5 Ways to Get More From Your Referral Marketing

It’s natural to think about referral marketing in terms of the patients you hope to get from outside physicians. But every relationship has two sides. So, start by asking what your physicians can offer the clinicians you’re trying to reach.

Here are five tips to help create a strong referral campaign with Doximity:

1. Start with your noteworthy physicians

The first step in choosing your Featured Physician shouldn’t be asking who is available. Instead, think about what makes your doctors valuable to others. Maybe they offer a procedure that isn’t widely available, they’re doing important research, or perhaps they’re using a new technology and bringing unusual expertise to a challenging condition.

A compelling clinician gives other physicians a reason to respond. So, find a doctor with something valuable to talk about and an interest in connecting with others. Once the conversation starts, it’s important to keep it going.

2. Find physicians who have a reason to respond

Having a compelling physician with something valuable to offer is only half the equation. You also need to find the clinicians with a reason to care. To increase the chances of getting a response that opens the door to a relationship, target clinicians who can benefit from knowing your physician.

Specialty and geography matter, but they’re only part of the picture. Patient volume, referral patterns, affiliations, training, professional connections, and other signals can help identify physicians for whom the connection could be especially relevant.

3. Share information they’ll want to know

Once you’ve found the right audience, give them something useful — not just something you want to promote.

New research. A clinical advance. An unusual case. Or a capability that could make a difference for their patients. Our experience shows that clinical content tends to resonate more than administrative updates and promotional material. Not sure if your news qualifies? Just ask yourself, “Would this still be worth reading if the hospital’s name wasn’t attached to it?”

4. Treat responses like introductions, not conversions

We like to think of Colleague Connect as a “digital handshake.” That’s a useful way to think about what should happen after a physician responds.

A connection or reply isn’t the end goal. What you really want is for the physicians to start talking. So, encourage your Featured Physicians to answer every reply. And make it easy for the conversation to continue by having them include direct contact information. Sometimes a simple acknowledgment of a new connection is all it takes to get a dialogue started. Other times it takes a little more effort to turn that first response into a real conversation.

5. Give the relationship a second chapter

One interaction rarely leads to a referral relationship. So don’t ask the first message to do all the work.

Keep giving new connections reasons to stay connected. Share another relevant piece of clinical content. Follow up with new research. Invite them to an event that matters to their practice. Continuing to show up in ways they care about keeps them interested.

The best referral relationships are useful on both sides. Give physicians good reasons to know, respect, and stay engaged with your physicians, and you give those relationships room to grow. If you have questions about implementing any of these tips, reach out to your Client Success Team. They’re always ready to help.