This article covers the basics of referrals, including:
- How does the referral process work?
- Where do patients see referral incentives?
- Are there any legal restrictions to referral incentives?
- Can we run more than one ongoing incentive for referrals at a time?
How does the referral process work?
In the footer of every email RevenueWell sends out, we include an option for the recipient to refer their friend to your practice. To do that, we ask them to submit their friend's name and email address. Once that happens, RevenueWell will automatically send out this Referral Message email to the friend. This message introduces them to the practice and invites them to request an appointment.
In the Referrals tab, we give you a history of every referral ever made by a patient. This helps you keep track so you remember to reward your patients with their incentive.
Where do patients see referral incentives?
Every email that RevenueWell sends out has a footer that contains a "Refer a Friend" section. If you don't have an Ongoing Incentive activated, it will simply say, "Help us spread the word! Please take a second to refer your friends & family." If you activate an ongoing incentive, it will replace that text with what you write inside of the referral description.
To include an incentive, click on the Referrals tab.
Then, select a pre-written incentive or create your own. Mark the one you want to feature "Active."
Your emails will then show your text within the "Refer a Friend!" box:
Are there any legal restrictions to referral incentives?
This depends on state laws. While offering incentives (such as a gift card, entry in a drawing, etc.) for patients to refer friends can be a great way to get new patients, offering such incentives may be illegal in your state or in a particular circumstance. Always check your federal and state laws and confer with your legal advisor before using an incentive in this way.
If referral incentives are allowed in your state, RevenueWell also has several custom campaign templates available to help you. In the Campaigns tab, click "Create Campaign" to see the list of available templates.
Can we run more than one ongoing incentive for referrals at a time?
No, you can only run one ongoing incentive at a time for referrals. Within your Ongoing Incentives, select which incentive you want by marking it “Active.”