leads database

Why Every Orthodontist Needs a Leads Database

As an orthodontist, you might not exactly think of yourself as a salesman; your practice is likely bustling from word of mouth referrals and the great work you’ve done for your patients. However, what happens when all the teeth have been straightened? When there’s an inevitable lull in new patient traffic? This is where a leads database comes into play, and why as an orthodontist, you are a salesman of smiles.

There are several resources to assist you in your efforts in converting leads. Whether you’re cleaning up your SEO , churning out new content, or boosting your email marketing, you are actively trying to achieve the same result: convert a lead into a patient who feels comfortable at your practice.

Getting Started with a CRM System

Turning leads into patients can feel like an intimidating task before breaking it down, but diving into each step makes it more approachable. A great way to start the process and get organized is to choose a CRM (customer relations management) system. You’ve probably already digitized a lot of your records and made the move from paper to online awhile ago. 

A CRM system like HubSpot, SalesForce, or Scoro will not only help you track your touches with leads, it will also allow you to better understand your patients. What marketing resonates? Where are leads getting lost? Organized systems will allow you to tap into a bank of information that offers insight you might have overlooked in the past.

A Forbes article on the subject quoted Leslie Ye, editor at Hubspot’s Sales Blog, on what a CRM system does: “Beyond contact info, CRMs log reps’ touchpoints with their prospects, including emails, phone calls, voicemails, and in-person meetings. Some CRMs offer the ability to track deal stages and reasons for closed-lost and closed-won deals.”

Marketing Efforts for Your Leads Database

Once you have your data ducks in a row, it’s time to start touching leads through a variety of marketing strategies. Sales management experts say quick contact is key in conversions. Your practice should have inquiry forms, downloadable eBooks, or infographic opt-ins to collect potential lead contact information. When the contact info rolls in, don’t let your office administrators sit on it. Getting in touch with a lead within one minute increases your chances of lead conversion by 391% (waiting a day makes that statistic drop to 17%). You want to stay fresh in the potential patient’s mind and this means having a dedicated point person on top of your CRM and marketing strategies.

When it comes to the amount of touches needed to convert a lead, six seems to be the magic number. Marketing experts say that out of 3.5 million people surveyed, 45% were less likely to convert if they were called more than six times; after six emails they were 36% less likely to take the leap from lead to client. This is why balancing your contact attempts and your timing with quality content is essential. You don’t want to have compelling, engaging content that isn’t being shared. You can’t contact leads without a reputable online presence to back it up. 

There is a recipe for combining your marketing strategies with your customer relations management. Ortho Sales Engine has a team of professionals dedicated to marketing and sales in the orthodontic field exclusively. We understand every practice is different and you’ll need a strategy tailored to the way you do business. Let’s collaborate on creating a leads database for your orthodontic practice; together, we’ll find out more about your potential patients and what will get them through your doors.