PT Referral Programs: Tips For Physical Therapists [+Tools]

Your current and past patients love your physical therapy clinic and are grateful for your help in reaching their recovery goals. Once they’ve fully recovered, patients might not need your services any more. But there’s a way for them to “replace” themselves with new patients and create a cycle that keeps your physical therapy practice thriving – you can leverage their satisfaction to grow your practice and increase your patient volume.

It’s as simple as starting a PT referral program. This marketing strategy streamlines the process of asking for – and collecting – referrals, so you’ve got one less thing to worry about. Here’s how to start a PT patient referral program, plus some of our favorite tools for starting one. 

What is a PT referral program?

A physical therapy referral program, or PT referral program, makes it easier to promote your physical therapy services and helps you keep track of where your referrals are coming from. By using unique referral links, people can easily share information about your services with friends, family members, and people they serve. Each referral will be connected to the person who made it, so you can easily see who helped bring in new clients.

Benefits of PT referral programs

PT referral programs are designed to engage past and current patients who are already inclined to recommend your services, plus mobilize anyone else in your community. By fostering trust, you can grow your clientele without the need for expensive marketing tactics. Here are the key advantages of physical therapy referral programs:

Enhanced brand visibility: Referral programs tap into the excitement of happy patients or clients who share their positive experiences. This word-of-mouth promotion not only strengthens your business’s reputation but also boosts social proof and piques the interest of potential patients or clients.

Greater trust in your offerings: Referrals are often seen as more credible than advertisements or messages from your own office – people trust what their peers have to say most. According to a Nielsen study, 84% of individuals consider referrals to be the most trustworthy and effective form of advertising.

Generation of warm leads: When clients recommend your services, they connect you with people actively seeking physical therapy. These referrers are familiar with your offerings and can introduce you to others who need your services.

Higher conversion rates: A personal recommendation significantly increases the likelihood that others will choose you for physical therapy. Because of the trust involved, they are more inclined to engage with you. Research indicates that a personal endorsement can be up to 50 times more effective in driving purchases than traditional advertising.

Simplified referral tracking: Implementing a referral program allows for easy tracking of referrals. With the right referral software and the links it generates, you can effortlessly attribute each referral to the patient or client who made it.

Referral software for physical therapists [Free Tools]

These referral tools for physical therapists are a free and easy way to help you start your referral program.

Want a fully automated referral program for your physical therapy business? Run your referral program with us at Referral Rock. Find out how we can build your program with you (and tailor it to your unique needs)

Before you launch a PT referral program

To launch a successful PT referral program, it’s essential to ensure that you are truly referable – that is, deserving of recommendations. People are more likely to share their experiences if they have a compelling reason to do so, and the quality of service you offer will play a significant role in whether they choose to recommend you to their friends and family.

In physical therapy, this revolves around the level of care you deliver, because assisting people in their recovery journey is your number one priority. Are you offering tailored, top-notch care that addresses the unique needs of each patient and helps them achieve their goals?  Does every patient who walks through your doors feel appreciated?

Make sure that you go above and beyond, with an experience that sets you apart from your competition. A great way to check this is by looking at what people are already saying about you. Are you getting five-star online reviews, testimonials, and social media comments? High scores on patient satisfaction surveys? Are patients giving you compliments – or even referring their own friends already? If you’ve answered yes, you’re ready for a PT referral program. 

Best practices for physical therapy referral programs

Now that you know you’re ready for a referral program, follow these tips to help set one up. 

Know your possible referral sources

Although your current and previous physical therapy patients will be your main referral sources, you should let anyone who could make referrals to your practice know about your program. This way, all the referrals you receive will be trackable. 

You could get referrals from:

• Primary care physicians, nurses, and other healthcare professionals
• Sports coaches, athletic trainers, and managers
• Personal trainers
• Gym instructors and managers
• Businesses and organizations serving athletes
• Businesses and organizations serving older adults 

Don’t offer traditional referral rewards

As a provider of a type of healthcare, you need to be careful that you don’t violate laws on referral rewards. So, check on the laws governing healthcare referral rewards for your country, state, or area.

In the US, you need to stay in compliance with the Anti-Kickback Statute. This law prohibits you from paying out any rewards for a new referral when the new patient’s care is at least partially covered by Medicare, Medicaid, or any other federally funded healthcare program. And sometimes, state laws on healthcare referral rewards are even stricter, prohibiting all healthcare providers from giving out rewards no matter how someone pays.

Regardless of whether your referred patients use federal funds to pay for physical therapy, it’s probably best to make things simple and steer clear of referral rewards altogether. Many of your patients will have at least some care covered by these federal programs anyway, and some referral sources beyond patients (like doctors) can’t legally accept rewards. Plus, this way, your high-quality physical therapy, and not the value of the reward on offer, is the main reason people share with friends. 

