Insider Secrets to the Patient Referral Program

 

Referrals of new patients to your office are, hands down, the most cost effective marketing tool in your arsenal.   Years ago, before dental marketing was allowed, it was how you built a practice. Yet very few doctors today understand how to implement and execute a referral program that works. I’m going to let you in on a few secrets of how to make it work for you. The steps are simple:

The “message” is really just basic conversation. Many doctors seem to have an inherent fear of rejection in asking a patient for a referral. Your patients come to you because they respect your expertise, appreciate your care, and actually enjoy your company. So why would they flat out reject your request? All you have to do is ask:

 

“Karen, thanks so much for coming in today. I really appreciate your trust in me. If you have any friends or family who you think would benefit from our care, would you mention our name? Wonderful! Let me get you a few of our cards.”

 

It’s that simple. And all it takes is practice. The first few days you do this, you may feel awkward and uncomfortable, but with time I promise it becomes natural. Practice a few scenarios in your team meeting and get everyone comfortable with the approach.
 

 

Let’s face it, your team is probably going to need a little motivation. They believe in you and what you can do, but many teams consist of natural care givers, and those personalities tend to lean towards giving, not sales. They may feel like they are begging for business and may feel resentful that they are being put in this position. So make it fun for them - people want to be recognized for their contributions!

 

Ask your team to put their initials on the back of each referral card they hand out. You could provide an additional reward for every patient that comes in presenting a card with their initials. It might be a $25 gas card, cash, or a gift. If you have a large team, you may want to have a monthly or quarterly drawing from all referral cards that came from the team. The winner might get a day at the local spa or a bonus day off. All it takes is a single reward to provide a carrot for the next time, and in no time at all the behavior becomes a habit, not a chore.

 
 

Your patients need incentives too. Asking for the referral is key, but offering an incentive will significantly impact your success. Many offices offer a $25 credit on the referring patient’s account, or a more immediate reward of a gift card. You’ll want to have an incentive for the new patient as well. You can provide a discounted new patient exam, a credit to their account, free take home whitening and many other ideas.

 

What if your practice is located in a very upscale community that is unlikely to be motivated by a small (to them) financial incentive? Studies show that women particularly like supporting businesses that give back to their community. Partner with a charity or community project and offer the patients the option of a donation to the charity in their name. This makes all parties involved feel good about their recommendation!
 

 

It is critical to go a step beyond actually providing the promised reward to their referring patient. This person has just acted as a spokesperson for you, and has put their own credibility on the line with a friend or colleague. When the new patient appoints, send a hand written note to the referring patient to acknowledge their support, noting the corresponding reward. Also make sure that the new patient has an outstanding experience in your office to support your referring patient’s recommendation. 

 

If you have a patient who is a frequent referrer (every practice has a few walking billboards!), do something a little extra special. Send flowers to their office, send them out to dinner, or even schedule to have their car detailed when they are in for their next appointment. Going above and beyond will only reinforce their enthusiasm for you and your practice. 
 

 

It’s one thing to start a referral program, and another thing entirely to keep it going. If the program is not monitored and discussed daily, it will quickly drop off in the face of other, more urgent needs. I recommend making the referral program a part of your daily team huddle. Review the schedule and assign certain patients to each team member. This keeps you from tripping over each other, assaulting the patient with referral requests from several other people in a single visit. At the next morning’s huddle, ask each team member how the patient’s responded to the request. This provides public accountability to each person, and also allows you to quickly address a patient who may have declined the request.

 

With a small investment in time and referral cards, you and your team will have dozens of new patients coming in your door. It’s a win/win for everyone involved!