A referral is one of the most powerful tools your practice can utilize. It is pretty much a recipe for instant growth. So if your practice is not working to encourage referrals (a.k.a. referral marketing), you are missing out on a major channel of revenue!
The 7 Key Elements of Patient Referral Marketing
#1 Handwritten thank you notes – If one of your patients refers a new patient to you…it’s like they handed you thousands of dollars. We sure hope you’re thanking them! This doesn’t just mean a verbal thank you. We’re talking about something more old-fashioned than that… a handwritten thank you note!
#2 Oops gifts – No matter how hard we try, some days just don’t go as planned. For these situations, a small gift can speak a thousand words. Whether it’s a coffee mug with a gift card, a t-shirt or a mouse pad, a bit of swag can turn frustration into appreciation. For example, when a patient has been waiting far too long, give them a gift and say, “I’m so sorry! The doctor is running behind schedule because of an emergency this morning.” “Here is a token of our appreciation for your patience.” While this frustrated patient might have used the wait time to write a negative review with their smartphone, they will instead have feelings of goodwill. It’s a simple show of respect and appreciation for their time and patronage.
#3 Email Touch – Staying top-of-mind is essential. We recommend sending a quarterly email that shows up in your patients’ inboxes. You can use these to announce good news, feature a success story or share helpful tips or holiday greetings. This email touch should remind patients of all the avenues by which they can engage with you, SO BE SURE TO: link to your blog, website and social media channels.
#4 Social media – Engaging with your patients is essential…and social media is a place where people go to engage. It can keep you connected to patients on a daily basis and continue to build and reinforce relationships. We recommend you post 5 days a week on all major platforms using relevant hashtags and engaging topics. If you are blogging (here’s why you should be), your content should also be shared via your social media channels. If you don’t have time to manage your practice’s social media, connect with us.
#5 Voice – Your patients should feel that they are hearing from the same voice or person in each communication. This is your brand voice, and it should run through all of your communications. A positive, consistent, authentic voice— that always reinforces your practice’s core values— helps to build and strengthen relationships. Need help defining your brand voice? We can help.
#6 Consistency – If tips 1 – 5 are followed on a consistent basis, you will see an increase in referrals. If your efforts are sporadic or watered-down, the results will be too. Consistency is critical.
#7 Thankfulness – You appreciate your patients…show them, Pick a random day each month to give thanks to your patients! YOU CAN: Post a THANK YOU message on social media, decorate the office with balloons, serve food and play fun music! When patients show up, give them a gift! The surprise appreciation will make their day. At least once a year, invite all of your patients to an appreciation day. Whether you rent an amusement park or movie theater, or simply invite them to your office for a party -the idea is that you invite your patients to show up and have fun!
To help you maximize the power of referrals, we created a free report—The Polite Southerners’ Guide to Referral Marketing: Keys to Making Referral Marketing Work for Your Medical Practice. DOWNLOAD IT HERE!