The A, B, C, and D Referral Sources: How to Understand and Work With Each Group (with Dr. Roger Levin)

The bulk of an oral surgeon’s business comes from referrals by general dentists. However, not all referrals are the same, and many oral surgeons still don’t understand the power their referring doctors hold over their practices. Once again, we are joined by Dr. Roger Levin, the founder and CEO of Levin Group, Inc., and an internationally recognized writer, advisor, management consultant, and dental business visionary. Dr. Levin is here to walk us through a concept he had a hand in developing 41 years ago, starting with the definition of “referral sources”, their importance, and how they inform marketing protocols. Next, we learn about the burden of generating new referrals, how to classify referral sources, the ins and outs of A referrals, and how to replenish your A database. Dr. Levin also explains why you always need to treat your patients well, why we consider B referrals as the least-interesting category, how to rise above the biggest challenges posed by C referrals, and how to curate long-term goodwill among your referring doctors. We end with the missed opportunities and common mistakes made with D referrals, the costs of marketing across the four referral categories, and the best practices for approaching and generating new referrals. 

Key Points From This Episode:

• Dr. Roger Levin describes referral sources and how they inform marketing protocols.
• Why the burden of generating referrals lies with the surgeon or surgical practice. 
• A, B, C, D: How to classify referral sources. 
• The ins and outs of A referring doctors and advice on how to replenish your A database. 
• Where patients fit in, and why you always need to treat your patients well. 
• Unpacking B referrals and why we consider this the least-interesting referral category. 
• The biggest challenges with C referrals and how to rise above them. 
• Long-term considerations for curating goodwill with referring doctors. 
• How surgeons can be a general dentist’s gateway to improved services and technologies.
• Common mistakes made with D referrals and the opportunities that are often missed.
• The costs of referral marketing and how it differs across the four referral categories.  
• Exploring the best practices for cold calling and approaching new referrals. 
• Dr. Roger Levin’s final thoughts on referrals and referral marketing.

Links Mentioned in Today’s Episode:

Dr. Roger Levin on LinkedIn — https://www.linkedin.com/in/roger-levin-69ab744/ 

Levin Group, Inc. — https://levingroup.com/ 

Levin Group, Inc. on YouTube — https://www.youtube.com/@LevinGroupInc 

American Association of Orthodontists — https://education.aaoinfo.org/  

Everyday Oral Surgery Website — https://www.everydayoralsurgery.com/ 

Everyday Oral Surgery on Instagram — https://www.instagram.com/everydayoralsurgery/ 

Everyday Oral Surgery on Facebook — https://www.facebook.com/EverydayOralSurgery/

Dr. Grant Stucki Email — [e-mail]

Dr. Grant Stucki Phone — 720-441-6059