Keep the fire burning.
From building your database and tracking systems to stratifying your referral base and ensuring you have a service-oriented protocol for handling physician referrals, you’re on the right track. Now, you must sustain and build:
- Follow up with your A-list referrers quarterly. This can be as simple as a phone call, e-mail or personal note. Let them know you recognize and appreciate them. And every so often, when they least expect it, do something above and beyond – invite them to lunch or a round of golf, send a personal gift or gift card (something unique and meaningful to them). Just make it memorable.
- Follow up with your B-list referrers two times a year. They may not rise to the top now, but they still support your practice and with a little nurturing of the relationship, you never know who might rise to become an A-list referrer.
- Call or meet with each of the C-list docs you want to increase referrals from. Find out if they have had any issues or concerns with referring to you, promptly address these and get back to them with a solution.