Really, there are two things that make the world go round…..money and recognition. Truth be known recognition is more sought after than money. Everyone likes to be recognized by their peers and others around them. Why else would there be a special parking place for the “employee of the month” or a plaque awarded to the “salesman of the month?” Your patients are no different so why not recognize them. In the process help them grow your practice.
In every office reception room should be a couple of very nice “menu boards.” One to list the names of patients who have birthdays that month. The other is to express appreciation to patients who have referred others to you for Chiropractic care. Recognition can be carried over with regular and electronic birthday greetings and “thanks for referring_______to us for care.”
Once a year your office should participate in a “new patient referral contest.” What you want to do is get your patients in competition with one another to refer others to you for care and use the menu boards as your “score board.”
Send an email or regular mail to your entire patient list telling them the clinic is promoting a fun contest for all patients. For the next “X” number of days (suggested no more than 60 to maintain interest) the patient who refers us the most new patients shall win a (a prize). It can be a new big screen HD TV, special weekend destination, 3 or 5 day cruise, etc. etc.. Make it something of value and worth working for. If possible display the prize in the reception room or have a large photograph of same where it can be easily seen.
The “thank you for referral” menu board will be the score board. The very top of the board will announce those listed are the leaders in the “NEW PATIENT REFERRAL CONTEST.” When a patient refers a new patient the referring patients name goes on the menu board with the number of referrals during the contest to the right of their name…..Tom Smith 3. The leading name/names go to the top of the board. At the conclusion of the contest the winner shall be notified. Have them come to the office to claim their prize, take a photograph and attempt to have it published in the local newspaper. Make this the top story in your monthly clinic newsletter.
You may wish to have more than one winner with a prize for 1st, 2nd and 3rd place. Should there be a tie the winner shall be determined by a coin toss with the winner getting first, the losers getting 2nd, 3rd and so on.
A good time to have the new patient contest is when the conclusion would be around the Thanksgiving holidays. Doing so would provide an opportunity to express appreciation to all contestants and give thanks for all their effort.