Yes, I am one of the thousands or people who willingly let someone dump a bucket of ice chilled water over my head. I did it because I thought it was fun to be a part of something that big, that viral. I wanted to be able to challenge friends of mine to do the same. And, by the way, I also donated to the ALS Foundation (Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis, often referred to as “Lou Gehrig’s Disease”). While donating on the website, I learned more about the disease, something I had never sought out before. Apparently many others have done the same, because as of my writing this in mid-September, Ice Bucket Challenge donations have surpassed the $112 million mark.
To me, the success of the Ice Bucket Challenge is amazing and unprecedented. I don’t think anyone could have imagined something so individual becoming so international; something so simple and completely unrelated to the cause being such fundraising simple-genius. But it is, and it has become one of those once-in-a-lifetime “lightening in a bottle” examples.
So what does this online fundraising phenomenon have to do with the readers of Memphis Medical News? I would say lots. Like the ALS Foundation, many practices in the vast medical world go for years operating successfully, well out of the eyes of popular culture. You have your patients, your referring doctors, your associates in the profession and the organizations in which you are involved, and they all know you well enough to make your business a success.
The question is, what would your organization do with a sudden flash of attention, and as a result a strain and drain on the organization to keep up with all the new business, inquires and demands on its time. To me, just as impressive as the Ice Bucket Challenge’s success and the dollars flowing in is that the ALS Foundation has been able to take it all in stride. The website has been able to keep up without the glitches that so often paralyze an organization when traffic surges (healtcaremarketplace website anyone?). The few anti sentiments to ALS Research based on religious beliefs that tried to rise against the campaign never caught traction. And, most important, the ALS Foundation seems poised and prepared to take this surge of awareness and build upon it. Hard to remember, but there was once a time when the Susan G. Komen Race for The Cure was a new idea, and the St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital Thanks and Giving Campaign signed its first celebrity. Those organizations used the media platform for growth and for good.
Most of you are not charities, but most of your organizations do have very smart doctors practicing or doing research. If something you discovered or pioneered suddenly took off on a national basis, the organization needs to make sure that not only the science is at the top of its game, but the communication tools, channels and messages are as well. Policy and procedure and information flow must be flawless in execution for every patient and inquiry. Organizations that experience a rare 15 minutes of fame are often limited to just that 15 minutes, not because they don’t deserve more, but because they can’t handle more.
Every time you market in any way, make sure to step back and also ask, “If this is as successful as I hope it can be, am I ready?” If the answer is yes, then ask, “If this is successful beyond expectations, what do I need to do to quickly become ready?”
Perhaps the greatest benefit of the Ice Bucket Challenge to all of us beyond The ALS Foundation is that it is a cold splash of reality that marketing success demands preparation. If not prepared it might just be nothing more than a splash.
— Ralph Berry, Executive Vice President, Public Relations, Sullivan Branding, rberry@sullivanbranding.com
To learn more about Ralph Berry or Sullivan Branding, visit www.sullivanbranding.com