But don’t dismiss referral programs just because you won’t be able to offer rewards. Non-incentivized referrals are the truest form of recommendation. They show that clients are sincerely recommending you because they genuinely want others to benefit from the same compassionate care. Additionally, you’ll reap the rewards of the trust that people have in their friends and family, even without any rewards.

As an alternative to traditional referral rewards, you could instead make a donation in the referrer’s name for every successful referral. Patients will appreciate the opportunity to help their friends and give back. This is also a great option when you get referrals from someone who can’t legally or ethically accept any referral reward (such as another healthcare provider).

Ask for referrals at the best times

One of the easiest and most effective ways to secure client referrals is to simply ask for them. Since you’ve already established a good relationship with your patient and have had ongoing conversations, it’s a natural step to reach out.

Timing is crucial when you make your referral request. Look for those moments when your clients are particularly happy and you’re still on their minds. For example, consider asking when they:

• Leave a positive review or comment on social media
• Provide favorable feedback in a survey
• Express their appreciation during or after an appointment
• Recommend your services to friends outside of the referral program
• Have finished a treatment and you know they’re happy: ask “would you like to help someone else feel better? Who do you have in mind?”

If you know a client was satisfied with your services, it’s a great opportunity to ask for a referral when you send the invoice for a completed appointment.

Once you’ve found the right moment, how do you make the request?

• Express how much you appreciate their decision to choose you for their physical therapy needs
• Remind them of the reasons they chose your services, highlighting why they would be great at referring others.
• Be specific! Ask if they know anyone who fits your ideal client profile and could benefit from your services.
• Finally, provide a clear link to your referral program to make it easy for clients to take action.

You might also think about sending a thank-you card after someone finishes their treatment. While doing this, you can acknowledge that they were a fantastic client and introduce your referral program using a QR code.

Give out gifts as you ask for referrals

Even though you can’t directly reward referrals, you are allowed to give out small gifts to patients. It’s even ok to give these gifts to people who are currently having their treatment paid for with federal assistance, as long as they aren’t worth more than $15 per gift and aren’t worth more than $75 per patient per year. 

Additionally, if you’re giving gifts to patients with federally funded care, these small gifts:

• Can’t be in cash
• Can’t be cash-equivalent (so can’t be gift cards, debit cards, credits towards an appointment, or services given for free)
• Can’t be an incentive for someone to hire you (so can only be given to existing patients)
• Can’t require someone to make a referral in order to get them (you can use them to ask for referrals, but not reward referrals) 

How to use small gifts as part of a referral program when you can’t reward the referrals directly? Give these out simply as thank-you gifts for being an awesome patient – but include a note that promotes your referral program. 

We recommend giving out inexpensive but useful items, like travel mugs or fleece throws. You could even give out candy bundles that say “We think referrals are sweet” or planters that say “We love when you help our practice grow!”

Promote your program in lots of different ways

Increasing participation in your referral program can greatly enhance both the number of referrals and your overall income. To make this happen, it’s crucial to advertise your program through various channels that potential referrers frequently use:

• Connect with all your existing and past patients and promote your referral program via dedicated emails. This approach not only draws in new referrers but also keeps the program fresh in their minds. We suggest sending these emails on a monthly to quarterly basis.  
• Incorporate brief promotions for your referral program in newsletters and other regular communications.  
• Encourage referrals at the conclusion of appointments or during discussions with clients.  
• Mention your program in the emails that accompany invoices.  
• Distribute or hand out printed referral flyers, including a QR code that directs to your program page, making it easy to transition offline sharing to online.  
• Display “refer a friend” signs in your practice, complete with a QR code for straightforward program access.  
• Add a note about your program in the email signatures when communicating with related businesses.  
• If you have a client portal, integrate referral promotions directly within it, complete with direct links for easy access.  
• Showcase a prominent banner or hero image on your website’s homepage that links directly to your referral landing page.  
• Consider using subtle promotion techniques on your website, such as adding a link in the footer or menu. If users can easily find and access it, they are more likely to engage with your program.  
• Share updates about your referral program on your social media platforms.  
• Organize “bring a friend” events at local venues, and talk up your program there.
• Promote your program at events where potential referral partners are – like events for people in the athletic coaching and gym niches
• Utilize Referral Rock’s Monthly Summary emails to engage current program members, providing them with a personalized overview of their referrals each month.

