FRANKIE HOLMAN, JR.
PRACTICE COACH
We all know the ABCs of referrals – A’s are our lifeblood, the valuable few we cherish and fear losing. B’s are the middle ground sending enough cases at least that we count on them. And C’s? Well, they’re the wild cards who refer so infrequently that we’re probably just a backup option when their regular endodontist is unavailable.
What if there’s a deeper game to play though—one where your marketing coordinator takes a key role to drive referrer growth?
Think about it: A’s are crucial, so naturally, we task our marketing coordinator with nurturing those relationships like gold. But what if their efforts could go beyond just maintaining the status quo? What if, instead of just babysitting existing referrers, we empowered them to unlock growth? Even if your A’s are already referring diligently, there’s always room to elevate those connections. And let’s face it, if your A’s are shrinking, you definitely need a proactive strategy.
Beyond the A’s, imagine the transformative power of shifting just a few B or C referrers into the A category. What’s the immediate value when a doctor goes from referring a half dozen cases annually, to referring 12, 20 or more? Now consider the compounded value over five years if you consistently elevated even a handful of these relationships annually to the A category. The potential is immense.
The truth is, there’s a massive untapped opportunity in those B and C relationships, often hampered by a limited doctor-to-doctor connection. How do we move them so that we’re more than just a name on a list to becoming their preferred choice of endodontist? The answer lies in strategically empowering your marketing coordinator to cultivate personal connections with practices who haven’t yet experienced the full value you offer.
Your marketing coordinator should be primed and ready to seize every opportunity that could lead to an engaging face-to-face interaction between the endodontist and GP. This can include lunch meetings, dinner events, study clubs, open houses, “over-the-shoulder” opportunities, lectures, dental society events, charity activities, or even casual social opportunities.
This level of relationship-based marketing is based on strategically planned touchpoints to build genuine rapport between doctors. Making these initiatives a central focus of your monthly marketing meetings will transform your referral landscape and unlock unprecedented growth.