I have to admit that when I posted my article last week, “Stand up and shout, I am an EXPERT and I CAN help you”, I was blown away by the number of comments, Facebook posts and emails that I received. You all had lots to say and you certainly let me know that I touched on a topic that is near and dear to your heart.
Here are just a few of the many comments that I received…
“Karen, Your article is so true! I know my underlying self-doubt is part of the reason I am dragging my feet getting out there to promote my health coaching business. I know I can do it but am afraid others won’t think I’m that good. Thanks for the advice and encouragement.”
“Karen, Loved your article. Spot on and a great read for not only coaches but also those we are coaching. It’s following & doing the deep internal work necessary to find your flow. Thanks for your generous share.”
“Great post and SO needed in our work. Thanks so much for breaking it down for everyone!”
I was so honored and touched by the messages I received. When I wrote the article I was truly speaking from my heart and it was amazing to have such a positive response. With that in mind, I have decided to dedicate this article to the same topic, “Claiming Your Expertise”, only from a little different angle. Today let’s focus on claiming your expertise with referral partners.
When I was being trained at the Institute for Integrative Nutrition to become a Certified Health Coach one of the main focuses within the curriculum was building relationships with referral partners. There were many classes taught about the importance of working with referral partners to grow a health coaching business.
While pursuing my Health Coaching career, I did as much to build relationships with local doctors, gyms and yoga studios as I did with individual clients. The momentum that was reflected back to my business because of those relationships was priceless and well worth the effort.
From my perspective having respected health and wellness professionals singing my praises and recommending me to their clients was a huge plus for my business. So now I want to ask you a few questions. How are you doing with this component of your business? Are you taking the time to establish and nurture relationships with referral partners? If not, what are you waiting for?
The benefits that come with making these connections are many. Here are just a few:
- Respected professionals in your area speak highly of you and promote you to their clients and colleagues.
- Your business grows at a much faster pace when many people are marketing your services.
- You are able to use your referral partners as a testimonial for your business.
- You will fill your open client spaces quickly.
- In some cases, referral partners will provide office space to you for conducting individual client sessions, group sessions or teaching classes.
There really isn’t a downside. You just need to be able to claim your expertise with your selected referral partners just like you are doing with your individual clients. It all works together collectively which will substantially boost the number of clients you are serving.
My approach to selecting referral partners probably was different than other Health Coaches. However, I want to share my process and reasoning behind my decision to do it this way. First, I did not approach just any doctor, chiropractor, yoga studio owner or gym owner. I did my research before I made the initial contact.
My coaching practice specialized in treating women with pre-menopausal symptoms. Having been there myself, and knowing how to cure many of the symptoms through natural remedies, I felt that this was the perfect target market for me. I had personal experience and I was passionate about helping these women.
While researching my choices for referral partners I looked for practitioners that would be regularly exposed to the women I wanted to serve. For example, I talked extensively to my OB/GYN doctor who was definitely on board with recommending me.
Next I contacted the sister of a family friend who is a doctor and owns her own practice. Again, she couldn’t wait for me to graduate so she could start recommending clients to me. I know you’re probably thinking that those two connections were easy and I would say that you are right. After those two connections, my E*A*S*Y train came to a screeching halt.
The next avenue I took was to review a copy of my local Natural Awakenings publication. They are everywhere across the United States so look around in your local grocery or health food stores. You’re sure to find a copy. I knew that the articles and advertising within this publication would be for holistic practitioners in my local area. Exactly who I wanted to be partnering with.
Since I personally feel passionate about supporting women in business, my referral partner selections were all women. Based on their businesses, they all would potentially be exposed to females that were in my target market. Next, I reached out for my initial contact with them.
I would pick four or five practitioners from each monthly publication that I felt had the qualities of someone I wanted to be associated with going forward. Next I would compose a unique introductory letter to each of them explaining why I was contacting them, why I chose them and how we could support one another in business. Let’s not forget, a referral partner has just as much potential to gain a client via a recommendation from you as you do from them. It is a two-way street.
The process took me about an hour or less per month for each publication I reviewed. My experience with this approach was that I was contacted by approximately 60%-70% of the contacts I sent letters to in order to set up an appointment to further build on our connection and relationship. I was really pleased with that percentage. As you can tell, I was claiming my expertise and I wasn’t being shy about letting my potential referral partners know how we could be of service to one another.
When you take this approach the opportunities are truly limitless. I want you to have the best possible resources to grow your coaching business so with that in mind I am giving you a copy of one of the referral letters that I wrote so you can use it as a model when writing your own letters. It is my gift to you.
To download a copy just CLICK HERE!
I encourage you to begin this process immediately and do it regularly as part of your marketing efforts. Keep your head held high, claim your expertise and build relationships that can last a lifetime. It is so much easier than you think and your referral partners need you as much as your individual clients do. Your potential to fill your practice with paying clients increases exponentially when you start connecting with referral partners.
I invite you to comment below to tell me how this article impacted you. Please share with me how you are handling referral partners at this point and how you may change things up for the future because of information that you received today. It is my honor to serve you and help you build a coaching business that makes a difference in the world. Go out and spread the sunshine that I know you have inside you.
To Your Success,
Karen
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Karen Pattock is a successful business woman that has launched 7 profitable companies over the past 20 years. She is a Certified Health Coach. Her passion is guiding health coach entrepreneurs through the initial critical years in business using her proven methods. She provides expertise in marketing, business building, client attraction and list building.
