How To Achieve A 50% Commitment Rate With “Speed to Lead” and AI:
A Dental Assisting School Case Study
I want to show you what I think is the most essential marketing principle in action:
“Speed to lead”.
Specifically, I’ll show you how I helped the First Class Dental Assisting School of Nashville use this technique to recruit and secure a 50% commitment rate of those who applied in its first-ever term.
The Speed to Lead Method:
"Speed to Lead" is detailed in this Harvard Business Review’s article.
If you haven’t read this infographic, go check it out.
But basically, "Speed to lead" just means how fast you follow up with someone after they apply to your program.
I’ve found that having a 5-minute or less 'speed to lead' response time is crucial for a couple of reasons:
1. Immediately Capitalizing on Interest:
When an applicant fills out a form on your website, they are at a peak of interest and engagement.
They have just taken a significant step by actively reaching out.
This moment is crucial.
Responding within 5 minutes taps into this peak excitement.
It shows the applicant that their interest is valued and reciprocated.
2. Competitive Advantage:
In the bustling field of educational enrollment, being quick to respond is not just good practice…
It's a differentiator!
Most schools don’t engage this swiftly.
Students often wait hours or even days for a reply.
A 5-minute response can be the deciding factor for an applicant choosing your program over others.
It also could be the difference between someone not even starting a conversation with your competition.
Because they have found all they've needed with you.
The 5-minute ‘speed to lead’ response time is one of the reasons why the First Class Dental Assisting School of Nashville was able to enroll 1 out of every 4 students who applied.
Here’s the proof:
In their very first term, 45.61% of applicants committed to the school's program.
And a remarkable 28.07% showed up on day one.
This is after we implemented a 5-minute “speed to lead” window.
That’s roughly 1 in 4 applicants turning into actual students.
The success didn’t stop there.
The school’s second-ever term saw similar figures:
48.08% committed, 26.92% showed up.
And they achieved this without the glowing reviews that their competitors had.
The trend has continued to this day.
But how did we actually ensure a 5-minute response time?
Well, keep reading…
It All Started With A Partnership
It started with a phone call from Dr. McLaughlin.
He needed a fresh approach to marketing and enrollment for his new dental assisting school.
That’s where I stepped in.
The challenge?
The educational landscape in Nashville was crowded with heavyweights like well-known universities and established trade schools.
Revolutionizing Student Enrollment with 'Speed to Lead' and AI
My first move?
Writing compelling website copy and launching digital ads to drive traffic.
It seemed like a foolproof plan.
But here’s the twist –
Our first approach didn’t quite hit the mark.
Once someone applied, we just sent an automated email.
That email told them they were accepted and contained a payment link.
Once they paid tuition (which was $1000s of dollars), they would secure their spot.
Simple, right?
But this approach missed a critical element – personal touch.
It turned out that dental assisting education wasn’t an impulse buy.
Duh, right…?
So, we pivoted to a more personal approach.
After they filled out an application, they would be prompted to select a time and day to virtually meet with us over Zoom.
Our hope was that if they got the chance to meet and talk to us, they’d be more likely to actually show up for school.
Again – duh, right?
The results?
Better, but still not there.
We were setting up meetings – lots of them, actually.
But attendance was low… really low.
In fact, no one showed up to these meetings.
Even though the students selected the time and date.
That’s when I stumbled upon a Harvard Business Review article on 'Speed to Lead'.
It was a lightbulb moment.
It stressed the importance of starting a conversation within the first 5 minutes.
So, I waited by my computer.
And as soon as someone submitted an application…
I immediately reached out via text and email.
Something remarkable happened...
Applicants started replying back!
Suddenly, conversations sparked, tours were booked, and commitments were made.
It was a glorious time!
But there was a catch.
This approach was time-consuming, and I couldn’t be available 24/7.
Most applications came in late at night when I was off duty.
So, I was only gaining commitments from students who applied between 9 am and 5 pm.
I didn’t want to be that guy who was waiting and tending to his phone all morning, evening, and night.
And neither did my wife and newborn daughter want that from me either.
Well, lucky for me…
This was around the time that the ChatGPT craze was peaking.
An idea struck me one day.
Why not create an AI enrollment officer?
What if this AI enrollment officer could stand in for me at all times of the day and night...
And could have conversations with applicants, answer their questions...
Even persuade them to come to tour our school!
So, we did it.
We built an AI enrollment officer!
And the results were nothing short of miraculous.
The AI-driven 'Speed to Lead' approach led to a staggering enrollment rate.
Our AI officer was able to text, answer questions, and persuade applicants to commit to the dental assisting school.
Using this new AI employee, coupled with a multi-week nurture campaign, we enrolled 1 out of every 4 students who applied.
If you somehow missed it from the top, here’s the proof:
In the first term, 45.61% of applicants committed, with 28.07% showing up on day one.
The fall term mirrored this success:
48.08% committed, 26.92% showed up.
The Takeaway for Your School
What does this mean for your school?
It's simple:
Embracing innovative strategies like 'Speed to Lead' and leveraging AI can transform your enrollment process.
It's about connecting quickly and effectively with your audience.
Ready to embark on a similar journey and revolutionize your school's enrollment?
Schedule a meeting with me below. Let's talk.
Imagine a future where every new term begins with a full roster of eager students.
Let's discuss how this vision can become your reality.
At the heart of my service is a commitment to mutual success.
I thrive on a pay-per-enrollment model, earning my share only from a percentage of the tuition of students I've successfully brought to your doorstep — and that's after they step into your school on the first day.
This ensures our goals are perfectly aligned with yours: more students, more growth, more success.
Let's delve deeper into how Enroll Boost AI can be a game-changer for your institution. Schedule a 20 minute window to meet with me.
