Last week’s blog focused on part 1 of 3 ways to generate chiropractic referrals during the early stages of new patient process.
As practitioners it is our responsibility to provide opportunity through the patient process regularly to offer up new referrals. Fact is, any new patient referral is the natural consequence of creating and delivering value from the beginning.
REMEMBER: “Asking for a referral is an act of kindness”
It becomes easier, in fact inherent, to every step in your patient process. Patients may start care as “Believers”, but if you do your job well they will become “Understanders”.
The thing is when people understand chiropractic care, they want chiropractic care AND they want to share it with everyone that they know. Therefore, they would love to send you chiropractic patient referrals!
So, let’s be sure to educate them, equip them, recruit them and give them something to talk about!
Our patients learn a great deal from us on Day 1 and 2, but this is just the beginning of their education with us.
You may not realize it, but when a patient commits to your care, they are agreeing to HIRE you to help them get what they want. They chose you to be their leader, their coach, their teacher and clearly their doctor.
There are 3 Primary Ways To Gather Abundant Referral through what we call “Continuing Education”:
- Table Talk
- Workshop
- Progress Reports
These are critical interactions that deepen an individuals understanding of the Wellness Paradigm, the Chiropractic Principle and learn how to be a successful patient.
A big part of Continuing Education is to further their understanding of your mission to serve your community that is desperate for a better way.
Table Talk:
Tableside education is the perfect opportunity to expand your patient’s appreciation of the role that chiropractic can play in helping their friends and family reach their health goals.
I compiled a list of 12 Major Concepts that every patient needs to know and coined them the Dirty Dozen. These 12 concepts provide talking points and opportunities to request a referral. If you want access to this list, consider becoming a TRP DC Academy Member here.
People love to contribute to the growth of something worthwhile and bigger than themselves. Share testimonial stories, engage them with provocative questions and directly and sincerely ask them to tell others!
Be specific when you ask – give them context and direction. For instance, ask “Who do you know?” Maybe mention their workplace, their gym, and their church.
WARNING: Table Talk can quickly be reduced to small talk and wasted opportunity. BUT it can also become the touch point that drives huge growth through referral in your practice. Don’t blow it.
The Workshop:
The Workshop is the most pivotal experience in the patient transition from “Believer” to “Understander”.
When a New Patient commits to care, they do not yet understand chiropractic – they simply believe you may help them get what they want, but they don’t truly “get it” yet.
In order to help create and sustain a chiropractic patient referral funnel, your workshop should focus on 4 elements:
- The Wellness Paradigm
- The Chiropractic Principle
- How to Be A Successful Patient
- The Mission
The Workshop is your opportunity to create the space and time for your patients to have their epiphany. It is the ideal setting to generate chiropractic patient referrals.
They will hear something new, see something new and experience something new.
When people hear the truth they are compelled to move – they have to move – and they want to take others with them. They want to participate in the Mission.
It is important that you have a key concept or call to action that you are developing during your workshop. You are trying to get your audience to arrive at a specific point or conclusion – and you are building a case for this conclusion throughout your workshop.
For me, I build the case for the fact that:
“All children should have their spine and nerve system checked by a chiropractor throughout their life.”
After the workshop, I will always check in with the attendees and ask them what they thought of the workshop…what was their “Take-Away”. I specifically ask, “What did you learn about kids and chiropractic?”
If they are a parent, I press on and ask if they have scheduled their children for a check-up. If there is hesitation, I simply ask, “Do you think that I check my children regularly?” and so on.
This is usually a powerful and efficient way to help them arrive at the conclusion that they should get their kids checked too.
Remember – on Day 1 I told them that checking children is the highest priority of our practice. Here I close the loop.
Progress Exams:
The Progress Exam is a great “slip and check” for referral.
One of the questions that we ask on our Progress Exam Questionnaires is whether their family has had their check-ups yet. This is a great way to re-introduce the conversation.
For some people, it takes a bit longer before they schedule the family check-ups or refer a friend to your practice and that’s okay. Most people are simply “checking it out first” and are building confidence in you, your team and in Chiropractic.
Do not interpret their slow uptake as disinterest, simply come alongside them down this new path instead of waiting for them to come to you.