Attorneys want to know what you can do for them – not the other way around — Ben Cummings

In this article learn:

• the factors attorneys want in the doctors they refer to
• How to get PI referral flow started
• How you must always present yourself, to get auto injury referrals.

What attorneys want

The best source for growing a “PI Profit Center” is getting a flow of referrals from attorneys.

One of our doctors started out with literally zero PI cases in his practice. Within 3 years he successfully built a $45,000 a month additional income stream from PI cases. He did it by concentrating his energy on building and developing relationships with attorneys.

Before approaching an attorney you must ask yourself, “What do attorneys want in the doctors they work with?”

Auto injury can be a competitive field. Too many doctors approach attorneys with zero plan, zero benefits, and zero follow-through strategy. They usually find out how much a peer is making from treating these cases, rushes home, and starts trying to convince attorneys in town to start referring cases.

Why should attorneys refer cases to you?

What are you going to do better and different then the other people they could send cases to?

Why should an attorney send you their referrals?

Before presenting yourself as an expert in auto injury, you must write down five benefits to working with your office.

The crux of all referral-based relationships is providing a benefit to the referer. By determining what the top five benefits are to working with you, it will clarify your marketing approach.

It will also give you something valid to talk about during those attorney lunch appointments!

The factors attorneys want in a doctor

I’ve had the opportunity to work with some top PI practices.

I’ve helped many of them clarify their top 5 benefits. Doing so caused quite an increase in their income.

To get you started I’ve made up a short list of auto injury benefits you could offer to attorneys that would:

• Separate yourself from the hungry pack of other doctors seeking these referrals
• Get you thinking about things to put in your Letter of Introduction
• Get you thinking about changes you might have to make to procedures, to fulfill on some of these benefits

Here is an excerpt from a Letter of Introduction. It provides seven factors of benefit to refer to you!

“We specialize in working closely with attorneys and their clients, particularly whiplash cases. What makes our service unique is that we understand the unique needs the attorney has. Here is what you can expect to receive when you refer a client:

• Benefit #1: Thorough examination and detailed report of findings
• Benefit #2: Proper medical / Orthopedic referrals
• Benefit #3: Psychological evaluations when necessary
• Benefit #4: Claim numbers obtained and provided for you and your staff
• Benefit #5: Diagnostic reports faxed to you within 24 hours of receipt
• Benefit #6: Court appearances, testimony, and narrative reports provided
• Benefit #7: Progress and Non-Compliance Reports”

How you must always present yourself, to get PI referrals

Presenting yourself as someone who will make an attorneys job easier, is the strongest thing you can do. Attorneys have numerous horror stories in dealing with doctors. The doctors never return calls, tie up cases, miss court appearances, and the list goes on.

If you can get an attorney to trust and believe that you’ll make his life easier, and establish your expertise, then you will capture their business.

Now the bad news: Getting to this point doesn’t happen overnight. It can take up to 3 years to build a relationship like this. The secret is sticking to it.

Think about who you’re competing against. Doctors with no resolve, no follow through, and the ‘something-for-nothing’ crowd. They don’t have a clue about what it takes to build a successful practice like you do.

Stick with it. PI marketing is always a long term strategy. I’ve almost never a doctor get short term results, that lasted.

How to get PI referral flow started

You’re already light years ahead of the competition, once you define your:

• Top five attorney benefits
• Decide what procedural changes you must make to comply with the promises you’re making to these attorneys
• Sticking with your plan for a three year period, letting the referrals grow slowly but consistently

A good way to prime the pump and begin getting known within the legal community, is to send a dozen Letters of Introduction to attorneys. Start with those closest to your office. The goal of a Letter of Introduction is to introduce yourself, briefly describe how you can benefit the law practice, and your commitment to making their life easier.

Follow up such a letter with an invitation for lunch, and you’ll be planting seeds that might yield a bountiful harvest of lucrative referrals in future years.

Don’t keep us a secret! Tell another practitioner about our practice building community!