Renee Matlock, the owner of The Private Practice Coach, shares with clients her wealth of experience, gained over 30 years of building a profitable, multi-disciplinary private practice.
BLOG: Are You Nurturing Your Referral Sources?
Are You Nurturing Referral Sources
Do you have a system to acknowledge and nurture your referral sources? Developing a system to nurture your referral relationships is a matter of good manners (Remember your mother always told you to “Say Thank You”), good communication and good marketing.
Here is your Six Step Nurturing System for Referral Sources
1. Track Your Referral Sources–Have a system in place to track your referral sources. Monitor at least monthly. Did you know that as many as 80% of your referrals come from 20% of your referral sources?
2. Say “Thank You“–Show your appreciation by saying “Thank You”. There is nothing like a handwritten note to say you appreciate a referral. A small gift with a personal note during the holidays–or at any time–goes far to show you are grateful.
3. Follow Up–Consistent, prompt follow-up to the client referred to you is essential and honors that individual and the referral source. Send the referral source correspondence about the client when appropriate. In my practice, it is often appropriate to send the client’s initial report to the referring individual (with consent). This, in itself, becomes a secondary marketing strategy that can breed future referrals.
4. Stay in Touch–Consistent contact with your referral sources is essential to building and maintaining a relationship. Inform them of new services. From time to time reach out via phone, email, a lunch meeting or a chat over a cup of coffee. You can also send an article on a topic of interest or add their name to your E-Newsletter mailing list.
5. Refer Back–Refer back to your referral sources. The best way to say thank you for a referral is a reciprocal referral.
6. Just Ask–Always ask for referrals. It is as simple as saying, “I hope you will keep me in mind when you have other clients who can benefit from our services.”
The best compliment you can receive is a referral to your practice. Never take these referrals for granted. Nurture your referral sources as if your business depends on it…because it does!
If you need assistance moving your business to the next level or want to start a new business, I can help!
