Elizabeth Huff offered a terrific idea on the 
COUNSGRADS discussion list last year and I keep meaning to pass it on to you.
Elizabeth said that she knows physicians are a busy group and often don’t have a lot of time between clients. To help them out and to help her get more referrals, when marketing to physicians, she brings along “prescription pads” with pre-printed referrals to her office! Now isn’t that clever?!
Elizabeth says that she believes that she has the edge over some of her colleagues simply because it is easy for the physician to tear off a pre-printed referral and hand it to his / her patient on the way out the door.
Thanks, Elizabeth, for sharing your clever idea with us all!
I think this is an excellent idea! Where can i purchase a prescription pad and how would you present this idea to a physician, if I don’t get meet them face to face. Afterall, they are extremely busy.
Hi, Sherly! Welcome back! I love this idea, too! I would create a Word document on my computer with this design and then take it to one of the big chain office supply stores to have it printed and padded. As for sharing it with the docs, I do think that you have to get face time with them or at least their gate keeper and staff. Often times, it’s actually a physician’s assistant or a nurse that ends up making the actual referrals. Start with your own docs and those of your family members. And, once you get in to see them, consider passing a couple of those prescription pads along in recognition of their extremely busy, overbooked days.
How simple to send clients your way!
I’m already googling preprinted prescription pads – how smart!!
Good morning, Stephanie! Welcome back and thanks so much, again for your support with my tweets about the Social Media LoveFest and the free webinar that’s coming up!
I hope you’ll let us know what you find by Googling!
This is a good idea, however, I don’t pay attention to the prescription at all. I fold it over, stick it in my pocket, and then pass it to the pharmacist and that is it. Listening to this discussion made me think of other ideas. You can order Pens over the internet with your info. As well as many other gadgets to give away. I have already written to about 3 doctors, so I haven’t gone to far but I will do the gadget thing because it is good marketing, as well as a business card and website.
Thanks so much!
Hi, Jeannine! Welcome to Private Practice from the Inside Out and thanks for dropping in to share your thoughts! I hope you’ll drop back in to let us know how those pens are working for you. Those gadgets have never worked well for me but you and I both know that different strategies work well for different therapists. Happy to learn from you and pass the info along, too!
Hello Tamara, this is an interesting idea. I include business cards and brochures when ever I do a mail out to doctors & lawyers. Hopefully they do not get filed under ‘G’. And I am not certain how successful this is as I haven’t had any calls from clients who heard about me through their doctor.
Dianne
Hi, Dianne! Welcome, welcome! If you are not sure how effective a marketing strategy is with your docs and lawyers, I suggest you ask them . . . or their admins and gate keepers. You can ask “Are these helpful or are they just in your way?” And, then be grateful for the candid reply.
When my colleagues or other businesses pass along handfuls of brochures to me, I generally refuse them because I already have more than enough papers on my desk! It’s not how I refer a client to a colleague either. I pass out business cards, URLs, etc. Your doctors and lawyers that you are networking with may love them . . . or they may not. Either way, they’ll appreciate you taking their needs into consideration.