Reader M writes:

I’m wondering what the best way is to network with other practitioners in a small area. I’m feeling uneasy, shy, and even slightly pushy just cold-calling people, especially in planning exactly what I want to say. I don’t want to inconvenience people, and I don’t want them to feel like I am trying to take business away from them.

We’ve touched on leveraging professional referrals (one of our 5 P’s), but I want to go into this in more detail and give you a step-by-step system that works.

It’s normal to feel awkward about approaching these folks – particularly the ones you might consider to be competition. The good news is this: it doesn’t have to feel that way. You can build your referral base without being afraid or feeling uncomfortable.

The Secret To Professional Networking

The real secret to easy, effective networking is this: find something to give.

For professional networking to be successful, you need a reason to contact someone. And for it to be really successful, that reason can’t be, “I need more referrals” – you need to have something to offer.

What You Can Give

Feel like you don’t have much to offer? You might be surprised. There are more ways to give than you might imagine. Here are just a few things you can offer to other practitioners:

• Book an appointment.
• Ask for patient/case advice. I know this sounds like asking for something, but for most people, being asked for advice is flattering.
• Ask for business advice. Many successful practitioners love the idea of being asked for their business help.
• Link to their website. If you’re active online, link to another practitioner’s site and let them know.
• Refer a patient. Send a patient their way, then follow up to check on the case.
• Ask for their marketing materials, so you can refer to them.
• Thank them for inspiration, assistance, referrals, etc.

Why bother with all this giving? These approaches give you a reason to make contact. And it’s a comfortable reason, too – what could be easier than giving someone something? Our objective here is to open the dialog in a way that’s comfortable for you, and offers something to your colleagues.

Remember: this is genuine giving. You want to go into this with the idea that if you get nothing from the interaction except the joy of helping someone else, you’ve been successful.

How To Do It

Professional referrals are a one-on-one game. While things like newspaper ads, flyers and web content tend to be one-to-many, professional referrals are all about forging a deeper relationship. Take your time. Each health care professional in your area is a unique; you need to consider, respect and cultivate those differences.

What you’ll need: a notebook or binder, some Post-it notes in various colors, and alphabetical page tags

Step 1: Build Your List

Use a single notebook, or binder, and call it your “Professional Colleagues” file. In the notebook, each practitioner or related professional gets a whole page. You can use a computer file, but I still think a binder works better – it’s easier to move pages around, and it’s always “on”.

The Yellow Pages or similar directory will be the most useful source of people – just start plucking names, and adding them in alphabetical sections so they’re easy to find.

Step 2: Collect Data

Start collecting data on the colleagues in your book. You’re essentially playing detective at this point, fleshing out the pages in your notebook with the following data:

• Name
• Profession and credentials
• Contact info – phone, web, email, office address, etc.
• Friends or colleagues in common
• Something to give
• A personal referral (“Susan Jones suggested I contact you”)
  
• Other info: patients you have in common. Services offered. Unique ads, or activities in the community.

What’s important here is to develop the habit of adding to your book. You may have little more than a phone number when you first start your list, but that’s okay. These listings will grow over time as you meet people, talk to patients, and put yourself out there. Just keep adding information as it comes your way. Having a physical book, as opposed to a computer file, tends to make it easy to add stuff anywhere, anytime, and to include clippings, business cards, etc.

The two bolded items above – something to give and a personal referral – are special. Why? Because our one rule is this: you can’t move on to step 3 (first contact), until you’ve got at least one of them. Something to give trumps all, but a personal referral does a good job of opening doors, too.

Step 3: Make First Contact

As you work through your book, adding bits of information here and there, you’ll realize that you’ve got everything you need to make contact with a certain practitioner. Flag that page in your book with a sticky note. When you’re ready, simply contact the person in question, and arrange to meet in person (step 4). Again, take your time with this. Make an appointment once a week, if you have a lot of flags, but don’t get too crazy, or you’ll lose touch with the personal connection of a good relationship.

This first contact is where the give and/or personal referral really parts pay off. Either of those two make that first contact comfortable and super-effective, and tend to make the “what to say” part easy. Don’t make the call until you’ve got one of these. (If all else fails, just book an appointment. It’s a more expensive way to meet people, but it works wonders.)

Step 4: Meet in Person

Although you can do a remarkable amount online and by telephone, meeting local professionals in person just makes good sense. It’ll give you more time to get to know each other.

Remember to use each meeting as a chance to meet someone else. Don’t forget to ask these two critical questions before you leave: Is there anyone else in the area that you think I should talk to? and Can I use your name when I contact them? The answers go right in your notebook, and before you know it, you’ve got more people to meet with.

Step 5: Follow Up

Don’t forget to do the usual follow up after your meeting, in whatever form works best. You might want to send a note so you can include business cards, etc., but use your judgment.

Be Genuine

Part of connecting with your colleagues in this fashion is to be genuine. Don’t think of them as competition. Be interested in their success. Try to help them.

Take the time to get this right. Don’t just haphazardly call a few people. Systematically getting to know every practitioner in your area takes time, but it gets results. A solid professional referral base can create a steady flow of traffic to your office – remember, these people are in contact with people seeking health care all day, every day.

You may also be pleasantly surprised how much fun it is to give to people, and how many great friendships you can develop.

Above all, though, contact the professionals in your network with a desire to give. It’ll come back to you.