After the post on marketing with integrity, I thought it’d be useful to provide an example of putting the principles to work.

Referrals from existing patients are critical to growth. Good patients tend to refer other good patients, and that cycle is an important one for growing your practice with the kind of patients you want. If you read the post on marketing with integrity, you’ll know that aligning the type of patients in your practice with your health care and business philosophy is important.

For many practitioners, though, the tough part is generating those referrals while maintaining a level of professional integrity. How do you ask for those referrals without feeling…squishy? Let’s put some integrity into the problem and see what happens.

Be Honest
Your patients don’t necessarily have a good grasp of how busy you are. In fact, they have a tendency to believe that when your practice is even a little busy, you don’t want new patients. However, they’re only seeing a slice of your day – they’re not there on the days that the schedule has a four-hour gap.

The solution is to let them know, and really, there’s nothing wrong with simply telling them. Don’t burden your clients with the sad story of your mortgage arrears, just be willing to say that you’d like more business. This one is most easily done in person, particularly because patients will often ask about your practice, or comment on the level of activity in your waiting room. This is a perfect time to mention that you’re always accepting new patients.

Be Welcoming and Grateful
If you’re going to request referrals, do it warmly and gratefully. Instead of putting “new patients accepted” on your door, why not “Happily Accepting New Patients Since 2003”? Make sure you and your staff see each new referral as a gift, and don’t forget to track and thank your referrers. Those “thank-yous” aren’t just gratitude for the increased business, but gratitude for the trust that a referral represents.

Skip the Discounts, Incentives and Two-For-Ones
While you may be able to generate some office traffic with a “bring a friend and get two free supplements” offer for your existing clients, it’s frequently the wrong choice. When you offer financial incentives for referrals, patients may begin to refer for the wrong reasons. (That and it may be against the rules of your regulatory body, if you have one.)

Referrals that come as a result of the value of your service tend to be referrals that match your vision and your practice style.

Instead, Offer Something Risk-Free
In fee-for-service health care environment, many people may be reluctant to refer because they don’t want to take the risk that what you do won’t work, or the practitioner-patient connection just might not be there. Offer a risk-free referral – a no-charge, no-obligation “meet the doctor” visit, for example. This is integrity – you’re offering to demonstrate your value right up front. You don’t have to treat people on this visit, but offer to meet them, hear their problem briefly, and let them know if you can help.

It’s important to get this on paper – a card or note, etc. Many people are reluctant to ask for this type of thing, but will be quite comfortable bringing in a printed offering.

Announce An Expansion
Marketing a new product or service always seems less “cheesy” when it’s done in the form of an expansion. This is particularly well-suited to existing patients – you don’t need to sell them on your practice to the same extent. It’s the “here we grow again” approach – instead of “50% off chiropractic visits”, try telling your existing patients about a new expansion in facilities, staffing, systems, modalities, testing, products or colleagues.

Related Posts
Marketing with Integrity, Part 1