How To Get More Referrals From Professional Colleagues?

Let's break it down to something simpler. From my experience, here are the key reasons why many dentists don't get more professional referrals.

1. They seldom, if ever, ask for them. (You will seldom get what you don't ask for.)

2. When they do receive a colleague referral, they don't express or show their appreciation. (Just as you should express and show appreciation to patients who refer others, you should do the same with your fellow professionals.)

3. They don't reciprocate with referrals back to their colleague. (If it's possible, you should refer back ... it likely will be expected.)

4. They don't view the process as a strategic relationship-building (marketing) decision in which both parties should benefit.

If you view getting more professional colleague referrals as a part of your overall marketing plan in which you actively attempt to build strategic relationships -- then ask for referrals -- you're likely to get them.

And if you express appreciation and reciprocate with referrals of your own, you'll keep them coming for years to come.

But where should you start? A Word Of Mouth marketing program is a logical starting point.

I'll go into more detail on this subject in the future.

Copyright 2007 by Galen Stilson