Make sharing easy

To enhance participation in your referral program, prioritize a user-friendly and straightforward sharing experience. Users should be able to access the program with just a few clicks or taps. Once they reach your program page, the sharing process should be as smooth as possible:

• Divide the program instructions into three to four clear, bulleted steps for better understanding.  
• Emphasize the benefits of sharing. Even with no rewards, you can highlight intrinsic advantages, like the chance to help someone heal and gain strength, and the chance to help your practice further its mission. 
• Remind participants of the unique benefits your practice provides.  
• Keep your program page clean and organized. 
• Include a clear call to action (CTA) that encourages sharing.  

Additionally, aim to minimize the effort required to make a referral.

• Offer various sharing options that cater to popular communication methods, such as email, social media, and text messages.  
• Create a referral link that can be easily copied and shared anywhere—referral software can generate these links with ease.  
• Prepare a friendly, pre-written message for referrers to send to potential patients/clients, making it feel personal and welcoming. Highlight the unique benefits of your practice or services. This should be from the referring patient’s perspective, not yours. 
• Ensure the program is accessible and easy to share on mobile devices.

Remove the need to log in

With Referral Rock’s One Click Access links, your clients can quickly start sharing your physical therapy services. This feature allows them to join the program automatically, without the hassle of signing up or filling out forms.

Make sure to include One Click Access links in all your promotional emails about the referral program, such as newsletters and transactional emails, not just those specifically about referrals.

Referral Rock also enables both new and existing members to access their referral portal using popular social logins like Google and Facebook, simplifying the process since they won’t need to remember a password.

Get your staff on board 

Your team can play a crucial role in promoting your referral program. Motivate them to discuss the program, and the benefits of your practice, with patients, especially near and at the conclusion of treatment. This strategy helps establish your physical therapists as reliable sources of information, strengthening your relationship with customers.  

Remind them that this is just another way you’re furthering your mission of giving people access to the quality care they need for recovery, healing without unneeded surgery, resuming their favorite sport, or gaining strength as they age. And this is not just a means for your physical therapists to help others – they’re also empowering patients to help their friends.

Plus, consider providing your team with referral cards to hand out at appointments and community events. This tactic keeps your referral program fresh in the minds of both your team and your customers. Just make sure these cards are connected to the digital side of your program, incorporating QR codes. This way, customers can easily access the information without needing to remember too many details!  

Additionally, it’s essential for your staff to have a clear understanding of how the referral program works so they can confidently address any inquiries. 

Send a personal message from the referrer to the lead

The note that the referred friend receives is often their first interaction with your practice, so it’s important to make a positive impact. 

To streamline the process for the referrer, you can draft a message in advance, but ensure it feels warm and genuine, as if it’s coming from a friend rather than a business. 

Regardless of how you choose to format the message, be sure to emphasize the benefits of your practice, and of physical therapy in general. You might even include some of the benefits of physical therapy for their specific injury or need. Also, include a compelling call-to-action to motivate the friend to take the next step.

Express your gratitude

Thanking customers for their referrals not only makes them feel appreciated but also encourages them to refer even more people. Make it a habit to send a handwritten thank-you note whenever a referral results in a new client. You might also want to publicly acknowledge their support on your social media channels. (Just don’t mention the name of the new patient in either thank you, to protect their privacy.)

When customers see that their referrals are valued, it builds goodwill and enhances their loyalty. Along with any small “referral ask” gifts they may receive, a sincere thank you can greatly inspire them to continue bringing new clients your way.

Pick the right referral software

You need to focus most on caring for patients – you don’t have time to DIY and manage a referral program manually. That’s where software comes in. Referral software tools simplify and automate the referral process, including tracking referrals and pinpointing their sources. They also provide valuable insights into your referral program, enabling you to assess its effectiveness and make necessary adjustments.

Additionally, these tools create unique links that facilitate easy promotion of your program on social media and through email.

Referral Rock software improves the creation, tracking, and marketing aspects of your referral program, making it an essential resource for anyone aiming to run a successful referral campaign.

With Referral Rock, you can:

• Easily track referrals: Each participant is given a unique referral link, allowing you to trace the origin of every referral. Customers can also monitor their referral activity through personalized dashboards.  
• Automate your marketing efforts: Keep your customers engaged with automated promotional emails and make sharing simple with password-free links.  
• Integrate with essential tools: Seamlessly connect Referral Rock with over 50 different applications.
• Gather program insights: Quickly evaluate your program’s performance and make data-driven improvements.  
• Get started in no time: With Referral Rock, you can launch your program in just a few days, with expert support available throughout the setup process.

Create your own PT referral program

A physical therapy referral program allows you to utilize personal recommendations to attract new patients or clients. The advantages of implementing this program include easy tracking of referrals, enhanced visibility for your services, and consistent client acquisition. To differentiate yourself, prioritize delivering an exceptional experience, actively promote your program, and ensure that sharing is effortless.