Private Practice 101

Build your referral base

Who doesn't love a referral? Especially from a colleague or professional contact. Referrals infer trust and goodwill. With a referral, building the initial client connection is easier; the work of therapy can begin right away.

But many of those in private practice may have noticed a drop in referrals, as the recession takes its toll on our businesses. Even in a difficult economy, there is more that you can do to elicit referrals. Here is one strategy to incorporate into your practice-building efforts now that fits into the season of Thanksgiving.

Building a practice based on referrals is a mind-set. You must become an expert at not just getting referrals but also giving referrals. When business is slow, think: Who can I connect with and what do I have to give?

Over time, giving to others in your network leads to opportunities and referrals. At the very least you will generate good will, an important cornerstone of a viable practice. Read on to see how this works.  
  
One therapist gives back to her local community as a parent. Since she has children at home, she volunteers time at their schools and at the neighborhood soccer team. She gets known through these channels and develops relationships with other parents and teachers. These parents and teachers are her friends, not potential clients. But they need services and she finds herself making a dozen referrals each year to other therapists and health professionals.

Then those professionals reciprocate in kind, because she knows how to ask for referrals back, to keep her business network reciprocal and mutual.

Try this:

• Create a diagram of concentric circles and place your practice at the center.
• Name each circle to reflect the links to existing communities that surround your practice now. One may be your geographic community (neighborhood), another may be your professional community (clinical societies, business associations), others may be related to shared interests (sports, arts, volunteer, religious, social).
• These do not need to be communities that you currently take part in, only communities that exist. Add as many circles as you need to represent the position of your practice.
• Pick one circle. Think how to add value to that circle. Don't contribute money--get personally involved and give something of yourself to this community for the purpose of improving your world. Feeding the circle will enrich your immediate environment, one form of reciprocation.
• What gifts do you have to give? To get referrals, give referrals.
• When referring to other professionals, make sure you establish a reciprocal relationship by explicitly asking that the favor be returned.  
• Other gifts to give? Time, energy, attention, a listening ear, asking good questions, a warm presence, business ideas, humor and lightness, and brainstorming. 

And of course always acknowledge referrals with a nice thank you note and a few business cards!

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Rachel Starck is a Licensed Professional Counselor in private practice at The North Portland Growth Place.  For more about Rachel’s practice and part time office space, go to www.thegrowthplace.com