Marketing: Speak to their pain points

Q. How do I build relationships with referral sources? 

A. I won’t lie. This one can be tricky, because when reaching out to referral sources, there’s often a gatekeeper to “woo” first. The information you’re trying to get to physicians, assistants, RNs and discharge planners probably has to go through a receptionist or office manager before it gets to your intended audience.  

The best way to do this is to ensure the information you provide speaks to their pain points. It needs to look valuable enough to the gatekeeper that they pass it along instead of into the recycling bin.  

Let’s take Harold from our previous articles as an example. As a new CPAP user, Harold was referred to you. The physician didn’t just want someone to drop off equipment for their patient, they wanted a partner in compliance. They connected with the educational materials you supplied and knew you were the provider to help their patients.  

Getting that information to Harold’s physician is another story. Your referral sources are probably extremely busy, so emails and phone calls may go unanswered if you rely solely on them. Incorporate personalized mailers into your communication plan. These should: 

• Be personalized to the target audience. 
• Speak to their pain points and show the value of your services. 
• Have a trackable, measurable call to action.  

There are plenty of other tactics to try. Before social distancing, taking doughnuts into the office was actually fairly effective (and could be again). Whatever you decide, keep these two things in mind:  

Many times, reaching out once isn’t enough. You’ll need multiple tactics working in concert. 

Consistency is key; it can’t be a one-and-done touchpoint.  

Christina Throndson is business developer with Moxie & VGM OTS. Reach her at Christina.Throndson@ExperienceMoxie.com.