Your education, clinical expertise, experience and the outstanding results you achieve for your patients may not be enough to guarantee their referrals.
In this highly competitive era of facial aesthetics (esp. toxin and fillers), the average patient is rarely motivated enough to refer by satisfaction alone – and barely motivated enough to return.
Whilst some practitioners ask for referrals with conviction and confidence, most do it timidly or casually, so it is the equivalent of a whisper in a stadium of screaming fans. Many are uncomfortable doing it and do it badly, infrequently and randomly.
So I’d like to give you some fundamentals on how to do this effectively, confidently and consistently, including an example script to use in your patient communications.
But firstly, it’s important to understand the…
10 Reasons Why Patients DON’T Refer (As Abundantly As They Could)
1. They don’t know HOW to refer (untrained and ill-equipped)
2. They try to refer and then BUNGLE IT, and actually drive a prospect away
3. “It” rarely comes up in their conversations (no easy or glaringly obvious opportunity)
4. They feel awkward about referring
5. They have no self-benefiting, interesting story to tell about their experience with you
6. They forget (we’re all very busy)
7. They don’t think it’s important
8. They fear negative consequences
9. They DID refer before but they were NOT thanked or acknowledged in any way, shape or form
10. They have little stature or influence with others (a polite way of saying they aren’t very sociable)
A Different Approach: We Need to Give Your Patients Something…
- They CAN do…and do comfortably.
- They can get positive response for doing – from those they do it to.
- They can get “brownie points” for doing – from those they do it to.
To accomplish the above, I have prepared an example script that you can use to facilitate, obligate and equip happy patients for making referrals.
Click here to download the script
Referrals are a vital part of the marketing mix during the best of times. But in this highly competitive era of aesthetic medicine, they’re simply essential. People are far more cautious with the money they spend. If you’re recommended to them by someone they trust, it will massively reduce that caution.
Click here to download the script
Best Wishes
Pam X