Family Practice and Baked Potatoes
Family Medical Care Finds Success in Different Marketing Approach
March, 2003 (Tallmadge, Ohio): Family Medical Care of Tallmadge, Ohio, took a risk with its new marketing campaign, and it paid off with a five percent increase in new patients so far for the first quarter.
With the help of Cuyahoga Falls-based Walking Stick Communications, Family Medical Care developed advertising that was out of the ordinary for most family practices by showing baked potatoes! So what do baked potatoes and primary care have to do with each other? A lot. You can have a potato plain, or you can get it with The Works. “Most primary care providers offer the basic family practice services,” explained Dr. Eric Geisler, MD. “But we offer services above and beyond the norm – like expertise in cancer screening, dermatology and sports injuries.”
“Family Medical Care is different from other providers out there, and we wanted to make that point clear,” said Matt White, Vice President Account Services at Walking Stick. “They actually came up with the phrase ‘Primary Care, Plus’ in a brainstorm session we had together. We then took that concept and had some fun with it.”
The result was an advertising campaign utilizing outdoor billboards and local newspaper. “Because the first of the year often brings with it changes in insurance plans for many employers, this was the perfect time to communicate our message,” said Geisler. Beginning in late December, outdoor billboards were strategically placed around the Tallmadge Circle area to reach the core target of Family Medical Care. Ads were then placed in the local newspapers to support the big billboards people would be seeing around town.
Two months into the campaign, Family Medical Care reported a five percent jump in new patients over this time last year. The office is still accepting new patients, too. Family Medical Care is located at 33 North Avenue in Tallmadge. The phone number is 330.633.3883.
