Show Notes

• Guest: Dr. Jeremiah Sturgill — Founder, Sturgill Orthodontics; Co-founder, Go Unicorn Strategy (concierge SEO/SEM for orthodontists).
  Learn more: https://gounicornstrategy.com
• Why another company? A veteran ads/SEO partner (ex-HGTV/Discovery; managed ~$50k/day in Google Ads for a private client) audited ortho sites and found pretty but underperforming builds. Early tests drove measurable gains in qualified Google referrals; the two formalized a boutique service.
• Boutique by design: Targeting ~20–30 practices so one point of contact knows your brand, market dynamics, and projects end-to-end.
• Inside-out marketing: Don’t pour money into ads until the phones, web forms, and team follow-up are dialed in. Track missed calls (goal: zero), record and review, and role-play quarterly.
• Feedback loop that works: Ads go live → the team tags outcomes (show/start/no-show) → campaigns are adjusted to favor demographics, keywords, and offers that convert in your market.
• Budget truth: Tiny spends create noise, not signal. Commit to a test period and a budget that can generate statistically useful data; adjust by market competition (it’s a real auction).
• Brand over commodity: Build a site that sells your culture and trust, not “$500 off aligners.” If your web vibe doesn’t match the in-office experience, trust evaporates.
• Pricing with confidence: If you deliver Four Seasons-level service, don’t set Motel 6-level fees. You’re not everyone’s cup of tea—and that’s healthy positioning.
• Language matters: For out-of-network calls, lead with help (“We can file Delta for you… let’s get you scheduled…”) rather than a hard “We’re out of network.”
• AI on the horizon: Jeremiah is building a practice “master prompt” to capture decisions, SOPs, and red-flag handoffs so teams ask the system before they page the doctor.

Practical Takeaways

1. Fix the fundamentals first: Fast phones, fast follow-up, and a brand-true website before buying more traffic.
2. Measure what matters daily: Missed calls, call length outliers, and lead outcomes by source—then tune campaigns accordingly.
3. Fund real tests: Set a market-appropriate budget and time horizon; dabbling hides the truth.
4. Sell the who, not the what: Lead with trust, culture, and clarity; avoid commodity framing.
5. Close the loop with training: Quarterly role-play on the hardest questions your team actually hears.

Mentioned

• Go Unicorn Strategy: https://gounicornstrategy.com
• Acquired podcast (Google series)
• Scheduling Institute (Jay Geier) — phone excellence
• Dan Kennedy — back-end sales before better ads
• CliftonStrengths “WOO” — why trying to win everyone over can hurt decisions
• Four Seasons/Ritz-Carlton service standards as a pricing/positioning lens

Past related episodes: Dr. Jamie Reynolds; Dr. Ben Fishbein.
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