Dental patient referrals are one of the most lucrative ways to grow your practice. And, while you hope that people find their way to your office via a simple online search, referrals are more likely to become long-term patients. But, it seems that many dentists struggle when it comes to asking their patients for referrals, or they feel uncomfortable asking in the first place. We are here to share with you five no-fuss ways of getting more patient referrals without even having to ask!
-
Stay on schedule
Running behind schedule communicates to your patients that their time isn’t valuable. We get it though, sometimes there’s a curveball thrown in your day and getting behind is unavoidable, but it shouldn’t be the norm. But, no matter what words you say, being on time speaks more volume over apologizing for being late. Staying on schedule also helps establish mutual respect with your patients.
-
Mind your manners
Just like mom always said, mind your manners by saying please and thank you, not only with your patients but also with your team. You could literally be the best dentist in town, but if you aren’t polite to your patients and your staff, you’re going to lose patients and likely some employees too. Establish a culture of gratitude, and make sure that everyone on your team works to foster that type of environment as well.
-
Follow through with what you say you’re going to do
It’s safe to say that the real measure of a person’s integrity is whether they follow through with their word or not. This also applies to your dental practice and with your patients. Do what you say you’re going to do! And everyone on your team needs to be on the same page with this. If your front office staff says that they will follow up with a patient after they hear back from the insurance company, yet the patient is just left wondering about their benefits and if or when they should schedule treatment, then your team isn’t honoring their word. Patients will begin losing trust in your office.
-
Finish what you start
Setting short- and long-term goals is essential to running a successful dental practice. If you don’t have any goals or you often change course, you’re going to seem unreliable, and patients may be left feeling confused. They need to know what to expect. So, set clear expectations and be consistent with your deliveries.
-
Stay connected with your patients
A simple follow-up phone call to your patients or a postcard sent on their birthday shows that you genuinely care about your patients. It helps you stay connected to them. Show them that you care about their treatment outcomes by scheduling follow-up calls to check in and see how they are doing. Outbound calls should be more intentional than just calling patients who missed their six-month cleaning.
The idea of implementing these tips may seem easy as you read them, but actually following through is something entirely different. If you would like to learn more or find out how our dental consultant can help increase your patient referrals, contact Bryant Consultants today by calling (877) 768-4799 to schedule a consultation.
