Referrals are the single most reliable — and cost-effective — way to generate new patients.
But most dentists do referrals wrong. And by most, we mean nearly all.
For example, only 5 percent of dental practices track the patients that they refer out to specialists.
This means only 5 percent of dental practices are putting themselves in a position to build a relationship with that specialist (and for that matter, follow up to make sure that the patient has been able to get help).
But building those referral relationships is really important! Over time, you’ll get as much business as you give (if not more so) as long as you take the time to do more than just send a patient out the door with a referral note and then move on with your day.
By tracking which patients you refer out and which doctors you refer to, you’ll be able to see which referral relationships are generating return value for your practice — and which might need a little love and attention.
You’ll also be able to follow up with your patients on their experience with the doctors you’re referring them to. This is a great way to earn more of their trust, as well as make sure that you’re only sending future patients to doctors who do a good job.
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