now and 199 when your bio is complete and Monthy dues are just $89.99...(or 39.99 for nurses). The Diamond program, is of course our most prestigious program, with a full page biography in the front page diamond section of the book. The diamond program is just $989.00 now and $199 when your bio is complete, and monthly dues are just $89.99...(or 39.99 for nurses) we also have a free gift if you choose the diamond membership, you receive a free airline voucher with a value of up to $550. So, this way on your next vacation or business trip your companion fly's for free. What I can tell you is most healthcare professionals take advantage of the diamond program as the airline voucher offsets the cost of the membership."
At this point the professional you are speaking with will object to this idea " I'm not paying for this, I thought this was free".... Now the "Magic Formula" comes into play: Rebuttal, Benefit, Drop
You give only one Rebuttal, You give only one benefit, you give only one drop...
( you must also speak with conviction, do not hesitate or leave any room" for them to interject)
Rebuttals for every objection imaginable are on plastered on your wall on colored paper for easy identification, along with benefits and drops, yup that's how it's done)
So they say "" I'm not paying for this, I thought this was free"... I say a rebuttal " Well these are the basic memberships that we offer and most do take advantage of them because they recognize it is a worthwhile career investment ( close to that anyway, I'm doing this all from memory) Then I proceed straight into a benefit "And remember nurse Smith a press release will go out announcing your admittance into the the association, this will give you instant recognition on google, yahoo etc) blah blah, then the drop... In this case nurse Smith, I recommend you start with our Gold program, the gold program is just 589 now and 199 when your bio is complete... they object and you go through the whole thing, drop them down to the associate program, which is just $189 ( don't remind them of the monthly dues fee or the $199 when their bio is complete) they object, you go through the song and dance again until reach one of the three acceptable outcomes:
1. you make a sale
2. They hang up
3. You cant drop them any further, and you tell them you will give them the free basic listing.
Yeah, you do this all day long... or you just leave messages. I spent entire days doing nothing but leaving messages, even that was scripted.
A few weeks into the job it started to resonate with me that something was really off here.... and I thought.... hmmm..... but at who's expense? Anytime I asked a question about the product I was selling , wanted to see a demo of the Find a top doc kiosks and website, the book the leading physicians of the world, or an actual print and delivery date for it ( it is an upsell, sold to poor souls who bought the diamond or platinum membership) or have a look at what the actual member websites looked like, or inquired about the incentive travel voucher.... my questions were met with very very vague answers...
Also, we were not allowed to disclose the Islip address, if anyone asked where we were located we had to give a Manhattan address 410 Park Ave.
And the very young, very passive aggressive female sales manager would bellow to the entire female call staff:
" It's too quiet! You should be dialing, I should hear your voices, if you are not pitching, you should be leaving messages"
Because you see, it is a numbers game, the more calls you make, the more you pitch, the more you pitch, the more sales you make, or the higher the chances are someone will call you back and buy.
As soon as a sale is made the customers credit card number is run immediately. If they call right back with a change of heart, they can not get through to anyone or if they manage to get through, they are told all sales are final...sorry sucker!
Anthony Casimano is The Owner of this IAHCP and other company's registered to the Islip address including the Stanford Who's Who, D.D Squared Inc, A.D. consultants INC, Metro Data Mailing Inc, State Business network, Findatopdoc inc.
Here is what I dug up online about his business practices ( of which he making alot of money from and not shy to flaunt it as noted in the WSJ http://www.wsj.com/articles/luxury-wine-cellars-rise-up-1413469511)
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Who%27s_Who_scam
http://everything2.net/index.pl?node_id=1763385
http://www.ripoffreport.com/r/Stratford-Whos-Who/Islip-New-York-/Stratford-Whos-Who-International-Associationof-Healthcare-Providers-International-Associ-692379
http://800notes.com/Phone.aspx/1-877-447-8360
http://allnurses.com/nursing-news/nursing-alert-international-607939.html
http://www.ripoffreport.com/r/IAHCP/nationwide/IAHCP-Worldwide-Leaders-in-Healthcare-SCAM-STOLE-MONEY-New-York-New-York-New-York-1181199
http://www.ripoffreport.com/r/The-International-Association-of-Healthcare-Professionals/New-York-New-York-10022/The-International-Association-of-Healthcare-Professionals-Scam-artists-stole-my-80795-c-1164526
http://www.ripoffreport.com/r/International-Nurses-Association/New-York-New-York-10022/International-Nurses-Association-Scamming-Money-Out-of-Me-Twice-New-York-New-York-1115563
http://www.ripoffreport.com/r/IAHCP/nationwide/IAHCP-The-Internatioanl-Assoc-of-Health-Care-Professionals-Calls-from-63187347584-alleged-1196478
http://skepticalscalpel.blogspot.com/2015/07/how-to-pick-leading-physicians-of-world.html
http://theskepticalcardiologist.com/2014/10/19/i-am-not-a-leading-physician-of-the-world-or-how-not-to-find-a-cardiologist/
https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/did-anyone-else-receive-invitation-join-leading-world-lou-sussman
https://zeltser.com/malicious-activities-using-linkedin-website/
( mentions Stanford's who's who)
http://www.ripoffreport.com/r/stanford-whos-who/islip-new-york-1751/stanford-whos-who-complete-company-information-this-is-a-must-read-if-you-fell-for-704984
http://www.ripoffreport.com/r/stanford-whos-who/new-york-new-york-10022/stanford-whos-who-was-wheedled-into-purchasing-services-never-received-in-full-and-no-506535
http://www.ripoffreport.com/r/STANFORD-WHOS-WHO/internet/STANFORD-WHOS-WHO-STANFORD-PUBLISHING-COMPLETE-SCAM-DONT-FALL-FOR-IT-Internet-660210
http://www.ripoffreport.com/r/Standford-Whos-who/internet/Standford-Whos-who-Complete-manufactured-scam-on-a-cold-call-from-Stanford-whos-who-In-1027376
http://www.ripoffreport.com/r/stanford-whos-who/atlanta-georgia-30339/stanford-whos-who-i-was-contacted-by-the-supervisor-a-few-days-after-i-was-coaxed-into-445249#comment_25
http://saint-mike.org/hallshame/?p=437
http://mycrapmail.blogspot.com/2008/07/whos-who-among-executives-and.html
http://www.csoonline.com/article/2124245/security-awareness/what-s-what-with-the-who-s-who-.html
oh and regarding the in- office review kiosk for doctors:
( I have read this practice is considered a no - no here is paragraph from one of the articles I read about it, the article is entitled
"Get More Reviews Without Becoming an Outlaw" Posted by Joel Klettke on August 13, 2013 in Digital Marketing62
Reviews websites have some strict guidelines, but this post will help you navigate your way to success. Having a laptop or iPad for customers to leave reviews on at your workplace (a kiosk) sounds like a great idea, but bothYelp and Google have come out and said it isn’t allowed. Incoming IP addresses of reviewers are tracked and reviews websites will filter them out if too many reviews come from the same place.