Consumers are smart and discerning, and value relationships. For a business, it’s become increasingly important to demonstrate that you’re trustworthy and that you truly care about what you do and who you serve. It’s not always best to go right for the “sell” without building a meaningful connection first. That’s why, when tasked with connecting potential knee replacement patients with the right practitioner, the Doukas Media team took an approach rooted in relationship-building and storytelling.

In the healthcare industry, it’s necessary to demonstrate exceptional levels of competence and care. As exaggerated as it may seem, choosing the right healthcare provider actually can be a matter of life and death. In order to confidently make that choice, a patient must be completely informed of the different treatment options and resources that exist.

Orthopedic Resources of Florida and Empire Surgical Solutions, based in New York, both desired to connect with - and, most importantly, educate - potential patients through inspiring digital content about the Conformis knee replacement. The Conformis knee replacement is a custom-made, patient-specific knee implant designed to match the uniqueness of their natural knee, and is an option both practices supply. Ultimately, these providers were looking to educate their greater communities, as well as connect potential Conformis patients with a qualified surgeon.

The Doukas Media team used creative lead generation and Facebook messaging ads to share the story of prolific snowboarder and industry leader Jake Burton's experience with the Conformis knee replacement. The founder of Burton snowboards’ smooth journey back to the slopes serves as an inspiring example of the success of the Conformis offering. The message resonated with a thoughtfully targeted online audience: people ages 55 and older who are experiencing pain and may have an interest in sports that often utilize twisting motions, like tennis and golf.

The lead generation ad showed a preview video of Jake Burton’s story and offered the opportunity for people to fill out the form for more information and to watch the full video. Rather than running an ad that simply directs to a “make an appointment” page, the purpose of this specific campaign was to build a relationship and educate.

Once leads were captured, potential patients were followed up by phone and email so that the providers could learn more about their unique situations. If the potential patients were in need of a knee replacement at the moment, they were directed to a link enabling them to book an expedited appointment with a surgeon in their area.

Overall, the Doukas Media team was able to use storytelling successfully to educate, inspire, and connect patients with healthcare providers regarding an option they may never have known existed if not for being served these ads.