Invacare program aimed at provider's cash sales

HOLLISTON, Mass. - The first batch of a new product flier, part of Invacare Supply Group's new direct mail program, ships in February. Invacare debuted the program, designed to help providers enter the "world" of cash sales, at Medtrade in October. For "under $1,000," Invacare Supply will direct mail 10,000 four-page product fliers to zip codes specified by its HME customers. The fliers will be customized with the provider's company name. "This is something retail drug chains are used to doing but not something that has been in an HME dealer's world," said Greg Bosco, Invacare Supply's director of merchandising and marketing. "Why pass this business off when you have customers that already trust you and use these products?" The products include Invacare Supply's line of vitamins and, "our brands of extra strength Tylenol, Advil, chewable aspirin and coated asprin." Other products include braces, hearing aids, Band-Aids, thermometers, adult and pediatric incontinence products and aids for daily living, to name just a few. Invacare Supply will mail the fliers out quarterly in batches of 10,000. If providers want to mail more, they have to increase the volume in increments of 10,000, but the additional volume also decreases the cost per 1,000, Bosco said. Invacare Supply developed the direct-mail program over the past few months. It's one thing to have products that can boost cash sales, but providers need help informing the community that they offer the product, Bosco said. "Cash business is a way to help them grow and become less dependent on reimbursement," he said. "There is a lot of science here for less than $1,000." Providers had until Dec. 20 to sign up for the first mailing.