Rules of asking for a referral

On Monday we discussed external marketing in regards to asking for a referral. In your daily or weekly huddle you are going to identify which patient personalities you want more of. Once you have identified which patients best fit your population, practice asking for the referral.

Role-play in the huddle using different dialogue in order for everyone to feel comfortable asking for the referral.  You might try saying, “did we do an excellent job today?” They respond with yes. And you say, “fantastic please take a moment to tell a friend about your excellent service today. You want to sound natural and make it a part of the conversation but it may feel awkward at first.

Offer a referral rewards program. For example, a free gift card to Starbucks or entry into a drawing for a free whitening session.  Whatever, your office comes up with advertise it in the office and get patients talking about it.  

You can advertise on your external websites but use caution as there are some regulations in regards to rewarding patients for reviews and liking you on Facebook.  You cannot directly tell individuals that you will offer something if they like you on Facebook or give you a yelp review.

Set a goal number of referrals you are going to ask for each day and keep track of how many you actually ask for. This is important in order to make sure that staff and you are being held accountable. It is easy to say yes, we are going to do more of that but it will build momentum when you have that constant goal you are trying to reach.

Asking for a referral helps continue to build your practice by bringing in new patients. Each individual that leaves your office that you do not ask is a missed opportunity. Be consistent and pretty soon you will find more ideal patients walking through your door.

Internal Marketing

Marketing is what your office does to bring in patients. There are two types, internal and external.  Today we are going to focus on active events that you and your staff can do that would be considered internal marketing. Internal marketing are activities that occur in the office that help bring in new patients or help find opportunities for the dentist in order to build the practice. 

 

It starts with asking for a referral. During the team huddle, look through the schedule. Identify which patients you want to see more of. 

Second, look at if you had the ideal practice which individuals on the schedule you would want in your office?  These are the individuals you are going to ask for a referral from. You don’t want patients that you struggle to get paid from or ones that cancel over and over.  People spend time with which they are most like. So, you want to bring more patients through the door that smile when they are there, enjoy coming to the dentist, and keep their appointments.  Post a sign up that let’s individuals know about your referral incentive.

Utilize demand force or a website that has the same capability to send out reminders to patients about their appointments. Set up a system where the patient will receive an email in advance and then a text a day in advance. Ask them to confirm their appointment.

Set up a contest where a patient can win a fancy toothbrush or free whitening. This can be advertised on your external marketing but it will also get patients excited about coming to your office. Excited patients talk to other people. Individuals can go to just about every corner and find a dentist so, make sure that your marketing is the one that keeps grabbing their attention. 

External marketing helps continue to build your patient base. New patients equals new opportunities. 

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Positive Dog-Opportunities vs. Challenges

 








At some time in our life we will all face challenges. We have to accept this fact. When faced with an inopportune problem however, you can see it as a challenge or an opportunity.  Opportunities provide, "favorable juncture of circumstances" while challenges halt progress. Opportunities give you solutions while challenges build mountains.

When we hit an adverse situation we need to dig deep and look for how it will help us grow instead of allowing this problem to hold us back from the true opportunity that is waiting for us.  

"The Positive Dog," suggests asking yourself three questions to help turn your situation into a positive situation. 
  
                       Jon Gordon, "The Positive Dog."
1. What can I learn from this experience?
2. How can I grow from it?
3. What do I do know?

          

It is what we do with the information and the situation that turn your life around.

 "Rich and successful people are solution-oriented; they spend their time and energy strategizing and planning the answers to challenges that come up, and creating systems to make certain that problem doesnít occur again."  

                  T. Harv Eker

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