An ENT that you met at a conference has referred you to a patient who came to her with complaints of snoring. The patient immediately goes online to see what others have had to say about you and finds … nothing. Sure, there are a ton of reviews for your dental services, but this person is supposed to trust you with their life. What do clean teeth have to do with anything? This is exactly why you need to start working on your review solicitations sooner rather than later.
Go For the Low-Hanging Fruit
The easiest place to start is with your current patients. If you’ve helped any of them with sleep apnea or other airway complications — even if it was before you officially added OSA treatment to your list of services, they have something to say that prospective patients want to hear. When you let them know that you’re trying to help others just like themselves, they’ll be more than happy to help you in return by leaving a positive review on Google, Facebook, or other important review sites.
Ask Directly, and Ask Often
Even when you’ve provided a service that can potentially save a life, your patient’s instinct won’t be to go online and give you a 5-star review. Sure, they’ll be excited that they can breathe freely and go to sleep without fear of an apneic episode, but without a direct request, their excitement won’t go much further than conversations with their friends and family members. When you know you’ve helped a patient, don’t be shy about asking them to leave a review. Consider using signage at checkout as a reminder, and — if you want to be even more direct — send an email that directly requests that they leave a review. Or the most convenient and easiest way for your patients to leave a review is to work with a sleep marketing company like ours that has a software system to help you implement this type of campaign. The more reviews you have, the better; even if you have the occasional lackluster review, the cream will rise to the top, leaving nothing but a stellar reputation for potential patients to see.
It may seem counterintuitive, but establishing a positive online reputation is an important starting point to get your business off the ground. Once you do, the world is your oyster. Not only will potential patients have faith in your abilities to treat their OSA, but those who refer you will rest assured, as well.
