The pleasantly persistent college student was in no way a qualified match for the role I was looking to fill.

But… I didn’t swipe left (or right, or up, or down, or whatever direction it is). Heck, I’ve been married to my high school sweetheart for 28 years. I really have no idea which direction to swipe, but I’m told such things are the norm these days!

What I’m trying to say is that I decided to give her a chance.

Why? Because she followed up in all the right ways.

How did she earn my time?

Read on to find out and swipe her approach (ha! see what I did there) to use in the field with referring doctors.

First, she got out of her comfort zone and actively sought me out. She applied for the job, she hit me up via direct message to let me know she was interested and would love to chat, she connected via LinkedIn…

College applicant hack #1:

Don’t wait for referring doctors to find you.

Waiting for patients and referring doctors to find you is not a winning strategy. Reach out to them. Go to where they are and let them know how you can best partner with them.

Take the initiative and make yourself known.

Next, was her genuine approach. Her messages were not canned or robotic, they were sincere and authentic.

College applicant hack #2:

When engaging referring doctors, be genuine.

Prepare what you want to say, but make sure it’s in your own words, reflecting your personality. Engage in a conversation rather than delivering a sales pitch.

This applicant was persistent, but always pleasant. Everywhere I turned, there she was but not in a way that made me feel stalked or creeped out.

College applicant hack #3: 

Don’t give up after the first contact.

Keep going back after the first visit and find multiple ways to get your name out there… Email, text, social media…

Continue to show up and share how you can best serve your referring partners and their patients.

Lastly, she was curious and did her homework.

College applicant hack #4:

Take time to research your referring partner practice and understand their needs.

This will allow you to tailor your approach and demonstrate that you’ve put in the effort to understand their unique situation.

What are they looking for in a specialist? How can you best meet those needs? 

If you’re wondering how to get more time and interest from referring or potential referring doctors, try a couple of these hacks and let me know which ones work best for you.

Who knows, maybe you’ll find your perfect referring partner match?