5 ways to get your patients to be more active referrers

Did you know it can cost up to six times more to secure a new patient than it does to keep a patient?

Keeping your patients happy and giving them a reason to return to your practice is a key element in maintaining a successful practice.

Word of mouth is always going to be a significant source for new patients, combine this with the ever-increasing influence of online reviews and it is clear that patient referrals and recommendations are a crucial factor for your practice. So how do you leverage this and get more consistent referrals more often, read below for 5 easy ways.

5 ways to get your patients to be more active referrers:

1. Ask your current patients

One of the easiest ways to get new patients in the door may be right in front of you. Invite your current patients who are raving fans to refer their friends and family to you and see if they would be willing to post positive reviews and ratings on Google. Be sure you thank the person who has taken the time to complete the review and ensure you are operating in compliance with APRHA guidelines too.

2. Deliver an exceptional patient experience

Essentially this involves every touch point in your patients journey, so from the moment your patient makes an enquiry to when they leave and hopefully return, all of the interactions involved during this process are important and will determine if your patient want to return and refer. It’s also critical that every patient goes through the same experience, so make it easy to replicate, seamless, efficient and automate wherever possible.

3. Give back to the community

Your patients love seeing that there is more to you and your team than just the clinical side. By supporting the local community you can show your patients that you have a heart and by working together with local groups and businesses you are increasing your chance of getting referrals by association.

4. Keep top of mind

Everyone is busy with a lot on their plate, so it is important to keep your practice on their mind. You can do this my communicating in a regular and meaningful way with your patients. focusing on quality rather than quantity and being useful, relevant and of value. Keeping your patients engaged and informed makes it more likely they will utilise your services. Choose channels that are effective for your patients e.g. website blog articles, social media, enewsletters etc. Another great way of keeping top of mind is by gaining feedback, online surveys work well for this, Patients appreciate being asked for their input and feel like they are part of the journey of the practice and are thus more likely to be loyal and active referrers.

5. Recognise and thank referrers

It is important to recognise and thank the person who has made the referral and don’t take them for granted. Referral programs, thank you cards, personal phone calls, do what works for you and your patients and is compliant for your practice.

For further advice on how to increase your patient referrals and if you are looking for support from the specialists in healthcare marketing, please contact Reality Marketing today on 0423 361 093 or email leonie@realitymarketing.com.au

Find out more about Reality Marketing