Social media results

Social media results

Bayview Public Relations was retained last year to generate interest in The Reproductive Medical Group’s second annual “New Beginnings” fertility conference at the Marriott Waterside Hotel in April 2010.

Bayview’s objectives were to increase registrations for “New Beginnings” by 50 percent and increase the ratio of prospective patients to current patients attending the fertility conference. In addition to leveraging existing relationships with key reporters and editors, Bayview set up a Facebook fan page for the Reproductive Medicine Group, and counseled the RMG on effective social media engagement.

The Reproductive Medicine Group's Facebook page was started in February 2010 and quickly has grown into an online community for past patients to share their success, support current patients and provide hope to prospective patients. It has become a clearinghouse for patient testimonials and includes images of children conceived with the Reproductive Medicine Group’s help.

Bayview initially set up the Facebook page and spent six months assisting in the management. The Reproductive Medicine Group has managed the Facebook page on its own since November 2010, and its community continues to thrive. Throughout the 2010 campaign, Bayview worked closely with the Reproductive Medicine Group’s marketing/advertising agency of record, Schifino Lee, to leverage the event-specific landing page, an online media buy on GoMamma! section of TampaBay.com and text-to-register capabilities.

Overall, the 2010 campaign surrounding the “New Beginnings” fertility conference exceeded the goals set. Conference registrations doubled as compared to 2009 (200 in 2010 versus 100 in 2009) and a majority of 2010 attendees were prospective patients, whereas 2009 attendees were mostly current patients of the Reproductive Medicine Group. Bayview attributes the campaign’s success to a powerful marketing mix: significant coverage in the Tampa Tribune and TBO.com, targeted online ads and inclusion in the Working Women of Tampa Bay Facebook news feed (3,700 “fans” at the time).