Case Study: United Methodist Healthcare Recruitment

Thinking "outside the box" to access to hard-to-reach audiences

When the data suggests that go-to marketing approaches will fail to reach unique audiences, sometimes you have to try finding a back door. Case in point: United Methodist Healthcare Recruitment.

Having witnessed how effective Search Engine Optimization (SEO) was for its parent organization, UMHR approached Simple Machines about utilizing SEO as a cost-effective measure to create visibility in its competitive Filipino market. Despite boasting a service offering on par or superior to the alternatives, UMHR found it difficult to stand out amongst its larger competitors. Furthermore, the licensure and training process for its prospects was so long, it was doubly difficult to keep track of interested prospects as they navigated the system at their own paces.

First, Simple Machines Marketing executed an afterhours calling campaign, using a focused message to reach out and qualify all contacts on the basis of current interest and status. The result was the conversion of 672 names into 422 qualified leads whose statuses were recorded to be tracked in a modern CRM.

That's when the promotion phase of the project threw a curveball. Simple Machines' research indicated that the Philippines' search market did not provide a viable environment for SEO -- search volumes simply weren't high enough to justify significant investment as a primary channel. While the search market for UMHR's demographic was fractured, the social media market was not. Simple Machines designed and executed a hyper-targeted PPC ad campaign using Facebook, where most of UMHR's audience was spending significant amounts of time.

The resulting 1,095% increase in monthly website traffic provided dozens of new qualified leads at the staggeringly low acquisition cost of $6.44 per lead. Exhibitors in the Philippines reported significantly larger crowds at their booths, indicating that UMHR's connection to an established nonprofit organization resonated with the growing audience.

The success of the first ad tested motivated UMHR to test another campaign to promote an upcoming Filipino campus tour that coincided with international testing dates. The tour promotion campaign generated 2,042 visitors to UMHR's promotional landing page, and exhibitors again reported significantly increased interest.

Client Profile

United Methodist Healthcare Recruitment (UMHR) is a staffing, placement, and recruitment agency for registered nurses and physical & occupational therapists who are looking to work in the United States. Focusing primarily on the Philippines, UMHR identifies and provides candidates with financial and administrative support as they work through the lengthy process of licensure, training, and job placement when the process is complete.

Problem

Up against several competitors with longer histories and more resources, UMHR was having trouble gaining substantial visibility in the Phillippines. Marketing from overseas was proving very difficult, and no scalable strategy existed for handling the leads UMHR was able to acquire, primarily from job fairs and conventions in the Philippines.

Solution

Simple Machines executed an off-hours calling campaign, reaching out and qualifying hundreds of past contacts that UMHR had recorded. All qualified leads were entered into a CRM and Constant Contact so that UMHR employees could access them and record progress. Simple Machines made changes in UMHR's website to make it easier to navigate and collect information, then designed and executed a Facebook advertising campaign to collect leads and promote UMHR's upcoming Filipino seminar tour.