One of the top items in a Business Plan should be SET UP A REFERRAL STRATEGY

Why Chiropractors focus on new patients off the streets over new patients through referrals baffles my mind.

Of course, their first response is, “But, I can’t get referrals if I don’t get any new patients in the door!” That comment reveals so much to me about how they run virtually everything in their lives. It’s natural to focus on immediate concerns and needs but my point is that most “immediate” concerns wouldn’t exist if things were done right in the first place.

…and it’s those “immediate” concerns that create most of the tension, stress, and worry.

It’s like a patient telling you, “But, I don’t have time or discipline to eat right, lose weight and exercise… shut up and just restore my health doc!”

So, the first REFERRAL KILLER IS IMPROPER FOCUS.

Focusing on “new ones” and not the ones you already have, including those in your mailing list, is a referral killer.

The SECOND referral killer is PATIENT COST.

Patient cost in terms of the commitment of time and money. Right or wrong, the longer the time commitment and the higher the price, the fewer the referrals. Period.

So, no matter what results you achieve, if it cost a lot and/or took a lot of time (not necessarily per visit but overall time; weeks, months, years, etc.), it will kill referrals.

Remember this,

“The key to practice stability is referrals.”

REFERRAL KILLER #3: POOR CLINICAL SKILLS

Every Chiropractor believes he or she is proficient, yet many are not. If you are hurting patients, over treating, not managing their case properly, you will kill referrals.

In this department, Dr. Steve Yeomans is here to help all PBA members.

…and #4: NOT HAVING YOUR ACT TOGETHER

The entire office needs to be run smoothly and efficiently. If a patient notices incompetency, inappropriateness, lack of genuine concern, even a “filled to the brim” waste paper basket, red flags pop up.

You need to be on top of your game in all areas, at all times. You need to maintain communication with your patients; not only during their care but even when they aren’t coming in.

Spend the money where it counts and the top 3 areas are:

We do most of #2 and #3 for you but you need to create that fertile ground in your practice plus provide a delightfully unusual service worthy of telling others about.