More Dental Referrals in 4 Easy Steps
If you’re reading this and thinking you don’t even need to press play on this video because you already know all about dental referrals, then you’ll want to rethink that. See there’s a lot more to this that we’re willing to be you and your office team probably aren’t privy to or even executing properly.
Xaña Winans, owner, and CEO of Golden Proportions Marketing, the country’s leading dental marketing company, breaks it all down, step-by-step so that you can see how making a few changes to how you approach dental referrals in your office, could have a dramatic effect you never thought possible. She’ll tell you right off the bat that referrals from happy dental patients are the least expensive, most effective marketing you’ll ever due — and that’s 100% true. Press play and find out what four things you need to start doing today that can bring even your dental referral patients your way.
(P.S. After you watch the video, there’s even more good stuff waiting for you. This is the year you’re moving away from stale dental marketing and start fresh for the new year with a new personal playbook filled with custom monthly marketing strategies that work. Download your FREE copy of “The 2020 Dental Marketing Inspiration Guide” today to get started.
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TRANSCRIPTION
Referrals from happy dental patients are the least expensive, most effective marketing you will ever do. Raise your hand if you want more of this kind of magic in your practice! If you didn’t raise your hand, you’re either not paying attention or you’re fibbing, so let’s get down to business.
Hi, I’m Xaña Winans, owner and CEO of Golden Proportions Marketing, the country’s leading dental marketing company. Today, we’re going to get you more referrals from your dental patients in 4 simple steps.
First – BE ON TIME! In life it’s the little irritations that stick with you, like being made to wait when you were on time. Running behind in your dental office is typically due either to poor scheduling, or poor time management in the back. If a procedure commonly takes longer than you have scheduled for, either have a team member give you a 10 minute warning before the end of the appointment, or lengthen the time for those types of procedures that always run over.
Does the procedure time account for hygiene checks and the presentation of treatment plans? Remember, there’s more going on than just the actual crown prep. When you’re really far behind, call patients who will be affected and give them the option of rescheduling. They will appreciate you for it.
Second, do what you say you’re going to do. Have you heard the expression “Expectations Minus Reality Equals Conflict?” That’s pretty much at the root of every problem. Be clear in your patient communication, deliver what you promise during treatment, be clear about financial arrangements, and be up front with patients if something does not go as expected. That kind of trustworthiness makes you highly referral worthy.
Third, be grateful. Your patients have a lot of dentists to choose from, so make sure they know you appreciate them, enjoy their company, and that you are grateful they chose you for their dental care. Acknowledge referrals with a handwritten note and an in-person thank-you. In this hurried, digital world, an authentic expression of appreciation and gratitude goes a long way and will make you memorable.
Finally, ASK! You’ve all heard this a million times, but people need, and want, to be told what to do. When your patient says something positive, such as “You really do give painless shots!”, this is your opportunity to say “Thank you, I appreciate the feedback! Not everybody can say that about their dentist, so if you have a friend who is looking for care, would you be open to mentioning my name? It would mean the world to me.” Then STOP. Don’t fill the dead air. Give them a chance to respond, because they will respond with “Of course I will!” if you give them a hot second.
Follow up by handing your patient a referral card to give to their friends. I find it helps to have a special offer for the referral, such as a free second opinion, or a reduced fee for a new patient exam, x-rays and cleaning. If you want to go one step further, hold a monthly or quarterly drawing for all of the current patients who have referred new patients to your office. Since there is no guarantee of winning, this meets the Federal Anti-Kickback Statute but still offers an incentive for referring to your office.
That’s it in a nutshell. Be on time. Deliver what you promised. Be grateful. And ASK for that referral. For more ideas on improving your internal marketing download our latest resource, the 2020 Dental Marketing Inspiration Guide. It’s full of ideas designed to improve connections with current patients and help you find new ones. Thanks for watching!
