Elevating your practice’s referral marketing: a comprehensive approach

Stacy Hill discusses establishing credibility and building long-term, genuine relationships with your referral network

In the realm of endodontic practice marketing, growth relies on incorporating these five essential components under the expansive marketing umbrella:

1. Website/SEO
2. Google reviews (Google Business Profile)
3. Social media
4. Print material
5. Referral marketing outreach

While not ranked in order of importance, consider this as a checklist to ensure a comprehensive approach. The bulk of time and financial resources needs to be allocated to Referral Marketing Outreach (No 5). Direct contact with the local dental community is the linchpin for exponential practice growth.

Before general dentists refer their patients to you, they must first KNOW, LIKE, and TRUST you. This is the North Star for both types of marketing strategies.

Referral marketing strategies – two types

1. Referrer retention

A retention strategy, targeting existing referrers, proves cost-effective but falls short in addressing the inevitable churn rate. Churn rate occurs when referring doctors retire, relocate, keep procedures in-house, or move their referrals to another specialist. Focusing only on current referrers will inevitably lead to a contraction in your referral network.

2. Referrer acquisition

This is critical for sustainability and growth. It involves building relationships with new doctors, countering the churn rate, and ensuring a continuous influx of new referrals.

Strategic time management

To optimize efforts, focus on offices with the highest referral potential. Your practice management software, a valuable tool for data-driven marketing strategies, will aid in identifying emerging referrers and shifts in referral patterns. Evaluating monthly and quarterly referral reports will help you monitor Adoption Spectrum movement within your referral network.

Monitor Adoption Spectrum movement

Watching the Adoption Spectrum movement within your referral network is the key to cultivating genuine, long-term relationships and retaining NEW referrers who continue to send patients.

• Awareness: If referring doctors are unaware of your practice, referrals will not materialize. Be present where it matters.
• Interest: Once aware, doctors seek information about you from mutual contacts, your website, social media, or your Google Business Profile.
• Trial: This is when the dentist moves from a cognitive state of being aware and informed to the emotional state of liking and hopefully preferring you.
• Adoption: This behavioral phase is when general dentists have adopted your practice as a regular referral option. Regular check-ins are crucial for relationship-building.
• Loyalty: In this phase, maintain regular communication to keep the entire office engaged.

Understanding the dynamic interplay between brand-building and strategic outreach is key. A robust brand establishes credibility, and referral marketing outreach serves as the driving force, propelling your practice to long-term success. This comprehensive approach guarantees not only survival but sustained growth in a competitive environment.

Enroll in a 45-minute on-demand marketing course tailored for endodontists (https://bit.ly/3T5mSA0). Discover effective techniques to enhance your reputation within your local dental community, foster long-term and genuine relationships, and establish a self-sustaining, data-driven marketing strategy. Leverage the resources already available at your practice to streamline these efforts, allowing you to focus on your expertise — patient care.