Let’s face it, embarking on an agency search is a daunting task. Following a preliminary vetting process, you’ll probably invite a handful of agencies to pitch how they think and what it might be like to work with them. The deciding factor usually comes down to one or more of the three Cs (chemistry, creativity and/or cost). But what is it going to take to make the partnership great?

Healthcare organizations have been using referral-based marketing programs for decades to bring in new patients and to strengthen the loyalty of existing ones. This approach has proven successful because of its reliance on trusted word-of-mouth recommendations, low-cost, high-quality leads and the ability to keep patients within an organization's health system. Studies show most consumers consider a referral an important part of their decision-making process.