Karen,
Great article! One question – when you sent out the letter to your potential partners, did you send it via email or snail mail?
Evelyn, Great question! I sent it by regular mail because I also included my brochure and my business card. Furthermore, when I would actually meet with the potential referral partner for the first time I always brought along several copies of my brochure and of my business card to leave with them to hand out to their clients. In exchange I always took their brochures and business cards for my clients. Thanks for asking such a great question.
Wonderful article with excellent tips. Love the tip about the introductory letter and letting the other person know why you chose them. (I think we all want to be chosen, whether we work with someone or not.) This tip sets up good communication before you meet the person. Will definitely apply it. Also I agree with you – women partners can be wonderfully supportive.
Women in business can use all of the support they can get. I love supporting my “sisters” in business. I work really hard to find exceptional women in their field. Thanks for commenting Julia!
You’re so right. I’m just starting my practice, specializing in middle aged women who want to stay healthy and avoid midlife degenerative diseases like cancer, diabetes and heart disease.
I already teamed up with a holistic gynecologist and have a future appointment with a cardiologist in my area.
We must assert our knowledge, which is substantial and our approach, which is unique and effective in a world where people feel that traditional medicine many times is not the only answer.
Betty, I’m so proud of you. What a way to begin your practice. Keep working on those referral partners. They are a fantastic resource for your business. Please keep me updated. I can’t wait to hear more.
THANKS. I WILL
Hi Karen, what a great post. Even thought i am not a Health Coach (my area is money coaching) i found your advice for my practice very helpful.
Lana
PS thank you for your gift as well.
Hi Lana! So happy that you enjoyed the post. Most of my articles are beneficial to anyone in the coaching industry. Feel free to stop by often! So nice to meet you.
Hi Karen,
Thank you for today’s article. It resonated with me because last week, an opportunity presented itself for a referral partnership with a local holistic medical practice. Since I am currently a student at IIN, I quickly looked up the referral partner template and drafted a letter. This week, another opportunity arose with an integrative wellness practice! I will definitely use your letter as a template to draft this one! I loved your wording you used as to why you chose them and also including what your specialty is, seems crucial.
I’ve really been enjoying these past 12 days of teaching you have provided me.
Thank you!
Hi Kim,
Thanks so much for your feedback. It sounds like you are really doing well in making connections that will assist in growing your business well into the future. I’m so happy you’ll be using the template that I provided. It proved to have great results for me while I was building my practice. The personal touch of commenting on why you are aligning yourself with them let’s them know that it isn’t just a generic form letter that you sent to everyone. Those are the little things that will set you apart from others that are trying to connect with them as well. Please let me know how it goes. I can’t wait to find out.
Have a beautiful day.
Karen
Thank you Karen for all you do. Most importantly I thank God for gift he has given you. It is just so great that you have chosen to share it with others/us. “Blessed to be a blessing” indeed. I have been thinking of setting up referral partnerships with chiropractors and physicians in my area but did not have any idea how to go about it. You sample letter is going to be of great help to me in this. I have enjoyed the training so far and I learned a lot from them.
Philomina, What can I say other than I am absolutely humbled by your comments. Thank you so much! I absolutely LOVE what I do. It comes very naturally to me and I appreciate you validating that I’m making a difference. ~Karen
Karen,
Wow! I had a referral in mind before this article, but as I read your article, my mind began to work overtime. Thanks for all that you do.
Jennifer Byrd
Hey Jennifer! I’m thrilled that this article was helpful to you. It is my pleasure to serve you by sharing down-to-earth, easy-to-understand information that I myself have had success with in the past. Stay in touch!
Karen I believe OMG will always be my signature greeting to you! This was truly great information and thank you so much for your generosity in sharing the template!! I will definitely use it for referrals with the medical arena, but I am envisioning being able to craft a referral letter to the preschool and childcare centers I would like to work with. My niche market is a bit different and I want to show the child centered arenas they have an open door to the health and wellness of thousands of families!
Thanks again, I simply adore you!
Hi Donna,
Thank you so much for letting me know that you found this article and template valuable. Referral partners were a very big part of my health coaching business. It makes so much sense to develop the right relationships. It’s always a win-win. Again… thanks for sharing your feedback.
~Karen
Karen,
Your 14-Day training is simply fabulous! I have to say it is one of the very best free gifts I have ever gotten when subscribing to a newsletter. You are truly generous with sharing your knowledge and resources – I’m so glad I found you! I am at the point in my business where I feel that finding some good referral partners would be beneficial and I am definitely going to use your letter as a model as I continue to grow my business.
Thanks Karen,I rely appreciated the letter you sent me. The business environment in USA is different from Ghana.Some of the marketing ideas doesn’t work here. But all the I will use your letter strategy.
Hi Karen,
Thank you so much for sharing this template. I was racking my brain thinking of how to approach a functional medicine practitioner and in all honesty I was going to put it off for yet another day but thanks to you I have now sent my first letter.
Tomorrow I intend to write some more.
I’m keen to see how things develop and if they start to pick up.
Thanks so much,
Emma
Hi Emma,
Woohoo! Congratulations on sending your first letter. I couldn’t be more excited for you. Building a successful business is just a matter of one small action at a time. You’ve started the momentum rolling. Now keep it going. 🙂