When someone you trust makes a recommendation, you believe them. That’s why word of mouth is the best marketing. Up to 65% of new business comes from referrals — people recommending your business to others. Mental health care is no exception. Referrals are critical for mental health professionals looking to grow their private practices.
I sat down to talk with All Counseling’s CEO, Kolby Nance, about why referrals are so vital in private practice and how to get them. Kolby, who has started two successful private practices in as many states, has a lot of worthwhile advice on referrals for therapists.
What Keeps Therapists From Seeking Referrals?
One thing that Kolby wanted to address straight on is the fear that comes with starting a private practice and how it can get in the way of therapists seeking referrals.
“There’s always a felt sense of ‘Oh my gosh! What if in two weeks there’s nobody that wants to come back?’,” he said. “But for those that take the risk, the demand is there. The thing that works against you the most is the fear.
“If I were coaching somebody that’s early in their career or considering going out on their own, I would say what you’re wanting to build is much more along the lines of a marathon instead of a sprint or even a 5k. You’re wanting to build longevity here.”
The way to build that longevity, Kolby said, is through consistent networking. It took Kolby about six months to build a full-time caseload at his first practice in Florida. It took his wife, who also is a professional counselor, about four months.
It takes some time and patience to build a private practice, regardless of the size of community you’re in or how many other mental health professionals offer services there.
Why Referrals Matter So Much
When it comes to building your mental health practice, you may think it seems easy to do. After all, you know the need for the help you provide is great, so why wouldn’t people flock to make appointments?
Kolby said it’s not just about being known, although that is part of it. It’s also about who people trust.
“You’re fighting centuries of shame stigma that’s around the industry. Not only does a referral say who’s available and who I should go to, but it vets the care providers to distinguish who’s quality care and who isn’t.”
He said the need for a trusting, emotional relationship is different from probably any other industry.
“Even if I’m going to have heart surgery, I don’t care if my heart surgeon is a jerk. I just care that he or she can operate on my heart. I care about competency. Yet, in this work, not only do you need competency, you need deep empathetic care.”
Referrals typically come from a trusted source, which lends credibility to the therapists’ competency and the client’s ability to trust them.
What Are Good Sources for Referrals?
So, where do referrals come from? It depends a bit on the type of therapy you practice and who your ideal client is. The key is to think about who has access to those clients and build relationships with those people, so they can refer you when the opportunity arises.
Key sources for therapist referrals may include:
- Online directories, like All Counseling’s therapist directory
- Physicians
- Pastors
- Educators or school guidance counselors
- Human resources personnel or people in charge of employee assistance programs
- Other mental health professionals
Connecting with other mental health professionals is essential, and a step people often overlook, Kolby said.
“A lot of times we just see them as competitors,” he said.
But mental health professionals support one another and often offer referrals when their caseloads are full. Kolby said to join professional organizations and not undervalue the importance of connecting one-on-one with other professionals too.
How Do You Get Referrals as a Therapist?
The best way to get referrals is to get out and meet people, Kolby said. That means blocking off time in your schedule and money in your budget for coffees or lunches. He said it’s as easy as identifying two people a month to have coffee with. Then, invite them to the conversation.
Kolby said an in-person meeting is much better than an email or phone call. When he first starts building a practice, he tries to meet with two people a week, which he admits is an aggressive approach to build his client roster faster.
“Close proximity touch points work best when you’re trying to establish trust,” he said.
Once you’re meeting with the person, treat it as a conversation to get to know each other, not a sales pitch, Kolby said. He said it’s important to let the person know who you are, what you do, who you serve, and that you are open to referrals, but the conversation should be more about getting to know and connecting with them.
“Just show up and connect. Don’t treat it like you might get a referral from this person. In fact, assume you won’t. Just have a natural conversation,” he said.
Another tip Kolby provided was not to forget about neighboring communities that may not be as well served as where you live.
“If you’re in a major city that’s really saturated, pick a town that’s 30 miles away … a neighboring town,” he said. “Start just by reaching out and networking. I think you’d be really surprised at just how little resources that those folks feel like they have. That opens up for virtual.”
What Mistakes Do People Make When Seeking Referrals?
The biggest mistakes people make when seeking referrals is not making time to network, not setting aside a budget for networking, or not treating networking meetings professionally, Kolby said.
Making time to network and setting aside even a small budget for those opportunities is critical when launching a private practice or trying to grow your referral network.
After you secure meetings with people, you must treat those meetings like the professional engagements they are. Show up on time, look professional, engage with the person in a respectful, timely way, but don’t try to sell them on you.
“It ends up damaging the referral relationship if you come across too pushy or unprofessional,” Kolby said. “Also, take off the therapist hat. You don’t need to show up everywhere becoming everyone’s therapist.”
Learn More About Referrals for Therapists
This post is meant to provide a high-level overview of our discussion about therapist referrals. If you want to benefit from the entire talk, including learning more about how to get referrals and what to do after you receive them, watch the full webinar below.
