The most challenging aspects of internal marketing are knowing when and how to ask patients for referrals. Dental teams commonly worry they will come across as too pushy if they ask patients to send their family and friends to the practice. In addition, most dental teams feel awkward asking patients for referrals. Let’s examine the concerns to help you and your team become more successful at implementing an internal marketing program.
Put yourself in the shoes of a patient for a moment. If you go to a healthcare provider who consistently gives you a great experience, and if you appreciate the efforts of the team, what would you think if one day they asked you to tell your friends and family about the office? Most of us would take that as a compliment. Your dental patients feel the same way. If you consistently give them a great dental experience, they will gladly tell their friends and family about you. They will take it as a compliment when you ask them for referrals.
Compliments also provide an ideal opportunity to ask patients for referrals. By consistently delivering a great patient experience, people will compliment your dentistry, teamwork, and friendliness. This is the perfect time to reach for a business card, thank the patient, ask for the referral of friends and family. It’s that simple.
In addition, when your hygiene team puts together the take home bag for patients, they can include a business card and ask patients to share it with friends and family.
If you focus on asking for referrals whenever you get compliments and after regular recall visits, you will generate more new patients from internal referrals. As you know, your best new patients come from existing patients. However, since most of your patients assume you are not accepting new patients, you need to remind them by asking for referrals. When you do, they will help you grow your practice.