Market of Top-Notch Care
World-class cancer care is often associated with services offered at well-known
academic facilities in large urban markets. Getting this level of care from
a suburban facility is rarely expected. Last year, the Silver Cross Cancer Center's
marketing campaign changed that perception for consumers in Joliet, Ill., a
suburb of Chicago. Using its affiliation with Northwestern's Lurie Cancer Center
in Chicago, Silver Cross embarked on an image campaign that assured the Joliet
market that comprehensive cancer care was "closer than you think."
The campaign, which launched in January, used a combination of print and radio
advertising, direct mail, events and continuing medical education programs to
promote the new cancer center that opened in October.
Unlike typical grand opening campaigns that take a pep rally-approach to promote
a new facility, the Silver Cross campaign focused on educating consumers about
how cancer care has evolved through consistent relationship marketing efforts.
For instance, its STAR (Study of Tamoxifen and Raloxifene) Trial/Free Breast
Risk Assessment allowed consumers to answer general questions about their health
while determining whether they should be screened for breast cancer and participate
in the hospital's breast cancer trial. The assessment was mailed to targeted
groups like participants in previous cancer screening programs, mammography
patients and managed care members, and it also was featured on Silver Cross'
Web site at http://www.silvercross.org.
This effort helped position the center as a proactive cancer resource, says
Judi Simoni, Silver Cross' marketing manager. More than 800 people took the
assessment and 171 were eligible for the cancer trial.
To promote the broad services of the cancer center and to introduce the hospital's
new community trustees program, the campaign organized a "Cancer Prevention
Week" that offered a series of events that provided several cancer screenings.
The effort generated:
- 120 attendees to the cancer prevention fair;
- 170 attendees to the celebrity speaker events; and
- 55 clinicians educational seminars.
The frequency of these informational efforts helped to build word-of-mouth
momentum and excitement for the grand opening that attracted more than 750 people.
And Silver Cross' image as a local, top-notch cancer service provider hit close
to home.
In the short time the cancer center has been open, inpatient and outpatient
charges have brought in more than $2.7 million in revenues and hospital outpatient
visits have exceeded 3,000.
Campaign Highlights
Budget: $100,000
Components: radio and print advertising, direct mail, educational seminars,
screenings, continuing medical educational programs, and brochures
Target: general public, women, seniors, physicians (primary care and specialists)
Key team players: Judi Simoni, medical affairs department (Silver Cross).
Agency support: The Gammon Group and Sturm, Rosenburg, King