Southern Neuroscience Center (SNC) completed a strategic plan and set this goal: to be recognized as the premier neurological specialty group in the region. To that end, SNC developed a marketing plan that detailed the objectives and actions to support the achievement of this goal.

Marketing Goal 

To establish SNC as the premier neurological specialty center in the minds of consumers in its market area.

Marketing Objectives 

• Increase awareness of SNC from 40 percent to 60 percent of consumers within 12 months.

• Improve patient satisfaction ratings of “excellent” from 80 percent to 90 percent within 12 months.

• Increase the number of physicians regularly referring to SNC by 25 percent within 12 months.

Marketing Actions 

For objective 1, actions include the following:

• Develop an advertising campaign for local television.

• Increase SNC event sponsorship from two events to four events within the next 12 months.

• Distribute an SNC newsletter to all relevant members of the medical community.

• Establish an interactive website featuring consumer-oriented information on neurology and neurosurgery.

Questions 

1. What prompted SNC to initiate marketing planning?

2. How did SNC use the marketing planning process to address its goal?

3. What indicators did SNC use to measure the success of its marketing initiative?

4. What potential barriers might SNC encounter in pursuing its marketing objectives?