How to Use Referral Marketing to Drive More Patients into Your Dental Office

Kelly Matsudaira

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Nothing beats word-of-mouth or referral marketing for dental practices, especially small ones. Not only can it be free, but you are also using your current patients to spread good news about your office, services and products to their family members and friends in hopes of gaining more customers. When existing patients have exceptional experiences with their dentists, they are more likely to share these positive moments with those closest to them.

In today’s digital and extremely social atmosphere, we have come to rely more than ever on reviews, recommendations and referrals, even from people we’ve never met. According to Nielsen, 92% of consumers trust recommendations or word-of mouth from friends and family above all other forms of advertising. Additionally, 81% of people have been influenced by family and friends’ social media posts.

Needless to say, referral marketing works.

The Truth About Referral Marketing

People have been referring businesses to their inner circles since the beginning of business. But while referral marketing is nothing new, the ways you can track and manage your referrals is. The internet has dramatically changed marketing and how people refer businesses. Dentists and their staff members can be more engaging with their patients and hold important conversations not just in-person at the office, but also online. When you build personal connections, you are recruiting your existing patients to help drive new patient acquisition.

So why does referral marketing work? One word: Trust. When a family member or friend endorses your dental practice and speaks highly of your office and services, that person trusts what they say. Everyone knows advertising and marketing messages are meant to get people into the door of businesses and convert them into paying customers. Therefore, many people don’t truly trust brand advertising. They know there is a hidden agenda. However, when a person is listening to someone they know and trust, that person is more apt to believe their story and take their word for it.

Three Benefits from Dental Referrals

One great benefit from referral marketing is that it can reach a wider audience that may not even be searching for you. It opens your practice to more people than even your SEO and social media efforts. And, those referred to your dental office are more likely to reach out to you and become new patients because they received a little push from their friend or family member. You’ll likely see your referral leads coming in faster with more immediate action, even if they have never heard of you or haven’t had any previous experience at your office.

Another great benefit of referrals is that it’s very cost-effective. Without any kind of referral program, this type of word-of-mouth marketing is mainly free. It only costs the dentist and his or her staff the time and energy to give each patient an exceptional experience when they arrive to the office. However, even when monetary, reward or discount programs are put in place to help increase referrals, the cost can be very minimal. If you would analyze the cost-per-lead for referrals, even accounting for expenses of programs, it is still much lower than other forms of marketing and advertising.

Finally, you are more likely to have higher retention rates and stronger loyalty from patients who were referred to you by other patients. The nice thing about referral marketing is that it’s not just a one-time strategy. Studies have shown that referred customers have higher margins and last longer than other customers. Plus, when you have a long-term patient, you grow the loyalty with them, and in turn they are likely to become ambassadors for your practice and refer you more business over time.

How to Implement Referral Marketing Programs

Implementing referral programs doesn’t have to be hard, especially when you allow patients to share easily across multiple digital platforms. Here are three steps to ensure a successful referral campaign:

1. Once you establish a referral program into your practice, be sure to train your dental staff on the importance of the program and why it is beneficial to the growth of your practice. Be sure everyone is knowledgeable about the details of the program and how it works so they can answer any questions patients may have. Encourage your staff to create a culture of referrals and bring up the topic in conversations with your patients.
2. Decide how you want to remind patients about your referral program. You may choose to create and print brochures, postcards or referral cards that explain the program and place them in obvious areas where patients will see them—the front reception counter, in the waiting area, or even next to each dental chair. You may decide that a display in the front lobby is best for your practice. Or you can use your paper materials as stuffers in invoice statements, hygiene bags or attach to walk-out statements.
   1. Don’t forget about using digital platforms. If you normally send out email blasts or email newsletters, include a small blurb about your referral program to remind people. You also can create a graphic call-to-action on your website through your web developer. When a visitor clicks on it, it takes them to a form they can fill out referring someone to your office. And finally, use social media to get more referrals. Create a post asking for referrals and explain your new program. Get the word out there and let your patients work for you.
3. Be sure to acknowledge and reward your existing patients when they give you a referral, especially those that frequently refer their friends and family. It doesn’t have to be costly. You can write a sincere handwritten ‘thank you’ note, offer a monetary reward, give a small gift card as a token of appreciation, give a customized mug or any other merchandise you have created for your brand or any other types of giveaways you deem appropriate. You just want to show that you value their referral.

Referral marketing can have a huge impact on the growth of your patient base and practice, but you must work at it and continually provide exceptional service and stay engaged with each patient. It’s all about creating loyalty and trust with your patients so they will turn around and speak highly of your office and services, and refer their family and friends to you.